Throwback Thursday – Christmas Book Trees

It has become a yearly tradition at the Archer Library to set up our Christmas Book Tree in December. While we sadly cannot build our tree this year, we can take you back to years past with a look at some of our previous trees.

Have you ever wondered how a book tree is constructed? Check out this time lapse video from University College Dublin.

Movies and music and books, oh my!

Need a break from studying for exams? The Library Leisure Guide team has added Movies, Music and Reading tabs! If sugary-sweet holiday flicks aren’t your thing, we’ve got all kinds of other goodies (like a movie about a blue hedgehog…). How about reading a book you love, just for fun? If you need music for studying, we’ve got you covered there too. Check it all out on the guide: https://uregina.libguides.com/libraryleisure

Take care, and best of luck on your exams!

Image source: https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-ivxfl

Fairy Tales – Virtual Escape Room

Always wanted to find out if you know your research terms? Have a study break and enjoy the fun introduction to library terminology through fairy tales.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Enter the virtual escape room and give it a go!

Enter the virtual escape room

Also check out our Library Leisure Guide, for fun activities and resources for students, staff and faculty of the University of Regina.

December Celebrations



‘Tis the season to be stressed! Check out our new Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa Holidays & Celebrations pages on our Library Leisure Guide! Whether you’re bored, need a study break or are just interested in learning more about these celebrations, we’ve got everything from online access movies to colouring pages.

Remember to come back regularly to our Library Leisure page for updated content! Enjoy! https://uregina.libguides.com/c.php?g=719908&p=5145048

Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christmas_candle_snowman_with_lights.jpg

Typhoid Fever Epidemic @ Regina College

One hundred years ago this month Regina College was shutting down its teaching activities to combat an outbreak of Typhoid Fever.

Image credit: Photograph of Regina College 1920 (U of R Archives, 80-2, Photograph 12)

“The epidemic was all the more alarming and disconcerting because the college had escaped unscathed the widespread influenza epidemic of 1918-1919. At that time many Reginans died, but the college, having instituted a strict quarantine, suffered no casualties. The problem in 1920 arose from an infected milk supply… One of the farm workers, who unknowingly was a typhoid carrier, contaminated the milk, causing sixty-eight students, four teachers, and six members of the household staff to contract the fever. Early in December 1920 President Stapleford cancelled all the classes and ordered the girls’ residence converted into an infirmary… The only students who were completely safe were the war veterans who had been inoculated while in the army.” (James M. Pitsula, An Act of Faith: The Early Years of Regina College, 1988, Page 57-58)

There are some eerie parallels between now and one hundred years ago as the fight of COVID-19 continues. One important parallel being that in times like these healthcare workers are always our heroes at the forefront of the fight.

“The College Physician, with three other Doctors, assisted by thirty-six nurses, were untiring in their efforts to care for the sick, and no expense was spared in fighting the dread disease. We deeply regret to record that we lost by death, four of our brightest girls: Miss Illa Hodder of Rouleau, Miss Eleanora Swinehart of Huntoon, Miss Carrie Pritchard of Dumas and Miss Muriel Haggerty of Belle Plaine, and four of our finest young men: Rudyard Barnum of Star City, Frank Ritson of Dilke, Clifford Stephenson of Meyronne and George McFarlane of Nokomis. One of the members of our teaching staff, Mr. Roy P. Renwick, also fell a victim to the disease. Mr. Renwick was a most successful teacher, conscientious and painstaking. He will long be remembered by his colleagues on the staff and by his students because of the unselfishness of his character and life.” (U of R Archives, 2019-1, Box 1, File 4, Tenth Annual Report, Regina College, May 18, 1921)

Image credit: Photograph of Mr. Roy P. Renwick (U of R Archives, 84-13, Photograph 24)

After the tragedy of the epidemic, Regina College instituted some decisive changes, including the use of pasteurized milk and requesting that students and staff “be inoculated against Typhoid upon entering the College.” (U of R Archives, 2019-1, Box 1, File 4, Tenth Annual Report, Regina College, May 18, 1921)

Image credit: Cover page of the Tenth Annual Report, Regina College, May 18, 1921 (U of R Archives, 2019-1, Box 1, File 4

For reports on this event and the discussion around the use of unpasteurized versus pasteurized milk, also check out the Leader-Post database, which is a great resource available to you from home. If you would like to learn more about this topic please email archives@uregina.ca.

Last Archer Book Club for Fall 2020!

There’s still time to read and join us for the last Archer Book Club session for fall! On Wednesday November 18th from 12:00(noon) – 1:00pm, we will be chatting about “Good natured: the origins of right and wrong in humans and other animals” written by Frans de Waal.

Staff, faculty and students are all welcome!

Please note the book club meets virtually and a zoom link will be sent to all participants closer to the meeting. To join us simply send us an email. Contact information and more about the book club, this month’s selection, and Book Club Archives can be found here: https://uregina.libguides.com/archerbookclub

Also remember to vote for the Winter 2021 titles! Voting will be available until November 18th, 2020.

Library Leisure Guide: Diwali

Have you checked out the library’s leisure guide yet? One section is dedicated to holidays and celebrations, which will be updated chronologically. We just added a tab for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. There are interesting reads and videos to explore all about this celebration!

View the guide here: Library Leisure Guide – Diwali

Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Happy_Diwali_-_Festival_of_light.jpg