Ode to Dana Porter Library
A love letter to an iconic building
We are highlighting the library’s mid-century design, acknowledging its place in Waterloo’s history and future, and honouring the experience that the space evokes for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. This building illustration will be applied to branded merchandise in the WStore, such as shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more. Keep an eye out for the launch of the Ode to Dana Porter Library this October.
We love how you light up the heart of campus.
And how your gentle arches welcome everyone who enters
We love your cozy carrels stacked 10 stories high and the view from your windows like slivers of sky.
A place where we connect, contemplate and create.
Where tradition breeds innovation and our future meets our past.
Your walls a cubed container for our questions, hopes and dreams.
Where, no matter how full, there’s always a seat for me.
- With love, your admirers at Waterloo
When the university integrated social media into the convocation ceremonies for the first time in June, it did so quietly, unsure what the response would be like from students and parents. But 2,000 congratulatory tweets and one marriage proposal later, it was clear that the CONVO-sation, as it was dubbed, had taken on a life of its own.
Designed both to make the ceremonies more inclusive for family and friends, especially those not in attendance, and provide graduating students with a way of sharing their Waterloo memories, the first CONVO-sation garnered tweets from across the country and as far away as Dubai. Even Waterloo alumni sent their congratulations, with one tweet reading: “Congrats to all the new mathie alumni! I was there 6 years ago. Best feeling in the world #uwgrad2012 #uWaterloo GambitIT”
As a result of the June social media success, attendees of the Fall convocation ceremonies can expect bigger and better social media capabilities.
“We had such a positive response from the June ceremonies, we knew we wanted to build on the initiative going forward,” said Cynthia Breen, Alumni Officer, E-Services, and one of the key players in the social media integration.
Two enhancements will provide graduating students and ceremony-goers a better user experience. Larger screens will be set up in the robing area for graduating students to see messages from family and friends before the ceremony begins, and a new Twitter wall provider will support the display of pictures marked with the official CONVO-sation hashtag, #uwgrad2012.
Like in June, guests will be able to view the Twitter wall on two large screens in the ceremony room before the ceremony begins. Screens will also be set up at the reception in the Student Life Centre after each ceremony.
By having screens in several locations, the Office of Alumni Affairs and the Registrar’s Office hope to capture the excitement of the day in real time. “At the end of the day it’s about celebrating the graduates and their achievements,” said Jason Coolman, Director of Alumni Affairs. “What better way to do that than in real time on social media, allowing family and friends to be a part of it.”
Dani Stock (MA ’10, PhD ’15)
Stock is a freelance writer and brand strategist. After completing her master’s and doctorate in English, she started her own consulting practice where she works with organizations to build brands that help them grow. Over the last three years, Stock has had the pleasure of supporting Creative Studio and departments across campus on their brand and marketing projects. Like many proud Waterloo alumni, she spent her fair share of evenings nestled in the safe space of Dana Porter Library, so making this love letter was long overdue.
About the illustrator
Audrey Thébaud (BAS in progress)
Thébaud is a third-year architecture student and storyteller. She loves exploring different representation styles and new ways to tell stories through her drawings. She is excited to be part of the Ode to Dana Porter Library project to pay homage and highlight the character of our campus' library building. Having travelled a lot and having lived on Waterloo’s satellite campus in downtown Galt, she has gained a deep appreciation for the history buildings cultivate through their impact on their physical location and the culture of the surrounding community.