Let’s kick off 2026 with the library spotlighting what’s new and what’s on the horizon in research and digital initiatives. Whether you’re a long-time digital scholar or just beginning to explore what’s possible, we hope you’ll find something here that inspires you and sparks your curiosity. There’s a lot happening at the library.
Have questions or feedback? Reach out to our Associate Librarian Research & Digital Initiatives. You can also reach out to your Liaison Librarian to learn more about any of the items listed below.
Love Data Week 2026 runs from February 9–13
We are celebrating Love Data Week in 2026! Remember that the library stands ready to support all aspects of research data management, from planning and storage to documentation, ethical sharing, and long-term preservation, and to help researchers locate or build datasets useful to the broader community. Researchers interested in leveraging these resources or learning about the library’s data services and partnerships are encouraged to contact their liaison librarian for details.
Celebrate Tamil Heritage January 24, 2026
The fourth Tamil Studies Symposium will be held on January 24, 2026, in a bilingual in-person and online format, bringing together scholars, artists, and community partners during Tamil Heritage Month. Anchored by the library’s Digital Tamil Studies work and developed in partnership with the Tamil Chair and the Department of Historical and Cultural Studies, the symposium highlights the growing role of the library as a hub for community outreach, archival engagement, and collaborative research. The program spans accessibility technologies, community archiving, Tamil language model development, and new digital initiatives at UTSC, complemented by panels on activist archives and the documentary heritage of Tamil-speaking communities as well as student performances. Register today!
New CLIR-funded project at the U of T Scarborough Library makes at-risk materials available to the public
The library’s Digital Scholarship Unit has received a $192,978 USD award from the Council on Library and Information Resources to digitize and contextualize the S.J.V. Chelvanayakam and related A.J. Wilson fonds, a two-year project that will provide bilingual Tamil and English access to rare records documenting twentieth-century Tamil political life and civil rights movements in Sri Lanka. The grant supports comprehensive digitization, metadata creation, and community-responsive contextual materials, expanding global access to collections that are both heavily used and at risk due to the loss of comparable archives during the civil war. The work builds directly on the library’s broader Tamil Studies initiative, strengthening research, teaching, and community engagement around Tamil histories through sustainable digital stewardship.
A new Campus Core Facility is under development at U of T Scarborough Library
A new core facility at UTSC is moving into a focused planning phase, with attention to the spatial and programmatic needs of a research-facing environment that supports digital scholarship and creative practice. This direction was echoed at DH@UofT: Future Directions, where colleagues from across the university reflected on the growing reach of digital humanities and the need for shared, purpose-built spaces to sustain it. Feedback from the walkthrough is already shaping next steps. Share your ideas through the consultation form and follow progress on the public roadmap.
Visit the new Library Digital Scholarship Unit website
The library’s Digital Scholarship Unit has launched a new website that brings together its digital collections, research initiatives, and community partnerships in a single, accessible platform. The site introduces a clearer structure for project discovery, highlights ongoing work in digital scholarship and Tamil Studies, and provides researchers with streamlined access to documentation, roadmaps, and consultation opportunities. Designed to support both exploratory browsing and in-depth academic use, the new platform strengthens the unit’s capacity to share evolving work while inviting wider participation from students, scholars, and community collaborators. Check out our new website!
Applications Open! Undergraduate Research & Creative Forum
Applications are now open for the UTSC Undergraduate Research & Creative Forum, an annual showcase highlighting exceptional student work across campus. This year’s call invites submissions from undergraduate researchers and creators in all departments, offering a platform to share projects with peers and the broader UTSC community. The Forum provides an avenue for students to gain recognition, connect their work to wider academic conversations, and explore additional prize opportunities supporting undergraduate excellence. Faculty are encouraged to circulate the notice—or flag standout students directly—so emerging scholars have the chance to participate in this year’s event. Applications are due February 24, 2026 at noon.
Fun Data Friday
Curious about data? Ready to dive into the world of data cleaning, wrangling, and analysis? Join us for Fun Data Fridays! This lively and hands-on series led by our librarians will be running from January to March.
We’ll explore a variety of data topics designed to boost your skills and confidence in working with data, an essential skill set in today’s academic and professional world. Whether you're tackling coursework, launching a research project, or preparing for your future career, these sessions will give you the tools to succeed. Register today.