Extended Reality (XR) technology has been used in higher education and research for many years. However, there have been barriers for educational institutions to implement or adopt XR technology to support teaching, learning, and research. In this presentation, we will discuss how the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Libraries try to solve some of those challenges by implementing a shared immersive environment. Specific examples related to architectural science, documentary media, and interior design programs will showcase how the Immersion Studio is currently being used by faculty and students. In addition, the impact on educational experiences, the existing limitations, and future considerations will be discussed. The presentation will conclude with a summary of why a shared immersive environment can become an important resource and facility within academic libraries to enhance educational experiences.
Bibliometrics is the quantitative analysis of journal articles, books and other publications, which can be used to understand elements of research performance and impact. With the acquisition of two bibliometric databases, SciVal and InCites, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Libraries has published a Responsible Use of Bibliometrics Statement to provide guidance for the TMU research community and raise awareness of the strengths and limitations of bibliometric indicators. This statement joins a growing list of responsible metrics statements from institutions and libraries across Europe and North America.
Responsible use of bibliometrics is especially important in the current Canadian research funding landscape now that the Tri-Agency funders have affirmed the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA). NSERC has also released guidelines on research assessment that advises against using “surrogate measures”, such as bibliometrics:
The quality and impact of contributions to research should be assessed directly, where possible. Surrogate measures of quality and impact, such as the prestige of a publication venue or citation-based metrics (e.g., journal impact factor or h-index) must not be used as they introduce bias in the merit review process.[1]
Reliance on bibliometric measures in research assessment have been shown to be potential obstacles in the area of equity and inclusion, and can contribute to “structural inequalities in academia.”[2] For example, Diana Kwon cites political philosopher Perry Zurn on issues of citational justice: “We have really strong evidence that women are undercited and that people of colour are undercited.”[3] Responsible use of bibliometrics statements advocate for the direct and holistic evaluation of research, which can work towards addressing these inequities.
Direct evaluation of research also includes expanding which outputs are valued as part of scholarly knowledge creation and should therefore be considered in research assessment. NSERC, in their comprehensive “Forms of contributions to research”, points out that while scholarly journal articles are a valued research output when it comes to assessment, other forms of output and their impact should also be assessed.[4] A more expansive view of research contributions may include: equity and inclusion work in the research ecosystem, community service, policy impact, knowledge translation and mobilization activities, creation and curation of datasets, creation of intellectual property, and support for traditional knowledge and Indigenous Ways of Knowing.[5]
Educating the research community regarding the responsible use of bibliometric indicators is foundational to TMU Libraries’ emerging bibliometrics and research impact services. TMU Libraries’ Responsible Use of Bibliometrics Statement provides guidance for the responsible use of bibliometric tools, but also advocates for a holistic view of research performance evaluation, which includes both qualitative evaluation and quantitative indicators.
RACER, the software that has supported interlibrary loan activity for over 20 years across Ontario University Libraries, has reached end-of-life and is being discontinued by the vendor. Over the next few months, Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries will begin transitioning interlibrary loan to a new platform.
Effective December 8, 2023, TMU RACER accounts will no longer be functional and new requests will not be accepted within the old system. Any requests already in progress will be fulfilled as planned. However, there’s no need to be concerned, as we are implementing a new system and improved process to ensure uninterrupted access to interlibrary loan services.
We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible.
During the post-December 8 implementation period, users will discover a new Blank Request Form available on the Libraries’ website for submitting their requests. If you have included information in your teaching materials directing students to RACER, kindly redirect them to our Blank Request Form.
Great news! The new system is fully prepared to meet all of your interlibrary loan needs!
No services will be lost. Your access to materials at other libraries will remain unchanged.
No more separate login and password! Your TMU credentials will provide access to Library materials and all related services.
Users simply select ‘Request Resource From Another Library’ to request an item that TMU does not own.
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Libraries institutional repository preserves and disseminates all TMU faculty and student research outputs, making it easy to discover, share and cite work.
Updated from a previous repository platform to RShare (a powerful open access repository system) and launched in 2021, the institutional repository holds the work of TMU faculty, researchers, and students in a single location. The platform supports any file type including: text, images, video, audio, datasets and 3D models. TMU community members can submit and also discover research and the work of their peers – from articles to conference and working papers. “I have been working on a wide variety of modalities and research formats, which can all be captured through RShare,” says Jack Layton Chair and Professor Ken Moffatt, adding that “by referring people to RShare they can see the work I have done including: video, podcasts, SSHRC research site, articles both refereed and non refereed and scholarly books.”
Greater access to TMU research also improves discoverability by other institutions, peers and researchers, globally. “RShare brings faculty work together under one institutional banner,” says Digital Repository Coordinator, Toby Malone. “This encourages trust in work that’s been carefully curated and stringently checked for copyright requirements.”
Having a central holding of research outputs for any academic institution enables it to showcase and highlight innovative areas of research being studied at that institution; as well as work that is breaking new ground. It also promotes equitable access and makes research and data public – a requirement of the tri-agency funding programs. For faculty, it gives their peers (national and international) open access to their scholarly outputs, which in turn helps to establish more collaborations and higher citation numbers, increasing the impact of their work.
These open research platforms benefit the research community in many ways, including the possibility of continuing to further develop work through community awareness and collaboration. They also result in less of a need to rely on sites like ResearchGate and Academia.edu for content sharing.
Sociology Professor and Director of the Centre for Studies in Food Security, Mustafa Koc has worked with Malone to add his work on food systems to RShare. “I tried using different programs to load my publications online,” says Koc, adding “my experiences often ended with frustration.” In using RShare, Malone guided him through how the platform works and provided support in uploading articles. Koc has now posted some of his older, harder to find, papers and is digging up files which could have archival significance about food systems activism in Canada. “Posting these on RShare will not only improve accessibility to my files, but also accessibility to many of my other colleagues and to the research community at TMU,” says Koc.
This past year the TMU repository collection has grown substantially. Malone has played a major role in its growth by directly reaching out to faculty and encouraging participation and submissions to RShare. “Over the last year, close to one thousand TMU faculty members across every department in the institution have been contacted,” says Malone. His efforts have paid off. The number of faculty subscribers to the platform is now 787 and growing, up from 240 members in 2022. Along with the number of subscribers, the number of items submitted to the repository has increased. In September 2022 RShare held 7,343 items. Since then, 2,349 items have been added, including: links to 50 books, 63 book chapters, 38 conference papers, 6 datasets, 3 figures, 1,205 journal articles, 19 media items, 67 online resources, 4 posters, 203 preprints, 14 presentations, 124 reports, and 553 theses/dissertations/MRPs.
The response to the new repository continues to be more than enthusiastic and faculty like Mustafa Koc and Ken Moffatt are helping to spread the word. “I contacted my department and asked my chair to add an RShare link to our personal accounts when updating the website,” says Koc, noting that he also wants to learn how to upload data and documents. “I refer my colleagues and students to RShare. It is very helpful to have a location on campus that collects all modes of my academic work and community outreach,” says Moffatt.
RShare is open to the TMU community. If you are TMU faculty, researcher, instructor or student and would like to learn more, please contact TMU Libraries Digital Repository Coordinator, Toby Malone: toby.malone@torontomu.ca
Open access materials are academic materials that are legally accessible and distributed online, free of cost. The theme for this year’s International Open Access Week (October 23-29) is “Community over Commercialization,” encouraging a candid conversation about which approaches to open scholarship prioritize the best interests of the public and the academic community, and the importance of wider access to published research.
Public access to scholarly research is crucial for several reasons:
Knowledge Dissemination: Open research ensures that knowledge from scientists is accessible worldwide.
Informed Decision-Making: Policymakers can make data-driven decisions by accessing the latest scientific findings.
Inclusivity: Open research breaks down location and affiliation barriers, democratizing information access.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Open researchallows researchers from different domains to build on each other’s work.
Economic Efficiency: Open access reduces subscription costs for institutions, ensuring sustainable research practices.
Global Problem-Solving: Publicly available research enhances collaboration on global challenges.
Educational Value: Students and educators can access current research, aiding learning and teaching.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Open research fuels innovation by providing data for entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses.
Ethical Transparency: It aligns with principles of transparency, accountability, and fairness, ensuring publicly funded research benefits the public.
In recognition of International Open Access Week, the TMU Libraries are hosting the following three events. We encourage faculty and graduate students to attend one of our three open access week events and learn more about how open access can help academics find a wider audience for their research.
Show and Tell: Open Access Publishing Tools
Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023 Time: 11 a.m.-12 p.m. EST Format: In-person LIB 387 – Library Collaboratory
Join us in the TMU Library Collaboratory for a look at the specialized open access tools available to support your research and teaching. During our roundtable event, library experts will be on hand to answer all your questions about RShare, our digital repository, Open Journal Software for scholarly publishing, Pressbooks and H5P for creating interactive books and textbooks, and LaTex for writing, editing and publishing scientific documents. Participants will also have an opportunity to tour the Collaboratory and explore the features available to members, including AR/VR equipment, digital fabrication tools, and drones.
TMU Academic Leaders Discuss Open Access to Research
Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023 Time: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. EST Format: Online on Zoom
Join us online for an Open Access Week panel event hosted by the TMU Libraries. Chief Librarian Mark Robertson will moderate a discussion with academic leaders Sean Kheraj, Dr. Teresa Chan and Michael Kolios, on the value of open access research.
Learn more about the RShare digital repository including how to set up your profile, tie it to your ORCID account, and deposit your academic work and data. This workshop will show you how to use the RShare knowledge mobilization platform hosted by the Library. This session is open to faculty members and instructors.
Now that the new academic year is underway and assignments are right around the corner, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Libraries wants the community to know their doors are open to support you throughout the school year.
“The Library has such deep expertise. Sometimes you don’t know what there is to know until you ask,” says Mark Robertson, chief librarian. “My number one pro tip for students at all levels is to get in touch with your subject liaison librarian who can connect you to all the tools, information resources and services available to you, as well as walk you through the research process.”
Robertson says taking this step to connect with the Library can pay off in terms of academic success. “So often we hear upper year students say, ‘I wish I had known that in first year’ – whether it’s about how to get started on a research topic, search techniques, the nature and use of scholarly sources, or how to find and use statistical data. I highly recommend getting in touch and learning more about all the ways the Library can support you.”
Getting familiar with the resources at the Library
Before you settle into your assignments, take a look below at some of the ways the Library can support you.
Study space and on-site resources
Whether you’re commuting to campus and need some quiet space to study between classes, or you live on campus and just want to get out of your dorm room on the weekend, the Library has a variety of spaces available to meet your needs.
Floors 2 through 10 of the main library have study space available, with new individual partitioned desks with outlets and lighting, and more casual seating areas with great views. If you’re not alone, the Library also has open group study areas, and accessible group study rooms (for groups of 4 to 12 people) with monitors and white boards for project work and collaboration.
Want a study space with a view? Check out the fourth and eighth floors!
If you forgot your computer or prefer to travel lightly, the Library has loads of computer stations and labs available on three floors, and there are also laptops you can borrow from the Circulation Desk. Missing a textbook? Again, check the Circulation Desk, because the Library carries a whole host of these for loan to students.
Research help
Feel lost about where to start? Don’t go at it alone – there’s tons of support available to you at the Library, including librarians and staff who can support you in your research journey.
Whether you’re new to research or just like to up your research game this year, TMU Libraries is where you’ll find the help you need. Librarians and staff can help you develop your research skills, learn about the research process and access appropriate information.
Resources include:
Research guides, which show you how to evaluate resources and find information critical to your topic. Basically, how to research.
Research help: Librarians and staff can help you find what you need. If you’re on campus you can drop in and meet with someone on-site. If you’re at home, you can book an online appointment, or use the real-time chat services to chat with someone right away.
Research skills workshops: Offered every month, these workshops cover a variety of topics including navigating resources, conducting literature reviews and more.
Access all the amazing resources and collections (over half a million online resources, and an extensive physical materials collection as well) you need for essays, projects and assignments – plus Library staff who can help find what you’re looking for.
There’s also extensive access to magazines, newspapers, journals and more.
Think the Library is just a space full of dusty books? Wrong! There’s lots to discover on-site and online that can save you money and subscription services.
Criterion on Demand video collection features a wide gamut of content, including 1920s classics, new releases, foreign films, literary adaptations, documentaries, animated titles and independent features.
Similarly, Kanopy is a streaming service available through the Library that gives you access to a wide range of content including documentaries and foreign films.
Explore Material ConneXion, a collection of innovative textile, concrete and other materials samples providing fashion, entrepreneurship, engineering and other students the opportunity to explore current trends and examine materials to apply to their own creations and prototypes.
The Fashion and Race database, put together by Kimberly Jenkins, professor of fashion history and theory, is an online platform filled with tools that expand the narrative of fashion history and challenge mis-representation within the fashion system. It was even featured in Vogue (external link) !
“I hope students drop by the research help desk to talk to me or other librarians and learn about how we can help connect them to anything from highly specialized mapping databases to the newest issues of popular publications like the Economist.”
Equipment, tech and digital resources
On top of the collections, online resources, workshops and research support the Library can provide, there is also access to various software and hardware that may interest students.
The Digital Media Experiences Lab (DME) is a Library space on the third floor of the SLC where students have access to video and photo editing software, a green screen, podcasting equipment, 3D printers, soldering tools and even sewing machines. Want to learn how to use some of the equipment available? There are also experts on-site to support you.
The Circulation Desk has cameras – including GoPros – and tripods available for loan. All equipment, tools and tech are available to all students, and no experience is required.
For more information or general inquiries, reach out to the Library or stop in on campus – enter through the main entrance of the Library Building located at the corner of Gould St. and Nelson Mandela Walkway. Then head to the second floor. There’s also an entrance to the Library on the second floor of the SLC.
If you are receiving an error message when trying to access digital course reading lists on D2L, please clear your cache to resolve the issue. Instructions to clear your cache can be found on the CCS website.
If you are enrolled in a Distance Education course and are receiving an error message when trying to access course reading lists, please inform your instructor. Instructors should contact reserve@torontomu.ca to have their links updated to a torontomu link in D2L.
We hope everyone is having a successful exam period – the Spring/Summer term is almost complete!
Please clear any outstanding fines and return overdue items as soon as possible. Head to the renewals page to see if you have overdue items or fines greater than $25. Students with fines greater than $25 will not be able to view their grades until their accounts are cleared.
All fines can be paid to the Library at the Circulation Deskeither by VISA, MasterCard, American Express or with your OneCard. The Library also accepts credit card payment by phone – please call 416-979-2149. We do not accept personal cheques.
If you have questions or concerns about fines or overdue items, please contact Library Circulation access@torontomu.ca
Timeline of Rumi’s life and work. Image courtesy of Michael Carter-Arlt
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Libraries has once again partnered with the Aga Khan Museum to develop digital installations for their current Rumi exhibition. Since 2019, the Libraries’ Information Technology (LITs) and Collaboratory teams have collaborated with the Museum on immersive projects for exhibitions, providing graduate students with real-world opportunities to work on digital installations. The first collaboration was the 2021 Remastered exhibition of Persian, Turkish, and Mughal Indian manuscript paintings, in which the Libraries developed: holographic 3-D visualizations, smartphone interactives, digital restorations and animations of artwork. The partnership has continued to grow, giving unique opportunities for graduate students to gain experience working with immersive technologies.
Last August, the Aga Khan Museum reached out to TMU Libraries to kick off discussions about their then upcoming exhibition titled Rumi: a visual journey through the life and legacy of a Sufi Mystic. The exhibition, which opened in May and runs through to October 2023, “celebrates one of history’s most famous poets on the 750th anniversary of his passing.” Dr. Michael Chagnon, who joined the Museum in 2019, curated the exhibit that explores “Rumi’s enduring impact through an examination of artifacts, manuscripts, and contemporary art.” TMU Libraries, along with a group of contemporary artists, was asked to assist in creating new ways of learning about the poet’s life and experiencing his work.
Under the direction of TMU Libraries’ Immersive Technology Specialist Michael Carter-Arlt, the partnership (and this project), has given way to the opportunity for Library Collaboratory research assistants and TMU graduate students Ava Mozaffari, Liam Gregory and recent grad Jae Seo to gain experience and expand their skills in fabrication and 3D printing, contextual video creation, and large-scale projections.
“The Libraries’ partnership with the Aga Khan Museum has allowed students and faculty to learn how XR technology can be used for museums,” says Carter-Arlt. “It’s rewarding and a privilege to work with and mentor graduate students, as they develop their own professional portfolios.”
Ava Mozaffari and Michael Carter-Arlt beside the Rumi portrait create by Mozaffari. Photo credit: Lee Chapman
Mozaffari, an international student and 2023 graduate of the TMU Master of Digital Media program, worked as an assistant developer on the project creating a contextual video and a portrait projection of Rumi. “This project was a fusion of my Persian roots, and digital art and technology,” she says. “It allowed me to expand my technical capabilities and also gain a richer appreciation for my own culture and its enduring impact on the world.”
The portrait, a ten by ten foot tiling animation made up of multiple images related to the poet, is seen at the beginning of the exhibit and acts as an introduction to the poet’s work and life. From a distance, visitors see the poet’s face. As they move towards the projection they discover folios, significant artifacts, statues of and poems by Rumi. The piece provides an understanding of the poet’s legacy in a single instance through a purely visual context.
Using the open-source programming language Processing, Mozaffari developed and coded the installation so it could be re-scaled, re-formatted and re-purposed for new projects. Prior to this she worked in Processing for student projects, but had not explored its use for such a large piece. This project pushed her to learn how to adapt and alter the code.
Recent computer science graduate Jae Seo had previously worked with Carter-Arlt on the Remastered exhibition and acted as a consultant for the Rumi projection portrait. Similar to Mozaffari, Seo valued the opportunity to further develop skills and explore Persian-Islamic culture. “This project allowed me to utilize AI tools to expedite the process for coding using Processing, a language I’m not very familiar with,” says Seo. “It also opened my eyes to the captivating intricacies of Islamic culture.”
Liam Gregory beside 3D objects printed for the exhibition. Photo credit: Lee Chapman
In addition to the portrait, Liam Gregory, a graduate student in Computer Science, assisted with the 3D printing of three exhibit artifacts. The prints were done in collaboration with artist Simin Keramati who had also created an interactive installation for the exhibition. While knowledgeable about the 3D printing process, Gregory had not worked on a large-scale project. Through the collaboration, and working from 3D models that had been created by Carter-Arlt, he was able to gain a solid grounding in 3D printing.
“The pieces for the Rumi exhibit presented an interesting challenge in printing sturdy parts for public use. Getting such large and strange pieces to print well was a neat test of my skills and of equipment available at the Library Collaboratory,” says Gregory. “It was great to help out the exhibit and add something very different to my portfolio.”
In total, the LITs and Library Collaboratory teams developed five immersive experiences. In addition to the portrait projection and 3D printing of artifacts, the project scope included: a 13th century interactive timeline of world events, Rumi’s life and his impact on art and architecture; a contextual video depicting three folios related to Rumi’s poetry; and a touch screen application that allows visitors to engage with selections of four Rumi poems.
“Our partnership with the Aga Khan Museum has been a wonderful opportunity for our students to gain valuable experience that they can take into their career,” says Kelly Dermody, head of LITs. “We hope to explore more partnerships with organizations like the Aga Khan Museum in the future.”
Do you use streaming media and DVDs for instruction? TMU Libraries is conducting a survey to learn more about multimedia needs for teaching. Fill out our brief survey (15 – 20 mins) and let us know about your current usage, challenges, and costs.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated and will help to better inform our collection development priorities and licensing needs.
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Libraries institutional repository preserves and disseminates all TMU faculty and student research outputs, making it easy to discover, share and cite work. 
