Back-to-School: Your Library Can Help With the kids back to school, both parents and students need all the help they can get. Your library has a wealth of resources to help families succeed. The Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) has a wealth of e-resources that will come in handy for
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wmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: literacy skills are essential in our world
Literacy Is All Around Us September is Literacy Month, a time to recognize and celebrate all the many ways literacy improves and enhances our lives. As you go about your day, you use different forms of literacy all the time. Looking on Google Maps for directions. Following a recipe. Planting
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: great things are happening at your libraries
Great Things Are Happening At Your Libraries Our North Island branches of the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) are back to our full pre-covid hours, and back to normal – or better. Port Hardy new hours and programs Have you heard the good news? The Port Hardy Library is now
Continue readingwmtc: friends and family reunion road trip: a story about the digital divide
I separated out this story, because I didn’t want to give the impression that it ruined our day — and because I wanted to properly explicate it. The events were of minor consequence to us personally, but of major importance in the world at large. We hit a technology snag,
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: a chance to win great prizes, just for reading
In my last column I highlighted incentives being offered by the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) for kids to read, and for teens to stay engaged in learning, through the Summer Reading Club and the Teen Summer Quest. I briefly mentioned the Adult Summer Reading Challenge, and some readers of
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: summer reading fun for all ages
Summer Reading Club is back, and it’s not just for kids. Children, teens, and adults can all find fun reading challenges – and prizes – at your library. Even infants and toddlers can get in on the fun. SRC is all about motivating kids and their families to read during
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: the library celebrates national indigenous people’s month
Still catching up on posting my columns. The recent horrific discovery in Kamloops of the remains of 215 Indigenous children, buried in an unmarked mass grave, brought home the horrors of the Residential School system. Many people in North Island communities may be retraumatized by this news, and those who
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: summer reading fun for all ages
Summer Reading Club is back, and it’s not just for kids. Children, teens, and adults can all find fun reading challenges – and prizes – at your library. Even infants and toddlers can get in on the fun. SRC is all about motivating kids and their families to read during
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: stress reduction one of the top 10 benefits of reading
A regular reader of this column asked me, “I spend a lot of time reading, then I feel guilty because I’m wasting time. ….” Reading is many things, but it is never a waste of time! Here are the top benefits of reading. 1. Reducing stress. We live in stressful
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: celebrate asian heritage at your library
As I mentioned here, I’m posting three of these columns each week until I’m caught up. May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada, and the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) invites you to celebrate. People of Asian heritage have lived in Canada since before Confederation, and have contributed to every aspect
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: more favourite e-resources, always free with your library card
More Favourite E-Resources, Always FREE With Your Library Card The Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) offers so many “e-resources,” it can be difficult to remember them all! That’s why I’m always reminding you about the treasures hidden in your library card. Everyone with a VIRL library card has access to
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: three reasons to give virl virtual programming a try
Three Reasons to Give VIRL Virtual Programming a Try Among the many victims of the covid pandemic have been library programs. Large libraries down-island – and in towns and cities all over the world – have moved their programs online. Many programs are offered live, through Zoom (or similar video-conferencing
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: booklists: we could use a laugh
As I mentioned here, I’m posting three of these columns each week until I’m caught up. Booklists: We Could Use a Laugh I have one last booklist for you before I write about other things for a while. As the pandemic enters its second year, we could all use more humour
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: booklists: hidden gems of historical fiction
Booklists: Hidden Gems of Historical Fiction Here’s a booklist you may want to save: historical fiction. This genre brings history to life, by letting readers view it through the eyes of ordinary people. Sometimes there’s a romance or mystery set against a backdrop of an earlier time. Often there’s a
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: booklists: hidden gems of fiction
Booklists: Hidden Gems of Fiction Here’s a list of 10 so-called literary novels. These are great reads that will move you, make you think, and maybe make you sad when they end. Here are ten novels that could be called hidden gems. Title: White TeethAuthor: Zadie SmithA big mix of
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: booklists: meet amazing people through reading
As I mentioned here, I’m posting three of these columns each week until I’m caught up. Booklists: Meet Amazing People Through Reading In my last column, I suggested ten travelogues that might tempt you. Today I’m highlighting ten memoirs – great writing by fascinating people with a unique view of
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: book lists: travel the world by book
Book Lists: Travel the World by Book In my last column, I promised you lists of books on various topics. I’ll highlight ten books in each column. You might want to clip and save them! Travelogues The pandemic put all our travel plans on hold, but we can always travel
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: happy new year and happy book lists
Happy New Year and Happy Book Lists 2020 was such a difficult year. Most of us were not sorry to see it go! Your library is here for you, dreaming of a time when we can open our doors wide and welcome everyone back inside. Do you ever wonder what
Continue readingwmtc: roots and icebergs: decolonizing community spaces: a workshop
I recently attended a six-hour workshop called Decolonizing Community Spaces. The workshop was led by two facilitators, one a Native American speaking to us from her traditional territories in Montana, and the other a Filipina-Canadian. About 30 people attended; I believe all were health and service providers in the province
Continue readingwmtc: how do you read? in which my reading habits unexpectedly change
Librarians like to ask readers about their reading habits. How do you read? What format do you most prefer? Do you have a secondary format? These days, most avid readers have found a use for e-books — travel being the number one reason — but generally prefer print. But some
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