Over the past few years, you may have heard the term #OwnVoices floating around the literary world. It’s been present for some time, and is even featured in our Winter Reading Bingo! While different genres can be easy to decipher, #OwnVoices has left many readers confused. What does #OwnVoices mean? Let’s find out! #OwnVoices is... Continue Reading →
It is important for children to be able to see themselves in some of the books that they read. It can be particularly challenging to find materials that display families that look just like your child’s. We have collected the titles of some of our favourite picture and board books that celebrate and normalize families... Continue Reading →
It’s hard to believe but this year is the 20th anniversary of First Nations Public Library Week, running from Oct. 4-10. It also coincides with Canadian Library month and it’s intended to raise aware of the resources, services, programs and activities of the 46 public libraries on First Nations in Ontario. This year’s theme is... Continue Reading →
Diversity in literature quite often focuses on skin deep qualities such as ethnicity and race, but it is much broader than that, including sexuality, gender, disability, political persuasion, and religion. Diverse literature exposes the reader to experiences that are not their own, and hopefully, broadens their understanding and knowledge of those experiences. *(CL) means that... Continue Reading →
People don’t relate to issues. People relate to other people. People relate to other people by their stories. Stories connect the past and present to the future. Our stories and our learning from them honors and respects our ancestors and us. Stories can awaken future generations to their potential. In essence, the exchange of stories... Continue Reading →
I recently watched an interesting TEDx talk entitled “The Danger of a Single Story”. It was done by a Nigerian-born writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who grew up reading American and British books. These spurred her to write her own stories, which were populated with British and American children who worried about snow, drank ginger beer... Continue Reading →
Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) is planning to organize Outside the Lines - A Festival of Diverse Stories by Diverse Storytellers - as part of the City of Thunder Bay’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The aim of this Festival is to locate, celebrate and foster the literary arts and engagement with the written word. Readers, writers... Continue Reading →
Thunder Bay Public Library's Book Blog 