In Brief
(Feb. 6, 1997, Gazette)
APLA conference happening here
Memorial's St. John's campus will be the site of the Atlantic Provinces Library Association's
(APLA) 1997 annual conference from May 23-25. The conference theme, Wired/Connecté,
reflects the belief that libraries are in an advantageous position in today's information society. The
APLA 1997 organizing committee is chaired by Suzanne Sexty, Queen Elizabeth II Library, and
includes several members of the university community. Conference planning is well under way and
an interesting program is taking shape. Internationally noted journalist Gwynne Dyer will discuss
his views on technology and society during the keynote address. Workshops will tackle such
topics as "Are they reading what we buy?" and "Newspapers as research tools: finding them and
using them." For APLA membership information contact Elizabeth Browne, QE II Library,
737-3182. For conference details, call Suzanne Sexty at 737-7427 or e-mail
ssexty@morgan.ucs.mun.ca.
Interesting course added
Among the new course offerings approved by Senate last month was an undergraduate course
from the Department of Folklore which will likely be of interest to those with a taste for traditions
of belief. Special topics course Folklore 3606: Folklore and the Supernatural, will examine
patterns of belief and the features of supernatural folklore, and attempt to understand the nature
of surviving and declining traditions. The course will focus on the phenomenological features of
supernatural traditions; explanatory frameworks and their internal logic; means of developing and
maintaining belief; functions and structures of belief traditions; and relationships between genres
of belief.
Memorial musicologist contributes to CD
Last March the Gazette told you how Dr. Paul Rice, a musicologist in the School of Music, was
interested in the music of Jean-Philippe Rameau, a respected 18th-century opera composer and
theorist. Dr. Rice has since edited orchestral suites from Rameau's Fontainbleau operas, working
from copies of the composer's manuscripts in the Paris Opera Library. On March 9, 1996, some
of that music had its North American premiere at Memorial during a performance of the chamber
orchestra of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. In addition to editing the music, Dr. Rice
also arranged to have it professionally recorded, with support from the Office of the
Vice-President (Research). The music was performed by Capella Savaria, a period instrument
orchestra from Hungary, and conducted by Mary Térey-Smith of the University of Western
Washington at Bellingham. Some of that music is now available on compact disc. This month,
Rameau volume one, containing La Naissance d'Osiris and Abaris our les Boréades, was
released on the Naxos label and is available at local music stores. In addition to editing the scores,
Dr. Rice provided some of the CD's program notes. Volume two is already in production and will
be released later this year.
Competition deadlines approaching
The Association for Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) has announced that guidelines
for the 1997 University Partnerships in Co-operation and Development Tier 2 competition will be
forward to universities early this month. The deadline for the Microfund portion of the
competition is March 17; guidelines remain essentially unchanged from 1996. The deadline for the
Tier 2 Linkage Project competition is May 15; guidelines have been revised in some areas to
include more detailed explanations. Since universities are permitted to submit only two proposals
to AUCC, the International Programs Office has set internal deadlines of Feb. 28 (Microfund) and
April 30 (Linkage) in the event that an internal review committee will be necessary. For details
about Microfund and Linkage projects, contact Dr. Tony Dickinson at 737-4356 or Colleen
Clarke at 737-4053, International Programs Office.
Chemistry conference boosted economy
According to the findings of a City of St. John's Economic Development and Tourism Division
Questionnaire, approximately $700,000 was injected into the local economy by the 79th Canadian
Society for Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, held at Memorial June 23-26, 1996. Of the
1,006 delegates who attended the conference, 216 were from Newfoundland, 645 were from
other parts of Canada, 98 were from the United States and 55 were from other countries. Only
112 of the delegates completed the City of St. John's questionnaire, but more than 75 per cent of
those indicated that they will or may return to the province, and said they would recommend St.
John's as a vacation destination. Delegates commented favorably on the conference itself, on the
friendliness of the people they met in St. John's, and on the beauty of the scenery. The city
received low marks in terms of ease of navigation (several said streets could be better labelled),
high taxes, and lack of comprehensive information for tourists.