Sonia Smith

Liasion Librarian

Responsible for the provision of a range of library and information services and collections to support teaching, learning, and research taking place at the Law Faculty, Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation and Jewish Studies.

Education

• Master of Library and Information Studies, Montreal University
• Bachelor of Library Science, National University of Mexico

Professional activities

• International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) - Law Libraries Section, Secretary 2023-
• International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) - Law Libraries Section, Information Coordinator 2019-2023.
• Canadian Federation of Library Associations - Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA/FCAB), Board of Directors, Quebec Representative 2019-2021.
• Association des bibliothécaires du Québec - Quebec Library Association (ABQLA), Board of Directors, 2018-2020.

• Canadian Federation of Library Associations - Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA/FCAB), Interim Board of Directors 2016 - 2017

• Association des bibliothécaires du Québec - Quebec Library Association (ABQLA),  Past-President, 2016 -2017

• Association des bibliothécaires du Québec - Quebec Library Association (ABQLA),  President, 2015-2016

Selected publications

• Smith, S. and Rogers-Butterworth, A. (2024) Law Students as Reference Assistants in an Academic Law Library. Canadian Law Library Review, 49 (1)

• Smith, S and Bozic, M. (2020) Does a Wellness Collection Have a Place at a Law Library? Canadian Law Library Review, 45 (1). Winner of the 2021 Canadian Law Library Review Feature Article.

• Smith, S. (2019) The Quest for Reference Help: Asking a Law Librarian. Canadian Law Library Review, 44 (1).

• Smith, S. (2017) The Creation of the CFLA/FCAB Truth and Reconciliation Committee: The First Report. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research. 12 (1).

• CFLA/FCAB (2017) Truth & Reconciliation Report and Recommendations. (Truth & Reconciliation Committee Member).

• Zhao, J., Smith, S. and Torabi, N (2016). Meeting Campus Linguistic Diversity: A Multilingual Library Orientation Approach. International Journal of Information, Diversity, and Inclusion. 1.   

• Smith, S. (2015). Library Instruction for Romanized Hebrew. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41(2), 197-200.

• Smith, S. (2014). Joe Fishtein Collection of Yiddish Poetry. In J. Tomm and R. Virr (Ed.) Meeting with Books: Special Collections in the 21st Century. With a Tribute to Raymond Klibansky & an Illustrated survey of Special Collections at McGill University Library and Archives. (pp. 206-207). Montreal : McGill University Library and Archives.

• Smith, S. (2014). Norman H. Friedman Arthur Szyk Collection. In J. Tomm and R. Virr (Ed.) Meeting with Books: Special Collections in the 21st Century. With a Tribute to Raymond Klibansky & an illustrated Survey of Special Collections at McGill University Library and Archives. (pp. 120-121). Montreal: McGill University Library and Archives.
• Smith, S. (2014). Saul Shapiro Collection of Anglo-American Judaica. In J. Tomm and R. Virr (Ed.)  Meetings with Books: Special Collections in the 21st Century. With a Tribute to Raymond Klibansky & an Illustrated survey of Special Collections at McGill University Library and Archives (pp. 188-189). Montreal: McGill University Library and Archives.
• Smith, S. (2013). Soomekh, Saba. From the Shahs to Los Angeles: Three Generations of Iranian Jewish Women between Religion and Culture (review). Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 2012. Woman in Judaism: A Multidisciplinary Journal, vol.10 (2)     
• Smith, S. (2010). References Services at McGill University: Reaching Out! AJL Conference Proceedings. 45th Annual Convention, Seattle, Washington, 2010.     

Presentations

• Smith, S. (2019). And the Seed of a Bequest Sprouted: The Wainwright collection of the Nahum Gelber Law Library at McGill University. IFLA World Library and International Congress. August 23-30, Athens, Greece.

• Smith, S., Carr, Ch. & Kasirer, K. (2019). Canadian Federation of Libraries Associations Panel Update. Quebec Library Association Conference. Montreal, QC.

• Smith, S., Canuel, R. Kohn, A. & Carr, Ch. (2018). Canadian Federation of Libraries Associations Panel Update. Quebec Library Association Conference. Montreal, QC.

• Smith, S. (2017). Library Exhibit Going Touch: Bringing the History of Criminal Law and the Holocaust to Library Users through a Multimedia Experience. (Poster Presentation). IFLA World Library and International Conference. August 19 – 27, Wraclow, Poland.

• Smith, S. (2017). The CFLA/FCAB Truth and Reconciliation Committee. Association of Canadian Archivists Annual Colloquium, Montreal,QC.

• Smith, S. (2016). Merging Collections for User’s benefit. Association of Jewish Libraries Annual Convention. Charleston, SC, USA.
• Smith, S. (2013). Student’s difficulties searching romanized access points in the library catalogue. World Union of Jewish Studies Congress.  Jerusalem, Israel. 
• Smith, S. and other Librarians (2011). Judaica Collections at the Rare Books Department at McGill University. Organizer of visit and moderator. Association of Jewish Libraries Annual Convention. Montreal, QC.
• Smith, S. (2010). Reference Services at McGill University: Reaching out!. Association of Jewish Libraries Convention.  Seattle, Washington.                           
• Smith, S. (2007) The Jewish Public Library in a Multi-ethnic enclave: Adapting to Changes. Association of Jewish Libraries Convention. Scottsdale, Arizona.                                  

Languages

• English, French, Spanish, Hebrew and Yiddish