Seniors' Discovery Fair returns in Scarborough!

Last year, the Seniors’ Discovery Fair was held right here at the Cedarbrae Branch, and was a smashing success!

This year's event returns at the Malvern Branch. It will run from 2:00 to 3:30 PM on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 in the branch's Community Room. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Just like in previous years, the fair will be a chance for seniors, caregivers, friends and family, to meet with a variety of local organizations and service providers.

Here are some of the groups that will be present at this year’s Seniors’ Discovery Fair:

• Alzheimer Society of Canada             
• Assaulted Women’s Helpline
• Canadian Hearing Society
• Catholic Crosscultural Services
• Community Care Access Centre
• Malvern Family Resource Centre
• Osteoporosis Canada
• Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities
• Taibu Community Health Centre
• Toronto Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Toronto Hydro
• Toronto Public Health
• Toronto Public Library
• TransCare Community Support Services

 

Image courtesy of Pixabay  on a Creative Commons Licence.

This free event is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about what services are available for older adults, right here in Scarborough. There will be light refreshments and the chance to win prizes, so come by and find out what is available in your community.

Malvern Branch staff will be on hand to introduce you to upcoming library programs and services. There will be demonstrations of the library’s online databases for eBooks and eVideos, such as Overdrive, Zinio, and Hoopla.

      

Looking forward to seeing you there!

2015 Polaris Music Prize Long List

Polaris Music Prize recently released its Long List - a list of 40 albums contending for the title of best Canadian full-length album. The Long List is compiled by a panel of jurors, and after some promotion and further scrutinizing, is reduced to ten titles before the winner is announced.  

Not-for-profit Polaris Music Prize celebrates Canadian recorded music, and recognizes the creativity and diversity characteristic to Canadian music. Included titles in the list are determined with no regard to musical genre, and are chosen by a jury of selected music critics. 

Last year's winner was Inuk singer Tanya Tagaq for her album Animism. Previous winners also include Feist for Metals, and Patrick Watson for Close to Paradise. Stay tuned for when the 10 album Short List is announced on July 16 here in Toronto. 

Unfortunately, TPL hasn't yet acquired all of the Long List nominees. Below is the complete list with links to the albums in our collection. 

Absolutely Free – Absolutely Free
The Acorn – Vieux Loup
Lydia Ainsworth – Right from Real
Alvvays – Alvvays
Arkells – High Noon
Rich Aucoin – Ephemeral
BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul
Bahamas – Bahamas Is Afie
The Barr Brothers – Sleeping Operator
Braids – Deep In The Iris
Steph Cameron – Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady
Caribou – Our Love
Jazz Cartier – Marauding In Paradise
Jennifer Castle – Pink City
Cold Specks – Neuroplasticity
Louis-Jean Cormier – Les grandes artères
Death From Above 1979 – The Physical World
Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Frazey Ford – Indian Ocean
Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon
BA Johnston – Shit Sucks
Pierre Kwenders – Le dernier empereur Bantou
Lee Harvey Osmond – Beautiful Scars
Jean Leloup – À Paradis City
METZ – II
Milk & Bone – Little Mourning
Tre Mission – Stigmata
The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers
Joel Plaskett – The Park Avenue Sobriety Test
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Power in The Blood
Elizabeth Shepherd – The Signal
Siskiyou – Nervous
Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld – Never were the way she was
Various Artists – Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, And Country 1966–1985
Viet Cong – Viet Cong
Patrick Watson – Love Songs For Robots
The Weather Station – Loyalty
White Lung – Deep Fantasy
Whitehorse – Leave No Bridge Unburned
Young Guv – Ripe 4 Luv

TPL can be your one-stop destination for checking out and discovering new, great local artists! 

A Global Feast in Scarborough

Recently, a prominent economist and foodie released a quickie blog post praising Scarborough as the "best ethnic food suburb ever." People from all over Toronto were quick to jump on this, with most agreeing that the east-end is the place to hit up if you're looking for delicious - and often, inexpensive! - eats from all over the globe. 

 

Image courtesy of SteFou! on a CC license.

Toronto in general offers a great selection, but Scarborough is so often overlooked, I'm happy to bask in the glow. When I first moved to Canada as a kid, Scarborough is where my family first settled and we were quick to realize the huge diversity of food available. That was over fifteen years ago, so you can imagine all the possibilities now.

Scarborough has seen growth from more generic 'Indian' or 'Chinese' food restaurants into spots serving from specific countries (ie. Bangladesh, Pakistan) and even distinct regions (Shanghai fare vs. Taiwanese treats). You can now easily satisfy your cravings as you choose from a selection of delicious gyros, moist injera and wat, or a tray of steaming mantu.

A traditional Afghan dinner at my in-laws, with a plate of mantu behind the rice topped with shredded carrots. Yum!

CityTV news anchor, Adrian Ghobrial, recently explored a few choice spots in Scarborough, including Saleem Caravan, just a quick two-minute walk from the Cedarbrae Branch! Journalist Sarah Efron, who is also featured, shared her thoughts when she visited the same shop back in 2011.

Hidden away in strip malls and non-descript plazas are some of the tastiest, most authentic dishes you'll find anywhere. You may not always find the ambiance of a downtown restaurant (although that's changing in many places too), but you're sure to discover some delicious new meal.

Image courtesy of MookieLuv on a CC license.

Tried a great place to dine in Scarborough and can't get it out of your head? Share with us in the comments or tweet it at us!

In the meanwhile, if you're craving some tasty dishes from around the world (but can't make it out to Scarborough!), try something new from some of these international cookbooks: 

1. The Take-out Menu Cookbook By Carla Snyder
2. The Best Recipes in the World By Mark Bittman
3. The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide By Wai Hon Chu
4. The Food and Cooking of Vietnam and Cambodia By Ghillie Başan
5. Street Food from Around the World By Troth Wells
6. The Nepal Cookbook Compiled by the Association of Nepalis in the Americas
7. Morocco: A Culinary Journey By Jeff Koehler
8. New Persian Cooking by Jila Dana-Haeri

 

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!

Scarborough Repair Cafe: a HUGE success!

As you may remember from one of my last posts, we recently hosted Repair Cafe Toronto at the Cedarbrae Branch.

From 12 - 4 on Saturday, October 18, our already bustling library turned into an amazing hub of activity. It began with Repair Cafe volunteers transforming our space with colourful signage, then a spread of all kinds of tools, from tiny beading accessories to heavy duty pliers.

Photo courtesy of Repair Cafe Toronto

We had just under a hundred people come from all over Toronto to have their broken items looked at. Some of the things I noticed included a coffee maker, computer and car speaker. In addition to fixing small appliances, there were also tables for clothing repair and even book binding and paper repairs! The bookbinding table also doubled as a fun spot for kids trying out origami patterns and other simple paper crafts. Kids and adults alike were also invited to take a look at some of our bright book and DVD displays about recycling and repair that can be easily done. 

The volunteers worked hard to get most items up and running again. Nearby, those with repaired items could pose for a photo, proudly holding up a cute "Fixed!" sign to celebrate their participation at Scarborough's first Repair Cafe. The 'Fixed!" sign did face a little mishap of its own...

Photo courtesy of @RepairCafeTO on Twitter

As with all of Repair Cafe's events, this event was a success because of the combined efforts of both the volunteer Fixers and the interested partipants who came to learn. We had a great time seeing people working together, excitedly learning about how things work.

If you missed this Repair Cafe, not to worry: you can catch another one on Saturday November 22 from 10 AM to 2 PM at Skills For Change. This is going to be the last Repair Cafe for the year, so be sure to gather your items and head over this coming weekend!

A big thank to you all the kind folks over at Repair Cafe Toronto and, of course, all the library users who joined us to make this an amazing event last month!

Mend Over Matter: Repair Cafe heads to Scarborough!

They say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But if it is? You head to the Repair Cafe! We will be hosting the Repair Cafe right here at the Cedarbrae Branch on Saturday October 18, starting at 12 Noon until 4 PM.

Repair Cafe Toronto is a not-for-profit organization founded by a small group of Torontonians who enthusiastically support the repair movement first started by the Repair Cafe Foundation in Amsterdam.

Image from Openclipart.org

Repair Cafe's mission is simple: reduce waste and make old things new again - all while teaching, learning and enjoying the art of the fix!

Think of the kinds of things you might have sitting around in your own home that may have fallen into disrepair. Are these items really broken beyond saving? Repair Cafe volunteer fixers can help you find out. These fixers work with a variety of things, from small appliances to clothing and books. As they put it,

"Repair Café teaches people to see their possessions in a new light. And, once again, to appreciate their value. Repair Café helps change people’s mindset. This is essential to kindle people’s enthusiasm for a sustainable society."

A recent article from University of Toronto's student newspaper, The Varsity, notes that "The Repair Café not only offered the opportunity to learn new skills but also the chance to connect with skilled people."

image courtesy of Repair Cafe Toronto

Whether you're interested in being a volunteer fixer yourself, just watching others repair items, or have something of your own you might want to try to get working again, be sure to drop by this event.

This Repair Cafe session requires no registration ahead - just bring an item that you'd like to get fixed and we'll help you get started! We're looking forward to a fun event with a wide variety of things to get fixed and skilled people to help you fix them.

For more information about the event on Saturday, October 18 (12-4 PM), give us a call at the Cedarbrae Branch at 416-396-8850.

Hope to see you there!

Open Mic Night @ Cedarbrae Branch

Calling all spoken word artists, poets and word performers: are you ready to shine?

Image courtesy of flickr user Grant on a CC license.

Join us for our first Open Mic Night tonight, October 9, 2014, beginning at 7 PM.

Our Artist in the Library, Dwayne Morgan, will be hosting this event and helping you get on stage and presenting to others. Dwayne is a well-known poet, performer and speaker who will be working with youth on all kinds projects this Fall and Winter on a one-on-one basis as well as organizing open mic nights like this.

Whether you've got a few performances under your belt, or are brand new to the scene, be sure to come by and see and share the talent Scarborough has to offer!

Registration is not required for this event and youth (13-19) are all welcome to attend.

Need more info? Give us a call at the Cedarbrae Branch: 416-396-8850. 

Scarborough Seniors' Discovery Fair is BACK!

Our last Seniors' Discovery Fair was a great success, and we're very excited to announce that we're bringing it back again this year!

Join us at the Cedarbrae Branch on Thursday September 25 from 2 - 4 PM to meet with a variety of organizations and service providers. There are a number of resources and services available to older adults in the community. This is useful not only if you're a senior yourself, but also if you're a caregiver or have older relatives or friends that may appreciate information about transportation, health care and more.

Image courtesy of MoodBoard on a Creative Commons License.

Here are some of the groups that will be represented at this year's Seniors' Discovery Fair:

• Alzheimer Society of Canada
• Canadian Hearing Society
• Catholic CrossCultural Services
• Community Care Access Centre
• Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities
• TransCare Community Support Services
• Toronto Hydro
• Toronto Public Health
• EMS - Emergency Medical Services
• Ontario Seniors' Secretariat and Minstry of Finance

If you - or someone you know - would be interested in learning more, this is a great chance to meet with people in your community, ask questions and get free information. No registration is required and don't forget that light refreshments and prize draws will also be part of this year's Fair!

Hope to see you there!

Rediscover Toronto's Waterfront Heritage!

If you've been in Toronto for a while, chances are good that you've picnicked by the Scarborough Bluffs, gone ice skating at the Harbourfront or tanned at Woodbine Beach. But did you know what a long history some of these places have?

Come and find out more about Toronto's waterfront at a visit with author Jane Fairburn on Saturday, September 13th at 2 PM!

Public domain image courtesy of Wikipedia

Local lawyer turned author Jane Fairburn has written a wonderful book exploring the history of our waterfront. 

Along the Shore: Rediscovering Toronto's Waterfront Heritage | Available in eBook too!

 Her book focuses on four distinct areas:

• the Lakeshore
• the Island
• the Beach
• the Scarborough Bluffs 

She will discuss the importance of these neighborhoods and how they are all interconnected with ecology and Toronto itself. Jane will help you rediscover the beautiful and important history of Toronto through the lake. Come learn how it has evolved from a place of hunting for the first people who lived here thousands of years ago to the present day with its mixture of beaches, condos and possible business ventures. 

Don't miss out on this exciting exploration of Toronto history. Hope to see you all there!

Robots in the Library?

If you've wandered by the Children's Desk at the Cedarbrae Branch recently, you may have noticed a new friend hanging around:

 

Meet Vaksan Jr. He was created by a bright young maker in a particularly exciting session of our Make and Create Club. The theme of this session was to just GO WILD!

Kids were encouraged to take all sorts of household odds and ends we'd collected over the weeks, and design the most awesome things they could imagine. In addition to this robot, we also had some racecars, elaborate jewelry peices, and even a highly detailed landscape for a Minecraft character!

As you might be able to tell, Vaksan Jr. didn't need a whole lot of high-tech gadgetry to come to life, but he was definitely built with a lot of creative energy. Interested in getting your kids to imagine and create? Ask a librarian about other programs we offer that cultivate the maker spirit!

You may also want to check out other resources that can help guide fun projects at home as we dip into these last few weeks of summer. Here are two books that might be interesting for a younger or older child:

Make Stuff Together: 24 Simple Projects to Create as a Family

by Bernadette Noll

"Make Stuff Together gives you 24 projects to build family connections while being creative and truly enjoying your time together. The authors have uniquely broken down projects into manageable chunks for the shorter attention spans of children enabling even smaller kids to accomplish bigger projects."

 

 

Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: a Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts

by Thomas Willeford

 "Learn from Lord Featherstone aka Thomas Willeford as he distills his wealth of hard-learned skills, describes how to use the readily available tools of the modern mad scientist, and expounds on the art and philosophy of scavenging unique components and raw materials. The perfect companion for the hobbyist and advanced machinist alike, this inventive volume will guide you through the creation of your very own infernal devices."

 

There are also great websites designed for makers of all ages. Check out MAKE Magazine and Instructables for more ideas and see what creative things pop up!