There are certain books that I return to regularly because each time I read them I discover something new. I recently re-read Possession by A.S. Byatt, winner of the Booker Prize in 1990, and found myself yet again swept up in this amazing story.

There are certain books that I return to regularly because each time I read them I discover something new. I recently re-read Possession by A.S. Byatt, winner of the Booker Prize in 1990, and found myself yet again swept up in this amazing story.

This originally coloured "patriotic" postcard of the first London Public Library was mailed from London to Mader's Cove, Nova Scotia on February 13, 1905. Postage required: one cent! On that day, according to the note on the card, it was very cold: -15 F or -26.1 C. We rarely have such cold temperatures now.... ~Lisa

Discover Canada's economic and social past through the people, events and forces that have shaped this vast country.

Now the wealth of data available in Statistics Canada's annual Canada Year Book is available free online in the Canada Year Book Historical Collection. It covers the first century of Canada's history, from 1867-1967, with historical text, tables, charts and maps, supplemented by interconnected learning resources for students and teachers.

Welcome to a new way of looking at our past. 

For more details, click here.

~Mark

On April 22, 1970 over 20 million Americans participated in a nationwide demonstration that grew out of concern for the environment. Earth Day is now observed annually, worldwide. This new ability for individuals to join collectively on a global basis is unprecedented in history and it is a power we can use to influence national and international politics that affect not just our environment but also the lives of the people with whom we share the planet.

Our civil liberties are under constant attack - but this is nothing new. Taking Liberties examines five critical moments in the life of a city, when ordinary citizens are forced to make extraordinary choices. With dramatic readings by accomplished local actors, the play will move through five decades, showing how the moral dilemmas of one era can impact the events of another. Commentary provided by Dave Carley. This culminating event in the library's 2008-2009 Writer In Residence program is not to be missed!

7 - 9 pm, Wed. Apr 8 2009
Wolf Performance Hall, Central Library

Sad to say, our time with Writer-in-Residence Dave Carley is coming to an end in April.
No one will miss him more than the regular members of the Writers' Group he founded. To commemorate Dave's time at the Library, there will be a special evening of library-themed plays in one night, presented on the Library's 3rd floor. 7-9 pm, Monday, March 16. Don't miss

You have seen it on our website and heard about it from friends. Now is your chance to learn how to access the thousands of audiobooks available for downloading to your MP3 player, iPod, CD or computer. Join us for a one-on-one introduction to accessing these materials. Find out more and sign up online.

Melting polar ice caps and catastrophic climate change that occurs almost simultaneously around the world are the most obvious signs that our climate is changing and threatening our very existence. We need to know how to help stop this planetary destruction but understanding the difference between climate and weather, global warming and the hole in the ozone layer and how we can help is a lot to absorb.  Learn what your carbon foot print looks like and

One of the most intriguing lecture series we are offering at the Central Library, Finding Your Way: the psychology of everyday life, is presented by University of Western Ontario graduate students in clinical psychology. Sharing their knowledge on a wide range of everyday life experiences,