This year, like no other, has tested our collective will, generosity and conscience. We know that there are many suffering in our community for many reasons that have now been highlighted or manifested due to COVID-19. One of the ways we see this at the library is in our decreased ability to support the less... Continue Reading →
Books! A Great Last-Minute Gift Suggestion
Christmas is coming so quickly and if you are like me then there are at least a couple of gifts you still have to buy. So, I grab my list and head to the bookstore. Books make a great gift, (light weight and easy to wrap), and with such variety, they cover everyone on your... Continue Reading →
Teens Review: No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen
No fixed address - by Susin Nielsen Have you ever moved schools? Been forced to make new friends? Have you ever felt how unfair it is that grown-ups get to make all the desicions? Well, these are all things that Felix thinks, as he sits in the tiny van that his step-mom, Astrid, said would... Continue Reading →
Ukrainian Folk Tales
My household celebrates Ukrainian Christmas with many of the traditional twelve dishes on Ukrainian Christmas Eve, including meatless-borscht, perogies, and kutia (yum!) While planning what we’re going to make this year, I started wondering about other Ukrainian traditions. My love of books inevitably turned me to the Thunder Bay Public Library, searching for Ukrainian folklore.... Continue Reading →
Teens Review: Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philipia Pearce
Tom’s Midnight Garden - by Philipia Pearce “One. Two. Three. Four,” Tom counts lying in bed. “Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen.” Thirteen? “That can't be right!” Tom exclaimes. But the next night he spends in the small bedroom at his Aunt and Uncle’s flat is the exact same. A thirteenth hour? ... Continue Reading →
Bridging the Digital Divide
Public libraries in Canada have existed for a few centuries and the current concept of free, tax-supported institutions dates from 1883 at Saint John, Guelph, and Toronto (source: The Canadian Encyclopedia). One of the tenets of the public library system is access, and not only to collections but to programs and services. One of the... Continue Reading →
Read This Next – Holiday Family Story Time
TBPL staff love sharing their favourite books with Thunder Bay. This year, we are doing it in a different way! Staff shared their picks with Laura and Nicole and then some chose to record videos. Find these on our YouTube channel, and don't forget to comment and let us know what your favourite is! Notes... Continue Reading →
Teens Review: One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
Where to begin with this series. One Piece, written by Eiichiro Oda is one of the longest-running and most popular Shonen manga ever conceived, and for a good reason. One Piece follows the tale of a boy named Monkey D. Luffy and his journey to becoming the king of pirates, through finding the legendary treasure... Continue Reading →
Interview with Mary Beth Leatherdale
Mary Beth Leatherdale writes, edits and consults on books, magazines and digital resources for children and youth. She is the author of Terry Fox and Me, editor of Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees, and co-editor of three award-winning anthologies with Lisa Charleyboy. She lives in Toronto with her family and her dog, Champ.... Continue Reading →
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