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Centre for Equitable Library Access
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  2. Open Book for libraries: back issues

Open Book for Libraries: August 2019

Open book for libraries

In this issue:

  • Feature: Books to Movies
  • Death of Toni Morrison
  • Kids and Teens: Borrowing printbraille
  • Service Tip
  • Training Resources
  • Summer Reading Clubs come to a close
  • Stay Connected!

 

book cover The Art of Racing in the Rain

Feature: Books to Movies

Garth Stein’s best selling book The Art of Racing in the Rain hit the big screen in early August. It’s the story of Enzo, who is more human than dog, and how he sees his owner Denny through the ups and downs of life, love and driving race cars in the rain. But the Art of Racing in the Rain isn’t the only book adaptation to make it to theaters this year. A number of titles will make their much-anticipated debut before the end of the year. Read them now before the movies are released.

Stephen King's It: Chapter Two is out in early in September. The second installment of Stephen King’s novel picks up as the Losers’ Club reunite for the first time and receives it’s the first sign that Pennywise will make his return.

Cats: Based on T.S Eliot’s Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, the film is directed by Tom Hooper who also directed 2012's Les Misérables and is scheduled for release in December. Like the stage production, the story follows a tribe of cats called the Jellicles who must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.

Little Women: the eighth rendition of Lousia May Alcott’s beloved novel will be in theatres on Christmas day. The film will focus on the March sister’s young adult lives after the girls leave home.

Goldfinch: Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel comes to life on the big screen starring Ansel Elgort as a young man whose troubled childhood leads him to the world of art forgery. The film is scheduled to be released on September 13, 2019 and will debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September.

The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn tells the story of an agoraphobic child psychologist witnesses a crime while spying on her new neighbors, leaving her to determine whether or not to alert the police. The release date for this has been delayed until early next year.

Toni Morrison portrait

Death of Toni Morrison

Summer is a great time to dig into some classic adventure stories.  Enjoy some of the CELA favourites. 

Beloved author and activist Toni Morrison has passed away at the age of 88.

Well regarded for her first book The Bluest Eye, Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award in 1988 for her novel Beloved and was the first black woman to receive the Nobel literature prize, awarded in 1993.

As a book editor, author, professor and activist, Morrison was a powerful force in bringing black voices, characters and perspectives to a wider audience.

Read Toni Morrison's work in accessible formats.

Child reading a book

Kids and Teens: Borrowing printbraille 

Printbraille will be returning to our catalogue in the coming months. Until then, we are featuring a selection of printbraille titles which are new to our collection.

Printbraille books are ordinary children's picture books with uncontracted braille text added. They are designed for braille readers (or budding braille readers) to read with sighted readers.

Patrons may request up to 3 titles at a time using a special form on our website. Copies are limited and we will send you a copy as soon as one is available. Printbraille books are sent by mail in fabric bags and must be returned to CELA within 6 weeks. To return the books: place the book back in the fabric bag, flip over the paper mailing card, and place the bag in a Canada Post mailbox. There is no charge for postage.

Available printbraille titles

Service Tip

Did you know CELA offers books in a variety of languages? Offered as part of our agreement with Bookshare, books are available in Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, French and Dutch. English, Spanish, and French are available in etext, synthetic audio, and computer-generated braille. All other languages are available in etext and computer-generated braille only, not in in audio. Find out more on our Languages Offered page.

Training Resources

Did you know that CELA offers a wide variety of training resources and opportunities for library staff?

Webinars

Each month we offer a series of interactive webinars in both French and English for a variety of audiences.

Our Webinar for Frontline Staff covers the basics and gives library staff the confidence to answer questions and guide patrons towards appropriate resources.

The Orientation Webinar is a great resource for staff working in accessible services, digging deeper into the CELA collection, the patron registration process, how to order books and resources for your library and how to promote the service.

Libraries supporting educators in their community can suggest our Educator Access Webinar to learn more about our services for educators.

We also offer specialized webinars on promotions, collections and other topics of interest to libraries. Check our Webinar page to learn more or to register for upcoming webinars. And watch Open Book for Libraries for more information about specialized webinars.

Play button

Videos

On our Youtube channel you will find a growing collection of recorded webinars, video tours of our new website, and tutorials. Consider using these resources in staff meetings, or as part of an orientation package for new staff.

Outreach Toolkit

Our Outreach Toolkit is an excellent place to find additional training resources including a series of PowerPoint slides that can be used for internal meetings or adapted for community presentations. You can also find samples of our print materials and an order form. Why not include print copies of our materials in your information binders, or electronic copies in your digital training resources for staff.

Why not consider adding an accessibility update to your staff and team meetings? Keep everyone up to date on how your library is serving patrons with print disabilities by sharing the regular service tips included in Open Book for Libraries and success stories from your accessibility department.

Do you need support or other resources for your staff training? We’re always here to help. Please contact Rachel Breau, Manager of Member Services with any questions, or suggestions.

TD Summer Reading Club logo

Summer Reading Clubs come to a close

The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) is pleased to offer the Accessibility Award again this year.

This award is given to a library that implements innovative and creative accessible programming in its TD Summer Reading Club. The winning library will receive an Accessible Reading Prize Pack.

2019 Accessibility Award application form

Applications are due by October 3, 2019. Good luck!

Stay Connected!

Visit CELA's social media, including Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest for more news about what's happening in the world of accessible literature.

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FAQ

Which devices can I use to read books and magazines from CELA?

Answer: CELA books and magazines work with many popular accessible reading devices and apps. Find out more on ourCompatible devices and formats page.

Go to Frequently Asked Questions page

About us

The Centre for Equitable Library Access, CELA, is an accessible library service, providing books and other materials to Canadians with print disabilities.

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Email us at help@celalibrary.ca or call us at 1-855-655-2273 for support.

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