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“A Picture is Worth 1000 Words” invited households in participating multi-unit residential buildings in Vancouver to share and showcase their experiences of social connections and isolation and their wishes and worries about the sociability of their lives at home. Additionally we asked participants to show us how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their sense of social context, including their local neighbourhood environment. The result is a showcase of the places and situations that participants identified as facilitating or inhibiting their social connections in their home environments at this time, participants’ explanations of the way they understand and relate to these places, and what they think it would take to generate a greater sense of sociability.

Public libraries are trusted community hubs that foster connections with individuals of different socioeconomic statuses; ages; ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds; and sexual and gender identities. Located in diverse settings, library branches offer resources and programs that meet the specific needs of their communities who are navigating the effects of our increasingly asocial society. Libraries have been shown to cater to individuals contending with higher levels of social isolation and loneliness, as well as increased rates of mental illnesses and antisocial behaviours. The shift to online environments during COVID-19 has exacerbated feelings of disconnection. During these times of change, public libraries facilitate resilience, helping communities withstand and adapt to difficult circumstances. While several individual studies have separately examined libraries’ outreach efforts, what remains unknown is the broader knowledge landscape regarding public library practices, spaces, and activities that collectively create and reinforce social connections in an increasingly asocial society. We examined scholarly literature to answer the following questions to to bridge existing knowledge gaps: How do public libraries help patrons create or maintain connections in their communities? What population groups are included in public library research and in what ways are they differently impacted by public library services, materials, and/or spaces? How are public library virtual programming and services (especially prominent during COVID-19) changing the ways in which patrons engage with public libraries? In what ways does the Canadian public library research landscape compare or differ from that in European and Australasia countries, and what lessons can we glean from these differences?Underlying a majority of the included articles is an acknowledgement that the role of public libraries is changing, from operating as information repositories to now also operating as community hubs. The ways in which public library systems and branches engage with their communities and patrons are therefore also shifting. Focusing in particular on the current state of public library-related research knowledge on issues related to growing feelings of disconnection, isolation and loneliness, articles explored the multiple ways in which public libraries afford connection for and among their patrons. Public libraries draw on their spaces, their staff, their collections and materials, their programs, and relationships with community organizations to bolster feelings of connection. Given the distribution of public libraries across the country, in urban and rural locales and in neighbourhoods of high and low poverty, the ways in which public libraries both connect with and provide connection manifest differently depending on their contexts. Research on this topic is indicative of the many different population groups that public libraries engage with and support on a daily basis. Research focuses on a myriad of population groups, including: children, youth, older adults, parents, unhoused populations, differently abled individuals, immigrants and non-permanent residents, among others. This breadth of population groups, each with their own unique circumstances, needs, and expectations, is indicative of the range of factors and contexts library workers need to consider and incorporate in their programs, collections, arrangement of physical and virtual spaces, and administration. Across published research, public libraries fostered connection through the following means: Encouraging feelings of belonging Creating connections through technology Reinforcing cultural identities Creating safe physical spaces Addressing issues of accessibility Creating new educational programming Creating new recreational/social programming “Palaces for the People”: Mapping Public Libraries’ Capacity for Social Connection and Inclusion is co-funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Employment and Social Development Canada. : Cartographier la capacité des bibliothèques publiques en matière de connexion sociale et d'inclusion est cofinancé par le Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines et Emploi et développement social Canada.

Drawing on a representative sample survey of B.C. adult residents, this report examines different aspects of housing situations and factors that may increase housing vulnerability or resilience during the pandemic. We take this approach because of the significant impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), including the closure of non-essential services, and physical distancing measures, on people’s homelives in B.C. during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the likelihood of significant disparities in the secondary effects of adapting to these NPIs for people in different housing situations. It is clear from the survey results that these secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic include deteriorating well-being outcomes for many B.C. residents. Housing, considered comprehensively to include people’s private homes and their shared neighbourhood spaces, plays a crucial role in mitigating the disruption caused by the imposition of new rules (NPIs) designed to curb the spread of COVID-19. Key takeaways from this report include: • British Columbians report feeling the impacts of NPIs on their daily life activities, and that these have physical, mental, and social well-being implications for them. • Housing vulnerability manifests in multiple forms, some of them new to the pandemic context. Forms of housing vulnerability experienced include housing instability, housing inadequacy, limited housing affordances to practice physical distancing, and neighbourhood inaccessibility. • Among the different tenure types we considered, market housing tenants experience the greatest prevalence of housing vulnerability. • Strong relationships exist between housing situations and well-being outcomes. This tells us that housing plays a central role in building household resilience to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, including its secondary effects, as we studied here.

This report was originally published as: Jóhannesson, G.T., Welling, J., Müller, D.K., Lundmark, L., Nilsson, R.O., de la Barre, S., Granås, B., Kvidal-Røvik, T., Rantala, O., Tervo-Kankare,K., & Maher, P. (2022). Arctic tourism in times of change: Uncertain futures - from overtourism to re-starting tourism. Nordic Council of Ministers. DOI: 10.6027/temanord2022-516 This report presents the findings of the third and final workshop and field course hosted by the project Partnership for Sustainability: Arctic Tourism in Times of Change funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Arctic Co-operation Programme 2018–2021. The focus of the workshop was on overtourism and the impact of and response to COVID-19 by companies and stakeholders in Arctic tourism. This publication was funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/25309/delaBarre2022.pdf?sequence=3

This document concerns a short review of the impact of COVID-19 in the Dutch logistics sector. Specifically, it focuses on the well known JIT method. JIT relies on the ability within a supply chain to respond directly to a request from the following player in the chain, relying on knowledge from previous orders. The crisis brings unpredictable orders which means that the players in the chain do not have the needed resources. End-to-End Integration looks like a solution, but the fast implementation brings not only advantages. The analysis within this document looks at the governance, process integration, and security of such change in the chain. This digital transformation of the chain already had clear benefits, but it is unclear whether these build up against the risk that a fast implementation during a crisis brings.

The 2019-2020 Archer Annual Report provides a snapshot of the work of the dedicated staff of the Archer Library and Archives from May 2019 to April 2020 as they continue their support and leadership within the University community. The Dr. John Archer Library and Archives continued to adapt and change in 2019-2020. Some of the changes were anticipated and expected, others were not. With the onset of the pandemic, the whole world moved to a virtual environment in March 2020. Over the course of just two and one-half weeks, the Archer staff and faculty moved our services and supports to virtual delivery, ensuring that students, faculty and staff remained supported and library materials were accessible. Although the changes resulting from COVID 19 in the last two months of this reporting period are the most vivid in our minds, we also want to celebrate and focus on the accomplishments in the 10 months prior to the start of the pandemic. Faculty yes

Despite the essential role of recreation in the health and well-being of individuals and communities and the rural nature of Canada, rural recreation has received limited attention from researchers. To address this gap and explore the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural communities, researchers from the World Leisure Centre of Excellence at Vancouver Island University and the Recreation & Parks Association of the Yukon investigated pandemic impacts on rural recreation in the Yukon Territory. This study focused on five rural communities with unique governance structures, recreation delivery approaches, and population characteristics. The purpose was to explore pandemic impacts on residents and recreation delivery and how recreation can assist with pandemic recovery. Using a participatory rural appraisal approach, eight modified world cafes were hosted, and 28 key informants were interviewed. This research showed that rural Yukoners preferred to be outdoors and that most of their recreation and physical activity involved outdoor recreation, on-the-land activities, and tasks of daily life (e.g., hauling water or firewood). Engagement in these activities also proved to be more resilient in the face of public health mandates and for those who were vaccine-hesitant. Three strong narratives emerged from the data: (a) recreation funding and programs have been focused on children/youth, (b) physically active recreation has been defined as sports participation, and (c) indoor recreation (e.g., pools and arenas) facilities are necessary infrastructure in all rural communities. In contrast, it was found that (a) most engaged in unstructured outdoor recreation and on-the-land activities, (b) outdoor facilities and infrastructure would meet community needs, (c) communities want programs that promote social connections and wellness, and (d) there is a strong need for physical and social experiences across the lifespan. Outdoor recreation and on-the-land activities are central to the lives of rural Yukoners. They can also be central to the recovery of individuals and communities if decision-makers and funders consider systems-level changes (e.g., reviewing the Recreation Act) and if stakeholders consider broadening the scope of community recreation. Additionally, supporting residents’ capacity to engage in unstructured and self-led recreation across the lifespan would assist with pandemic recovery and developing a more sustainable recreation delivery model in rural Yukon. https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/27224/PIRR2023FinalReport.pdf?sequence=3

Social inequities such as poverty and homelessness are intersectional and complex; they are persistent, wicked and their solutions are elusive. Building capacity for innovation in the social sector, i.e., encouraging the adoption of practices and processes designed for radical solutions to social problems, is an increasingly widespread strategy. Because innovation and change in the social sector are driven by knowledge processes, universities as anchor institutions would seem to have a natural role to play in the social impact ecosystem. Campus-community knowledge collaborations and innovation partnerships can be a vector of impact and, if the conditions are right, academic engagement can increase capacity in the social impact ecosystem. We wanted to better understand the needs of social sector organizations (SSO) in relation to their capacity, interests and experience with innovation and, along the way, assess how these needs had been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our team collected input through a survey from 180 social service organizations across Canada and analyzed responses for trends, themes, and sentiments. Mitacs

The COVID-19 public health crisis has created significant challenges for children in British Columbia. These challenges have included most children facing restrictions in their contacts with family members and friends, as well as temporary school closures. Many children are also part of families that have experienced economic hardships. Beyond the social, educational and economic costs, there will also be mental health consequences. This rapid review therefore aimed to determine how the pandemic and its associated challenges may affect the mental health of BC’s children, including those who may be disproportionately harmed. The overarching goal was to inform and assist policymakers to support all children in BC during COVID-19 — and beyond. Our systematic review identified one relevant original study on the mental health consequences of previous pandemics and five systematic reviews on the mental health consequences of natural disasters for children. The findings showed dramatic increases in rates of anxiety, posttraumatic stress, depression and behavioural challenges compared to rates typically found in the general population of children. Other literature suggests that some groups may also be disproportionately affected, including children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families and those who have faced extreme or cumulative adversities. Racism may contribute to Asian-Canadian children facing added hardships. Indigenous children may also be particularly disadvantaged given the cumulative adversities associated with the legacies of colonialism. As well, children with neuro-diverse special needs such as autism spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, developmental delays or other disabilities may have greater mental health needs during the pandemic. On balance, the available research evidence suggests that BC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic must make children’s mental health a high priority — ensuring that children do not experience additional avoidable adversities due to either the pandemic or the public health responses. Central to these objectives will be: providing additional necessary prevention and treatment services; ensuring that public investments go towards effective interventions; preventing avoidable childhood adversities including reducing socioeconomic disparities; and tracking child outcomes so that all British Columbians can see the progress. Failing to address children’s mental health now will lead to greater costs in the future, if mental health problems are allowed to persist into adulthood. COVID-19 is an unprecedented public health crisis. Yet it also presents an unprecedented opportunity — to make BC a place where the social and emotional wellbeing of all children is highly valued and where children are the focus of sustained collective efforts to ensure their healthy development.