New Year's at Noon

Remember when you were younger and weren't able to stay up until midnight to ring in the new year? Maybe your parents wouldn't let your bedtime slide that far, or maybe you just couldn't keep your eyes open, no matter how hard you tried.

If you've got little ones just begging to stay up late this New Year's Eve, we've got the perfect solution: why not celebrate a little early when the clock strikes 12...PM?

 

New Year’s Beagle courtesy of Cutie Pie Company on a CC license.

Gather the kids in your life and join us for a craft session where we'll create party hats and noisemakers and share stories and songs. We can't bring out the bubbly, but you can bring a snack or juice box to toast to the (almost) new year as we count down! There's no need to register; just drop by.

New Year's at Noon
December 31, 2014
11 AM - 12 PM
Cedarbrae Branch, 416-396-8850

I’d love to say we came up with this great idea, but the librarians over at the Fort York Branch shared their plans for a midday celebration with us. If you’re in that area on December 31st, be sure to check out their new year's event for children!

If you can’t make it out with the kids that day, here are some children’s stories to read together instead:

New Year’s Eve Thieves by Ron Roy

Who Stole New Year’s Eve? by Martha Freeman

Happy New Year, Mallory! by Laura Friedman

Just in Time for New Year’s! by Karen Gray Ruelle

Shanté Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport

 

Wherever you are when the countdown begins – whether cozy in your bed or celebrating with loved ones – have a safe night.

Happy 2015!

Find Volunteering Resources Online.

We get asked about volunteering opportunities all the time. It can be a little overwhelming trying to navigate all the options and find the best fit for you.

Photo courtesy of CollegeDegrees360 on a CC license.

If you're a teen between 14 and 19 looking to volunteer, you're not alone. With the highschool volunteering requirement, many youth are looking to rack up their 40 hours as efficiently as possible.

Although the library has a number of volunteer positions, there are many, many organizations and agencies looking for volunteers all across Toronto. There are even some ways to still squeeze in some volunteering this holiday season!

On Monday January 19, at 6 PM, come and join us for a session exploring all the ways to discover volunteering opportunities online. We will look at the different ways you can search for positions, how to contact various organizations, and figure out what best works for you. Also, a volunteer from SickKids Hospital will come and talk about what she does in her role and how she got there. Give us a call to register or to find out more: 416-396-8850.

 

Everything you can imagine is real: Young Voices at Cedarbrae

You may have noticed a new art display at the Cedarbrae Branch if you've walked in recently...

We're the lucky branch that will be displaying the Young Voices art exhibit for the month of December. 

These panels highlight some of the artwork that was submitted by Toronto teens to Young Voices, the library's magazine of written and visual art.

These talented young artists were selected by a small group that looked for high-quality original work that would be representative of and relevant to Toronto's diverse youth. Although only visual art is displayed in this exhibit, there are many more selections of prose and poetry in the Young Voices magazine. You can pick up a copy in your local branch, or check out an online copy of Young Voices right here on our website.

We are currently looking for submissions for the 2015 edition of Young Voices.
If you (or a talented teen you know!) are interested, be sure to check out the submission requirements and submit online. You can also print out a PDF submission form, if you'd prefer, and then simply attach it to your piece and deliver it to a staff member at your local branch.

The deadline for Young Voices 2015 is Tuesday April 7, 2015 so start thinking about your potential selection now! Remember, as Pablo Picasso said:  "Everything you can imagine is real."

For inspiration, check out some examples of different styles from all over the world: