Press Releases Press Releases
Photography Contest Winnners Announced
KPL Librarian Recognized for Outstanding Service to Local Teens
Temporary Closure - Forest Heights
Special Library Closure: Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Margaret Atwood comes to Kitchener Public Library for The Word on the Street Preview
City Approves Architect for Library Renovation and Expansion Project
Kitchener City Council Appoints New Library Board Member
KPL’s Youth Advisory Council Wins City Award
Your Invitation to a Civic District Public Open House
2009 KPL Photography Contest winners announced
Kitchener Public Library Wins Award For Innovative Prison Literacy Program
Kitchener Public Library to Adopt High Tech Radio Frequency Identification System
Kitchener Public Library Welcomes Author Nino Ricci as 2009 Writer-in-Residence
Family Literacy Day with Olympian Leigh Hobson at Grand River Stanley Park Community Library
Photography Contest Winners Announced
The Kitchener Public Library and Waterloo Region Record are pleased to announce the winners of their 2010 Amateur Photography Contest.
Click here for official press release
Grand prize winners are Jesse Brenneman (Adult Division) and Paige Blackford (Youth Division). They will each receive a gift certificate for $150 from Frames Plus.
The winners were selected from more than 1,200 entries by a panel of professional photographers from the Waterloo Region Record and acclaimed photography manipulation artist L.A. Crewe. Photographs were submitted under four divisions: People, Nature, Architecture and Photo Manipulation.
The winning photographs will be unveiled at a special exhibit in the Main Library’s Concourse Gallery on Wednesday, April 7 at 7:00 pm. An awards ceremony will follow at 7:30 pm in the adjacent auditorium. Friends and family are welcome to attend both the exhibit and awards ceremony.
All contest entries and winners will be displayed in the library’s 2010 Amateur Photography Contest Exhibition from April 1 – 25. Winning photographs will also appear in a special section of the Waterloo Region Record in April.
Congratulations to the winners of Kitchener Public Library‘s 2010 Amateur Photography Contest!
ADULT DIVISION
People Category
First: Lisa Creighton
Second: Katherine Siebert
Third: Sam Stephens
HM: Bo Pan
HM: Anamaria Dzsurdzsa
Nature Category
First: Jesse Brenneman GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Second: Michael Weissmann
Third: Dayle Hayhoe
HM: Beau Rivard
HM: Sonny Lee
Architecture Category
First: Jeff McCrea
Second: Geoff Lewis
Third: Kathy Weissmann
HM: Trent Sluiter
YOUTH DIVISION
People Category
First: Paige Blackford GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Second: Nicole Campagnola
Third: Erin Hesselink
HM: Amanda Snyder
Nature Category
First: Josh Rozad
Second: Sarah Siembida
Third: Tessa Wende
HM: Jean Murray
Architecture Category
First: Ross Bennett
Second: Annabel Fleming
Third: Linden Fairbairn
HM: Cassandra Bertram
ALL AGES
Photo Manipulation Category
First: Craig Musselman
Second: Barb Dickie
Third: Ron Keachie
HM: B.J. Nowosielski
HM: Wes Reimer
HM: Lori Matice-Tepiscum
KPL Librarian Recognized for Outstanding Service to Local Teens
Kitchener Public Library’s Teen Services Librarian, Christy Giesler, has recently been named recipient of the Ontario Public Library Association’s 2010 Leadership in Youth Services Award. This award honours a person who has enhanced service to young adults in public libraries. Ms. Giesler is being recognized this year for her contributions to the community as an advocate and supporter for teen literacy and library services. Christy is a champion for teens and advocates passionately on their behalf; she is a strong advocate for reading, is able to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary library service. It is through Christy’s tireless efforts that KPL continues to be a valued resource and service for teens in our community.
In fact, the OLA’s Leadership in Youth Services Award is just the most recent in a string of accolades for KPL’s Teen Librarian.
In February 2009, Ms. Gielser was selected by the Waterloo Region Record for inclusion on their prestigious 40 Under 40 honour role. This annual compendium recognizes outstanding young people who are making a difference in our Region. Christy was selected for her work with local youth and her contributions towards literacy.
In May 2009, Kitchener Public Library’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) won the Group Award at the City of Kitcheners 12th annual Kitchener Youth Action Council’s (KYAC) Awards banquet. KPL’s YAC is a passionate group of teens who, under the direction of Christy Giesler, assist the library in developing services to youth in our community, and also serve as advocates for libraries among their peers.
Christy Giesler will be presented with her Leadership in Youth Services Award later this month at a special Public Library Awards dinner in conjunction with the Ontario Library Association’s annual Super Conference in Toronto.
Congratulations Christy!
Digital on the Go! Take reading to the next level with eBooks!
Local library users now have access to expanded digital collections thanks to downloadLibrary’s recent addition of eBooks, available at www.downloadlibrary.ca. From the comfort of your home or office computer, library members can browse the collection, check out, and download eBooks and more anytime, anywhere.
eBooks can be read on a PC or Mac® using free reader software. eBooks can also be transferred to Sony e-reading devices. These eBooks feature reflowable text which allows a user to resize the text and alter the display to fit any screen size.
eBooks are growing in popularity and are an exciting addition to thousands of digital audiobooks and hundreds of downloadable videos currently available at local libraries. DownloadLibrary’s opening eBook collection features 785 adult, teen and children’s titles, such as 101 Best Ways to Land a Job in Troubled Times by Jay A. Block, Witch and Wizard by James Patterson, Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia, Cheating Death by Sanjay Gupta, and Astro Boy by Tracey West.
To download from the collection of eBooks, audiobooks, and video, users need a valid library card, computer, and Internet connection. Once downloaded, digital media can be enjoyed on a computer and transferred to popular devices such as MP3 players, iPods®, Smartphones, and more. At the end of the lending period, titles automatically expire and are returned to the collection. Users may also return eBooks early.
An exciting new feature of downloadLibrary website is the ability for users to share details about their favourite digital item with their friends by using social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. Users can even include personal comments in their posts.
About downloadLibrary
The downloadLibrary consortium includes Cambridge Libraries and Galleries, Kitchener Public Library, Perth County Information Network, Region of Waterloo Library and Waterloo Public Library.
To checkout ebooks, audiobooks and videos, go to: www.downloadlibrary.ca
October 29, 2009
Temporary Closure - Forest Heights
The Forest Heights Community Library will temporarily close from Monday, November 30 to Saturday, December 5 for interior painting work.
The Branch will re-open on Monday, December 7th at 9:30 am.
For your convenience, the book return will remain open during the closure. All other KPL locations remain open as usual.
We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary closure may cause.
Kitchener Public Library Host Public Open House to Unveil Designs for Renovated
and Expanded Central Library
The Kitchener Public Library Board, the City of Kitchener, and the Civic District partners will be hosting Public Open House sessions to formally unveil designs for a renovated and expanded Central Library and joint-use underground parking structure in the heart of Kitchener’s Civic District.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 Main Library – lower floor |
AND |
Saturday, November 7, 2009 |
The Open House will provide the community with an opportunity to view schematic designs for a renovated and expanded Central Library, showing basic floor layouts and the proposed location of services and collections. Plans for the three story underground parking complex will also be available, plus there will be an opportunity to view and comment on a series of concepts for the development of a future Civic District urban square.
The Civic District, bordered by Queen, Ellen, Frederick and Weber Streets, includes such notable institutions as the Centre-in-the-Square, KW Art Gallery, the Registry Theatre, and Kitchener Public Library. The Civic District has all the ingredients to become a focal point for arts and culture in Waterloo Region, and the Civic District partners encourage the community to “imagine the possibilities” through a revitalization of this key cultural landscape. As one of the anchors within the District, the renovation and expansion of Kitchener Public Library’s Central Library building is seen as an important catalyst to the Civic District revitalization vision.
This past spring, an architect team lead by Levitt Goodman Architects was officially hired to lead the design phase of the Kitchener Public Library project. Levitt Goodman has previously worked on such notable local projects as the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum and the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture.
Working in partnership with Levitt Goodman is the architectural firm of Phillip H. Carter. Phillip Carter has successfully overseen over 50 library projects including the renovation of 25 Toronto Public Library branches, and brings experience and a thorough understanding of a public library’s unique design needs to the project.
The third member of the team, The Walter Fedy Partnership, is responsible for the design of the shared parking structure and will serve as the structural, mechanical, electrical and LEED consultant.
“With an experienced architect team on board, and now with new schematic designs ready to share with the public, we’re one big step closer to realizing our goal of creating a remarkable library space for the City of Kitchener”, remarks Dan Carli, Chair of the Library Board. “We’re excited by what can be achieved through renovation and expansion on our current site, and we encourage the community to attend our Open House to learn more about our Central Library project and meet our architect team.”
During the November 3rd Open House at the Main Library, there will be presentations by members of the architect team and Civic District partners. Information about the project, including schematic designs, will be on display at Kitchener’s Market throughout the day on Saturday, November 7th.
For more information on the Central Library project, please visit the Kitchener Public Library’s Central Library renovation and expansion BLOG.
October 22, 2009
Special Library Closure
Staff Development Day: Thursday, October 29th
All locations of the Kitchener Public Library will be closed on Thursday, October 29th for our annual Staff Development Day. We will be working and learning to serve you better!
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Regular hours will resume at all locations on Friday, October 30th.
September 8, 2009
Download an Audiobook or Video and you could win an iPod Nano!Until October 24th, every time you check out a downloadable Audiobook or Video title you will automatically be entered to win an iPod Nano®! Courtesy of Carbon Computing |
|
Congratulations to our lucky iPod winner!
Kitchener resident and Forest Heights Library user Robert Linn was the lucky winner of a new iPod courtesy of Carbon Computing.
Our winner's name was randomly drawn from all KPL customers who downloaded an audiobook during the month of October. "I really like the downloadable audio books because they are so convenient for me" remarked a happy Mr. Linn when he learned of his win.
Mr. Linn's comments reflect many that we've heard about our downloadable media collections.
Audiobooks allow readers to experience a good book in a way that fits into your their own, often busy, lifestye. |
|
Digital on the Go!
Free Audiobook Software Expands with iPod® Compatibility and Video Capability
A simple upgrade to the latest version of OverDrive Media Console 3.2 allows nearly all WMA Audiobooks from http://www.downloadlibrary.ca to be transferred to the iPod®, iPhone™, iPod touch®, and iPod nano®, as well as the Zune® and thousands of other MP3 players, from a Windows® computer.
Users of Download Library can now enjoy best-selling titles like “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer, “The Associate” by John Grisham, and even the highly anticipated “Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown on their iPod®.
To browse the collection of popular audiobooks for your iPod® or MP3 player, visit: http://www.downloadlibrary.ca. Check out with your library card, and then download to enjoy titles on your computer, MP3 player (including Apple® devices), and burn many titles to CD. At the end of the lending period, titles will automatically expire and return to the collection. There are no late fees!
Get video for free at http://www.downloadlibrary.ca with your library card. Pick from feature films, documentaries, classic film, travel, and more. Watch video in full screen on your computer or choose the mobile option for use with smaller screens on compatible mobile devices.
The free and easy to use service is provided by Download Library and powered by OverDrive, Inc.
To start downloading today, visit http://www.downloadlibrary.ca.
About Download Library
Download Library is a joint initiative of Cambridge Libraries and Galleries, Kitchener Public Library, Perth Information Network, Region of Waterloo Library, and Waterloo Public Library. Download Library is a free online service that brings a large variety of digital audiobooks and video to library card holders. Access Download Library anywhere at http://www.downloadlibrary.ca.
About OverDrive, Inc.
OverDrive is a leader in providing world-class infrastructure for downloading premium digital content. We deliver secure management, protection and download services for hundreds of publishers and institutions (rights holders) and thousands of libraries, retailers and distributors serving millions of end users. Founded in 1986, OverDrive is based in Cleveland, OH. www.OverDrive.com
July 13, 2009
Margaret Atwood comes to Kitchener Public Library for The Word on the Street Preview
KITCHENER – World-renowned Canadian author, Margaret Atwood, will be promoting her upcoming book,The Year of the Flood, by doing a reading in the auditorium at the main branch of Kitchener Public Library on Saturday, Sept. 26. Atwood’s appearance is part of The Word on the Street literary festival, which will be held at Victoria Park in Kitchener on Sunday, Sept. 27.
"I always enjoy going to Kitchener, known for the best spinach salad ‘way back in the ‘70s,” says Atwood. “It's too early for Oktoberfest, sadly. But Kitchener is one of only four cities in Canada to celebrate the written and spoken word at a free book festival such as The Word on the Street, and I'm honoured to be taking part in it."
Atwood will read at 11 a.m., followed by a question-and-answer session. Book signings will also take place.
Free tickets will be available beginning Saturday, Sept. 12 at 9 a.m., at the Kitchener Public Library, Main Library only (limit of two tickets per person).
“It is a great honour to have Margaret Atwood participate as part of Kitchener’s Word on the Street this year,” said Mayor Carl Zehr. “As such a prominent Canadian literary figure, she will, without a doubt, draw attention to our festival, raising its profile locally and nationally.”
The author, who has received honorary degrees from universities across Canada, and one from Oxford University in England, will be doing LongPen signings with Halifax and Vancouver from Toronto, as part of Word on the Street the next day.
Canada’s first live coast-to-coast book launch using the technology will broadcast Atwood in person from The Word On The Street Toronto to The Word On The Street festivals in Vancouver and Halifax.
Invented by Atwood as a way to reduce the amount of travelling during book tours, the interactive video broadcast will allow festival participants to engage in a question-and-answer session with the author. Atwood will sign books for fans in Vancouver and Halifax using the LongPen, allowing her to talk with each fan via a private video chat and to transmit a genuine, personalized autograph instantly to the interior pages of their copy of the book.
Atwood was born in Ottawa in 1939. She is the author of more than 40 books – novels, short stories, poetry, literary criticism, social history, and books for children.
Her novels includeThe Handmaid’s Tale andCat’s Eye – both shortlisted for the Booker Prize;The Robber Bride, winner of the Trillium Book Award and a finalist for the Governor General’s Award;Alias Grace, winner of the prestigious Giller Prize in Canada and the Premio Mondello in Italy, and a finalist for the Governor General’s Award, the Booker Prize, the Orange Prize, and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award;The Blind Assassin, winner of the Booker Prize and a finalist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award; andOryx and Crake, a finalist for the Giller Prize, the Governor General’s Award, the Orange Prize, and the Man Booker Prize.
Her most recent books of fiction areThe Penelopiad,The Tent, andMoral Disorder. She is the recipient of numerous honours, such asThe Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence in the U.K., the National Arts Club Medal of Honor for Literature in the U.S., Le Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France, and she was the first winner of the London Literary Prize.
Margaret Atwood lives in Toronto with novelist Graeme Gibson.
The Word On The Street will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27 in Victoria Park in Kitchener at 11 a.m.
See www.thewordonthestreet.ca for more information on local events.
Click here for more information about Margaret Atwood's KPL appearance.
May 26, 2009
City Approves Architect for Library Renovation and Expansion Project
On Monday May 25, 2009, Kitchener City Council approved awarding the contract for consulting services for the design and construction of the library renovation and expansion and underground parking garage to Levitt Goodman Architects in association with The Walter Fedy Partnership and Phillip H Carter Architect.
This partnership offers KPL the expertise of Phillip H Carter, a renowned Library architect, combined with the innovative and fresh approach of Levitt Goodman Architects, a talented architectural design firm, and The Walter Fedy Partnership, a local firm offering architectural, engineering and construction services.
Levitt Goodman Architect is familiar with the library project having worked on the 2005 Library Building Program and the 2007 Assessment of the Main Library Facility and Site. Levitt Goodman projects include the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum and the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.
Phillip Carter has successfully overseen over 50 libraries including renovations to over twenty-five (25) Toronto Public Library Branches. Among these are the highly praised, Malvern District Public Library and the Lillian H. Smith Library.
To complement their design skills, Levitt Goodman Architects have also partnered with The Walter Fedy Partnership to provide solid expertise in parking garage design, LEED, mechanical, electrical and structural engineering.
“Levitt Goodman and their associates demonstrated a clear understanding of a public library’s unique design needs,” said Dan Carli, chair of the KPL Board. “A public library is not just a warehouse of books. It is a community place where people gather to learn, share, listen and be heard. Such a place requires not only an innovative design, but also one that takes into consideration the community it serves. Levitt Goodman and the team they have assembled were a unanimous choice”.
May 21, 2009
Kitchener City Council Appoints New Library Board Member
On Monday, May 11th, 2009, Kitchener City Council appointed Ms. Bev Glenn-Graham to a recently vacated position on the Kitchener Public Library Board.
Ms. Glenn-Graham is currently employed by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board as Manager, Service Delivery.
“I believe strongly that a vibrant library contributes to the cultural and social development of our city and enhances the quality of life for the citizens of Kitchener”, stated Ms. Glenn-Graham, an avid Main Library user.
Ms. Glenn-Graham’s term of appointment to the library board will run until November 30th, 2010.
May 7, 2009
KPL’s Youth Advisory Council Wins City Award
|
Just a few happy members of KPL's YAC accepting their award |
Our YAC has grown and flourished tremendously over the last few years and is now an energetic and passionate council of 21 young women who care deeply about libraries and work hard to make sure that youth have a voice in our library. While they do a lot of work behind the scenes, you will also see them up in the teen area writing book reviews, helping create displays and taking out stacks of teen fiction.
The YAC also provides ideas for teen programs, our Summer Reading Challenge, assists with the Teen Art Exhibit, sits on special committees, helps us promote library programs at their schools and within the community, and so much more. Also, many of these young ladies are involved with other KPL volunteer initiatives outside of YAC. You will see them volunteering at KidSpark, Word on the Street, and our book sales.
KPL’s YAC is managed and lead by KPL’s own Teen Services Librarian, Christy Gielser, who was recently recognized in the Waterloo Region Records’ “40 Under 40” honour role.
We are so proud of Christy and of our teens. We’re confident the efforts put forth by our YAC members will help inspire more teens to think differently about their local library.
Your Invitation to a Civic District Public Open House
On Tuesday April 7 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. the Civic District Committee would like to invite you to a public Open House at the Kitchener Main Library, 85 Queen Street North (Hamblin Room) to share your comments on the Civic District Vision and Master Plan.
In the Fall 2007, the Centre In The Square, Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery and Registry Theatre undertook a public visioning process for the Civic District. Through a survey, focus groups, public meetings, and a design charette, the public was invited to identify new opportunities for the programming of, and use of land in, the Civic District.
The Open House will provide an opportunity to share with you the results of the public visioning and master planning process. This public consultation is the next step in the development of a comprehensive plan for the Civic District that will revitalize the area and make it a cultural and recreational oasis in the heart of the city.
As a hub for civic, arts and cultural activities, the Civic District contributes significantly to the City’s quality of life. Engaging you to help define the vision for the block will ensure it remains a vibrant public space and continues to meet the needs of this growing community.
Attend the Open House and be a part of the new vision for the Civic District. Imagine the possibilities....imagine the potential of the Civic District!
Jamie Grant |
Sonia Lewis |
Alf Bogusky |
Don Bourgeois |
March 10, 2009
2009 KPL Photography Contest winners announced
A panel of professional photographers from the Waterloo Region Record and a recently acclaimed artist of photo manipulation, Lori Crewe, have selected the winners of Kitchener Public Library’s 2009 Amateur Photography Contest. More than 2100 entries were submitted by adults and youth in four divisions: People, Nature, Architecture and Digitally Altered.
All contest entries and winners will be displayed in the 2009 Amateur Photography Contest Exhibition throughout the month of April. Winning photographs will also appear in a special section of the Waterloo Region Record in April.
Congratulations to the winners of Kitchener Public Library‘s 2009 Amateur Photography Contest.
Click here to view the full list of winning photographers (pdf).
February 5, 2009
Kitchener Public Library Wins Award For Innovative Prison Literacy Program
Kitchener Public Library’s Parent Links to Literacy program at the Grand Valley Institution for Women was recently awarded the Angus Mowat Award of Excellence by the Ministry of Culture at this year’s Ontario Public Library Association Super Conference. This unique program, which reaches out to inmates and their families through literacy, is the first of its kind in Canada.
 |
For the past ten years, KPL staff has visited the Grand Valley Institution for Women to make audio recordings of prison inmates reading aloud to their children. This simple gesture has become an important method for mothers and grandmothers to communicate and connect with their children while separated.
This year, the library took extra steps to personalize the program by videotaping the participants as they read to their child. Following the reading, mothers could add a personal greeting to their children. Library staff then crafted a professional-quality DVD and provided a copy of the book. The participants were given the opportunity to preview the DVD and gift wrap their items, including a hand-written card. The library then ensured delivery to each child in time for Christmas.
For some of the children who receive this special package, this is their only contact with their mother or grandmother during her incarceration. Staff at the Grand Valley Institution for Women have been extremely supportive of the program from the outset.
“Communication with their children is a vital part of the women’s wellness and rehabilitation,” says Nancy Heinbuch, Librarian at the Grand Valley Institution for Women. “KPL’s Parent Links to Literacy Program provides them with the priceless gift of communicating with their children through reading and film. The women and I are eternally grateful.”
For Kitchener Public Library staff, the program is equally rewarding. The annual visit to the prison is one of the highlights of the year and is often an extremely emotional and powerful experience for the staff involved.
Partnerships have been the key to many of KPL’s successes, and it’s through the generous support of the Kiwanis Club of Kitchener-Waterloo, the KPL Foundation, and individual donors that programs like Parent Links for Life are possible.
The Grand Valley Institution for Women staff have been extremely supportive of the program from the very beginning, and clearly understood the value of the program to both their women and to our community. Through awarding the Angus Mowat Award of Excellence, the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Culture, has also recognized the importance of libraries reaching out to at-risk families.
“I believe this award recognizes the tremendous impact our program has on its participants and their children”, says Sonia Lewis, Kitchener Public Library’s CEO. “It is an extraordinary example of the way public libraries change lives by reaching out to the community and promoting literacy and the joy of reading.”
The Library hopes its award will not only increase awareness of this unique program, but also inspire other public libraries in communities with correctional facilities to adopt similar initiatives.
The library welcomes the opportunity to consult with other libraries who might be interested in developing a similar program in their communities.
The Angus Mowat Award of Excellence recognizes excellence in the delivery of public library service, demonstrating a different approach or application. In 1985, the Ontario government created Public Library Service Awards to honour innovative programs that improve literacy and promote lifelong learning and library use.
“The Ontario Public Library Service Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in our public libraries,” said Culture Minister Aileen Carroll. “The programs recognized through these awards help strengthen our public library system and our communities.”
February 2, 2009
Kitchener Public Library to Adopt High Tech Radio Frequency Identification System
The Kitchener Public Library has recently signed an agreement with Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems of Kitchener to install a state-of-the art tagging and inventory control system; a project that will ultimately involve the tagging over 600,000 items. Over the next three years, Kitchener Public Library will be phasing in deployment of RFID technology at all five of its library locations.
RFID technology will enable library staff to process each customer’s materials more efficiently, thus reducing line-ups at library circulation desks. Customers will have the added benefit of being able to quickly and conveniently check out their own materials using special self-serve kiosks. Since the chip technology permits the check-in of a large volume of material at one time, customers will also have access to returned materials much faster.
The benefits to the customer are many, but RFID technology also has tremendous benefits to library operations. Besides providing a much higher level of security and inventory control, the new technology will enable the library to handle increased material circulation and provide a more ergonomic workflow and a decrease in the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
“Over half of all Kitchener residents currently have a library card, and collectively, our customers borrow over two million library items every year”, reports Sonia Lewis, Kitchener Public Library’s CEO. “The efficiencies created by RFID technology will enable us to meet the demands of increasing library use during a time when
resources are limited, and at the same time provide our customers the convenience of self-serve options.”
Kitchener Public Library has been researching RFID technology for several years, and investigated several vendors before selecting Bibliotheca. Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems is an international company headquartered in Switzerland. The Canadian company, located in Kitchener, Ontario, was established in 2006 to provide service to the Canadian market. Bibliotheca’s BiblioChip System is the leading RFID library system in the world with over 300 libraries using Bibliotheca products worldwide, reports Bob Dougan, Bibliotheca’s Canadian CEO. “All components are designed from an ergonomic viewpoint, combining staff comfort with increased productivity.”
Locally, the Waterloo Public Library has also recently selected Bibliotheca as their RFID vendor.
January 14, 2009
Kitchener Public Library Welcomes Author Nino Ricci
|
 |
Author Nino Ricci, who recently won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction, will be lending his expertise to Kitchener writers as the 2009 Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence at the Kitchener Public Library. During his residency, Ricci will present several public workshops on the writers’ craft, as well as working with local writers who have submitted their work through the manuscript appraisals program. His residency will run from March 4 until June 9, 2009.
Says Sheila Bauman, Events Planner, “We are thrilled that the library has attracted a Canadian writer of such consequence. He will both inspire and inform writers in our community, by offering his expertise and down-to-earth sensibility.”
The Writer-in-Residence program is an excellent opportunity for aspiring writers to learn more about the craft of writing and publishing. There is an opportunity for direct feedback from Nino Ricci if you submit a piece of writing through the manuscript appraisals program. Incredibly, all of this is free. Anyone may participate, regardless of background. Both amateurs and seasoned authors are welcome to participate.
Says Ricci, “Two things have struck me in the past… The first is all those people who don’t take advantage of their writers-in-residence, even if they have been squirreling stories away in their drawers for years… The second is that the people who do take advantage are often not the ones you would expect.” Ricci wants to encourage anyone who feels the writer’s call to take advantage of his free expertise. He declares, “The Writer-in-Residence is not for someone else. It is for you.”
Details of the 2009 residency are listed below:
An Evening with Nino Ricci
Wednesday, March 4, 5:00 pm, Main Library
Join us at the Main Library as we welcome author Nino Ricci as the 2009 Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence. Ricci is no stranger to our community, as his book Lives of the Saints was featured in Waterloo Region’s 2004 One Book, One Community campaign. Since that time, he has won a host of awards, including two Governor General’s Literary Awards for Fiction. If you missed his earlier appearances, or you’d like to get reacquainted, this is your chance to meet the acclaimed author and hear him read from his most recent work.
No registration required.
Manuscript Appraisals - Beginning Wednesday, March 18
The Writer-in-Residence acts as a mentor to other writers, meeting one-on-one to discuss their work. Aspiring writers, both emerging and established, are invited to submit a manuscript for appraisal. This is an opportunity to receive professional review, encouragement, constructive feedback and publishing advice.Guidelines:
-
One submission per person
-
Prose (fiction, non-fiction, short story, magazine article, short memoir, essay)
-
Maximum 15 pages, double-spaced, Arial font (size 12)
-
Paper copy (not electronic) must be delivered IN PERSON to the Marketing & Communications Department, Lower Level, Main Library, from 5:30pm on Wednesday, March 18.
Individual meeting times with the Writer-in-Residence will be held in April and May.
Free Workshop: A Writer’s Life
Wednesday, March 18, 6:30 pm, Main Library
Nino Ricci talks about how he abandoned his calling to the priesthood to become a writer, how he survived a close encounter with W. O. Mitchell, how he was snubbed by Julian Barnes in an elevator in Sweden, and how Spider Solitaire informs his creative process… Learn more than you ever wanted to know about the trials and the pleasures of the writing life.
Registration begins Wednesday, February 18. Call 519-743-0271 ext. 255 to register.
Copies of Nino Ricci’s books will be available for purchase,
courtesy of Words Worth Books.
Free Workshop: How Not To Write a Bestseller
Monday, April 6, 6:30pm, Main Library
The best way to get published, according to author and screen-writer Paul Quarrington, “is to write better than everyone else.” For the rest of us, however, there are always other ways. Come to this workshop and find out what they are.
Registration begins Wednesday, February 18. Call 519-743-0271 ext. 255 to register.
Free High School Workshop: All You Really Need to Know About Literature You Learned in Kindergarten
Monday, May 4, 10:30am, Main Library
Nino tells high school students that everything their teachers have been telling them about writing and literature is actually true (except maybe all that stuff about symbolism). Whether you’re an avid reader or writer or just a couch potato or X-Box addict, find out how stories have made you what you are.
For high school students and teachers. Call 519-743-0271 ext. 255 to register.
Free Workshop Series: Writers’ Craft Workshops
Main Library – April 28, 6:30 pm; May 11, 6:30 pm; May 23, 10:00 am
Join Nino for three intensive writing workshops where you’ll have a chance to hone your craft and maybe expose your soul. Through writing exercises, discussions of technique, and an in-class close-reading of your own work, the workshops will aim not only to fine-tune your editorial instincts but to help you understand a little more fully the personality disorder that leads people to write.
Registration begins Wednesday, February 18. Call 519-743-0271 ext. 255 to register.
Space is limited. Participants must be able to attend all three workshops.
2009 Writer-in-Residence Final Readings & Farewell
Tuesday, June 9, 6:30 pm, Main Library
Join the library in saying farewell to an enriching literary year with Nino Ricci. Enjoy readings by local writers (selected through the appraisals process), and a final reading from our esteemed outgoing Writer-in-Residence, Nino Ricci.
No registration required.
About Nino Ricci
Nino Ricci’s first novel, Lives of the Saints, garnered international acclaim, appearing in fifteen countries and winning the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction and the Books in Canada First Novel Award. Two novels followed to complete the trilogy, In a Glass House and Where She has Gone, which was shortlisted for the Giller Prize. Ricci is also the author of Testament, co-winner of the Trillium Award and shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize for Canada and the Caribbean and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. In 2006, Ricci was the winner of the inaugural Alistair MacLeod Award for Literary Achievement. Most recently, he was awarded the 2008 Governor General’s Award for Fiction for his latest novel, The Origin of Species.
Nino Ricci was born in Leamington, Ontario, to parents from the Molise region of Italy, and completed university studies in Toronto, Montreal, and Florence, Italy. He has taught literature and Creative Writing at the Humber School for Writers, University of Windsor, Assumption, York and Concordia Universities. He has been a past Juror for the Giller Prize for Fiction and a member of the Authors’ committee for the Writers’ Trust of Canada. He is a past president of the Canadian Centre of International PEN, a writers’ human rights organization that works for freedom of expression.
In 2008, Nino Ricci worked as a Visiting Professor at John Carroll University in the United States. He now lives in Toronto, where he writes full time.
About the Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence Program
The Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence Program was created in 1996 by Edna Staebler, an acclaimed local author and library advocate. Staebler’s desire was to provide local writers with the expertise needed to develop their craft, as well as encouragement to “keep at it.” As a result of her generous donation, KPL is able to host a prominent Canadian author each year. The Writer-in-Residence presents a series of writing workshops and offers manuscript appraisals for emerging and established writers.
Past Writers-in-Residence at KPL have included:
Trevor Cole (2008)
Elizabeth Ruth (2007)
Robert J. Sawyer (2006)
Wayson Choy (2005)
Lyn Hamilton (2004)
Andrew Pyper (2003)
Kathy Stinson (2002)
John B. Lee (2001)
Welwyn Wilton Katz (2000)
Betty Jane Wylie (1999)
Jack Batten (1998)
Veronica Ross (1997)
Janet Lund (1996)
January 14, 2009
Family Literacy Day with Olympian Leigh Hobson at Grand River Stanley Park Community Library
To celebrate Family Literacy Day, Kitchener Public Library is hosting a special family program on Saturday, January 24 at 2:30 pm at the Grand River Stanley Park Community Library. Special guest speaker Leigh Hobson, a 2008 Olympian, will speak about her experiences and her love of reading.
Literacy Services Librarian Laura Dick will share stories for the whole family. Children and parents will have the opportunity to play games together and do interactive literacy activities. The afternoon will also include free refreshments and prize draws.
Family Literacy Day was created by ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation and Honda Canada in 1999 to promote the importance of reading and learning together as a family all year round. Each year, communities across Canada celebrate this special day at literacy-themed events coordinated by literacy organizations, schools, public libraries and families.
The Grand River Stanley Park Community Library is located at 175 Indian Road, Kitchener. No registration is required for this program – bring the entire family for an afternoon of inspiration and fun!