What's On at the Library

Great FREE Science Programs Today and Tomorrow

For several years now, Toronto Public Library has been delivering wonderful talks on cutting-edge science. One of the few other places that the public can get these high-quality talks--and at no charge--is at a university. Indeed, it is precisely because we work with Science Engagement at the University of Toronto, with U of T's Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics and with Science Rendezvous that we are able to do this.

Tonight at the University of Toronto you can attend Science Frontiers--Stem Cells: From Hype to Hope with Janet Rossant and Derek van der Kooy, two U of T professors involved in stem cell research, and Helen Blau the director of the Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology at Stanford University. Nora Young, host of the CBC radio show Spark, will moderate the event.

Tomorrow, campuses, hospitals, research organizations and libraries in Toronto and across the country open their doors to Science Rendezvous. Toronto Public Library has ten programs in branches, led by volunteers from Lets Talk Science and Pueblo Science. These are perfect for families and kids--so a great chance to engage young people in the world of scientific discovery. These programs are all hands-on and lots of fun.

We started  Our Planet In Focus in April, and the next talk in the series is on May 15--Geological Wonders of the Modern Ocean Floor with Steve Scott (professor emeritus, U of T)--at the Brentwood branch, 7 pm.

There are still two more talks in the Passion for Astronomy series: Revealing the Supermassive Black Hole at the Centre of the Milky Way (College Shaw, June 6, 7 pm) and Supernovae: The Death of Massive Stars (Pape/Danforth, June 10, 7 pm).

 

How To Plan Your Visit To The Toronto Comic Arts Festival

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) takes place this Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 at the Toronto Reference Library. Comics fans are invited to this free event and to join over 400 cartoonists from 18 countries to celebrate the best of comics, graphic novels and manga.

This year's TCAF lineup includes Taiyo Matsumoto, Hope Larson, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Jeff Lemire, Art Spiegelman, Raina Telgemeier, Maurice Vellekoop and many others.

Guests can meet their favourite artists, buy books and have them signed, attend panel discussions and workshops, view original art on display and more. There are also programs for kids and families.

The festival draws several thousand visitors over the two-day weekend. For first time - and even returning - attendees, TCAF can be a somewhat overwhelming experience. So we asked some of the festival's staff to share their advice on how to plan for and to navigate your way around TCAF.

Start Your TCAF Before TCAF

TCAF Assistant Director Miles Baker suggests checking out the plethora of events and parties happening outside of the main festival weekend. "TCAF has events every night from May 8 to 12, including screenings, talks, gallery openings and lots of parties. The parties are probably my favourite, because it's a great chance to meet artists I admire without having an exhibition table between us."

Come Early, Come Often. 

Volunteer Coordinator Andrew Woodrow-Butcher says scheduling is key. "TCAF attracts thousands of people to Toronto Reference Library, which can be both amazing and overwhelming. I think the people who get there first thing in the morning get a bit more of a relaxed browsing experience, before things get really busy around 1 or 2pm. It's also a lot to see in one go. Break up your browsing by heading outside for lunch or a coffee, or to one of the off-site programs."

If you have a list of specific artists you want to see, you can plan ahead by looking at the TCAF schedule and floor plan to see where they will be exhibiting or signing.

Check Out the Panel Discussions

Festival Director Chris Butcher encourages everyone to check out the free and eclectic lineup of programs. "If you're at TCAF, make sure not to miss our panels and interviews, located in Learning Center 1 at the Reference Library, and at our off-site venues. Our discussion on political and non-fiction graphic novels is going to be great for both die-hard comic fans and folks new to the medium!"

To help you plan ahead, here's the full schedule of programs:

• Saturday programs
• Sunday programs

Bring Your Kids And The Whole Family!

TCAF falls once again on Mother's Day weekend, so celebrate both your inner geek and mom by visiting TCAF. For parents and caregivers with young kids, check out the Kids Area in the Novella Room, located in the Bram & Bluma Appel Salon on the 2nd floor.

"There’s something for everyone in the TCAF Kids area," says Kids Programming Coordinator, Scott Robins. "Pick up free comics, meet kids’ graphic novel artists and writers, get tips on becoming a comics creator, colour and create, and of course, have fun! Enough to keep the little ones engaged all day long!"

Plan ahead by looking at the Kids Programming Schedule.

Dress for Success 

"If you're gonna do TCAF right, then you're gonna want to be comfortable," advises TCAF Support Manager, Andrew Townsend. "Sensible shoes. Bags with good back support. Loose clothes that breathe, allowing you to move quickly and easily through crowds. You'll thank yourself, and, more importantly, other attendees will thank you."

Make Shopping Easy

If you're coming to TCAF to buy comics and other merchandises, TCAF President Peter Birkemoe has a few words of advice. "You are likely going to want to have more cash and carrying capacity than you expect. Fill your wallet with small bills and your pockets with all the loonies and twonies you can manage. If you are a print or poster collector, think about bringing a tube. Keep in mind as you go around the show to think about the gift-giving potential. You will find great unique gifts here many of which you might not find again."

Memories of the Internment of Japanese Canadians--CANCELLED

Unfortunately, this program has been cancelled due to unavoidable circumstances. Apologies for any inconvenience. When the program is re-scheduled, this blog post will be updated.

In the final History Matters lecture, And Life Goes On: Japanese Canadians, Memory and Life after Internment, Ryerson sociology professor Pamela Sugiman will explore the post-war history of Japanese Canadians who had been interned during World War II. The talk takes place on April 25 at  Lillian H. Smith, 6:30 pm (239 College St, 416-393-7746).

1,200 fishing boats of Japanese Canadians were rounded up by military at Steveston, B.C. in 1941.

In World War II, som3 23,000 Japanese Canadians were uprooted from their homes, mostly in Vancouver and the British Columbia Lower Mainland, and shipped to internment, prisoner-of-war or labour camps. Some were in the interior of B.C., others in Alberta and even Ontario.

Amid a racist hysteria, these people--most of them second and third generation Canadians--also had their property taken from them. In the largest mass uprooting and internment of a people in Canadian history, the Japanese Canadians lost their houses, farms, fishing boats, cars and much else--most were able to keep only what they could carry with them.

After the war, the Canadian government offered a "choice": either deportation to war-devasted Japan or forced removal east of the Rockies. A few thousand did go to Japan, but most chose the latter.

Sugiman Family

Professor Sugiman, who has done a great deal of research into this history, asks: How was it that in these new places of residence, the Issei (first-generation) and Nisei (second-generation) seemed to disappear? What happened to Japanese Canadians and their community after the war? How did they cope in the face of post-war racial hostilities? What of those who went to Japan, a foreign country for many? How did they rebuild their lives after much of what had been meaningful in life was abruptly taken away? How, in short, how did life go on?

In her talk, Dr. Sugiman will draw on oral history interviews with 75 Nisei women and men who currently reside in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, and various parts of British Columbia.

If you wish to read more, you will find many books and articles in the collctions of Toronto Public Library. The subject heading is: Japanese Canadians--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945--Personal narratives. I'll highlight a couple here.

Obasan by Joy Kogawa

The Enemy that Never Was: a History of the Japanese Canadians by Ken Adachi

Stone voices : wartime writings of Japanese Canadian Issei 

This is the last talk in the History Matters series. Most of the talks from the 2013 and earlier series were podcast, and can be heard on the ActiveHistory.ca website. Here are a couple of sample links:

Franca Iacovetta, “Public Spectacles of Multiculturalism: Toronto Before Trudeau,” February 28 2013

William Jenkins, “Beyond Orange and Green: Toronto’s Irish, 1870-1914,” January 31 2013

 

Our Planet In Focus

Our Planet in Focus is an exciting new series from the University of Toronto's Science Engagement office. The series will showcase frontline scientists who travel to far reaches of the globe to shed light on the earth's geology and development over billions of years. What was the Earth like in the first half billion years? Was it fiery and hot? Cool? Were there oceans? And how do we know?

The whole purpose of Science Engagement is to give the general public a chance to meet and talk with some of the foremost scientific researchers in the country.

Don't miss Toronto Public Library's other science lectures. We're running a great series by astronomers from the Dunlap Institute: A Passion for Astronomy.

	A Brave New World. The Cambrian period and the rise of animals. With David Rudkin, Assistant Curator of Paleobiology, Royal Ontario Museum. Wednesday, April 24, 7 - 8 pm  Brentwood
	Geological Wonders of the Modern Ocean Floor. Learn about the world's largest mountain range, strange animals and potential mineral wealth found on the ocean floor. With Steve Scott, Professor Emeritus, Earth Sciences, U of T. Wednesday, May 15, 7 - 8 pm  Brentwood
	Blebs and Blobs in Space Rocks New insights into the solar system's birth from meteorites. With Christopher Charles, Postdoctoral Fellow, Isotrace Lab, U of T. Wedensday, May 22, 7 - 8 pm, Danforth/Coxwell
	Catastrophic Conundrums in Earth History. What the ages of rocks tell us about ancient mass extinctions. With Sandra Kamo, Geochronology Lab Manager, Earth Sciences, U of T. Thurdsay, June 6, 7 - 8 pm  Palmerston

Why Is Dystopia So Popular?

The library is spotlighting Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" for this year's One Book community read during the Keep Toronto Reading Festival this April.

Sixty years after its publication, the book's dystopian future - where reading is banned, books are burned and brainless entertainment has seduced the masses - still burns a nightmarish image in readers' minds.

Dystopian novels - such as Hunger Games and Divergent - have become very popular in recent years. We asked two authors to share their thoughts on why they think dystopia is so popular.

Suzanne Young

Suzanne Young currently resides in Tempe, Arizona, where she teaches high school English. She is the author of several books for teens, including "A Need So Beautiful", "A Want So Wicked" and the just-released "The Program." You can like her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, and read her blog.

 

"Of all the books I teach, Ray Bradbury’s "Fahrenheit 451" remains a favorite among my students. A novel published in 1953, it continues to endure; fascinating teens with its blend of oppressive government and the hope that one person can change the world.

Bradbury created a reality in which we can see ourselves - our past, present, and possible future. But the truly spectacular thing is that every generation can see themselves in it. He made predictions, some of which came true, and created character archetypes we still see in novels today.

I think a successful dystopian story must combine several elements to stand out. The realities should not only predict, but also reflect a current society. It’s the exaggeration of our environment that enables us to see our role in it, enables us to see how we can be part of the solution in a world gone wrong.  

Ultimately, the enjoyment of a dystopian novel stems from its possibility - the likelihood it can come true. Not every detail must be accurate; in fact, I think it's better if some elements are fantastical enough to prevent the story from being dated - always just beyond our current technology or evolution.

In the end, the truth at the core of a story is what makes readers believe, while the impossible is what keeps the story viable throughout the years."

Jeyn Roberts

 

Jeyn Roberts is the author of Dark Inside and Rage Within. She is a former singer, songwriter, actress, bicycle courier, and tree planter. She lives in Vancouver, B.C. Be sure to visit her website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

 

"Dystopia: An imaginary place where everything is as bad as possible (Concise Oxford Dictionary).

I really like that definition. It brings so many good stories to mind when I think about it. Not only does it make me think of the future but it also makes me question some of the events happening today. As humans, we are already doing things that could lead humanity down a path towards some very dark and disturbing places.

Let’s face it: the world didn’t end in 2012. Yes, that’s not much of a surprise but it sure made for some great fiction. In the past few years, a surge of new young adult literature has taken the market by storm. Dystopia is the new ‘everything’ and its appeal is unstoppable.

What is the great appeal of a bleak future? It has existed ever since writers started recording literature. For thousands of years, man has been warning man of what's coming. It’s always dark. It’s always dangerous. The 'cautionary tale' is a famous plotline for storytelling.

The evolution of dystopia fiction is constantly changing but the storyline is always the same. As the technology catches up with us, the new future novels will have to go further. There will always be new challenges to overcome and bleak settings never go out of style. Our futuristic imagination is never going to stop working.

Dystopian fiction is a safe way to confront our fears. We can immerse ourselves in these horrible futures from the safety of our couches. They are thrilling and exciting, but at the same time, they’re safe. We already know humanity couldn’t possibly get as bad as that. We know that there isn’t going to be a great war that leads to children killing each other in a made-for-television event.

Right? 1984 has already come and gone. Big Brother doesn’t exist. Right? Right?

The real appeal of dystopia is that we actually do believe that some of it can happen. Cities can fall. Governments can become corrupt. Environmental damage already occurs and technology is becoming increasingly creepy with computers and ex-boyfriends/girlfriends being able to track our every move.

But we haven’t fallen yet and thankfully, it’s not going to happen until the future. Right? And we probably won’t be there to see it. So until then, we’re safe in our bedrooms and can visually experience these stories without actually having to live them.

It’s similar to horror in that aspect. We can always enjoy a good bloodbath, especially when we know it’s not real. It could happen but most likely won’t.

I can only imagine what the dystopian novels will be like in the year 3000. Will they be the same? Or will our imaginations finally catch up with us to an extent where people will be living the horrors we’ve been predicting for thousands of years?

Your guess is as good as mine."

We Want To Hear From You

Please tell us in the comments below: Why are dystopian novels so popular?

Toronto Teens Review One Book: Fahrenheit 451

Through a continued partnership with Toronto District School Board, 1,000 high school students are reading and discussing our One Book - "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury - during the Keep Toronto Reading Festival this April.

"The Library is especially pleased to partner with the TDSB on One Book," says programming manager Tina Srebotnjak. "We think it’s wonderful to have high school students taking part in this community project, and it’s so interesting to hear their views on the books we’ve picked over the years. The TDSB has been a great partner, expanding from 4 schools in our first year to 35 this year."

Published 60 years ago, "Fahrenheit 451" depicts a future where people have turned away from reading and have been seduced by mass entertainment.

So we were very curious to hear what a new generation of youth - who are growing up in a similarly media saturated world depicted in "Fahrenheit 451" - think about Bradbury's seminal work. So we asked three Toronto youth to each blog a review of Bradbury's classic novel.

Check out their reviews and let us know if you agree or disagree:

Escaping The Pit by Benjamin Gabbay

Fahrenheit 451: Warning or Wake Up Call? by Sam Mano

Put Down Your Cell Phones And Think! by Sierra Sun

Extreme Planets: The Big, the Hot and the Ugly

When you look at the photographs of astronomers from the Dunlap Institute it's hard not to feel a bit envious. A case in point is Lisa Esteves, pictured below.

But when she speaks about "extreme  planets" her imagery is even more dramatic. Join us at the Richview Branch tomorrow, April 18, 7 pm in the 2nd floor Program Room as Lisa Esteves leads a guided exploration of some of the strangest planets in our galaxy, from giant fireballs to waterworlds.

 This talk is the second in our spring astronomy series, A PASSION FOR ASTRONOMY, presented in partnership with the Dunlap Institute, Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto.

(Richview is very easy to get to: just take a northbound Islington Bus from the Islington Station and get off just north of Eglinton).

Pride and Prejudice, History and Memory

This spring the library is running a remarkable series of author talks by memoirists, historians, novelists who reflect on what it means to be gay or lesbian.

On May 1, 7 pm, at Parliament Street , we welcome Los Angeles-based author Trebor Healey who is in town on a brief tour. He will be talking about and reading from his latest book, A Horse Named Sorrow, recently named a finalist in the 2013 Lambda Literary Awards.

On Saturday, May 4, 2-3 pm at Lillian H. Smith, actor and documentary writer William Whitehead will talk about his life and work in the arts. Whitehead's memoir, Words to Live By, centres on the 40 years of his life spent with his partner acclaimed novelist Timothy Findlay.

The next program in the series is at the St. Lawrence branch on May 7, 7 pm. Here in a talk entitled Challenging History: Sexuality and Sport,  Helen Lenskj (above, right) picks up the story of the prejudice against gays, lesbians and intersex people that has been an underlying part of the Olympics for over a century. One has only to think of the backlash against the South African athlete Caster Semenya to appreciate that such bigotry has not disappeared.

To mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, the Palmerston branch features a panel discussion, Querying the Page with Farzana Doctor, Nancy Jo Cullen, Debra Anderson and Zoe Whittall, all past winners of the Writers' Trust Dayne Ogilvie prize. The panel discussion will be moderated by Vivek Shraya.

 On May 22  Yorkville, where Toronto Public Library's extensive Lesbian Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Collection is housed, historian Steven Maynard of Queens University will deliver a historical talk, "Pansy Boys and Hell Witches": Queer Visibility in Early-20th-Century Toronto.This illustrated talk looks at the emergence of modern gay and lesbian identities in Toronto during the 1920s and '30s.

Also at Yorkville during the entire month of May is an  exhibit, Pride and Prejudice Three Decades of LGBT Community Organizing, by the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. The exhibit highlights the people, events and publications that shaped Toronto's queer community from the 1970s to the 1990s.

      

 

 

 

 

The series wraps up on June 13, 7 pm, at Parliament Street with author and journalism professor Kamal Al-Solaylee. His book Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes recounts the story of his family's remarkable travels back and forth between Yemen and Egypt during the 1960s, and his own struggle to find a way to live as a gay man.

 

Why I Write Science Fiction

Editor's Note: This April, the library is celebrating the Keep Toronto Reading Festival and our One Book - "Fahrenheit 451," by Ray Bradbury. Guest blogger Hugh Howey, author of the bestselling novel, "Wool", shares his thoughts on why he writes science fiction.

I write in several genres, but the reason I find myself drawn to science fiction as an author is the same reason I found myself sucked in as a reader when I was young: I had discovered worlds that one day might come true.

My first love as a reader was the fantasy genre. I read any story with a dragon or a wizard in it. Even better if it had both. But then I discovered "Ender's Game", "Dune", and "I, Robot" and suddenly I imagined equally fantastical realms that were different in a major way: they might become possible.

As the years have gone on and science has wielded more and more of its magic, the world around me seems straight out of the books I read as a child. People have artificial hearts, knees, and hips. We all carry powerful computers in our pockets and can talk to any other person around the globe at any time. Cars drive themselves. I can talk to my TV and it does my bidding. Yesterday's sorcery is today's reality.

Science fiction does many other things. It allows us to analyze the human condition by tweaking our environment so that we highlight our flaws and our strengths. It's a perfect vehicle for satire and for exploring serious ethical quandaries.

But most of all, it whisks us away to adventures that loom ahead. Where I used to read about a past that never was, now I am free to write about a tomorrow that just might be. And what could be more exciting than that.

Culture Days at the Library: Get Your Proposal in Now!

This fall, On September 27-28, more than 40 Toronto Public Library branches will be opening up their spaces to artists and performers of all kinds during the Culture Days events. Culture Days @ the Library is part of a country-wide festival of the arts and a wonderful opportunity for artists--musicians, painters, photographers, actors, sculptors, poets--to display their craft and invite the public to take an inside look at how and why they create.To participate, just fill out the simple application online form.

The deadline is April 15, so don't delay!

Last year, more than 2220 people attended Culture Days events at library branches across the city. There was jazz, guitar lessons, a weaving demo, felting demonstrations and much more more. Check out the blog postings from last year to see the enormous variety that was on offer.

Sneak Preview of Culture Days 2013

On April 2, the Toronto Star featured an article about the Tamil Literary Garden and its annual awards which take place in June. These awards recognize the finest Tamil writers from around the world, from India to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Canada and other places. (Pictured left is Appadurai Muttulingan, noted Tamil author and one of the founders of the Tamil Literary Garden. Credit: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star)

The Tamil Literary Garden does more than present awards. This fall, they will also be presenting a unique art form at the Malvern Branch on Saturday, September 28, 2-4 pm., as part of the Culture Days festival. The King’s Fury—a Tamil Folk Drama is a presentation of an ancient traditional musical art form from the north and east of Sri Lanka. Known as Naadu Koothu, the dance will be demonstrated in its original style by Manuel Jesudasan and Group. Jesudasan is with the Tamil Literary Garden. This event will be quite an extravaganza.

Keep following this blog, and check out the Culture Days website for more information about library events and other events across the city.