As one of the most beautiful spaces on campus, it’s a shame that students often overlook the Islamic Studies Library when considering study location. Situated in Morrice Hall, the library holds approximately 125,000 books in 12 different languages on anything relating to the Islamic world, including religion, philosophy, and theology. In addition, 10,000 titles from the collection form the reference section and offer a wide range of language learning materials.

History

In 2012, the Islamic Studies Library celebrated its 60th anniversary. Professor Wilfred Cantwell Smith, a professor of comparative religions, founded the library and McGill’s Islamic Studies Institute in 1952. Legend says that the original library was made up of his personal collection of books on Islam in Indonesia and South Asia.

“I think [his focus] is why the collection of this library aims to cover the Muslim world as a whole, not only the Arab world,” head librarian Anaïs Salamon said. “It is much wider than that [.…] It is a very ambitious mandate.”

The library and the institute moved into Morrice Hall in 1983. The gothic-style building was originally built in the late 19th century to house the Presbyterian College of Montreal. It was donated to McGill in the 1960s and has been home to the institute ever since.

Atmosphere

Beauty is not a word that is often associated with a library at McGill, but the Islamic Studies Library is certainly enchanting. The place radiates peace and calm as soon as you step in the door. The dark wood of the staircase and the wood paneling of the Octagon Room—the buildings main quiet study area—help you de-stress even as you study. During the day, the room fills with natural light from the large windows with stained glass insets. Browsing through the bookshelves, you will find unique volumes filled with calligraphy, making the books just as elegant as the space.

According to Salamon, the Islamic Studies Library is a serene place for everyone to learn, study, and relax.

“I like [the library] because it’s very inclusive,” Salamon said. “Anyone can come here.”

Salamon said visitors are welcomed without judgement, regardless of religious affiliation.

“I really have the feeling that it’s a quiet, peaceful kind of library,” he expressed.

Resources

While the collection in the Islamic studies library tends to be used by graduate students and faculty, it has many resources that can be utilized by everyone. The library has two librarians and two librarian assistants, all of whom are knowledgeable in the languages of the Islamic world, including Arabic, Persian, and Turkish.

The entire library is a quiet study zone, with 33 seats and 42 carrels available. In addition, the Islamic Studies Library has two photocopiers, a Spirit Book Scanner, and a paper trimmer. The library also  has areas with computers—one near the entrance with 10 desktop computers, and another near the Octagon Room with four computers. An elevator also makes the library wheelchair accessible.

Something special

According to Salamon, McGill’s Islamic Studies collection is one of a kind.

“In Canada, we are definitely unique. And [compared to collections] in the U.S.,  parts of the collection are unique as well.”

Salamon said the library was one of the earliest Islamic or Middle Eastern Studies libraries in North America. Because of this, it possesses many volumes that are unique and no longer in circulation.

“McGill should be proud to have such an important collection on campus,” she said.

This past weekend, men around the world shaved their faces baby smooth to embark on a hairy month-long journey to change the face of men’s health. Through the medium of a moustache, the annual Canadian Movember campaign raises funds for Prostate Cancer Canada, awareness of the disease itself, and, as of last year, more broadly of other men’s health issues such as testicular cancer and mental health.

At this time every year, the McGill campus is covered with facial hair ranging from adolescent wisps to full grown ‘Tom Sellecks.’ The campaign has garnered a lot of enthusiasm due to its college demographic appeal.

“Movember works in the same way a blogsphere works—in a hilarious narcissistic fashion with a political edge,” Kate Whiteway, U3 Arts and a supporter of the Movember campaign, says. “The reason it gets attention is because it is so farcical, but still gets its positive communal message to work. It’s perfect for college.”

According to Emannuel Sarantonis, a U1 Engineering student and an active ‘Mo Bro,’ Movember is both a competition between friends for laughs and a fundraiser for an important cause.

“You don’t have to grow a beard to support this cause,” he says. “There are many ways to fundraise.”

Beyond individual participations and friendly competitions, McGill has its very own Movember teams that raise large amounts of money through  ‘Mo parties,’ and the involvement of on-campus athletics, faculty clubs, and administration. ‘Mo Sistas’ can also get involved, by supporting and encouraging ‘Mo Bros’ and their new furry friends to break down conversational barriers on men’s health.

In 2012, the McGill network raised a combined $82,815 for men’s health awareness and has raised over $164,000 in the last three campaigns.

However, the Movember movement is certainly not without its share of criticism. According to Nathaniel Laywine, a PhD student in Communications Studies, people are too vague when they say that fundraising goes towards “Movember.” The spectacle immerses the student population in the Movember culture, whether it is the moustache shot glasses at Gerts or that guy in class with an impressive handle.

“Public awareness campaigns like such are more about the spectacle of it than it is about actually raising funds or educating people,” Laywine says.

A quick ask around the campus reveals that many are unclear about the purpose of the campaign behind the ‘stache. Such concerns may overshadow the tangible successes achieved by Movember. For instance, most people are likely unaware that in Quebec alone, the movement has been able to directly fund 42 research programs on male health.

Movember can sometimes be perceived as a mere excuse to grow a mustache and show off masculinity. Whiteway expressed concern that a campaign that hinges upon open discussions on universal male health boxes masculinity into old-age conservatism, with the moustache as the ultimate symbol of the “real man.”

Redefining what constitutes “masculine” does become important given Movember’s recent expansion into the area of male mental health. According to Dr. Denise Rochon, a psychiatrist at McGill’s Student Mental Health Service, the most obstinate barrier to seeking treatment for many men is the fear of emasculation.

“There is a stigma, [and] there are definitely [fewer] males who seek mental health treatment,” she says. “Men are scared of talking about their feelings and feel naked when they are part of a treatment.”

She adds that male college students also face the danger of self-medicating through readily accessible alcohol and drugs to curb their depression and anxieties. Rochon said she would like to see campaigns like Movember seek to engage in the “demystification of male health.”

Despite these concerns about its method of raising awareness, Movember definitely generates conversation where there has been little before. As will be evident from the abundance of facial hair soon to be growing from students at McGill this season, there can be little doubt that the attention generated by Movember is a healthy stepping stone towards comprehensive conversations on men’s health.

A fair amount of takeout pizza in Montreal—certainly from establishments along St. Laurent—can best be described in degrees of mediocrity. While there is an abundance of respectable, acceptably priced fast food in this city, pizza is a niche in a state of indifference. A market consumed by mediocre, standardized product from the national chains, and an unpredictable but similarly mediocre product from most independent pizzerias.

Into this market steps Pizza Navona, which set up shop this past summer across the street from McLennan Library. The sign outside advertises two cheese pizza slices and a soda for just over $4 ($5 with tax). In other cities, this would be a middle-of-the-pack price, but here in Montreal, it constitutes a deal of note. The real question is, does it taste any good?

The pizza slices at the restaurant—all nine varieties—are kept in a glass box and heated briefly in the oven before serving. Of the varieties, Mexican pizza is superior, but it is a bit smaller than the other slices; in contrast, the barbecue chicken pizza is better in concept than execution. Pepperoni is a solid, if unremarkable choice if the plain cheese slice simply won’t do. All slices can be topped with Parmesan cheese and spicy oil (which the employees says is made on-site) at no extra charge.

Pizza Navona also serves up non-pizza options including paninis and salads.

I tried the cheese and Mexican slices, which came to $5.75 without a drink. Cheese slices alone are $1.99; topped slices are $2.99 each. Both were acceptable. The cheese slice had a soft crust, with a light crisp at the bottom. The cheese blends particularly well with the parmesan and oil, and the edge of the slice, which is sprinkled with sesame seeds, tastes particularly appetizing when folded over the last bits of cheese. The Mexican slice was a sharp, somewhat spicy fusion of flavour. The crust and the toppings—olives, peppers, and ground beef—all blended effectively.

The atmosphere at Pizza Navona is just what you would expect. For a pizza joint, the relatively comfortable seats and five tables—an ample number for the space—make it a reasonably appealing place to stay and eat. A television in a corner of the eating area is often tuned to some disposable daytime fare, but occasionally live sports are shown. Either way, it isn’t particularly obtrusive.

While Pizza Navona may not stand out for its atmosphere or quality of food, it’s certainly a worthy destination for a quick lunch between classes, and the large variety of dressed pizzas should have something to offer to any taste. The $5 price for two slices and soda is on the cheap end of downtown options. While Pizza Navona seems to harbour high aspirations, the result is just good enough; better than absolute mediocrity, but less than it first seems.