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University of Waterloo -- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Sam Steiner, archivist at Conrad Grebel College, reports that the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada has launched a prototype of a Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia on the World Wide Web. Says Steiner:
The Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia has its genesis in a Mennonite Historical Society of Canada "database" project begun in the late 1970's to support publication of the Mennonites in Canada history authored by the late Frank H. Epp (vol. 1-2) and Ted D. Regehr (vol. 3, release due in August 1996 from University of Toronto Press). Marlene Epp, Research Associate for the project in the late 1980's, sought basic historical and statistical information on every Mennonite-related congregation in Canada. She also initiated smaller projects on Mennonite schools, institutions and individual leaders. Marlene Epp deserves major credit for this "core" of the Encyclopedia. Subsequent maintenance work on the database was done by Linda Huebert Hecht, and most recently by interim editor, Sam Steiner, Librarian and Archivist at Conrad Grebel College.
For several years the data lay dormant on the Society's computer at Grebel. At the Society's annual meeting in December 1995 the board authorized preliminary research into a prototype of a web site that utilized the data. Currently over 200 Canadian Mennonite congregations are listed in the Encyclopedia, with about 10 additional congregations added each week. The Society plans to add entries for Canadian Mennonite institutions, conferences, leaders and other themes after a governing editorial committee has been put in place.
The University of Waterloo Library has generously supported the project through provision of space on its server, and through a "search engine" that allows users to search the full text of the Encyclopedia by word or phrase. The search engine is powered by Open Text technology, originally developed at the University of Waterloo.
The UW Conference Centre will be home base for an unusual conference Aug. 7 - 11.
Billed as the "Satir '96 (3rd biannual Avanta conference) The Power to Create Change," this conference promises to "provide a breathing space" for individuals who are tired of the modern world's pace and who want to make changes in their lives and to begin "to experience awareness, balance and an energy to make wise choices in our lives."
Literature on the conference says those who may potentially benefit
include "individuals, families, social agencies, legal workers,
labor negotiators, grief counsellors, health care workers, churches,
educational organizations" - among others. That just about
covers everyone.
It also says highlights will include workshops on dealing with loss, trauma, grief, confronting racism, ethics in conducting therapy, substance and sexual abuse, non-adversarial conflict resolution, yoga and tai chi.
One of the conference highlights will be a performance by Vincent
John Vincent and the Vivid Group who will take their audience
through a virtual adventure using audio-visual techniques. Also
on the bill is native actor Margot Kane who will present "Moonlodge,"
a one-woman show "celebrating Native spirituality and womanhood."
For more information about Satir '96 call Gloria Taylor at 741-1212,
or Pam Loucks, at (fax) 745-3905.
Books signed out for the term from the Dana Porter, Davis and U.M.D. libraries can now be renewed to December 11. Reminder notices are being sent out to all users who have books due on August 14 to renew their book loans, or they might encounter long line-ups, warns Alex McCulloch, supervisor of the library's user services. Term loan books can be renewed at any of the three libraries, but they must be physically brought back in to the library location to be renewed. For information, call user services staff at: ext. 5544 (Porter); ext. 6913 (Davis) and ext. 2795 (U.M.D.).
The Teaching Resources and Continuing Education office (TRACE) reminds us the it's always a good time to think about nominating a worthy teacher for UW's Distinguished Teacher Award. The deadline isn't until next February, but the UW community is urged to submit nominations throughout the year. DTA information can be accessed through the TRACE Home Page at: http//www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infotrac or, call Verna Keller at ext. 3132.
Birthday best wishes today go to Alan Plumtree in mechanical engineering, and Victor Snieckus, chemistry.
It's the first day of Squamish Days, in Squamish, B.C., and of "National Catfish Month" in the U.S. (it's to get people to eat more U.S. farm-raised catfish!)
And finally, Martha (Calamity Jane) Burk died today in 1903, and was buried beside Wild Bill Hickock in Deadwood SD, probably at the age of 51.
Writer today: Martin Van Nierop (vanierop@nh3adm)
Technical support: Kyle McKenzie (kkjmcken@mc1adm), Cathy Hale
(chale@mc1adm)
Chris Redmond -- credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca Information and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo (519) 888-4567 ext. 3004 About the Bulletin | Mail to the Bulletin | Wednesday's Bulletin |