This weekend I'm reading and reading...surprise!
But, I'm doing this as part of LibraryThing's November 100 hour ReadaThing.
My weekend books, both from my TBR shelf:
Built of Books: How Reading Defined the Life of Oscar Wilde by Thomas Wright (this seemed an appropriate choice),
and
Water Ghosts by Shawn Yang Ryan.
eicuthbertson's Book Blog - Thoughts on reading, on books or articles or the occasional poem I'm reading, and some shameless promotion of BookCrossing activities! as well as of the authors, books, bookstores, and libraries that I love.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Dreaming of Library Tours and Books, Books, Books...
Great idea!
Joan Wickersham describes a public tour of private libraries in Concord, Massachusetts, USA, in her article, On The Shelves, October 7, 2011, Boston.com
This tour featured six libraries, apparently personal ones, and was sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library This is an idea that could be developed in Vancouver, British Columbia, for sure, and I'd sign up quickly. I'd also love to see a tour developed for local specialized libraries. There's a number of those here.
A tip of my hat to the New England Historic Genealogical Society's The Weekly Genealogist (Vol. 14, No. 42) which mentioned this article.
The author, Joan Wickersham, blogs about books and more at: www.joanwickersham.com
Joan Wickersham describes a public tour of private libraries in Concord, Massachusetts, USA, in her article, On The Shelves, October 7, 2011, Boston.com
This tour featured six libraries, apparently personal ones, and was sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library This is an idea that could be developed in Vancouver, British Columbia, for sure, and I'd sign up quickly. I'd also love to see a tour developed for local specialized libraries. There's a number of those here.
A tip of my hat to the New England Historic Genealogical Society's The Weekly Genealogist (Vol. 14, No. 42) which mentioned this article.
The author, Joan Wickersham, blogs about books and more at: www.joanwickersham.com
Canada Reads - True Stories - Top 40
The CBC's Canada Reads - True Stories Top 40 books have been chosen. This year, it's non-fiction only.
I can agree handily with some of these - And No Birds Sang by Farley Mowat, The Last Spike by Pierre Berton, Paper Shadows by Wayson Choy, Mordecai by Charles Foran (notice a pattern here?) but if Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography by Chester Brown doesn't win, I likely will be very unhappy (again). Some may be surprised I'd say that.
Chester Brown's graphic biography of Louis Riel isn't perfect - he missed one of the 'best moments' in Canadian history, I think - and overall the academic and political emphasis on Riel has sometimes obscured the aspirations, actions and fate of his contemporaries, but Riel's is a story that resonated all across Canada during his lifetime and certainly at the time of his death, and has found expression ever since.
I've found in talking about this book that many younger-than-me Canadians know little if anything about him, or about the Northwest Rebellions. Shame! The appeal of a graphic historical biography to those who won't pick up a weightier looking book can't be underestimated in my opinion - Canadians will read this, if it's widely promoted!
One of my copies of Louis Riel is circulating throughout Canada as a BookCrossing book. Keep an eye out for it or, better yet, get yourself to an independent book shop and pick up your own copy.
I can agree handily with some of these - And No Birds Sang by Farley Mowat, The Last Spike by Pierre Berton, Paper Shadows by Wayson Choy, Mordecai by Charles Foran (notice a pattern here?) but if Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography by Chester Brown doesn't win, I likely will be very unhappy (again). Some may be surprised I'd say that.
Chester Brown's graphic biography of Louis Riel isn't perfect - he missed one of the 'best moments' in Canadian history, I think - and overall the academic and political emphasis on Riel has sometimes obscured the aspirations, actions and fate of his contemporaries, but Riel's is a story that resonated all across Canada during his lifetime and certainly at the time of his death, and has found expression ever since.
I've found in talking about this book that many younger-than-me Canadians know little if anything about him, or about the Northwest Rebellions. Shame! The appeal of a graphic historical biography to those who won't pick up a weightier looking book can't be underestimated in my opinion - Canadians will read this, if it's widely promoted!
One of my copies of Louis Riel is circulating throughout Canada as a BookCrossing book. Keep an eye out for it or, better yet, get yourself to an independent book shop and pick up your own copy.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Cameron Library - My Burnaby Library Project
Cameron Library & Recreation Centre, opened in 1980, Burnaby, BC. The Cameron Library is the area on your right.
Cameron Library, the closest library to us, was the first stop in My Burnaby Library Project. This is Burnaby's smallest library, and is the oldest physically. It's surrounded now by high rises and multiple family dwellings, and is across the street from Lougheed Mall, Burnaby's second largest mall. It's about a 2 block walk from the Skytrain station but is on a bus route and there are stops right in front or across the street. (Call transit information, don't go by the Translink website directions.) Yes, there is parking, if you must drive there.
The Library is part of the Cameron Recreation Complex as seen above. The building opened in 1980 and is set in or next to Cameron Park. Anniversary celebrations were held earlier this month.
The Cameron Library entrance is inside the lobby of the Recreation Centre, an attractive, well lit facility with a wide variety of spaces for indoor recreation and fitness. The Centre seems to host a large number of seniors' activities. The Park is a welcome green space here with a childrens' play area and a new seniors' fitness machine area (suitable for anyone 13+ according to the signs), although some of the past plans for the park have never been realized.
Cameron Park's 'Reading Circle', just beyond one of the parking lots, Burnaby, BC.
There were several people reading in the park this day, but all were sitting in folding chairs!
Yes, there is a picnic bench there. Cameron Park, Burnaby, BC.
I was looking forward to seeing what's new in Burnaby libraries. I still am, but in some ways, I'm sorry I went to Cameron first. It's been some months since I was there, and I hoped to see some physical changes, as well as good books!
Lobby display window, Burnaby history display, Cameron Library, Burnaby, BC.
Right now, seen from the Cameron Recreation Centre's lobby, there's a nice display of Burnaby photographs in an electronic frame and books celebrating the City of Burnaby Archives' own 10th anniversary. This I liked, although as an area resident, I feel it would be nice to see something that related more closely to this area. (Although it doesn't seem to be labelled, the large photograph is of the Tea Rooms built c. 1910 by Walter Holdom for his real estate prospects in North Burnaby. For more about this, see the Burnaby Heritage website.) This area is often neglected in Burnaby history. Historically its ties are close to New Westminster and Coquitlam and Port Moody, and this site itself has a sad history known to long time Burnaby residents. The land for one of the parking lots was once the home of Lillian Mann. Her land was expropriated, despite her long resistance.
Whisky, with BookCrossing releases, Cameron Recreation Complex lobby, Burnaby, BC. Whisky was shocked to realize 'recycling' could be a punishment, as the sign on one of the free periodical racks in the lobby promised for any unauthorized contributions. We didn't leave any books in the racks.
Unfortunately, the actual entrance to the Library is cramped, with a couple of portable boards advertising a few upcoming activities and an older photograph of the Queen on the wall. All Burnaby libraries are supposed to be accessible though, so I think the entrance and aisles are likely wide enough for a wheelchair.
Despite the windows on two sides, the low ceiling seems to make the Library look dim on first glance. From the building entrance photo, you can see there are bushes and a tree in front of the main window wall which cut down the light. (Not that I'd cut down that tree!) This is in contrast to the rest of the Cameron Recreation multilevel complex which has lots of light, with clerestory windows and even some attractive frosted glass partitions.
The now very old fashioned looking, but pleasingly horseshoe shaped book return/checkout counter is on the left as you enter the Library, and a large sitting area is on the right (just visible in the window display photo) with a wall of magazines and a stand of newspapers on the one side and shelves with new and featured books on the other - the other day, a collection of science books for non-fiction and of women writers for fiction. (Someone in a wheelchair would have difficulty navigating here, I suspect.)
There was a reasonable selection of magazines, from BC Outdoors to Backbone, Vancouver and Wired. I didn't see any of the more practical and expensive computer magazines I look for at a library (like .Net), or any genealogy magazines either.
On the left wall of the Library are offices, a printer and computers for library catalogue lookups and a children's area towards the back. On the right wall, there are public computers with Internet and MS Office access (why not Open Office?) and a few carrels for private study. The computers were all in use and someone was waiting while I was there. (There is a 'reservation' computer on the far side of the Library.) Some patrons were using their own computers; all Burnaby libraries have wireless access for BPL card holders. There are no 'dedicated database' computers here, but those with BPL cards can access Library databases on the www.BPL.bc.ca website using any Internet accessible computer.
On the other side of the featured books were shelves full of held books - a good sign, I think, in several ways, as it shows many people are requesting the books they want or need.
And on the fiction shelves, I was pleased to see there are many more mysteries than there used to be. If most were the predictable 'best seller' ones, still I also noticed several Canadian mystery authors. And there seemed to be a fair selection of fantasy/science fiction books as well - and a good number of people browsing both these sections.
In non-fiction, there was a good basic section of Canadian and British Columbia and local history with some of my BC favourites, Mainstays, Cougar Annie's Garden and Vancouver's Shoeshine Boys. The travel section, however, seemed padded with older travel guides. These age quickly.
And in non-fiction, there is only one sign for each row giving the 'Dewey' call numbers for the books shelved. Few people, I find, are comfortable remembering these by heart. Each shelf needs a sign, I think, and for each side of the shelf too (and perhaps not only in English).
On the back wall, there's a fair size teen bookcase and one of Chinese books. And in the right corner, there's a small sitting area.
The only recent change I noticed at Cameron was the newer shelving for the CDs and DVDs (installed in April, I believe). There seemed a wide selection of these, including choices for children, although I'm probably not the best judge, at least for movies.
The only activities I've noticed advertised for Cameron over the summer are for Storytime for Babies and Toddlers. A good proportion of the Library space is for children and there's an open area there just big enough for a sit down storytime, with one small child's table and two benches and some colourful handmade wall displays. But frankly, this area is shabby looking. It must be years since anything's been done with the floor or equipment. I hope some of the summer Storytimes are held outdoors as the Park is really a much more interesting space than the Library.
Dragon Eco-sculpture, Cameron Park, Burnaby, BC. (Burnaby 2011 Eco-sculpture guide)
Someone has a sense of humour, Cameron Park, Burnaby, BC. Made me smile!
My Burnaby Library Project - Background
To give you an idea about where the Burnaby Public Library branches fit in to the city, here is a comparison of the ages, the square footage and the (numerical) holdings of each of Burnaby's four branches from the latest figures on the Burnaby Public Library's (BPL) website as of for 2009.
CAMERON (opened in 1980)
Size: 5,000 square feet
Cameron items owned: 66,162 (2009) - approx. 8% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
TOMMY DOUGLAS (opened in 2010)
Size: 17,500 square feet
Tommy Douglas items owned: 81,805 (2009) - approx. 11% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
McGILL (opened in 2001)
Branch size: 20,000 square feet
Items owned: 168,583 (2009) - approx. 22% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
BOB PRITTIE (opened in 1991)
Branch size: 61,000 square feet
Items owned: 414,105 (2009) - approx. 56% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
The BPL's 2010 annual report gives these overall figures for 2010, compared to 2009.
Items Borrowed 2010 - 3,982,449; 2009 - 3,798,656
Questions Asked 2010 - 199,995; 2009 - 197,696
In-Person Visits 2010 - 2,012,510; 2009 - 1,897,069
Programs Presented 2010 - 1,217; 2009 - 1,271
Program Attendance 2010 - 44,931; 2009 - 48,365
Items Purchased 2010 - 90,569; 2009 - 93,392
Total Collection 2010 - 751,057; 2009 - 751,204
Visits to www.bpl.bc.ca 2010 - 1,561,562; 2009 - 946,208
Total value of items on loan at any given moment in 2010 - $3.7 million.
And some more facts and figures -
According to the City of Burnaby's website, Burnaby is 98.60 square kilometres (38.07 square miles) big, and it's the third most populated urban area of British Columbia, Canada with an estimated population in 2006 of 202,799.
Vancouver and Surrey are larger. In 2006, Vancouver had an estimated population of 578,000 people, over twice that of Burnaby, although Vancouver's area is not that much bigger, 114.7 sq km (44.3 sq miles) and Vancouver has 22 branch libraries. (Vancouver figures from the City of Vancouver's website.)
From the 2006 census, the top languages identified by Burnaby residents as their mother tongue were:
English - 85,475 - 42.6%
Chinese - 50,645 - 25.2%
Korean - 7,030 - 3.5%
Tagalog - 5,060 - 2.5%
Punjabi - 4,915 - 2.4%
Italian - 4,285 - 2.1%
This is probably very similar to Vancouver where the City says about 49.1 % of residents' first language is English and 25.3% Chinese.
And for good measure, the ages of Burnaby residents in 2006 were given as:
00-14 - 29,845 - 14.7%
15-24 - 28,815 - 14.2%
25-34 - 29,560 - 14.6%
35-44 - 33,120 - 16.3%
45-54 - 31,465 - 15.5%
55-64 - 21,850 - 10.8%
65 and over - 28,135 - 13.9%
CAMERON (opened in 1980)
Size: 5,000 square feet
Cameron items owned: 66,162 (2009) - approx. 8% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
TOMMY DOUGLAS (opened in 2010)
Size: 17,500 square feet
Tommy Douglas items owned: 81,805 (2009) - approx. 11% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
McGILL (opened in 2001)
Branch size: 20,000 square feet
Items owned: 168,583 (2009) - approx. 22% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
BOB PRITTIE (opened in 1991)
Branch size: 61,000 square feet
Items owned: 414,105 (2009) - approx. 56% of Burnaby Public Library's total holdings.
The BPL's 2010 annual report gives these overall figures for 2010, compared to 2009.
Items Borrowed 2010 - 3,982,449; 2009 - 3,798,656
Questions Asked 2010 - 199,995; 2009 - 197,696
In-Person Visits 2010 - 2,012,510; 2009 - 1,897,069
Programs Presented 2010 - 1,217; 2009 - 1,271
Program Attendance 2010 - 44,931; 2009 - 48,365
Items Purchased 2010 - 90,569; 2009 - 93,392
Total Collection 2010 - 751,057; 2009 - 751,204
Visits to www.bpl.bc.ca 2010 - 1,561,562; 2009 - 946,208
Total value of items on loan at any given moment in 2010 - $3.7 million.
And some more facts and figures -
According to the City of Burnaby's website, Burnaby is 98.60 square kilometres (38.07 square miles) big, and it's the third most populated urban area of British Columbia, Canada with an estimated population in 2006 of 202,799.
Vancouver and Surrey are larger. In 2006, Vancouver had an estimated population of 578,000 people, over twice that of Burnaby, although Vancouver's area is not that much bigger, 114.7 sq km (44.3 sq miles) and Vancouver has 22 branch libraries. (Vancouver figures from the City of Vancouver's website.)
From the 2006 census, the top languages identified by Burnaby residents as their mother tongue were:
English - 85,475 - 42.6%
Chinese - 50,645 - 25.2%
Korean - 7,030 - 3.5%
Tagalog - 5,060 - 2.5%
Punjabi - 4,915 - 2.4%
Italian - 4,285 - 2.1%
This is probably very similar to Vancouver where the City says about 49.1 % of residents' first language is English and 25.3% Chinese.
And for good measure, the ages of Burnaby residents in 2006 were given as:
00-14 - 29,845 - 14.7%
15-24 - 28,815 - 14.2%
25-34 - 29,560 - 14.6%
35-44 - 33,120 - 16.3%
45-54 - 31,465 - 15.5%
55-64 - 21,850 - 10.8%
65 and over - 28,135 - 13.9%
Sunday, August 14, 2011
My Burnaby Library Project
At the last Lower Mainland BookCrossing Meetup, I heard about The VPL Branch Project. (Thanks, Richard.)
Megan, a Vancouver high school student, is visiting all 22 of Vancouver's Public Library branches and publishing her review of each. She's biking her way around to the libraries, accompanied by Horatio, the sock monkey.
Megan says she's usually only been using one Vancouver library branch and she started her project to find out what each of the other branches offers. She's interested in environmental issues, and reads all kinds of novels. Sounds as if her curiosity and drive will take her even further soon.
What a cool idea, I thought; I could easily do that in Burnaby where I live. And since I've often been critical of Burnaby libraries, perhaps I'll find some nice surprises nowadays close to home.
Here in the Burnaby Public Library system, there are only 4 public library branches, McGill, in North Burnaby where we used to live, Cameron, near Lougheed Mall, now the closest library, then there's the new Tommy Douglas library on Kingsway which has replaced the Kingsway library across the street which I was at one time quite familiar with, and the Bob Prittie Metrotown library.
To tell you the truth, I rarely use any of them unless I need to check a reference 'right now, today'. I do use Simon Fraser University's library in Burnaby, and the great genealogy collections at the Cloverdale Branch of the Surrey Public Library. And I now visit the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library more than I used to (although I often find it a frustrating experience). So I'll be interested to see what I find so much closer to home.
Of course, I'll be walking or taking public transit on my trips and, since I don't want to go alone, I'll be accompanied by Whisky, one of the book cats. (His nickname is ub.)
Whisky, at home, with some of his favourite books, 2011, private collection.
I did a little preliminary research - read the 2010 BPL Library report and had another look at the updated BPL website, for instance. (I won't be comparing Burnaby's libraries to Vancouver's much, but I might well compare their websites.)
I've already made one visit to a Burnaby library which I'll be posting about here tomorrow.
Megan, a Vancouver high school student, is visiting all 22 of Vancouver's Public Library branches and publishing her review of each. She's biking her way around to the libraries, accompanied by Horatio, the sock monkey.
Megan says she's usually only been using one Vancouver library branch and she started her project to find out what each of the other branches offers. She's interested in environmental issues, and reads all kinds of novels. Sounds as if her curiosity and drive will take her even further soon.
What a cool idea, I thought; I could easily do that in Burnaby where I live. And since I've often been critical of Burnaby libraries, perhaps I'll find some nice surprises nowadays close to home.
Here in the Burnaby Public Library system, there are only 4 public library branches, McGill, in North Burnaby where we used to live, Cameron, near Lougheed Mall, now the closest library, then there's the new Tommy Douglas library on Kingsway which has replaced the Kingsway library across the street which I was at one time quite familiar with, and the Bob Prittie Metrotown library.
To tell you the truth, I rarely use any of them unless I need to check a reference 'right now, today'. I do use Simon Fraser University's library in Burnaby, and the great genealogy collections at the Cloverdale Branch of the Surrey Public Library. And I now visit the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library more than I used to (although I often find it a frustrating experience). So I'll be interested to see what I find so much closer to home.
Of course, I'll be walking or taking public transit on my trips and, since I don't want to go alone, I'll be accompanied by Whisky, one of the book cats. (His nickname is ub.)
Whisky, at home, with some of his favourite books, 2011, private collection.
I did a little preliminary research - read the 2010 BPL Library report and had another look at the updated BPL website, for instance. (I won't be comparing Burnaby's libraries to Vancouver's much, but I might well compare their websites.)
I've already made one visit to a Burnaby library which I'll be posting about here tomorrow.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Book Sales Coming Up - this weekend & in July - Vancouver BC
This weekend - The Alcuin Society and Historic Joy Kogawa House are jointly holding a sale of used books to benefit both groups.
Date: Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm each day
Place: Historic Joy Kogawa House (in the garden)
1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver
More info on Facebook.
In July - St. Mark's College and Corpus Christi College's 4th Annual Summer Book Sale. I've been told there are many good history and related books in this sale.
The location is just in from corner of Chancellor and Wesbrook, about 2-3 blocks west of the North Bus loop. Nearest paid parking is the North Parkade, beside Gage Residence, entrance off Wesbrook.
Date: Saturday, June 18, and Sunday, June 19
Time: 10:00am to 4:00pm each day
Place: Historic Joy Kogawa House (in the garden)
1450 West 64th Avenue, Vancouver
More info on Facebook.
In July - St. Mark's College and Corpus Christi College's 4th Annual Summer Book Sale. I've been told there are many good history and related books in this sale.
Thurs, July 7th 12:00--8:00 p.m.
Fri. July 8th 12:00-6:00 p.m.
Sat. July 9th 12:00-6:00 p.m.
Sun, July 10th 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Fill a bag for $10; Hardcovers $2; Paperbacks $1.
5935 Iona Drive, UBC Campus at the St. Mark's/Corpus Christi Library, Vancouver BC.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
What I've Been Reading & Buying
My goodness! It's mid-March already. CanadaReads has come and mostly gone for 2011. After my dismay with the process this year, I decided to explore more of the 'alternative' Canadian book lists.
Among my wanderings on-line, I found a mention of a review article, "Criminous Minds: A new wave of crime writers are exploring the darkest corners of Canadian society" by Richard Poplak, in the March 2011 issue of The Walrus (now on-line). I bought the magazine and read this. Most of the books he mentions I've read, but not Breaking Lorca by Giles Blunt. I knew I'd looked at it, but since it was clearly not a 'mystery', I'd passed it up. Since I happened to be at Vancouver Public Library (VPL) in downtown Vancouver the next day, and a copy happened to be on the shelf, I took it home to read. This should teach me not to pay too much attention to descriptions (and genres). This is a haunting novel - and even a psychological mystery. I've been thinking about some of its characters ever since.
I recommend Poplak's article if you are interested in learning more about Canadian 'mystery' authors. You might also keep an eye on the Crime Writers of Canada website and on the Mystery Maven Canada blog too. The Mystery Maven is Linda Wike, former owner of Ottawa's Prime Crime Mystery Books and now a mystery author herself.
Among the other mysteries I picked up at VPL was Urn Burial, another quirky, and often outrageous, 1920s Phryne Fisher mystery novel by Kerry Greenwood set in Australia. Yes, the urns were cremation urns! And such great quotes were included - at least from a genealogist's point of view.
Another book I've just finished from VPL was Witches' Rings by Kerstin Ekman (translated from Swedish by Linda Schenck). Ekman is now probably best known here in Canada as the author of Blackwater, a mystery, but Witches' Rings is the first of four novels about Swedish life, mainly from the point of view of women, from the 1870s on. Grand read! I can't wait to read the rest, but since I don't read Swedish, I must read the English versions. And VPL seems only to have one more - at least it's the second book. I'll haunt Abebooks.com for the others. Thank you to the VPL librarian who set Witches Rings out on the Main Floor display shelves recently.
And on another genres altogether:
On one of my forays this month into a 'big box' store, I noticed a recommendation by a staff member for Canadian author Elizabeth Smart's By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, first published in 1945, which I read in the '60s. I was, I must admit, somewhat amazed to see it on
the shelf again. Ah, unbridled love, could we live without it at least once? Couldn't stop smiling!
What did I buy that day though? Elizabeth Moon's Oath of Fealty, now in paperback. We've waited what, 20 years?, for this. (If you're new to her writing, be sure to read The Deed of Paksenarrion, a trilogy, first.)
And the other day? All on sale - I Want Candy by Kim Wong Keltner, The Underside of Stones by George Szanto (I've already read his novel, The Condesa of M.) and Cory Doctorow's Makers. More about those another time.
Among my wanderings on-line, I found a mention of a review article, "Criminous Minds: A new wave of crime writers are exploring the darkest corners of Canadian society" by Richard Poplak, in the March 2011 issue of The Walrus (now on-line). I bought the magazine and read this. Most of the books he mentions I've read, but not Breaking Lorca by Giles Blunt. I knew I'd looked at it, but since it was clearly not a 'mystery', I'd passed it up. Since I happened to be at Vancouver Public Library (VPL) in downtown Vancouver the next day, and a copy happened to be on the shelf, I took it home to read. This should teach me not to pay too much attention to descriptions (and genres). This is a haunting novel - and even a psychological mystery. I've been thinking about some of its characters ever since.
I recommend Poplak's article if you are interested in learning more about Canadian 'mystery' authors. You might also keep an eye on the Crime Writers of Canada website and on the Mystery Maven Canada blog too. The Mystery Maven is Linda Wike, former owner of Ottawa's Prime Crime Mystery Books and now a mystery author herself.
Among the other mysteries I picked up at VPL was Urn Burial, another quirky, and often outrageous, 1920s Phryne Fisher mystery novel by Kerry Greenwood set in Australia. Yes, the urns were cremation urns! And such great quotes were included - at least from a genealogist's point of view.
Another book I've just finished from VPL was Witches' Rings by Kerstin Ekman (translated from Swedish by Linda Schenck). Ekman is now probably best known here in Canada as the author of Blackwater, a mystery, but Witches' Rings is the first of four novels about Swedish life, mainly from the point of view of women, from the 1870s on. Grand read! I can't wait to read the rest, but since I don't read Swedish, I must read the English versions. And VPL seems only to have one more - at least it's the second book. I'll haunt Abebooks.com for the others. Thank you to the VPL librarian who set Witches Rings out on the Main Floor display shelves recently.
And on another genres altogether:
On one of my forays this month into a 'big box' store, I noticed a recommendation by a staff member for Canadian author Elizabeth Smart's By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, first published in 1945, which I read in the '60s. I was, I must admit, somewhat amazed to see it on
the shelf again. Ah, unbridled love, could we live without it at least once? Couldn't stop smiling!
What did I buy that day though? Elizabeth Moon's Oath of Fealty, now in paperback. We've waited what, 20 years?, for this. (If you're new to her writing, be sure to read The Deed of Paksenarrion, a trilogy, first.)
And the other day? All on sale - I Want Candy by Kim Wong Keltner, The Underside of Stones by George Szanto (I've already read his novel, The Condesa of M.) and Cory Doctorow's Makers. More about those another time.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
What People Were Reading - Vancouver Public Library - 1903
From time to time, as I troll through historical newspapers looking for births, marriages, obituaries, and other important notes, I see articles about libraries, both private and public.
An issue I looked at the other day had both an ad for a private library and an article about Vancouver's Public Library, since the Annual Report was being presented to the Vancouver City Council.
The private lending library was at the Thomson Stationery Co., on Hastings Street.
Private lending libraries could be much different than public libraries though. Much of the time, as now, the articles about public libraries concern funding, but sometimes even a civic report gives us an idea about what people were reading, as does this published piece about the Vancouver City's Annual Public Library Report for 1903.
The Library's collection is said to total over 8,000 books, and 130 daily, weekly or monthly papers and magazines are available in the reading rooms.
On average, 275 books were taken out every day, with Saturday being the biggest day for circulation. The article reported that on the previous Saturday, 400 books were returned and taken out - the staff handling thus 800 books. [And there were no computers then, remember, no self check-out machines or on-line renewals. A hand for those librarians, please!]
Of the newspapers and magazines, these were:
Dailies - Canadian, 11; American, 5; total, 16.
Weeklies - Canadian, 11; English, 30; Australian and South African, 6; American, 25; total, 54.
Monthlies - Canadian, 4; English, 30; American 25; total, 59.
Being of a pedantic mind, I think it's interesting to look at the general topics covered in the collection, given as of January 1902.
Theology - 223
Social and Political Economy - 385
History and Allied Subjects - 680
Biography - 526
Geography - 21
Voyages and Travels - 304
Astronomy, Geology, etc. - 117
Mettallurgy and Mineralogy - 121
Natural History, etc. - 301
Poetry and Drama - 198
Miscellaneous - 383 [!?]
Fiction - 3324
Fiction in paper covers - 17
Magazines - 278
Being repaired, etc. - 208
In reference library - 210
And lest you think all these materials would be in English, the article mentions books purchased since January 1902:
French misc. works - 168
French magazines - 100
German misc. works - 118
Miscellanous - 400
History and biography, I am happy to see, were a significant proportion of the collection.
And metallurgy and mineralogy - what was in that section? I remember when my father and his friend decided to start panning for gold in the 1940s, the first place Dad went was to the library. Maybe it was so in 1903 too.
From The Province, Vancouver, BC, Wednesday, 7 January 1903, page 2.
An issue I looked at the other day had both an ad for a private library and an article about Vancouver's Public Library, since the Annual Report was being presented to the Vancouver City Council.
The private lending library was at the Thomson Stationery Co., on Hastings Street.
Reading a Book
is not the only way to secure pleasure any [and?] enjoyment during the long winter evenings, but it is a most delightful and a most profitable way, and it's a very inexpensive way, too, if you'll join our
LENDING LIBRARY.
Members read the new books at a cost of 20c each only.
How many of these have stood the test of time, I wonder. Gertrude Atherton [Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton] was, I know, a popular USian author in her time. Occasionally her works were controversial. What did Vancouverites think of those? Did the libraries offer them?
I just checked Vancouver Public Library's current catalogue and three of her books are listed - two are 'electronic resources' - Resanov and The Sacrificial Altar, but VPL does have a copy of her California, An Intimate History (1914). Not to worry, many of her books, including those mentioned just above are available for free on the 'Net. [Someone should tell VPL that, eh?] There's even a Facebook page for Gertrude Atherton. Give her a 'like'.
is not the only way to secure pleasure any [and?] enjoyment during the long winter evenings, but it is a most delightful and a most profitable way, and it's a very inexpensive way, too, if you'll join our
LENDING LIBRARY.
Members read the new books at a cost of 20c each only.
New books listed:
Fuel of Fire by Ellen T. Fowler, The Aristocrats by Gertrude Atherton, Scarlet and Hyssop by E. F. Henson, Key Notes by George Egerton, The Dissemblers by Thomas Cobb, Unofficial by the Hon. Mrs. Walter Forbes, The Terror by Felix Gray, A Year of Life by W.S. Lilly, Galloping Dick by H.B.M. Wilson, The Blazed Trail by White, Sport in the Navy and Naval Yarns [no author shown] and Sir Hector by Robert Machray. Each was listed for sale at 75 cents.
Fuel of Fire by Ellen T. Fowler, The Aristocrats by Gertrude Atherton, Scarlet and Hyssop by E. F. Henson, Key Notes by George Egerton, The Dissemblers by Thomas Cobb, Unofficial by the Hon. Mrs. Walter Forbes, The Terror by Felix Gray, A Year of Life by W.S. Lilly, Galloping Dick by H.B.M. Wilson, The Blazed Trail by White, Sport in the Navy and Naval Yarns [no author shown] and Sir Hector by Robert Machray. Each was listed for sale at 75 cents.
How many of these have stood the test of time, I wonder. Gertrude Atherton [Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton] was, I know, a popular USian author in her time. Occasionally her works were controversial. What did Vancouverites think of those? Did the libraries offer them?
I just checked Vancouver Public Library's current catalogue and three of her books are listed - two are 'electronic resources' - Resanov and The Sacrificial Altar, but VPL does have a copy of her California, An Intimate History (1914). Not to worry, many of her books, including those mentioned just above are available for free on the 'Net. [Someone should tell VPL that, eh?] There's even a Facebook page for Gertrude Atherton. Give her a 'like'.
Private lending libraries could be much different than public libraries though. Much of the time, as now, the articles about public libraries concern funding, but sometimes even a civic report gives us an idea about what people were reading, as does this published piece about the Vancouver City's Annual Public Library Report for 1903.
The Library's collection is said to total over 8,000 books, and 130 daily, weekly or monthly papers and magazines are available in the reading rooms.
On average, 275 books were taken out every day, with Saturday being the biggest day for circulation. The article reported that on the previous Saturday, 400 books were returned and taken out - the staff handling thus 800 books. [And there were no computers then, remember, no self check-out machines or on-line renewals. A hand for those librarians, please!]
Of the newspapers and magazines, these were:
Dailies - Canadian, 11; American, 5; total, 16.
Weeklies - Canadian, 11; English, 30; Australian and South African, 6; American, 25; total, 54.
Monthlies - Canadian, 4; English, 30; American 25; total, 59.
Being of a pedantic mind, I think it's interesting to look at the general topics covered in the collection, given as of January 1902.
Theology - 223
Social and Political Economy - 385
History and Allied Subjects - 680
Biography - 526
Geography - 21
Voyages and Travels - 304
Astronomy, Geology, etc. - 117
Mettallurgy and Mineralogy - 121
Natural History, etc. - 301
Poetry and Drama - 198
Miscellaneous - 383 [!?]
Fiction - 3324
Fiction in paper covers - 17
Magazines - 278
Being repaired, etc. - 208
In reference library - 210
And lest you think all these materials would be in English, the article mentions books purchased since January 1902:
French misc. works - 168
French magazines - 100
German misc. works - 118
Miscellanous - 400
History and biography, I am happy to see, were a significant proportion of the collection.
And metallurgy and mineralogy - what was in that section? I remember when my father and his friend decided to start panning for gold in the 1940s, the first place Dad went was to the library. Maybe it was so in 1903 too.
From The Province, Vancouver, BC, Wednesday, 7 January 1903, page 2.
Friday, February 4, 2011
My Library Reads - January 2011 (mysteries)
What did I read from a library last month?
Only two books - both from Vancouver Public Library (VPL) and both historical mysteries. First was The Harper's Quine by Pat McIntosh, from her Gil Cunningham series and set around medieval Glasgow, Scotland in 1492, and second, On The Head of A Pin by Janet Kellough, featuring Thaddeus Lewis, a Methodist Episcopal preacher in Prince Edward County, Upper Canada, 1838 to 1842.
The Harper's Quine was a good read, but I found Pat McIntosh's use of historical dialect awkward and sometimes intrusive. (And there's no glossary.)
I thoroughly enjoyed On The Head of A Pin, however, and want to read more. As a genealogist, I did keeping hoping to read that Preacher Lewis was keeping careful track of the baptisms and marriages he took care of. Not so!
I searched the Vancouver Public Library catalogue at VPL.ca but none of Kellough's other books are in the collection. However, on-line, I see that she has a new book, Sowing Poison, due out this fall (Dundurn Press). I'm hoping that's another Thaddeus Lewis mystery and I'll be watching for that.
I also have Witches' Rings by Kerstin Ekman at home, taken out from the Vancouver Public Library, but I haven't had time to open it yet. This is the first volume in a series about a small Swedish community from the 1870s on. The four books, all available in English, are Witches' Rings (Häxringarna, 1974), translated by Linda Schenck, 1997, The Spring (Springkällan, 1976), translated by Linda Schenck, 1999, Angel House (Änglahuset, 1979), translated by Sarah G. Death, 2002, and A City of Light (En stad av ljus, 1983), translated by Linda Schenck, 2003.
I have already read one of Kerstin Ekman's mysteries, Blackwater (Händelser vid vatten, 1993, translated by Joan Tate, 1996), so I am looking forward to reading this series.
It seems VPL doesn't have all of Ekman's books, although the catalogue entries for this author and her books seem to be particularly untidy, so perhaps I will ask someone there to check again. Otherwise, I will hope that a book seller at Abebooks.com will come to my rescue.
Only two books - both from Vancouver Public Library (VPL) and both historical mysteries. First was The Harper's Quine by Pat McIntosh, from her Gil Cunningham series and set around medieval Glasgow, Scotland in 1492, and second, On The Head of A Pin by Janet Kellough, featuring Thaddeus Lewis, a Methodist Episcopal preacher in Prince Edward County, Upper Canada, 1838 to 1842.
The Harper's Quine was a good read, but I found Pat McIntosh's use of historical dialect awkward and sometimes intrusive. (And there's no glossary.)
I thoroughly enjoyed On The Head of A Pin, however, and want to read more. As a genealogist, I did keeping hoping to read that Preacher Lewis was keeping careful track of the baptisms and marriages he took care of. Not so!
I searched the Vancouver Public Library catalogue at VPL.ca but none of Kellough's other books are in the collection. However, on-line, I see that she has a new book, Sowing Poison, due out this fall (Dundurn Press). I'm hoping that's another Thaddeus Lewis mystery and I'll be watching for that.
I also have Witches' Rings by Kerstin Ekman at home, taken out from the Vancouver Public Library, but I haven't had time to open it yet. This is the first volume in a series about a small Swedish community from the 1870s on. The four books, all available in English, are Witches' Rings (Häxringarna, 1974), translated by Linda Schenck, 1997, The Spring (Springkällan, 1976), translated by Linda Schenck, 1999, Angel House (Änglahuset, 1979), translated by Sarah G. Death, 2002, and A City of Light (En stad av ljus, 1983), translated by Linda Schenck, 2003.
I have already read one of Kerstin Ekman's mysteries, Blackwater (Händelser vid vatten, 1993, translated by Joan Tate, 1996), so I am looking forward to reading this series.
It seems VPL doesn't have all of Ekman's books, although the catalogue entries for this author and her books seem to be particularly untidy, so perhaps I will ask someone there to check again. Otherwise, I will hope that a book seller at Abebooks.com will come to my rescue.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Reading Challenges - 2011
As a BookCrosser, I do participate in a selective number of challenges, and I've hostessed a few myself. Yearly, I'm in the BookCrossing Reduce Mount TBR (To Be Read) and the Keep Them Moving challenges, and the annual Canada Reads challenge.
I was just reading Sherri's Thoughts & Ramblings' 2010 in Review post and her Honorable Mentions for 2010, and noticed she's in Book Chick City's Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2011. Since I always read a LOT of mystery novels (suspense, not so many thrillers), I'm going to participate in that.
Pretty sure I get my mystery reader genes from my dad, as mystery and humour was mostly what he read. Ellery Queen (really cousins Daniel Nathan, alias Frederic Dannay, and Manford (Emanuel) Lepofsky, alias Manfred Bennington Lee) and Rex Stout were among his favourites. Mum read those mysteries too, but liked Agatha Christie and Josephine Tey more. (I read 'em all after Mum and Dad finished.)
I'll pick a favourite mystery read each month to review. The first I've read in 2011 was The Exception by Christian Jungersen. Great novel! Book Chick City has a list of suspense and thriller sub-genres. This would fit into her 'Psychological Thriller' category. (She doesn't have a feminist category. That's something I should write about here.)
I'll be reviewing this and favourite Scandinavian mysteries in general soon, then bookcrossing The Exception later on, releasing it probably at the Lower Mainland (Vancouver BC) BookCrossing Meetup as there are many mystery readers among us there. If you live in Greater Vancouver, do contact us or come to a meetup.
I was just reading Sherri's Thoughts & Ramblings' 2010 in Review post and her Honorable Mentions for 2010, and noticed she's in Book Chick City's Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge 2011. Since I always read a LOT of mystery novels (suspense, not so many thrillers), I'm going to participate in that.
Pretty sure I get my mystery reader genes from my dad, as mystery and humour was mostly what he read. Ellery Queen (really cousins Daniel Nathan, alias Frederic Dannay, and Manford (Emanuel) Lepofsky, alias Manfred Bennington Lee) and Rex Stout were among his favourites. Mum read those mysteries too, but liked Agatha Christie and Josephine Tey more. (I read 'em all after Mum and Dad finished.)
I'll pick a favourite mystery read each month to review. The first I've read in 2011 was The Exception by Christian Jungersen. Great novel! Book Chick City has a list of suspense and thriller sub-genres. This would fit into her 'Psychological Thriller' category. (She doesn't have a feminist category. That's something I should write about here.)
I'll be reviewing this and favourite Scandinavian mysteries in general soon, then bookcrossing The Exception later on, releasing it probably at the Lower Mainland (Vancouver BC) BookCrossing Meetup as there are many mystery readers among us there. If you live in Greater Vancouver, do contact us or come to a meetup.
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