I write this during the short pause between summer and fall programming. I hope you also have time to pause before life speeds up in the fall. Library staff is using the time to prepare an informative and diverse range of offerings in September. All our regular baby, pre-school, child and teen programs return this month with the addition of an introductory ukulele course.

 

The entire family is the focus of the upcoming workshop, “Digital Families: Navigating Screentime for All Ages.” Join Megan, our Makerspace Facilitator, on September 27 to learn how the human brain (and especially the developing brain) interacts with screens, how our favourite apps become addictive, and how to adopt strategies for developing healthy relationship with screens.

 

We shift our focus from screens to the natural world with the first of three in-person talks by Dr. Adam Martin, Assistant Professor of Global Environmental Change at the University of Toronto. The “Changing World” series starts with Dr. Martin’s look at the causes of climate change on September 27. This series is for anyone (of any age) interested in the environment and climate change.

 

We’re also excited about another in-person event this month. The first “Between the Stacks” speed dating event was very successful and this month’s (for 60 to 70 year olds) still has spaces remaining for men. Speed dating is a fun way to meet a variety of people through a series of five-minute, one-on-one chats. In case you’re wondering why a library would offer this program, it’s one of the ways we’re fulfilling our second strategic direction, “Build Community” and more specifically, direction 2.2 “provide leadership, coordination and collaboration to support the mental and physical health of residents”.

 

We hope you can attend one or more of our September programs as well as read titles from our First Nations/Metis/Inuit (FNMI) collection to mark the national Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th.