Workshops, orientations and tours

Invest a little time with us now and you can save time later on!

Need help with your research?

Research is difficult, and finding the right information can be frustrating. The good news is that the Library can help make it easier. We offer a variety of programs, including general library orientation, tours and workshops with an emphasis on improving your research skills. 

This term, we will be offering two formats of workshops: 

  • Synchronous virtual workshop which can be recorded.
  • On-campus workshops 

You can send your questions and feedbacks by filling University of Ottawa Library Instruction Request Form

Workshop Series Fall 2026

Zoom workshops: Registration is required.  Please use your @uottawa.ca email to register

TopicDateDescription

Formulating a Research Question

Andrea Lobel
Student Success Librarian

2 dates

September 22, 2026
from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Learning Lab (CRX 230)

September 24, 2026
from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Zoom presentation

The goal of this workshop is to equip you with the basics to begin your research in a coherent and effective way. We will look at the research question, different research strategies, how to identify sources and judge their reliability. This workshop is a small time investment with great benefits for the rest of your years in university.

GenAI and Research

Majela Guzman
Research Librarian (Social Sciences)

October 16, 2026 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Learning Lab (CRX 230)

Generative AI tools are increasingly being used to support academic research, but how can students use them effectively and responsibly? This workshop will introduce practical ways to use GenAI throughout the research process, including exploring a topic, developing search strategies, discovering and evaluating sources, and working with research literature. We will also discuss the limitations of these tools, the importance of verifying information, and good practices for using GenAI critically and responsibly in academic work.

EndNote

Paul-Cezar Tanase
Intermediate Technician, Learning Support

3 dates

November 3, 2026
11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Learning Lab (CRX 230)

November 3, 2026
2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Learning Lab (CRX 230)
 

November 5, 2026
1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

Zoom presentation

Were you ever nervous when it was time to list your references and create the bibliography for your essay? Dread no more! This workshop will allow you to discover many features of EndNote, an excellent citation manager. At the end of this workshop, you will be able to create a bibliography in thirty seconds and organize your references with ease.

Buildathon at the uOttawa Library: Rapid AI-Assisted App Building

Channarong Intahchomphoo
Intermediate Technician, Learning Support

Paul-Cezar Tanase
Intermediate Technician, Learning Support

November 4, 2026
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Learning Lab (CRX230)

Event Overview: Work in teams to prototype an AI-powered solution for campus life in under 40 minutes, then pitch your idea to win!

  • Team Size: 3–5 participants per team.
  • The Challenge: Build an app prototype addressing a student or campus-life issue assigned by the event organizers.
  • Tools: Feel free to use any AI tools during development.
  • Building Time: 30–35 minutes.

Presentations: Each team will have 5 minutes to pitch their prototype to the judges before the winners are announced

Zotero

Mathieu Cloutier
Digital Literacy Librarian

3 dates

November 9, 2026
11 a.m. to 11 :45 a.m.

Learning Lab (CRX 230)

November 17, 2026
11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Learning Lab (CRX 230)
 

November 20, 2026
2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Zoom presentation 

Zotero is a free citation manager that helps you collect, organize, and cite journal articles and other information sources. This presentation explains how to install and use the main features of Zotero. If you are unable to attend, or if you prefer to learn at your own pace, the content of this presentation is also available as a self-paced online course.

Demystifying Local & Private AI: Hands-On with Desktop LLMs

Mathieu Cloutier
Digital Literacy Librarian

November 25, 2026
10:30 a.m. to  Noon

Tinkering Lab (CRX 220)

Discover how to run powerful open-source AI models entirely offline on local hardware, using the library’s custom MacBook Pro M5 Max (128 GB Unified Memory) as a live, high-performance testbed. This hands-on workshop explores data privacy, hardware requirements, and localized AI toolchains (such as Ollama and Open WebUI), giving participants the knowledge to run private, secure AI workflows without relying on external cloud services.

Library tours

You can contact us for more information on how to arrange a future tour.

Workshops and Instruction

Library instruction can be requested by faculty, students, or external groups. We are happy to come to your course or provide a workshop in a library space.  Some topics for instruction can include, but are not limited to:

  • Covidence
  • Generative AI tools and research
  • Digital Literacy
  • Citation management software such as Zotero or EndNote
  • Citation styles such as APA or MLA
  • Effective search strategies
  • Best sources for academic research

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