May 2021

June is Pride Month
What is Pride Month?
June is Pride month, which commemorates the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion and aims to increase awareness of LGBTQ+ history, identity and community. For even more Pride events and activities, visit our friends at the County of Brant for more local info!
 
Safe Spaces 101 and LGBTQS+ Trivia Night
Wednesday, June 9 at 7:00 pm
As part of Brantford and the County of Brant's 2021 Pride Month celebrations, The Bridge will be offering a Safer Spaces 101 information session. If your friend, family member, or anyone you care about is LGBTQ2S+ and you would like to learn more about how you can be supportive or if you are someone who is looking to be more inclusive in your personal or professional life then this training is for you! In addition to the training you will be able to test your LGBTQ2S+ knowledge with Pride trivia. All are welcome!
 
 
Kids Create Kits
During the month of June visit any one of our branches during curbside pickup hours to grab your free Pride-themed craft kit. Two kits will be available, while supplies last:
  • Make a Pride flag with yarn donated by our friends at Mary Maxim!
  • Make a tissue paper rainbow!
 
Pride Reading List
Looking for a good book? Check out our Reading Suggestions page for our updated list of Top 50 LGBTQS+ titles you can borrow now. Want more suggestions? Just ask! We love nothing more than talking about our book recommendations! 
 
Call and Connect
A new program for seniors
Free phone-based programs for seniors! 
Sign up for telephone chats with other seniors on a wide range of topics. Learn from experts, get a free take-home kit, and meet new people. All you need is your telephone!
 
Program information
Participants bring home a kit on each month's topic of discussion. Two telephone-based chats take place each month. Enjoy a laid back discussion with experts in the field and your neighbours.
 
Upcoming topics:
  • June 2021 - Bird Watching
  • July 2021 - Health and Wellness
  • August 2021 - Writing
  • September 2021 - Cooking
  • October 2021 - Genealogy
  • November 2021 - Crafting
  • January 2022 - Games
  • February 2022 - Gardening
Registration information
The series of programs is free. Spots are limited and registration with a free County of Brant Library card is required. Register using the links above or call the Paris Branch at 519-442-2433.
This program is made possible by funding received from the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).
 
 
TD Summer Reading Club
Summer Reading Kick-Off is Tuesday, June 29
It's our favourite time of year -- Summer Reading Club time! Register your child for our most popular annual summer program which encourages your child to keep reading while they earn online badges and other prizes.
 
Did You Know?
Studies show that summer reading helps STOP summer slide (the loss of skills during the time when students are not in school). Summer reading improves kids' reading skills, and our new online tracking will help them stay motivated along the way!
 
 
Featured June Programs
Spring Fun for Kids
 
June 4 at 11:00 am
Staycation Series
 
Tuesdays in June at 7:00 pm
Virtual Book Club
 
June 29 at 2:00 pm
Save the Evidence presented by the Woodland Cultural Centre
Wednesday, June 2 at 7:00 pm
 
June is National Indigenous History Month
 
This presentation will discuss the history of the Mohawk Institute Residential School, the mandate and history of the Woodland Cultural Centre, and the Save the Evidence Campaign. Don't miss this educational and informative session.
 

Kids Create Kits 
 
June celebrates Pride!
Writing Club
 
June 9 at 7:00 PM
Art Workshops
 
June 16 & 30 at 9:00 AM
 
Thursday Night Trivia
brantlibrary.ca/trivianight 
 
Early Literacy Activity Calendar
brantlibrary.ca/kidscreate 

Stream at Home - TumbleBooks
 
Create a storybook playlist to keep the kids occupied!

Did you know that you can create playlists of educational and entertaining storybooks with TumbleBooks? The TumblePlayer allows you to build a list which you can play one after another -- perfect for story time!  Go and take that break, Mom. These animated storybooks will entertain while teaching your children to read. 
 
 
Try Something New
Borrow a Physical Literacy Backpack
Running out of things to do in the backyard? We can help. Borrow one of our Physical Literacy Backpacks. Each backpack contains a soccer ball, a skipping rope, a frisbee, a red white and blue sponge rubber ball, and a copy of Eric Carle's book "From Head to Toe" in board book format.
 
Staff Book Reviews
Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini
Historical Fiction
Reviewed by Sharon (Paris Branch)
 
"This historical novel highlights the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. 
 
"Mary’s attempt at suicide led her only surviving son to have her committed to an insane asylum. Her four sisters have to come together to decide whether Mary is insane or was this a desperate act due to trauma and loss. 
 
"The story provides an inside glimpse into the life of Mary, depicting her eccentric behaviour and how her sisters must come together to defend her.
 
"An enjoyable novel, depicting Mary’s life with Lincoln, her only son, and her sisters. Also provides history of the American Civil War and Lincoln’s assassination in 1865."
 
Available in Hardcover.
Collection Spotlight: Betty's Biblio Picks
Hi, I'm Betty...
 
June: the beginning of wedding season. Even in these strange times love triumphs and people plan their forever-afters. In honour of all couples everywhere I am looking at Biblioboard romance novels this month.

There are an incredible number of romance novels on this site. Besides traditional romance you will find historical romance, supernatural romance, LBGTQ romance, and vampire romance. Heat levels range from chaste kisses to suggestive to very (very) descriptive. Here are a few that I tackled.
 
Above All, a Heart of the Adirondacks novel by Rebecca Brooks. (2018)
Casey, an aspiring artist and PHD candidate, flees NYC after a breakup with her long-time partner. She lands at a campground in the Adirondacks run by an elderly gentleman and his wife who take her under their wing, allowing her to live in one of their cottages year round as she manages their vacation property. Ben, a hot, much younger budding chef from Brooklyn, arrives at the campground for a weekend with his college friends and soon the sparks fly. Much of the tension arises from Ben’s inability to go against his parent’s wishes when he leaves college. While romance novels aren’t famous for their literary quality, I was pleased to note that Casey and Ben were developed beyond one dimension, even some of those secondary characters who populate the outer edges of the story have a back story. The scenic beauty of the Adirondacks features heavily in this novel, once again adding some depth to the tale. As for the heat monitor, there is one passage that is very descriptive but the rest was tamer, but still hot enough for those seeking a bit of a thrill. At 29 chapters, this book is a full-length novel and I read it to the end. Brooks has written a full series of books in her Heart of the Adirondacks series.
 
Act Like We’re in Love by Christi Barth. (2016)
Linnea is an actress/singer working at her family’s dinner theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her biggest rule when it comes to men is to never, never, never date an actor. As a marketing ploy her father, Kurt, secretly signs one of Hollywood’s hottest actors, the womanizing Luke Powell, to play the lead male role opposite his daughter in Guys and Dolls. I’m sure it will come as no surprise to learn that Linnea reneges on her long held vow when the sparks fly. Not only do Linnea and Luke hook up, but her best friend, Ingrid, and his, Wes, also mix it up. This is an entirely predictable story line and all the characters are as flat as a pancake. The only interesting character is an octogenarian box office manager named Irma. All we learn about Minneapolis is that they have large mosquitos and very humid summers, although Barth briefly mentions a park with some interesting public art. This is also a full-length novel and I certainly struggled to finish it.

 
After the Gold by Racheline Maltese and Erin McRae. (2018)
Katie and Brendan, long time champion figure skating partners, have opted to retire from competitive skating career following a number of world championships and an Olympic gold medal. Except for a very brief fling that ended badly and cost them their first attempt at an Olympic medal, their chemistry was always relegated to the rink, even after the start of their cross-country exhibition tour. It isn’t long before Katie realizes she wants to return to the farm she grew up on and Brendan must convince her she belongs with him. The scenes describing competitive figure skating ring true to this reader, although I know nothing at all about the sport. I admit that I haven’t finished the book, yet, but the authors have developed the story from both points of view and have shown the peculiar type of relationship that develops between two people who have grown up together and are comfortable with a certain amount of physical intimacy due to sport. Even though, for me, romance novels are light summer reading it is pleasant to actually feel that I learned something from one.
 

Featured Online Course
Listen to Your Heart and Success Will Follow
Session start dates: June 16, July 14, and August 18
 
Feeling burned out and thinking it's time to make a job change? This course will help you enjoy the rewards that come from doing what really makes you happy! It will help you begin designing a life that really works for you.
 
With a complete understanding of your own interests, values, needs and abilities, you'll learn how you can use work to express yourself and share your interests and talents. Your every day will be filled with joy and inspiration, and a greater depth of meaning will be added to everything you do. This course is skillfully crafted to weave experiential learning with the conceptual presentation, giving you time to experience, understand, and implement each new strategy as it is introduced.
 
 
Check out our YouTube Channel!
There's something for everyone on the County of Brant Public Library's YouTube channel! 
  • Virtual story times
  • Sing-alongs
  • DIY craft videos
  • Gardening tutorials
  • How-to videos
  • Mindfulness practices
... and so much more!
 

County of Brant Public Library
12 William Street
Paris, Ontario N3L 1K7
519-442-2433
www.brantlibrary.ca