Open Book: September 2020

Open book
In this issue

 

 

Letter from Rina

Dear patrons,

I have enjoyed my time at CELA more than I can express. It has been a pleasure to get to know many of you, as well as the staff at member libraries across the country who are working to provide equitable library service. The year went by faster than I expected, and COVID-19 was an unexpected challenge, but I'm proud of the work the CELA team has done during my time here.

My goals for my time at CELA were to improve our website, strengthen existing partnerships and develop new relationships.

  • We've made significant progress on the website, and additional features are coming. As I've said before, the work on the platform will never really be done because it should be in a constant state of improvement, and your feedback has helped us identify future enhancements.
  • We've worked more closely with the GTT, Dolphin, eBOUND, AERO, and NNELS.
  • We've formed new relationships: working with Dyslexia Canada and their sponsor Rakuten Kobo; forming partnerships with the Canadian Children's Book Centre Awards, Writer's Trust Awards, and BC and Yukon Book Prizes; and working to establishing content agreements including most recently, NLS, the US National Library Service.

I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to do this work, and am grateful to the Greater Victoria Public Library and the CELA Board for allowing me to spend this year contributing to CELA's mission. I'm also thankful for the CELA staff, who welcomed me immediately and never fail to amaze me with their knowledge and dedication. Most importantly, thank you to all of you, our users, who have been generous in sharing your feedback, ideas and experiences to help make CELA better, and patient with us while we do the necessary work.

It is hard to say good-bye, but I'm happy to be leaving you in excellent hands. Laurie Davidson, CELA's new Executive Director, is a passionate advocate for accessibility, a knowledgeable librarian, and a thoughtful and genuine person. I am confident in her ability to lead CELA into the future, supported by the CELA team and with the governance of the Board. I will continue to be an advocate for accessibility and a CELA supporter, and look forward to the exciting future of equitable library service.

Stay safe and happy reading,
Rina

 

Beverley McLaughlan

Beverley McLachlin wins the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize

Former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin won the 20th Anniversary Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing for her memoir Truth Be Told.  The award was announced on Wednesday, September 23. Truth Be Told traces McLachlin’s path from small town girl in Alberta through law school and her early days as a lawyer to her experiences as the first woman chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. 

The jury for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize included author Greg Donaghy, journalist Althia Raj, and Senator Paula Simons. They had high praise for Truth Be Told. “Beverley McLachlin is an exceptional woman, and her memoirs are an exceptional book. These memoirs – the first by a Canadian Supreme Court justice – offer a unique and tantalizing glimpse of the Court’s personal dynamics and its operations as it tackled the legal issues that have defined modern Canada, including same-sex marriage, euthanasia, and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of law and politics in Canada."

CELA was pleased to partner for the first time this year with the Writer’s Trust, to make all 5 of the titles nominated for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize titles available in accessible formats.

McLaughlin’s first novel, Full Disclosure was published in 2018. The legal thriller is also available in the CELA collection.

 

Governor General’s Literary Awards postponed but still celebrating

Like so many other events and programs, the Governor General’s Literary Awards have been postponed until next spring. But the program is still celebrating Canadian literature and award-winning titles by reaching back into its archives to find books that deserve a second look – or a first read. In the coming weeks we will be featuring some of these selected titles on our blog. Stop by the blog in October to see which books we recommend. And check out the Governor General’s Literary Awards website for more information about what they, and their favourite authors are up to.

 

Kids and Teens

Kids and teens deserve to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. The FOLD Kids Bookfest celebrates diversity in literature by promoting authors and illustrators who represent a wide variety of communities. This year the Kids Bookfest runs from October 3-4, and is fully digital allowing readers from across the country to enjoy a weekend full of engaging virtual events including readings, panel discussions and workshops designed for young people ages 0-18.

In addition to events designed for children and young people, the festival includes opportunities for adult writers of children’s literature to take part in pitch sessions and to develop their craft through in-person workshops with the festival’s incredible lineup of authors.

CELA is honoured to partner with the FOLD and we’re excited at the amazing line up of authors and speakers for this year’s event. Check out our FOLD Kids’ reading list.

Please note the festival includes both free and paid programming.

 

Supporting kids with print disabilities

As kids head back to school, families are asking what are some of the best ways to support reading and learning for kids with print disabilities? To start, offer lots of choice and make it fun. There are other things you can do as well. Check out our latest blog post to read more about our top 5 tips and how we can help.

 

All the Devils Are Here: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache #16)

The 16th novel by #1 bestselling author Louise Penny finds Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec investigating a sinister plot in the City of Light. On their first night in Paris, the Gamaches gather as a family for a bistro dinner with Armand's godfather, the billionaire Stephen Horowitz. Walking home together after the meal, they watch in horror as Stephen is knocked down and critically injured in what Gamache knows is no accident, but a deliberate attempt on the elderly man's life. When a strange key is found in Stephen's possession it sends Armand, his wife Reine-Marie, and his former second-in-command at the Sûreté, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, from the top of the Tour d'Eiffel, to the bowels of the Paris Archives, from luxury hotels to odd, coded, works of art. It sends them deep into the secrets Armand's godfather has kept for decades. A gruesome discovery in Stephen's Paris apartment makes it clear the secrets are more rancid, the danger far greater and more imminent, than they realized. Soon the whole family is caught up in a web of lies and deceit. In order to find the truth, Gamache will have to decide whether he can trust his friends, his colleagues, his instincts, his own past. His own family. For even the City of Light casts long shadows. And in that darkness devils hide. Bestseller.

Read All the Devils Are Here

 

American dirt

Top five books last month

Most popular with our readers last month:

  1. All the Devils Are Here: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache #16) by Louise Penny Mysteries and crime stories
  2. American Dirt: A Novel by Jeanine Cummins Family stories
  3. Where the Crawdads sing by Delia Owens Bestsellers (Fiction)
  4. From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way by Jesse Thistle Journals and memoirs
  5. Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump Biography

 

96 words for love

Featured title for teens: 96 words for love

When her beloved grandmother dies, Raya jumps at the chance to spend her last free summer before college at the ashram in India where her grandmother met and fell in love with her grandfather. Raya hopes to find her center and her true path. But she didn't expect to fall in love... with a country of beautiful contradictions, her fiercely loyal cousin, a local girl with a passion for reading, and a boy who teaches her that in Sanskrit, there are ninety-six different ways to say the word "love."

Read 96 words for love

 

Chesire Crossing

Top five for kids

Most popular with kids last month:

  1. Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir, Sarah Andersen
  2. The girl who drank the moon by Kelly Regan Barnhill
  3. Theodore Boone (Theodore Boone Ser. #Bk. 1) by John Grisham
  4. The girl with the glass bird (Knights Haddon. #1.) by Esme Kerr
  5. Narwhal's otter friend (A Narwhal and Jelly book ; #4) by Ben Clanton

 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Hunger Games)

Top five for teens

Most popular with teens last month:

  1. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins
  2. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
  3. Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin
  4. The Testing (The Testing #1) by Joelle Charbonneau
  5. The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

 

Find us on the radio

Every other week we check in with AMI Audio to talk about books. Typically we choose books which relate to a theme. In the last few weeks we’ve shared some interesting titles based on what’s timely or newsworthy.

After reading about a Tesla designer who reimagined the chocolate chip, we recommended The Chocolate Wars by Deborah Cadbury, about the family dynasties who controlled the chocolate industry for years.

In early September we chatted about books that focused on writing and supporting writers and we suggested Stephen King’s acclaimed book On Writing.

And after the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg we recommended Conversations with RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law by Jeffrey Rosen. 2019.

Listen to our segment on Friday mornings at about 10:45 ET or visit our recommended reads page to see what books were on our list for our most recent segment.

 

Service tip

We’ve put together a simple guide to help patrons wishing to explore digital options. Our guide will explain what devices you need, how to install EasyReader and how to download books. And we’re always here to help if you have questions.

 

Holiday Hours

Please note that CELA will be closed on Monday, October 12 for Thanksgiving. We will resume regular hours on Tuesday, October 13.

 

Stay connected!

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

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