Programs

Join us for a staff moderated discussion of Nomadland: Surviving America In the 21st Century by Jessica Bruder.

In addition to the print format, the title is available as eAudiobook and eBook through through Toronto Public Library's OverDrive eBooks & eAudiobooks collection.

We will be using Jitsi Meet, an online meeting platform for our book club/book discussion.

No registration is required. Join the discussion on Jitsi at the appointed date/time.

For questions, reminder calls or assistance in getting the title, please email aguay@tpl.ca.

For more information about Jitsi Meet, check out the Getting Started with Jitsi Meet guide.

Please review Jitsi's Privacy Policy.

If you identify as a person with a disability and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

Join us for a staff moderated discussion of Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice.

In addition to the print format, the title is available as Audiobook and eBook through Toronto Public Library's OverDrive eBooks & eAudiobooks collection.

We will be using Jitsi Meet, an online meeting platform for our book club/book discussion.

No registration is required. Join the discussion on Jitsi at https://meet.jit.si/NovNovvcdsweds1900hrs

For questions, reminder calls or assistance in getting the title, please email mrai@tpl.ca.

For more information about Jitsi Meet, check out the Getting Started with Jitsi Meet guide.

Please review Jitsi's Privacy Policy.

If you identify as a person with a disability and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

Join the Reading Challenge-themed discussion all about books at:
https://meet.jit.si/RConlineEvent2024WedThurs

Our hosts will be sharing their recommended books based on the featured challenge categories and asking for yours. Follow along and share your input.

This month's discussion is on a non-fiction book by an Indigenous author AND a book with a long title.

We are using Jitsi Meet, an online meeting platform for our discussion. For more information about Jitsi Meet, check out the Getting Started with Jitsi Meet guide.

Please review Jitsi's Privacy Policy.

For questions, or reminder emails please email readingchallenge@tpl.ca.

For suggestions on titles for reading challenge categories, join Facebook: TPL Reading Challenge and/or check out The Buzz ... About Books and filter for Reading Challenge.

Join the live discussion on Jitsi at the appointed date/time.

For a list of upcoming live discussion dates/times visit our website.

If you identify as a person with a disability or as a person who is Deaf, and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

This monthly book club is hosted virtually by TPL staff and discusses diverse and engaging fiction and non-fiction titles in audio format.

This month's title features "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson.

We will be using Jitsi Meet, an online meeting platform for our book club/book discussion. For more information about Jitsi Meet, check out the Getting Started with Jitsi Meet guide.

Please review Jitsi's Privacy Policy.

No registration is required. Join the discussion on Jitsi at the appointed date/time.

Questions? Please email rkapasi@tpl.ca.

For a list of upcoming dates/titles, visit our website.

If you identify as a person with a disability and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur, leader of the Liberal Jewish Movement of France, shares stories from her new book, an exploration of loss, mourning, and consolation informed by her work caring for the dying and their loved ones. Hosted by Toronto Public Library in Zoom Webinar.

From Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to Elsa Cayat, the psychologist and Charlie Hebdo columnist killed in the 2015 terrorist attack. From Myriam, a New Yorker obsessed with planning her own funeral, to the author’s friend Ariane and her struggle with terminal illness. Horvilleur writes about public figures and ordinary people alike, describing their encounters with death and dying with intelligence, humor, and compassion.

Rabbi Horvilleur speaks with Rabbi Lisa Grushcow (Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Montreal) about Living with Our Dead, a timely, powerful reflection on our relationship to death and an invitation to accept loss and vulnerability as essential and enriching parts of life.

Q&A to follow.

Important information for accessing this live virtual event:

• You must register for a free ticket via Eventbrite to gain access to this event. Tickets available May 2, 2024 at 9:00 AM
• This event will be presented in a Zoom Webinar. Once registered, you will receive reminder emails from both Zoom and Eventbrite with links and instructions to access your unique Zoom Webinar link to watch this event.
• At the time of the event, you must be signed in to Zoom or Eventbrite with the same email address that you used to book your ticket in order to access your unique event link.

About this event’s guests:

Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur

Rabbi Lisa Grushcow

Read more:

Living with Our Dead: On Loss and Consolation

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This event is part of our new Jewish Heritage programming series, presented in partnership with the Miles Nadal JCC.

This series represents the first of two new heritage series, along with Islamic Heritage (coming this fall). These series, alongside our established Black History, Asian Heritage, and Indigenous Celebrations series, aim to showcase the rich tapestry of cultures that make up our city.

By providing a platform for learning, discussion, and celebration, we hope to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the Jewish community's invaluable contributions to our shared history and identity.

Join us in celebrating the diversity that strengthens our community and makes our city a more vibrant and inclusive place for all.

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This event is also part of our signature Salon Series, where we host local and international authors, artists and thinkers in conversation about their new books and big ideas.

This event is possible with the support of the French consulate in Toronto.

Accessibility at Toronto Public Library:

Toronto Public Library is committed to accessibility. Please call or email us if you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation to participate in this program. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request. At least three weeks’ notice is preferred. Phone 416-393-7099 or email accessibleservices@tpl.ca.

This talk discusses the history of Uncle Tom's Cabin and its centuries-long relevance and appeal, as well as the various forms the controversial narrative has assumed.

Presented by Dennis Duffy, retired professor of English from the University of Toronto.

The event is live on Crowdcast. Save your Spot with the link below and receive a reminder, or just tune in on the day of!

Check out the Getting Started with Crowdcast guide.

Please review Crowdcast's Privacy Policy.

This event is part of Toronto Public Library’s Great Books Lecture Series, made possible through a gift from the Ann Thoburn Fund. The lecture series, delivered by academics, explores humanity, diverse views and possibilities on literary titles as they relate to the series’ annual theme. The theme of Toronto Public Library's 2024 Great Books Lecture Series is Books as Battlefields and is curated by Paul Chafe of Toronto Metropolitan University.

Questions? Please email programsproposal@tpl.ca

If you identify as a person with a disability and require an accessibility accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Accessibility Services by email, accessibleservices@tpl.ca, or voicemail, 416-393-7099, to make a request. Please contact us at least three weeks in advance.

Cette présentation mettra en lumière les opportunités pour les francophones qui souhaitent immigrer au Canada. 

Nous aborderons les politiques récentes en matière d'immigration francophone, les programmes spécifiquement conçus pour les francophones, ainsi que les critères d'éligibilité. 

Les participants auront également l'occasion d'en apprendre davantage sur les défis uniques auxquels sont confrontés les francophones immigrés en Ontario, tout en découvrant les ressources et les soutiens disponibles pour faciliter leur arrivée et leur établissement dans la province. 

La présentation est proposée par Me Angela Ogang, LL.B. (Hons.), LL.M., Barrister & Solicitor, Notary Public.

Cet événement sera enregistré et va être disponible en rediffusion via le même lien.

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La Bibliothèque publique de Toronto s'engage à l'accessibilité. Veuillez nous appeler ou nous envoyer un courriel si vous êtes malentendant(e) ou avez un handicap quelconque et souhaitez demander des mesures d'adaptation pour participer à ce programme, veuillez-nous en informer le plus tôt possible et nous ferons de notre mieux pour répondre à votre demande. Un préavis d'au moins trois semaines est préférable. Composez 416-393-7099 ou contactez-nous par courriel accessibleservices@tpl.ca

Journalist and podcast host June Thomas discusses her new book, A Place of Our Own, a deeply researched and highly readable cultural history of queer women’s lives in the second half of the twentieth century, told through six iconic spaces. 

For as long as queer women have existed, they’ve created gathering grounds where they can be themselves. From the intimate darkness of the lesbian bar to the sweaty camaraderie of the softball field, these spaces aren’t a luxury—they’re a necessity for queer women defining their identities. A Place of Our Own invites readers into six iconic lesbian spaces over the course of the last sixty years, including the rural commune, the sex toy boutique, the vacation spot, and the feminist bookstore.

Author June Thomas speaks with writer, broadcaster, and community animator Jane Farrow about about the business owners, entrepreneurs, activists, and dreamers who shaped the long struggle for queer liberation, and what is gained and lost in the shift from the exclusive, tight-knit women’s spaces of the ’70s toward today’s more inclusive yet more diffuse LGBTQ+ communities.

Ticket registration for this event is required: Free tickets for this event will be available to book via Eventbrite beginning on May 15 at 9:00am ET.

Important information for accessing this live virtual event:

• You must register for a free ticket via Eventbrite to gain access to this event.
• This event will be presented in a Zoom Webinar. Once registered, you will receive reminder emails from both Zoom and Eventbrite with links and instructions to access your unique Zoom Webinar link to watch this event.
• At the time of the event, you must be signed in to Zoom or Eventbrite with the same email address that you used to book your ticket in order to access your unique event link.

About this event’s guests:

June Thomas

Jane Farrow

Read more:

A Place of Our Own

***

This event is part of our signature Salon Series, where we host local and international authors, artists and thinkers in conversation about their new books and big ideas.

***

Accessibility at Toronto Public Library:

Toronto Public Library is committed to accessibility. Please call or email us if you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation to participate in this program. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request. At least three weeks’ notice is preferred. Phone 416-393-7099 or email accessibleservices@tpl.ca.

A thought-provoking online screening of The Books He Didn't Burn, a compelling documentary that delves into the mind of one of Adolf Hitler. Renowned historian Timothy W. Ryback takes us on a journey through Hitler's private collection of over 16,000 books, shedding light on the ideas and influences that shaped the dictator's worldview.

Narrated by acclaimed actor Jeremy Irons, this film challenges the notion that social and economic factors alone gave rise to Nazism. Through meticulous analysis of Hitler's vast library, Ryback uncovers the disturbing truth that much of the antisemitic rhetoric and eugenicist thinking was already in circulation long before the 1930s, and continues to influence right-wing extremists to this day.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain original insights into the mind of Hitler and the ideas that shaped one of the darkest chapters in human history.

This online screening is a collaboration with the Toronto Jewish Film Festival (running online and in-person, May 30-June 9). TPL has made a limited number of spaces available to screen this film free to TPL customers, so don't miss your chance to view it for free. 

How to Watch: The Books He Didn't Burn will be available online for 48 hours starting on Friday, June 7. Please click this link to access the film and enter this code at checkout (free to TPL customers): TPL@TJFF

Read more:

Timothy W. Ryback: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power

Timothy W. Ryback: Hitler's First Victims: The Quest for Justice

***

This event is part of our new Jewish Heritage programming series, presented in partnership with the Miles Nadal JCC.

This series represents the first of two new heritage series, along with Islamic Heritage (coming this fall). These series, alongside our established Black History, Asian Heritage, and Indigenous Celebrations series, aim to showcase the rich tapestry of cultures that make up our city.

By providing a platform for learning, discussion, and celebration, we hope to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the Jewish community's invaluable contributions to our shared history and identity.

Join us in celebrating the diversity that strengthens our community and makes our city a more vibrant and inclusive place for all.

***

Accessibility at Toronto Public Library:

Toronto Public Library is committed to accessibility. Please call or email us if you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation to participate in this program. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request. At least three weeks’ notice is preferred. Phone 416-393-7099 or email accessibleservices@tpl.ca.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand discusses her new book, Swan Song, bringing her Nantucket novels to a brilliant finish.

Chief of Police Ed Kapenash is about to retire. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce. But when a 22-million-dollar summer home is purchased by the mysterious Richardsons—how did they make their money, exactly?—Ed, Sharon, and everyone in the community are swept up in high drama. The Richardsons throw lavish parties, flirt with multiple locals, flaunt their wealth with not one but two yachts, and raise impossible hopes of everyone they meet. When their house burns to the ground and their most essential employee goes missing, the entire island is up in arms.

Elin Hilderbrand speaks with entertainment journalist Johanna Schneller about Swan Song, a propulsive medley of glittering gatherings, sun-soaked drama, wisdom and heart.

Important information for accessing this live virtual event:

You must register for a free ticket via Eventbrite to gain access to this event. Space is limited.

This event will be presented in a Zoom Webinar. Once registered, you will receive reminder emails from both Zoom and Eventbrite with links and instructions to access your unique Zoom Webinar link to watch this event.

At the time of the event, you must be signed in to Zoom or Eventbrite with the same email address that you used to book your ticket in order to access your unique event link. Unique event links can only be open on one device at a time.

About this event’s guests:

Elin Hilderbrand

Johanna Schneller

Read more:

Swan Song

The Castaways

The Five-Star Weekend

The Hotel Nantucket

***

This event is part of our signature Salon Series, where we host local and international authors, artists and thinkers in conversation about their new books and big ideas.

***

Accessibility at Toronto Public Library:

Toronto Public Library is committed to accessibility. Please call or email us if you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation to participate in this program. Please let us know as far in advance as possible and we will do our best to meet your request. At least three weeks’ notice is preferred. Phone 416-393-7099 or email accessibleservices@tpl.ca.