Canada Reads - and an HPL contest maybe!?

It’s that time of year again. The Canada Reads 2011 debates will air on CBC on February 7, 8 & 9 at 9 and 11 a.m. and again at 8 p.m. Started in 2001, Canada Reads is CBC's annual battle of the books, where five Canadian personalities select the book they think Canadians should read. Each personality selects a book to defend and the books are eliminated one by one until a winner is declared. Jian Ghomeshi has hosted Canada Reads since 2008.







So today I’m going to present the five titles, their defenders and pull it all together with a cover photo of each. What I’m actually going to do is copy most of the stuff from the Canada Reads site, but don’t tell anyone. If you are concerned about copyright and information piracy, you can go to the Canada Reads site and read it all there - http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/. What you won’t find on the Canada Reads site is whether or not any of the titles – should you be so inclined as to want to read them – are available at HPL. It’s entirely up to you; read on here or surf on over and read it all legally.

The first book on the list is The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis:
The peccadilloes of Parliament Hill's political animals are the subject of The Best Laid Plans (McClelland and Stewart), Terry Fallis's hilarious first novel, which won the 2008 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour.

The novel's protagonist, Dan Addison, has had his fill of Parliament Hill propaganda and backbench maneuvering. A former speechwriter for the leader of the Liberal Opposition, he's disillusioned by the discrepancy between what's said on the Hill and what's done behind the scenes. Now in his 30s, he's washing his hands of the whole thing. Dan Addison is dropping out of politics for the relatively tame world of academe.

Not so fast, say his former employers. Before Dan can cast off politics once and for all he's given a Herculean task: find the party a new Liberal candidate to run in the next federal election.

Terry Fallis
No stranger to the worlds of public affairs and government, Terry Fallis has worked in public relations for more than two decades - and his insider knowledge in both arenas shines through in his irreverent, award-winning satire of national politics, The Best Laid Plans.

Defended by Ali Velshi
An award-winning CNN anchor and the news network's chief business correspondent, Ali Velshi has covered every major news story from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year to the financial collapse of Fannie Mae and Lehman Brothers in 2008.


The second book on the list is The Birth House by Ami Mckay
The miracle of birth and the struggle to live a good life; the miracle of a good life and the struggle to be born — these are just a few of the themes explored in Ami McKay's poignant debut novel, The Birth House (Vintage Canada).

The novel is set in a small Nova Scotia community during a period of great change: in Europe, the First World War is raging. In North America advances in medicine and social organization are radically altering the way people live. It's an era charged with tumult, destruction and social revolution.





Ami McKay
Born and raised in the U.S. Midwest, Ami McKay moved to Nova Scotia a decade ago and embraced Canadian history in writing her debut novel The Birth House. She and her family moved into a home that was once known as the local "birth house"-- it was there that she began writing fiction in earnest.

Defended by Debbie Travis
A pioneering force and major star in the now popular TV makeover genre, Debbie Travis is a household name - for good reason. The design maven is a best-selling author and the CEO of a growing housewares empire, Travis's Home Collection, which boasts nearly $100 million in annual sales.


The third book on the list is The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou
Angie Abdou's remarkable debut novel The Bone Cage (NeWest Press) takes readers deep into the gruelling, often solitary world of amateur athletics. Neither a classic sports novel, nor a simple coming-of-age story, The Bone Cage offers a unique spin on both beloved genres.

Sadie and Digger are amateur athletes with the same goal: to make it to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Sadie is a swimmer, Digger a wrestler. Both have spent an inordinate amount of time training and training and then training some more. They've made sacrifices, both personal and physical, over many years to achieve their dreams. But life will get in the way of dreams. Sadie, in particular, deals with tragic unforeseen circumstances, which threaten to undermine her dreams of Olympic glory.


Angie Abdou
The fierce drive of a former competitive swimmer and the imagination of a gifted fiction writer: these are the qualities that author and creative writing instructor Angie Abdou brought to her compelling first novel, The Bone Cage.

Defended by Georges Laraque
During his 11-year career in the National Hockey League, Georges Laraque was one of the most feared enforcers in the game. But off-ice, this talented tough guy has put his muscle behind a wide range of social causes, from relief efforts in Haiti to animal welfare.


The fourth book on the list is Essex County by Jeff Lemire
Jeff Lemire's Essex County (Top Shelf Productions) is composed of three interconnected graphic novels: Tales from the Farm, Ghost Stories and The Country Nurse. Winner of several major awards in the world of comics, including a Joe Shuster Award, it was hailed by reviewers as "the comics medium at its best" (Booklist) and "a quiet, somber, haunting masterpiece" (The Oregonian). The minimalistic though intensely emotional trilogy gives form to the author's inspired vision of what it means to live, work, dream and even die in a Southwestern Ontario rural community.

The population of Lemire's fictional landscape is represented from childhood to old age through the characters of Lester, Lou and Anne. Their external world is rendered in stark black-and-white lines. The vividness of their interior lives, however, is what gives the graphic novel its colour and vitality.

Jeff Lemire
A graphic novelist and comics illustrator who has garnered international acclaim, Jeff Lemire paid tribute to his rural roots in his remarkable trilogy, Essex County, and the world of comics responded with a plethora of major prizes and rave reviews

Defended by Sara Quin
She's a musician who has been in the limelight for more than a decade, though she's only 30. Calgary native Sara Quin, one half of the indie music sensation known as Tegan & Sara, has been singing and writing songs with her twin sister, Tegan, since she was 15.


The fifth and final book on the list is Unless by Carol Shields
Most people want to be happy. But how many have what it takes to be good? Can self-realization and morality share the same space in our lives? Or can we only have one and not the other? These are the questions that underlie Carol Shields's 2002 profoundly moving novel Unless (Vintage Canada), which explores the "problem of goodness" and how it squares with the very human desire for happiness.

Reta Winters is going through a period of "great unhappiness." The successful writer, wife and mother appears to have every gift life can offer, and yet, she's miserable, consumed utterly by the sudden change in her 19-year-old daughter, Norah.

Without warning, the pretty, confident young university student has chucked it all — school, love, her family — for a life on the streets. Norah now spends her nights in a homeless shelter, and her days plunked on a street corner in downtown Toronto. Around her neck hangs a sign that reads "goodness." She collects money from strangers, which she then distributes to the homeless of Toronto. The question that haunts her family: Why?

Carol Shields
One of Canada's most beloved and prolific literary figures, Carol Shields influenced a generation of writers both in this country and abroad. She wrote her first novel, Small Ceremonies, in 1976; over the following three decades, she went on to publish more than 20 other books in an array of genres, including fiction, poetry, plays and criticism.

Defended by Lorne Cardinal
One of Canada's most recognizable actors, with numerous television, film and stage credits, Lorne Cardinal is best known for his role as police officer Davis Quinton on the hit TV series Corner Gas.


And now that you have read this far I’ve decided not to tell you which ones are available at HPL. Instead I’m going to let you guess. I will tell you that only two of them are available. I will also tell you that you don’t even have to guess. You can search HPL’s on-line catalogue to find the answer. If you e-mail me with the right answer by February 15th, your name will go into a draw for a $25.00 gift certificate from Chapters-Indigo.ca with which you can buy one of these Canada Reads titles – or any title you want, actually. My e-mail address is hlibrary@telus.net. You can find the HPL on-line catalogue at: http://houston.bclibrary.ca/.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you soon! Happy reading!

Getting Digital

After a slight mix up in the seasons – we think that winter took some time off to attend a conference somewhere in the tropics and left spring in charge – the temperature is dropping and the slush is re-solidifying into barely navigable sheets of ice. It’s just a little crazy out there.

But we have a solution!

Well, not a solution to the weather; a solution to the problem of having to go out in it. It’s called Library to Go and it lets you stay at home and check out great books whenever you want.
Library to Go is a provincially shared collection of downloadable audio and e-books. There are thousands of titles to choose from and both fiction and non-fiction are available. It’s free, it’s easy and it’s a great way to put that e-Reader you got for Christmas to good use!

All you need is a current membership at HPL to access Library to Go from your home computer. Members in good standing need only go to the HPL website at http://houston.bclibrary.ca and scroll down the home page until the Library to Go logo appears. Click on that and you will be instantly transported to a world of digital literature.

The books in Library to Go can be checked out, just like a book from the library. Once the lending period has expired, the book will too! This is because in many cases there is a single license for a title and so only one person can have it out at a time. There are, however, many “always available” titles with unlimited download capacity.

You will need to install free software on your computer in order to download the books. The links to these downloads are on the left hand side of the Library to Go home page near the bottom. They only take a minute to download and install and, once that’s done, you can check out up to five titles at a time and keep them for up to three weeks. You can also transfer them to compatible devices such as iPods, iPads, MP3 players and Kobo or Sony e-readers. A link to a list of compatible devices is available on the Library to Go home page and each title record shows icons that let you know at a glance what devices will work with it. Full tutorials, also on the home page, will guide you through the process from start to finish.

As digital editions become more and more common, some people fear that print books are going to disappear. Controversy on the pros and cons of digital publishing and what it means for the future of print books has raised debates all across library land. From managing collections to patron education to how libraries, themselves, are going to look, librarians range from excited to dubious to downright concerned about their own futures over it. What will happen is anybody’s guess, but libraries are certain to face some interesting challenges and changes in the coming years.

And not to be left out, HPL will be offering patrons the chance to experience digital books in the coming weeks. We have ordered two Kobo e-readers that will be available to patrons to borrow. Each Kobo comes with 100 classic titles and has the capacity to hold up to 900 more. Patrons will be allowed to download e-books of their own choosing. Upon return of the e-reader any patron-downloaded titles will be deleted. If a patron chooses to purchase a title and download it to the Kobo, they will do so with the understanding that it will be deleted when the e-reader is returned to the library. The Kobos will be lent out for 14 days – plenty of time to play and read!

So stay safe this winter; check out Library to Go and experience digital editions today.

A Fresh Cycle Begins

So, the holidays are over and the New Year has begun. It’s back to the grind, or, rather, the grind picks up again after the interruptions.

It’s only the 7th of January and already libraries are receiving information about spring conferences, award nominations, board nominations and, of course, the dreaded annual survey that all public libraries are required to complete each year. It’s a daunting task, collecting all those statistics for the survey, but libraries are statistic-driven entities and library workers are used to collecting the information. If it can be counted, libraries count it, gathering numbers of checkouts, renewals, patron visits, memberships, acquisitions, program attendance, reference questions (asked and answered), ILL’s (lent and borrowed), computer use, database use, funding… You name it and it’s likely that a librarian somewhere is recording a tally of it.

Complicated spread sheets haunt the hard drives in virtually every library in the province and dedicated staff members dutifully input data daily in preparation of filling out the lengthy and detailed survey form. Without a completed survey, libraries do not receive the provincial funding that they rely on to be able to keep counting those stats.

Add to this summer student applications, the even more dreaded Statement of Financial Information (SOFI), conferences, programming and AGMs that all take place during the winter and spring months and you can see how the first part of the year is a whirlwind of activity with strict deadlines and no latitude for slacking off. Plus it’s weeding time again, time to go through the collection and work on cleaning it up and out. (The staff is going to love me!) And it’s that time of year to update the membership list.

This is the stuff of librarianship that gives my job the awesomeness that gets me out of bed every morning with a smile on my face and enthusiasm in my heart. Sure I stress about it, fuss and worry and fret like a mother hen with too many chicks to fit under her wings. But when each of these things are completed, wrapped up and filed accordingly, the sense of satisfaction melts away the anxiousness for a few glorious moments and gives my mind a bit of a rest before the next deadline looms and the frenzy begins anew.

Working in a library is a perfect blend of routine and creativity. There are always problems to solve, decisions to make, patrons to satisfy, programs to organize, books to buy, books to withdraw, reports to write, reports to submit, meeting to attend, projects to plan and myriad other tasks to perform. Library work has its own continuum where tasks rise, fade and blend in a constant stream. Like the seasons, it’s cyclical. There’s the daily, the weekly, the monthly, the seasonal and the annual. And there’s the unexpected. A grant opportunity pops up out of nowhere and that special something the library’s been needing (wanting) for years if suddenly at hand. Or a generous donation from an unexpected source arrives and some piece of much needed equipment is realized. Or the server crashes and the IT guy isn’t available for a week. Or someone breaks in and steals the cash from the front desk income. It’s never a dull moment.

Anyway, a fresh cycle has begun, and ended and is continuing here at HPL. And I, for one, am excited about all the great stuff that is coming our way in 2011. For example – mark your calendars now! – Val Hiliker, a ventriloquist from Calgary, will be here to entertain the community on June 10th. We are partnering with Houston Link to Learning to bring Val here for Family Night. There will be other great events, too, so watch for our monthly calendar/newsletters so you won’t miss out on any of the fun.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

Well, Happy New Year, everyone! I trust that you all had a good holiday season. It was peaceful and quiet under here at the library, but that just gave the staff some time to catch their breath and get ready for 2011. It looks like it will be a great year at HPL.

If you go to the HPL Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=176164105732299&sk=basic#!/pages/Houston-Public-Library/176164105732299 you’ll notice a discussion tab. There is one lonely discussion posted there and we are looking for some feedback from our fans. What would you like to see happening at HPL? Do you have some programming ideas? Some promotional ideas? Some fundraising ideas? Well, we want to hear about it. This is your library, people! Tell us what you think would work to promote and enhance the best little library in the North!

Oh, and while you’re there, be sure to become a fan – or a Liker as it were! Please click the Like button on the HPL FB page and help us get those numbers up, up, up. Since we switched to the new FB page, not all the fans have taken the time (mere seconds!) to show their support. And that makes me sad. I’m really a very likable! Heck, some people love me! 2400+ members can’t be wrong!

With the cooler weather hanging around for a while yet, there’s hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate on the go. Enjoy a cup while you browse the shelves or relax in the sitting area. We’ll happily take donations, but feel free to help yourself.

Oh, have you heard the rumor? HPL is this close to having BiblioCommons!

What’s BiblioCommons? Well, it’s been described as the crack cocaine of library services. I guess the best way to explain it is it’s an interactive catalogue that lets users see what is available in their libraries. Patrons can access their accounts to see what they have out, when it is due and if they owe fines. They can even place holds on books they want to read. I know it sounds like what HPL already has, but it’s not the same. It’s like Facebook for library users and it is the one-stop place to get and give reviews, see what’s happening at HPL and connect with library users from all over North America. How cool is that?

Well, I think it’s very cool and I can’t wait to announce the launch - expected sometime this month.

The staff is on pins and needles waiting for BiblioCommons to call and tell them when we’re good to go. Stay tuned and keep checking back either here or on Facebook for the official announcement! It’s going to be good!

T'was the Week Before Christmas

T’was the week before Christmas
And my what a bustle
Library patrons were
Starting to hustle
And stock up on books
To read o’er Yule;
They were checking out tomes
Like lit-starved fools.
The Circ Clerk was harried.
The Page was agog,
But the Director was counting
Up stats with a nod.
And happy to see that the
Stats were a-climbing
She took to her blog
And started a-rhyming.
Composing this ditty
To post with a click
As homage to Patterson,
And that Evanovich chick
And Cussler and Steel,
Salvatore and Cookson,
Grisham and Grafton
And Cornwell and Brooks ‘n’
Kootnz and King and
Deaver and Reichs
And Clancy and Francis
And Coben and Whyte
And Ludlow and Thor
And McCafffery, too
Kellerman, Roberts and
McCall-Smith (wouldn’t you?)
And all of the authors
That keep people up nights
Turning the pages filled with
Romance or frights.
And when she was done
She turned with a smile
And looked o’er her domain
With pride for a while
“I truly am blessed,”
She said with a tear
“Happy holidays to all
And a Happy New Year!”

A Little Local Food Never Hurt Anybody

I would be remiss if I didn’t hop back in time a bit and talk about an event that happened within my walls some weeks back. The event was joyfully attended by a small group of enthusiastic connoisseurs of local victuals who gathered to share an evening repast of some significance. The menu was unpretentious, consisting as it did of ingredients indigenous to an area not more than 100 miles away from the table on which it was served. The event to which I refer bore the modern and relevant appellation: The 100-Mile Diet Potluck Dinner and was organized to raise awareness of the variety of foodstuffs available to the budding locavore.

Eating locally is a challenge no matter where one might reside, but in the Bulkley Valley, it seems, it is vital that, to be successful, the locavore must enjoy meat and vegetables, particularly since the availability of anything else is somewhat limited. Coffee, many fruits, dairy products, grains and the all-important chocolate are either completely unattainable or require some sleuthful acumen to unearth and acquire. Seasonings are tricky, too. Where does one get salt, for instance?

While the group dined on meatballs, cabbage salad, kale, potatoes, apple sauce, pumpkin and raspberry/rhubarb pie, it struck me that some of these revelers in locavorism would be hard-pressed to sustain such a regimen if, for some unfathomable reason, they had no choice. Being used to a wide range of fruits, breads, pastas, cheeses, coffees, teas, and the ever-versatile sugar, going local would create its own unique form of withdrawal. Then again, I devour high-voltage electricity, sulphur-injected natural gas and, of course good books, none of which (except for a few of the books) are locally produced. I’m not at all certain that I could survive on a 100-mile diet…

Is the growing phenomenon of self-sustainability a portentous one? Will the future bring a halt to imported delicacies? Will grocery stores become a thing of the past? I have no idea, but it does seem that the paradigm in food production and distribution is shifting. (And here I’ll slide in the literacy angle…) Tomes such as The Zero Mile Diet, Locavore and Just Food are among the first (no doubt there will be more) publications to discuss local eating and educate people on how to do it. From growing your own, to bartering for food, “experts” are emerging and publishers are rallying to the cause to ensure that you, the reader, are duly educated.

I will leave you now with some photographic evidence that eating local fare is entirely possible.

And a lot of fun, too!

The Many Blessings of HPL

The holidays are fast approaching. Only 23 more sleeps until the big day arrives, explodes in our faces and passes again, leaving many in a daze for days.

The staff has been bustling about decorating me for the past week or so. There are gorgeous paper snowflakes hanging from my ceiling, a gaily decorated tree stands between the two couches in the sitting area, garland and wreaths and pine boughs and stockings dangle, drape and dress counters, shelves and tables. It’s all so very festive! One thing about December – display topics are a no-brainer.

As I watch my patrons come and go, I’m already seeing signs of the strain this particular holiday etches on the lives of so many. The pressure is building. The race is on. The bank accounts are draining. It makes me rather glad that I’m a 5000 square foot building and not a shopper. I intend, as I do every year, to let the mad rush pass me by and spend a few quiet days with… oh, about 24,000 good books.

I’ll be all alone. Santa will not be sliding down my chimney, nor will he be leaving any be-ribboned gifts under the tree for me. But I’m not complaining; I’ve been blessed this year with so many cool things, it’s hard to imagine Christmas morning being any more exciting.

Bev Lyons of the Pleasant Valley Restaurant donated a theatre-style popcorn machine for use during the NID Matinees and other programming. The Friends of the Library purchased a new pre-lit Christmas tree and contributed to the purchase of new tables and chairs for the Canfor Room. The BV Foundation also provided a grant toward the tables and chairs. The Regional District of Bulkley Nechako and Telus gave money to buy a 77” electronic white board and multi-media projector. The District of Houston is upgrading my electrical and adding floor plugs in the sitting area. And the BV Credit Union donated eight guest chairs and new furniture for the Children’s area. I don’t think that Santa could do any better than that! As far as libraries go, especially small libraries, I, HPL, am extremely fortunate. I have a supportive board, dedicated staff, wonderful patrons and happen to have been built in a great community.

If you are planning on dropping in over the next couple of weeks, there are two donation boxes waiting to be filled. One is for the Salvation Army food bank and the other is for the Houston Link to Learning Book Under Every Tree program. So, please do stop by and help fill these two very important donation boxes.

Oh, I almost forgot… the coffee is always on at HPL, along with tea or hot chocolate. So if you care to browse the shelves in search of some great holiday reading material and would like a little refreshment while you do, I’m more than happy to oblige.

In case I don’t get a chance to post another blog before then, have a very safe and happy holiday!