Arts & Culture

Celebrate Black History Month in 2023 at Toronto Public Library

February 1, 2023 | Rachelle | Comments (2)

February is Black History Month and there are so many ways to celebrate. Canadians are invited to participate in Black History Month events and celebrate Black culture, heritage, and achievement all year long but February is a time when you'll see a vast array of activities. The theme this year, is Ours to Tell. Check […]

No Fairies, No Witches: The Revolutionary Children’s Books of Bruno Munari

January 26, 2023 | Wendy B. | Comments (5)

Pablo Picasso called him “the Leonardo of our time.” Among his inventions: a machine to wag tails of lazy dogs (never built). A chair “for very short visits” with a seat at a 45-degree angle (built, beautifully). A children’s bed combining a cockpit with a jungle gym. A beautiful half-clock/half-sculpture, mass-produced so everyone could have […]

International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023

January 13, 2023 | Rachelle | Comments (0)

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, also known as Holocaust Memorial Day, occurs annually on January 27. Many people around the world commemorate this significant date by attending events and programs. The United Nations General Assembly adopted the observance in November 2005. This date was chosen as it marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi […]

Have Yourself a Scary Little Christmas: Ghost Stories and the Holiday Season

December 1, 2022 | Isabel | Comments (0)

Welcome to the scariest time of the year, when the veil between the dead and the living grows thin and spirits roam the night. No, not Halloween. I’m talking about Christmas! This festival of feasting and good cheer has some surprisingly ghoulish traditions. So if you’re sick of being jolly, let's gather around the fire and […]

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 2022

November 24, 2022 | Rachelle | Comments (0)

December 2 is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. The General Assembly of the United Nations Convention adopted the observance in 1949.  When you hear or see the word slavery, what do you think of? Is it the Trans-Atlantic slave trade? For many, the image of shackles and cotton fields come to mind. […]

Wee Folk Tales at the Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books

November 16, 2022 | Myrna | Comments (0)

In folklore, "wee folk" have many names and forms. These fictional characters range from tricksters to helpful companions. But, these secretive and magical creatures can be difficult to spot! Peek under the toadstool at our new exhibit, Wee Folk: Fairies, Elves, Trolls and More. The exhibit runs until January 14, 2023 at the Osborne Collection […]

Daylight Saving Time is Basically Time Travel!

November 7, 2022 | Denise | Comments (0)

"Spring Forward, Fall Back." It's that time of year again! On November 6, we all had to set our clocks back an hour as we mark the end of daylight saving time. Every year, there are debates about whether we should cancel the practice. Admittedly, I've never really had a strong opinion, other than maybe […]

Simple Steps for Event Planning

October 26, 2022 | Jen McB | Comments (0)

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry We have all heard the phrase “I hope this email finds you well,” and no one likes it. Why you may ask? Perhaps it was a less-than-happy expression, an extra task, or perhaps it is just wishful thinking.   You see, no […]

A Short History on the Dark Side of the Fae

October 18, 2022 | Ames | Comments (0)

We call them The Good Neighbours. The Fair Folk. The Kind Ones. The Wee Folk. The Others. Themselves. We call them by every nickname we can’think of that won't offend, won't draw their attention. Because their attention can be a dangerous, deadly thing. The Fae. The Fair Folk anthology, edited by Marvin Kaye. The Kind Folk by […]

The Tale of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit

October 14, 2022 | Myrna | Comments (2)

First commercially released in 1902, October 2022 marks the 120th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit. This classic children's story has sold more than 45 million copies and been adapted into everything from jigsaw puzzles to a Gap fashion line. Yet, the success of Beatrix Potter and her most famous character was […]