The Learning Zone

Last March 13 and 14, the OCAD U Zine Fair took place at the lobby of 100 McCaul Street. This year, the event had its 11th anniversary.

The Learning Zone -as part of the OCAD University Library- has been an active space for the promotion and growth of a unique publication known as zines. The OCAD Zine Library houses and provides access to over 2500 zines and the collection is developing every year. By organizing the Zine Fair, the OCAD offers another initiative to inspire students.

11 years have passed since the first edition of the Zine Fair but the goals have remained the same. It is definitely a great opportunity to not just celebrate the creation of zines, but also to recognize and acknowledge the multiple aesthetic versions of these alternative publications. Different subjects and concepts were presented in the zines exhibited, from comics, art, fashion and politics, to sex, sexuality, and queer zines, among others.

Surrounded by music and stimulating energy the public engaged with creators/vendors. They asked questions and chatted about some techniques and formats of zines. One of the highlights of the event during all these years has been the opportunity of “Make a button”. Of course, this time it was not an exception and art lovers, creators, and the public, in general, were enchanted with the process and steps of creating their own buttons. Last but not least, it has been a tradition to create a poster in order to promote and provide an identity to the event, and this year it was designed by fourth-year student Natalie Mark.

Here, find the vendors and participants of the Zine Fair in its 11th edition:

Rebecca Suzanne Michie https://www.instagram.com/nausicaa.art/; Old Growth Press www.oldgrowthpress.ca; Rachel McCormick https://www.instagram.com/ayoitsrachelo/; Myshka instagram.com/mishsmam; Elise Conlin www.eliseconlin.com; The Blues https://akpaillustration.com/; Salisa Jat salisajat.format.com; Alyssa Pisciotto www.instagram.com/that_glitter_chick; Dalbert B. Vilarino www.dalbertbv.com; Project 40 Collective www.p40collective.ca; Clairandean www.instagram.com/clairandean; Gwendolyn McLuhan https://www.instagram.com/grendelline/; Kelly K www.okaykellyk.com; Kimberly Edgar www.kimberlyedgar.com; Isa  www.instagram.com/carefultarot; Zoë Martin a.k.a. Zome Loam www.kzoemartin.wix.com/zomeloam; The Sunday Night Bombers https://sundaynightbombers.com; Dairysam http://www.instagram.com/dairy.sam; Andre Freitas https://www.facebook.com/ozman.hq/; Cleopatria www.instagram.com/cleopatriia; Emily Fay Fin www.fayforest.com; Casey E Helm – VESTAIS www.instagram.com/vestais; Clara Lynas https://www.instagram.com/claralynas/; daikonbaby www.instagram.com/daikonbaby; Xiaoxiao Li. www.instagram.com/xiaoxli; Lina Wu https://www.instagram.com/linaw_u/; Madcrush.co  madcrush.co; Jercy Dee www.instagram.com/jercydee; Rabeea Syed https://www.instagram.com/rabeeasyed/; Maradecartoons www.instagram.com/maradecartoons; Kai Lumbang kailumbang.com; Emma Percy http://www.instagram.com/emmalucillepercy; creepazoidMonster https://www.instagram.com/creepazoidmonster/; Toadstool Illustrations https://linktr.ee/toadstoolillustrates; Nati Romero www.natiromero.com; Chuddi Collective https://www.instagram.com/bodoodley/; https://www.instagram.com/monsterjuice/;   https://www.instagram.com/sylvianowak/

  Poster design by Natalie Mark

Come visit and browse a collection of over 2500 zines, from uniquely handmade multiples, minicomics, poetry chapbooks, perzines, and much more! We will have a special display of recent acquisitions with a focus on Indigenous voices, decolonization and multilingual publications.

When? Tuesday July 10, 10 am to 6 pm at the Learning Zone located at 122 St. Patrick Street, Level 1, also accessible from 113 McCaul Street.

This event is part of Art Book Week, a week-long series of events and activities that parallels the Toronto Art Book Fair. Art Book Week 2018 takes place from July 4 – 11 at various locations across the city. The goal of Art Book Week is to celebrate the unique artists’ book community in Toronto, as well as increase the visibility of new and exciting projects, spaces, and artists. www.torontoartbookfair.com/art-book-week-2018

photo credit Aruvi Rajasingham

Looking for a perfect way to celebrate the New Year with us at the Learning Zone? Join us for some great workshops starting next week.

Marta Chudolinska, Learning Zone and Zine Librarian will be leading OCAD Zine Library Workshop Series: Publish It Your Self.

A fantastic line up of hands-on introductory workshops to get you started on the zine you’ve always wanted to make: Soft-Cover Bookbinding, January 15 & 16; Hard-Cover Bookbinding, January 17 & 22; Intro to Self-Publishing, January 23 & 24; Linocut Printing, February 12 & 13. Open to all OCAD U students.

grOCAD is sowing the New Year with a second hands-on seed propagation workshop lead by Sayeh Dastgheib-Beheshti who teaches Sustainable Practices in the Design Program. Last semester Sayeh shared tips and techniques and native plant seeds to get a jump on Spring. Save the date for January 30th at 2:30 pm, for another chance to get started on that wildflower garden. Open to all members of the OCAD U community.

Other great events, workshops, exhibitions will continue this semester. We will see the return of Career Development: Résumé/CV, Portfolio and Interview Skills Drop-In Clinics every Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3:30 – 4:30pm starting January 10. Open to OCAD U students and recent graduates.

Research Wednesdays returns January 24, 1-2pm with Lindsay Gibb, E-Reserves & Learning Zone Coordinator who will be presenting Researching Pop Culture. Lindsay will discuss the research she had undertaken on actor Nicolas Cage when writing her award winning book National Treasure: Nicolas Cage.

We always look forward to your visit.

Research Wednesdays is a new speaker series introduced this semester by Librarian Daniel Payne.

It was held over six weeks at the Learning Zone, inviting students, faculty and staff to present their research or thesis in an intimate environment.

Stay tuned for the return of Research Wednesdays in January 2018. Bring your lunch and enjoy.

To find out how you can participate in Research Wednesdays please contact Daniel Payne at dpayne@ocadu.ca.

Let’s take a look back:

Ebooks and the Changing Landscape of Reading with Library Intern Lauren Orav, November 1

Can we still be alone with our thoughts? Ebooks and the Changing Landscape of Reading, Lauren investigated how digital publishing has impacted research practices and its consequences on reading habits, understanding and creating knowledge.

Re-Placing the Library: Spatial practices in the 21st century library with Librarian Daniel Payne, November 8

Daniel Payne, Head, Instructional Services at the OCAD U Library posed the question What does the library mean to you? Daniel examined spacial practices in the 21^st century library and how impressions of libraries in popular culture can be detrimental to envisioning the library in the 21^st century.

All Hands on Tech: Craft, Pedagogy and the Digital Challenge with Lynne Heller and Dorie Millerson, November 22

OCAD U faculty Lynne Heller and Dorie Millerson (MAAD Chair) posed the question What does “handmade” mean in the digital age? Lynne and Dorie presented their research on the practice of digital craft at OCAD University from the perspectives of faculty, staff and technicians.

They examined how digital craft is impacting teaching and learning in the studio and speculated on how to understand objects fabricated or designed by digital tools instead of the use of traditional making methods.

OCAD U Library presents a new speaker series called Research Wednesdays.

Students, staff and faculty are invited to present a paper, thesis or research on Wednesdays between 1pm to 2 pm hosted by the Learning Zone.

It’s a great opportunity to deliver a presentation or discover new creative resources.

Empowering Creative Researchers at the Toronto Public Library – October 18

This first presentation of Research Wednesdays series was Empowering Creative Researchers at the Toronto Public Library presented by Irene Gotz.

Irene Gotz is an Arts Librarian at the Toronto Public Library, freelance illustrator and OCAD U alumna. Irene introduced many of the art specific resources and services available to artists and designers; online or in-person at a Toronto Public Library location.

Celebrate Open Access Week at OCAD U with Chris Landry – October 25

Celebrate Open Access week with Scholarly Communications Librarian Chris Landry. Chris will guide you through what Open Access is while dispelling any misconceptions about this international movement.

Learn about the OCAD U Open Research Respository (http://openresearch.ocadu.ca/) and how you can contribute to this growing portal that promotes OCAD U creative research to the world.

Stay tuned for more Research Wednesdays presentations.

Interested in presenting your thesis or research at Research Wednesdays? Send an email to Daniel Payne (dpayne@ocadu.ca) and include:

• brief 250 word description of your talk
• indication of which Wednesdays would be available for you
• list of technological heads
• ideal set up of the presentation seating arrangement
• description of any participatory activities that may be used. (NOTE: any focus groups or survey-type activities may need Research Ethics Board approval, so be prepared to include this in your proposal)