Agincourt District Libraries Blog

Tea & Books @ Aginourt Branch

Have some Tea & Books!

Join us for an entertaining and relaxing afternoon and listen to librarians review and discuss recent publications, upcoming titles, and their all time favourite books.

Have a cup of tea and get some great reading suggestions for the summer!

 

Upcoming sessions at Agincourt Branch include:

• Tuesday May 28 2-3pm

• Tuesday June 25 2-3pm

• Monday July 29 2-3pm

• Monday August 26 2-3pm

No registration is required, just drop in!  Please call 416-396-8950 for more information.

 

Not Your Average Mom Books

What makes a Mom "good" or "bad"?  Last year I picked up Amy Chua's controversial book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.  This is not my typical reading material, but I had heard a lot about it.  Surprisingly, I could not put it down--I was riveted! It was like an inside peek into one family's life dominated by a super tough Mom...sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes enraging and sometimes heart-wrenching.  Let's face it there are all kinds of Moms in this world,from June Cleaver to Joan Crawford : inspirational Moms, celebrity Moms, tiger Moms and drunk Moms.  In honour of Mother's Day, check out some books about extraordinary women and their children.

In Mom and Me and Mom (eBook), after spending her childhood living with her Grandmother, Maya Angelou chronicles the sometimes difficult reunion with her mother Vivian Baxter.  The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius (eBook) is an account by Kristine Barnett about raising her autistic son, and genius, Jake.  The Lost Daughter by Mary Williams is a memoir of a young woman, born to a family in the Black Panther movement and ultimately adopted by film star Jane Fonda.

             

Amy Chua juxtaposes Eastern and Western parenting styles in Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (eBook).  Young Toronto writer Jowita Bydlowska delivers a raw portrait of alcoholism, motherhood and rehab as a Drunk Mom (eBook).  What does it mean to be a 'good' mother?  Ayelet Waldman explores the question in Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace (eBook).
                         

 

Do the "Harlem Shake" at Steeles Branch!

Join the Harlem Shake @ Steeles

Where: You are invited to participate in the Harlem Shake right here at Steeles Branch!

When: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 @4pm 

Who: All ages are invited to participate in this event. ** Please note, those under 18 will need a parent to sign a permission form**.  Join in on this fun event and become a YouTube sensation.

What:  Just in case you haven't heard of the Harlem Shake, here's a sample from The Queens Library in New York:

 

Why: Your one and only chance to dance around in masks at the library with permission from the Librarian!! Woo Hoo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate Immigrant Diversity Week @ Agincourt District Branches

Immigrant Diversity Week begins on Monday April 29 and continues until Friday May 3. Organized by the Toronto East Quadrant Local Immigration Partnership,  Immigrant Diversity Week features a series of events that aim to highlight the diverse skills, education, and experiences that immigrants can and do bring to our community and workplaces. Some of these events are happening right here, in Agincourt District library branches!

On Monday April 29 at 1:00 p.m., join us at Agincourt Branch for a Job Interview Workshop for Newcomers. This workshop focuses on interview preparation, an overview of the types of interviews in Canada, and common interview questions and sample answers. For more information and to register call 416-396-8950.

On Tuesday April 30 at 1:30 p.m., join us at Bridlewood Branch for our Newcomer Seniors Peer Sharing in Mandarin. For more information and to register call 416-396-8960.

On Wednesday May 1 at 1:30 p.m., join us at Steeles Branch for a Newcomers' Orientation session. For more information call 416-396-8975.

Also on Wednesday May 1, at 3:00 p.m., join our Business Communication Circle at Bridlewood. Improve your business communication skills and obtain knowledge of the Canadian workplace culture by participating in this weekly group meeting. For more information and to register call 416-396-8960.

More events are happening at library branches throughout Scarborough all week - to see more, click here for a complete calendar of events.

National Poetry Month @ Agincourt Public Library with Scarborough's own Poet

OK ... so you have read many poems, but have you ever met a real poet and wondered what makes him tick? Here's your chance to find out!

Agincourt library is pleased to be hosting award winning Scarborough poet, Jeevan Bhagwat, who will read from his wonderful new collection of poems, "The Weight of Dreams" (c. 2012).  This collection is considered to be "a journey through the sensitive soulscape of unrequited love ..." (Loanna Nealon, New England poet). Jeevan indicated that he was a former English Conversation Circle volunteer, right here at Agincourt library many years ago. His work has been published in numerous literary magazines, and he has twice been awarded the Scarborough Arts Council Poetry Prize.

 

Please join us for an enjoyable and relaxing evening on :

Tuesday, April 30  @ 7:00 pm, Agincourt Library, 155 Bonis Avenue, Toronto

(Near Sheppard Ave & Kennedy Rd). For more details, please call: 416-396-8950

              

Toronto Public Library encourages the joy of reading, creativity, thought exchange and penmanship with its writers groups and various book clubs, held online or at many branches. Many of these programs are ongoing and we are adding more all the time.

Poetry speaks to us in many ways and sometimes transports us into the mystical, magical, spiritual, social, romantic or political realms, transcends many rich and diverse cultures, generations, time and place. If you are an ardent poetry lover, or you have just discovered an interest, you will find many old and new gems in our library. Below are a few selections: 

     

The finalists for the most prestigious Griffin Poetry Prize, both International and Canadian, have recently been announced. You may participate in Guess the Griffin 2013 Winners and win a copy of the new poetry anthology.

 

Toronto teens are encouraged to participate and submit poetry, short story, or art contributions to the Toronto Public Library's Young Voices annual publication, or join one of the many Youth Advisory Groups (YAG) located across the city; while newcomer kids, grades 2 to 6, enrolled in the Toronto Public Library's Leading to Reading program, are encouraged to be creative, learn to read and write in English and submit their poetry and other contributions to the Leading to Reading coordinators. For more information on the YAG and Leading to Reading programs, please ask at your nearest branch.

If you happen to be in our neighbourhood, I invite you to visit Agincourt library, meet our friendly staff, hang out in our large and welcoming space, pick up our monthly program calendar, use our many free computers and wireless internet service, browse and borrow from our collections, including our poetry and other book displays.

 

 

 

 

Vanishing Point

Vanishing Point

Directed by Stephen A. Smith and Julia Szucs

“NAVARANA is an Inughuit elder, a Polar Eskimo from the most remote corner of the planet: the northwest tip of Greenland. Thanks to her ancestor, an Inuit shaman who led an epic journey across the High Arctic in the 1860s, she is connected by blood to a group of Canadian Inuit. Today Navaran worries about the future of her people, as they face the greatest social and environmental challenges in their history.”

A joint presentation of the National Film Board and Agincourt Library:

April 23, 6-8 pm   ***   Short discussion afterward.

Agincourt Library is at 155 Bonis Ave. in Scarborough

Agincourt YAG (Youth Advisory Group) Reads!

To help celebrate the Keep Toronto Reading Festival this month, the Youth Advisory Group at Agincourt Branch recently produced a newsletter featuring their favourite reads of all time.  These are the books that keep them reading. Since the One Book choice was Ray Bradbury's classic Fahrenheit 451, the theme of the newsletter is all about Dystopia. 

Dystopia has been BIG in teen fiction recently, given the great success of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games (and the movie adaptation) and Veronica Roth's Divergent (movie forthcoming!!).

Check out our dystopian booklists, fashion trends and an amazing movie review.  Love the Library?  Find out how you too can become a Youth Advisory Group member and help with our awesome newsletter!!  We plan on making Agincourt YAG Reads a regular newsletter so keep an eye out for future editions.

 

Pick up a copy of the newsletter at Agincourt Branch in the Teens Zone or download your own copy of the April Agincourt YAG Reads here!

Download Agincourt_YAG_Reads[1]  Enjoy!

 

 

Agincourt Branch Volunteer Fair - Thank-you!

On March 26th, Agincourt Branch hosted their fourth annual volunteer fair, showcasing agencies with volunteer opportunities across the city and for all ages, from teens to seniors!  The fair, organized by the Youth Services Librarian and the LSP Settlement Worker at Agincourt Branch was a great success: over 200 people passed through and connected with agency representatives.  Agincourt Branch & CCS would like to extend a hearty THANK-YOU to everyone that took part, and we hope to have another community fair soon.

Here are some links to the agencies that took part in the fair:

• Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS)
• Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA)
• Volunteer Toronto
• St. Paul's L'Amoreaux Centre
• Carefirst Seniors
• Centre for Information and Community Services (CICS)
• Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto
• Youth Assisting Youth: The Peer Project
• Vietnamese Association
• Sickle Cell Association of Ontario
• Scarborough Housing Help Centre
• Gifted People Services
• Toronto Public Library
• Agincourt Community Services Association (ACSA)

 

Get into Spring Gardening!

The weather outside may still be a bit chilly, but Spring is here and that means it is time to start planning and organizing your garden!  Now is the time to research new plants or plant comibinations, start seeds or think about trying something new. With some preparation now, soon you will have a beautiful and bountiful garden!

Why not come to our Spring Gardening Workshop at Agincourt Branch, happening on Tuesday April 16 from 6:00-7:30pm?  Join Toronto Green Community's gardening expert for a hands-on workshop on the basics of starting your spring garden!  Get tips about how to start plants from seed, transplanting seedlings and how to grow vegetables, fruits and herbs in your backyard and on your balcony.  Call 416-396-8950 for more information or to register.

Here's a selection of some great books to inspire you!

         

 

                      

                                 

 

April Programs @ Steeles Branch

Come on out to Steeles Branch for some great programs this April!

Free Movie for Teens & Adults -- YOU PICK THE FLICK!

Friday, April 5 @ 4:30PM, it's Les Miserables vs. Skyfall!

Popcorn will be served

        Vs.        

FREE Family Movie-- Wreck it Ralph

Saturday April 13th @ 11am

Free Popcorn will be served!

From Book to Film

In 1966, Francois Truffaut wrote and directed a film adaptation of Ray Bradbury's novel "Fahrenheit 451," but opinions were divided. Brilliant or awful? Come see the film first on April 26^th and then make your decision!

Join us for a screening for the film adaptation of "Fahrenheit 451 on the…BIG SCREEN!

Friday, April 26 @ 4:30PM

Free popcorn will be served