Month: January 2024

– by Kaetlyn Phillips

Did you make a New Year’s resolution for 2024? How is that going?

In 2023, Statistics Canada found that common resolutions included exercising, eating healthier, cutting down spending, disconnecting from social media, and reducing alcohol intake. Out of these resolutions, cutting back on alcohol definitely gets the most media coverage as many Canadians partake in “Dry January” at the start of the year and “Sober October” near the end of the year.

According to an Ipsos survey of Canadians in 2023, Dry January is most popular among Gen Z with 46% of Gen Z respondents saying they participated in the event and slightly popular with Milennial (20%) and Gen X (19%) participants. There’s currently no openly available Canadian data, but in 2021 the US company Knit conducted consumer research asking Gen Z about why they participated in Dry January. The top reason for both male and female participants was health and wellness (71.4% for males and 50% for females). The next reason was to save money (71.4% males, 42% females). Number 3 was to cut back on consumptions (57.1% for males, 33% for females). An interesting statistic was 33% of female participants listed participating in Dry January “for the challenge.” Based on these reasons, Dry January as a resolution does align with the top concerns when people enter a New Year – get healthier and save money.

If your resolution has become a case of “best laid plans” then don’t worry! You aren’t alone. A 2020 study by Oscarsson, Calbring, Andersson, and Rozental found that one year after setting a resolution goal, only 55% of participants considered themselves to be successful. The study found that approach-oriented goals (e.g. “I will increase the amount of time I exercise”) were more successful than avoidance-oriented goals (e.g. “I will stop eating Takis”). Social support also plays a key role in goal success as being held accountable and receiving positive reinforcement and praise increase enthusiasm and motivation. So, if you are struggling with your resolution, try reworking your goal and considering telling others about it.

Happy New Year everyone!

It’s #ACAHashtagParty time again at the Association of Canadian Archivists. We had fun finding these Science Show promo posters in our holdings to line up with today’s theme, #ArchivesScience. A fixture in the U of R’s events calendar for many years, the Science Shows invited the public to engage with the institution’s science-related departments through a variety of exhibits and experiments.

Image Credits: University of Regina Archives. Oversize Ephemerae (Faculty of Science). Science Show Posters, 1977-1991.

Join the University of Regina Anti-Oppression Book Club, hosted by the Archer Library, for the Winter 2024 semester! The theme for February is “Celebrating Black Voices: A Literary Journey for Black History Month.”

The book selection for February is the poetry collection Earth Skin by Peace Akintade. There are two Zoom meetings available: February 1st and February 15th, both 2:00-3:00 pm and both facilitated by Librarian Mary Chipanshi.

We are also excited that Peace Akintade will visit the Archer Library for a Meet-the-Author event on February 22, 2024. This is a hybrid event (Zoom and in-library) where Akintade will read from Earth Skin and have a conversation with Mary Chipanshi.

Information and links to sign up for a meeting and/or the Meet-the-Author event can be found here: https://library.uregina.ca/anti-oppressionbookclub/winter2024

All students, staff and faculty are welcome.

For more information contact Mary Chipanshi at mary.chipanshi@uregina.ca.

The Dr. John Archer Library & Archives invites students, staff and faculty to participate in the 2024 “Blind Date with a Book” contest, which runs from January 22nd to February 21st and aims to pair a reader with their perfect book.

Visit the display in the Archer Library with wrapped books (fiction, novels, poetry, plays and non-fiction) about Black history and by Black authors. Pick your “blind date” and sign it out at the Help Desk. Participants can enter to win one of three prize packs of books generously donated by the University of Regina Press.

On February 22nd, 2024, the author Peace Akintade-Oluwagbeye will speak at the Archer Library and during this event the winners of the contest will be announced.

The Dr. George F. Ledingham Herbarium Collection is now live online via the Library’s website. Dr. Ledingham (1911-2006) established a Herbarium at the University of Regina (then Regina College) in 1945. Under his direction, the collection grew to include an incredible 70,000 plant specimens and a rich legacy of other records (including journals, photographic materials and birding records).

The Herbarium Collection currently features two subcollections: Dr. Ledingham’s journals, which were digitized by Mariko Sawa (Archives Honours Student), and Dr. Ledingham’s records of birds, digitized by Mason Hauserman (Archives Arts Intern).

Access the full collection here: https://casls-regina.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01CASLS_REGINA:01CASLS_REGINA&inst=01CASLS_REGINA&collectionId=81311309340003476

The next meeting of the Archer Book Club will be on January 31st, 2024, from 12:00 – 1:00 pm, with this month’s selection being the classic Gothic novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film of the same name was based on this book and would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Archer Book Club meetings take place over Zoom, with meeting information emailed out closer to the scheduled date. More info here: https://library.uregina.ca/c.php?g=716288&p=5316926