Albert Campbell District Blog

Snapshots in History: June 13: Remembering Andrew Mynarski VC

(Documentary Credit: The Story of Andrew Mynarski / Nathan Cox – Point 59 Productions )

 

On June 13 and beyond, take a moment to reflect upon the bravery of Canadian Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski (Born: October 14, 1916 in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Died: June 13, 1944) who gave his life trying to save his friend Pat Brophy (during their 13^th mission on June 12-13, 1944) who was stuck in a gun turret after the Lancaster bomber in which they were flying was hit by enemy fire over France a week after the start of the D-Day invasion. Following the pilot’s order for the crew to bail out, Mynarski crawled through burning hydraulic oil in an unsuccessful attempt to free Pat Brophy who waved him off. Mynarski bailed out, uniform ablaze, which affected the efficacy of his parachute and resulted in a faster and harder fall to the ground. Mynarski was found by French farmers who took him to a German field hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and died. Ironically, Pat Brophy survived the plane crash. Before the mission, Mynarski gave Brophy a four-leaf clover for good luck. Was it coincidence or just plain superstition? That is for the reader to decide. Read Pat Brophy’s account of Andrew Mynarski’s heroic actions here.

On a serious note, Andrew Mynarski was recognized for his bravery when he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the British Commonwealth’s highest military award for bravery and gallantry. Read the text of Mynarski’s Victoria Cross citation from the London Gazette of October 11, 1946 here or see it on the London Gazette website in PDF format here. Consider the following items for borrowing from Toronto Public Library collections:

 

Our bravest and our best: the stories of Canada's Victoria Cross winners / William Arthur Bishop, 1995. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Consult chapter thirty-seven “The Supreme Sacrifice of Three Air Force VCs” for information about Andrew Charles “Andy” Mynarski, David Ernest “Bud” Hornell, and Ian Willoughby Bazalgette.

 

Mynarski's Lanc: the story of two famous Canadian Lancaster bombers, KB726 & FM213 / Bette Page, 1989. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Learn about 419 Squadron, Andrew Mynarski, and KB726, the Lancaster bomber of which Mynarski was a crew member on June 12-13, 1944.

 

The 13th mission: one Lancaster bomber, the women who built it and the men who flew it into history one week after D-day [DVD] / Bette and Jerry Thompson [written/directed/produced], CBC Home Video, 2004. DVD. Documentary. Adult Non-Fiction.

Five of Andy Mynarski’s crew members tell their stories in 1988. Also, learn about the role of women in World War 2 who built Lancaster bombers such as the one that Andy Mynarski flew in.

Snapshots in History: June 12: Remembering Anne Frank and Her Diary

On June 12 and beyond, let us remember Annelies “Anne” Marie Frank (Born: June 12, 1929; Died: early March 1945), a victim of the Holocaust who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Anne Frank is best remembered for her diary, often published as The Diary of a Young Girl. It was on her thirteenth (13^th) birthday on June 12, 1942 that she was given a diary which she would fill with her writings that would become famous the world over. She kept the diary for two years in hiding from the Nazis until her family’s capture in 1944. Her father, Otto Frank, the sole survivor of the Frank family retrieved Anne’s diary after World War 2 from friend Miep Gies. Consider the following titles for loan from Toronto Public Library collections:

The diary of a young girl: the definitive edition [1st ed. in the U.S.A.] / Anne Frank, 1995. Book. Non-Fiction. Also available in Audiobook CD, eAudiobook, and eBook formats.

 

Anne Frank: the biography [2^nd U.S. ed.] / Melissa Müller, 2013. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

 

Treasures from the attic: the extraordinary story of Anne Frank's family [1st U.S. ed.] / Mirjam Pressler with Gerti Elias, 2011. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Also available in eBook format.

We all wore stars: memories of Anne Frank from her classmates [1^st ed.]  / Theo Coster, 2011. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Volunteer Opportunity for Teens at Albert Campbell

Attention high school students! Are you interested in earning your volunteer hours by helping out at the library this summer? Albert Campbell is now accepting volunteer applications for our upcoming Weaving Memoirs on the Web program!

Weaving Memoirs on the Web is a free library program that pairs older adults who are interested in telling their life stories in an online blog format with high school student volunteers who provide basic technological assistance. We are offering two series this summer: 

• Series 1: Wednesdays and Tuesdays, 1:30-3:00 p.m., July 10, 16 (Tuesday), 24, 31
  
• Series 2: Tuesdays, 10:00-11:30 a.m., July 30, August 6, 13, 20 

If you like the idea of helping members of an older generation learn how to use computer technology to express themselves, connect with others, and share their life experiences online -- and if you can commit to attending all four weeks in your series -- then drop by Albert Campbell to pick up your volunteer application today!

If you are an older adult interested in joining this program, or if you know an older adult who would enjoy the opportunity to share his or her life stories and gain computer skills, please contact the branch in-person or by phone (416-396-8890). Registration is required, and space is limited.

Jim with volunteers Usman and Shadman - Weaving Memoirs on the Web Summer 2012

For more volunteer opportunities for all ages check out the Toronto Public Library Volunteering web page.

Travel the World of Literature

Summer is approaching and everyone wants to go on a vacation, including me.

But traveling can be very expensive especially if you go overseas as everything adds up: taxi, air flight, hotel, food, sightseeing, etc. Sure, experiencing different cultures, customs and sightseeing is important but what if you cannot travel for whatever reason? Explore new cultures and travel the world by picking up one of these great reads available at TPL.

China - Mo Yan	Bangladesh - Tasalima Nasrin	India - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni	Italy - Niccolo Ammaniti

 

 

India - Chitra Banerjee Divakaran	Iran - Zuya Pirzad	Norway - Jo Nesbo	Sri Lanka-  V.V. Ganeshananthan

 

We All Become Stories

To celebrate Senior’s  Month in June, McGregor Park Branch is pleased to have a visit from published authors Ann Elizabeth Carson and Ellen S Jaffe for a reading and discussion about experiences of aging and memory.  Carson’s new book “We All Become Stories” (available in September) contains the voices of “12 elders who made extraordinary changes in their lives to find places for themselves in societies that seldom welcome or respect old age.” What's your experience? Come and join the conversation.

Friday June 7, 2-3 pm
2219 Lawrence Ave. E
416-396-8935

Classic Children's?

Parents love it when their children read.  They really love it when their children read "quality" books.  In a number of families this means that only classic children's literature is encouraged.  You know, the stories that our parents read with us because that was what they knew.  These traditional classics are beautiful stories that were written in the 19th or early 20th century.

The world of children's stories has changed in the last 20 years.  We have "new" classics that can provide the quality parents like with the adventure loved by their children.

 Traditional classics to share

 
Anne of Green Gables shares the many adventures of young orphan Anne as she starts a life with a new family. Red haired Anne learns that having friends and family are not as easy as one would think.

 

 

 

The Swiss Family Robinson find themselves shipwrecked on a beautiful but deserted island.  They must find food, shelter and a way to be rescued.  As time passes, life on the island doesn't seem so bad.  When rescue arrives, will they want to go?

 

In the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom has a number of adventures, both good and bad as he tries to avoid doing the work that his Aunt wants him to do. Tom and his friends are growing up in 19th century Mississippi and learning that life isn't always what you think it is. 

 

 

 

 

After the death of her parents, Mary is sent to live with her reclusive Uncle in his dark, empty house.  While exploring one day, Mary finds that part of the garden is sealed off from the rest with a large wall and no gate.  Mary works to find the secret of this garden and other mysteries of the house.

 

Contemporary classics to share

  Bruno and Boots are enjoying life at their all boys boarding school located just north of Toronto.  They operate under the belief that school should be fun, not just educational.  Unfortunately, the Headmaster Mr. Sturgeon (The FISH) has different ideas.  He decides to cut down their fun by separating them.  Can Bruno and Boots find a way to get back together?

 

 

 Peter has always wanted a dog, but his parents got him a turtle.  His little brother, Fudge, always gets what he wants.  Why can't Peter?  Then one day Fudge eats Peter's turtle.  Will Fudge get away with eating Peter's pet?  Or will Peter finally get justice?

 

 

 

Stanley Yelnats discovers just how bad his luck is when he's sent to juvenile detention for being found with a pair of stolen running shoes.  The camp warden says that hard labour builds character, so she has them dig a hole five feet across by five feet deep.  Every day.  Stanley thinks there's something funny about the warden.  Can he figure things out before he digs too many holes?

 

 

 

 

Things are rough for Bud in 1936 Flint Michigan.  So rough that he decides to run away from home.  He takes his suitcase, his book of survival rules and the belief that he can find his father.  Is the musician from the flyer his mom gave him really his father?  

 

 

12 year old Artemis Fowl had the best idea for earning money!  He's going to catch a Leprechan and get the pot of gold.  Don't laugh!  Artemis has done his research and discovered that if you catch a "police" fairy from the LEPrecon Unit you can get gold as ransom.  What he doesn't know is that fairies can be dangerous.

Snapshots in History: May 23: Remembering the North-West Mounted Police

 

On May 23, let us take a moment to remember the North-West Mounted Police on its 140^th anniversary, the forerunner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. On May 23, 1873, the Dominion of Canada’s Parliament passed legislation to establish a “Mounted Police Force for the Northwest Territories”.  The NWMP actually came into existence on August 30, 1873 as a paramilitary body divided into troops under the overall command of a Commissioner with the following objectives: to stop alcohol trafficking in the then-Northwest Territories; to obtain the confidence and respect of the aboriginal people; to collect customs duties; and, to perform police force duties.

The NWMP expanded its jurisdictional hold into the Yukon Territory in 1895 and to the Arctic coast in 1903. The NWMP became the Royal NWMP in 1904 and it broadened its jurisdiction in 1905 with the creation of the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and into an expanded province of Manitoba in 1912. The Royal NWMP merged with the Dominion Police in 1920 to create the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Want to learn more? Consider reading these titles from Toronto Public Library collections:

 

The wild ride: a history of the North West Mounted Police, 1873-1904 [1st ed.] / Charles Wilkins, 2010. Book.  Adult Non-Fiction.

Follow the history of the young Dominion of Canada through the lens of the North West Mounted Police established in 1873 to provide law, order and stability in what is now northern and western Canada today. The initial recruits endured challenging conditions, substandard clothing, and poor diet to reach Fort Garry (now Winnipeg) to establish a presence on the Prairies. Read about the relationship of the NWMP and the indigenous peoples with the driving out of the American whisky traders and the establishment of trust between Commissioner James Macleod and aboriginal chiefs.

Read the review from Canada’s History. 

 

The lost patrol: the Mounties' Yukon tragedy / Dick North, 2008. Book.  Adult Non-Fiction.

Read about a true mystery from December 1910 when 4 Royal NWMP officers travelled in the Canadian North by dogsled on a 475-mile journey to Dawson City, Yukon but died only 35 miles from their starting point, Fort McPherson in the Northwest Territories.

 

The Mounties march west: the epic trek and early adventures of the Mounted Police / Tony Holihan, 2004. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Follow the story of the North West Mounted Police enhanced with black and white photographs of major personalities and drawings of historical scenes. The lack of an index and a glossary might make using this book frustrating for some readers but for those looking for a well-researched “true story”, such shortcomings might be overstated.

Read the review from CM Magazine. 

 

MacLeod of the Mounties: the North American saga as seen through the life of a Scottish Canadian hero / Michael Crawford-Lewis, 1999. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Biography lovers might appreciate following the history of the North-West Mounted Police in conjunction with its second Commissioner, James Farquharson Macleod (1836-1894) and his influence in shaping the mounted force during his tenure of office from July 22, 1876 to October 31, 1880.

 

Readers interested in reading novels or fictional accounts of the Mounties should read the recommendations from the Book Buzz blog under the post Books for the 140th Anniversary of the North-West Mounted Police .

 

Those who like watching documentaries might consider borrowing this DVD from Toronto Public Library collections about the North-West Mounted Police:

 

The North-West Mounted Police the great march [DVD] / 2005. Documentary. 

 

 

What about feature films? Try the following:

 

Dudley Do-Right [DVD] / 1999. Feature Film.

Snapshots in History: May 22: Remembering Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac

Frontenac receiving the envoy of Sir William Phipps demanding the surrender of Quebec, 1690.

 

(Digitized image of: Watercolour over pencil on commercial board (circa 1925); Artist: Charles William Jefferys, 1869-1951.)

 

(Source Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1972-26-780 - Copyright: Expired / Expiré )

(Source Credit: http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_archives/index.php?fuseaction=genitem.displayEcopies&lang=eng&rec_nbr=2835229&title=Frontenac+receiving+the+envoy+of+Sir+William+Phipps+demanding+the+surrender+of+Quebec%2C+1690.+&ecopy=c073710k&back_url=() )

On May 22 and beyond, take a moment to reflect on the historical role of Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac and de Palluau (Born: May 22, 1622, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France; Died: November 28, 1698, Québec City). “Count Frontenac” served as Governor-General of New France twice (1672-1682, 1689-1698) with a mixed record of government mismanagement and the encouragement of westward expansion. Perhaps he was best known for repulsing British and Iroquois attacks on New France, especially on October 16, 1690 when a British fleet under the command of Sir William Phips sent an emissary ashore seeking the surrender of Québec City when Count Frontenac purportedly and defiantly said: “I have no reply to make to your general other than from the mouths of my cannon and muskets”. Although the British landed a thousand men on the Beauport flats, they did not attack but had to ward off attacks from French-Canadian militia and deal with the cold weather while marching. Consequently, after three days, the British force sailed away. The Historica-Dominion Institute produced a heritage minute video re-enactment to capture Count Frontenac’s defiance in 1690.

Want to learn more about Count Frontenac? Consult these historical adult non-fiction titles from Toronto Public Library collections:

 

Count Frontenac / William Dawson LeSueur, 1909. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

 

Count Frontenac and New France under Louis XIV / Francis Parkman, 1925, c1919. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Eat Your Veggies, and Grow Them Too!

Mom always told you to eat your vegetables. Why not grow them too?

It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or if your thumb practically glows green, if you have a lot of garden space or just a little. Learn how to grow your own vegetables and you will enjoy the benefits of eating healthy, locally-grown food (it doesn't get much more local than your own yard, balcony, or windowsill!) and paying less than you would at the grocery store.

Join us at Albert Campbell District Branch on Saturday May 25 at 2 p.m. to meet a trained horticulturalist from Toronto Master Gardeners. Get expert tips on planting and harvesting your own vegetables, such as how to get the most from your soil, how to avoid problem pests, and how to deal with disease in your garden. Toronto Master Gardeners are always happy to answer your gardening questions so if you have a question, drop-in and ask! For more information about this program, visit the branch or call us at 416-396-8890.

The library has lots of books jam-packed with information and inspiration for growing great veggies in all kinds of places and spaces, at all times of year. Check out this tasty selection: 

Grow Your Own Great Grub

 

No Space? No Problem!

  

The Kitchen Garden

Eat Your Yard!

Snapshots in History: May 21: Remembering Raymond Burr

On May 21 and beyond, let us take a moment to reflect upon the life of Canadian-born actor Raymond Burr (Born: May 21, 1917; Died: September 12, 1993). Burr was best known for his portrayal of Perry Mason (winning 2 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series in 1959 and 1961) and Ironside (earning 6 Emmy nominations and 2 Golden Globe nominations) on television. Burr was heavily involved in charitable work and supported various causes including the Foster Parents’ Plan, Save the Children, and the United Service Organizations. Upon his death, many people learned that Raymond Burr was gay and had left his estate to long-time partner Robert Benevides. Those customers wishing to learn more about Raymond Burr can request the following title from Toronto Public Library collections:

Hiding in plain sight: the secret life of Raymond Burr / Michael Starr, 2008. Book. Adult Non-Fiction.

Contrast Perry Mason’s search for the truth in the courtroom with actor Raymond Burr’s desire to maintain and conceal his private life by inventing his service in World War Two, two imaginary marriages (following one real but brief one), and a deceased but imaginary son. Try and sift through the fact from the fiction.