"The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett was published in 2020 and has received rave reviews ever since. It was the Goodreads 2020 winner for Historical Fiction and has been a popular choice at TBPL since it's publication. The story follows identical twins Desiree and Stella Vignes, who grew up in the small town of Mallard,... Continue Reading →
Review Written By: Kayla Berthelette Kiese is a kind man, even though his life has been anything but kind to him. Kiese witnesses rape, survives intense parental abuse, and endures a life encompased by addiction, lies and intense racism. This book would’ve been an embarrassment to Kiese’s mother. She spent so much time and effort... Continue Reading →
I’ve heard the name Ta-Nehisi Coates many times, for many different reasons. He is the award winning author of numerous novels, and is also the author of a 50-issue run of the “Black Panther” graphic novel series, as well as writing for the “Captain America” series of Marvel Comics. He is known for writing powerful... Continue Reading →
Canada is often celebrated as a multicultural nation but that doesn’t mean racism isn’t a present and pervasive force here. From interpersonal racism to institutional racism, from micro-aggressions to colour-blindness, racism is sadly a pervasive force in Canadian society. The most troubling problem is with our reflexive denials. Let’s consider implicit bias in public institutions.... 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 →
The recent hate speech versus free speech debates (or screaming matches) at Vancouver (VPL) and Toronto Public Library (TPL) have demonstrated an irreconcilable contradiction between two values that are at the very heart of public libraries: freedom of expression and safe spaces. We cannot open our doors to all points of view and also guarantee... Continue Reading →
When most people think of racists they conjure up images of men in white pointed hoods burning crosses. But as Shannon Sullivan points out in her thought provoking follow up to Revealing Whiteness, racists can also be business men in suits, doctors, lawyers, accountants, and even librarians. In other words, racism is alive and well... Continue Reading →
It will be a year this summer, Anishinabek Employment and Training Services (AETS) moved in and helped transform the lower level of the Waverley Library through a collaborative partnership with the Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL). As an incorporated, not-for-profit organization, AETS continues to be part of a national network delivering an Indigenous Skills and... Continue Reading →
Seven Fallen Feathers: racism, death, and hard truths in a Northern City is the most borrowed book from Thunder Bay Public Library. When Tanya Talaga launched this book at Brodie Library in 2017 TBPL offered to help write the next chapter of hope for the future. TBPL must be, and must be seen to be,... Continue Reading →
The Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) Strategic Plan 2014-18 is drawing to a close and we can look back with some satisfaction at what we have achieved over the last five years in terms of encouraging lifelong learning, supporting our local economy, embracing change and innovation, promoting diversity and social inclusion, and fostering community well-being... Continue Reading →
Thunder Bay Public Library's Book Blog 