#Toronto Public Library

[yuveim]

The Toronto Public Library has removed "If I Must Die" by Palestinian writer, poet, professor and activist Refaat Alareer from its display.

If you're an author, writer, academic or reader you can contact TPL to voice your opinion on this decision to censor Palestinian poetry. Who to email here and here.

[petsincollections]

Hallowe'en greeting, ca. 1923

Toronto Public Library Digital Collections

[fuddlyduddly]

hmm should summer media goals be to watch all of Twin Peaks during the 2 weeks I get it from the library?

[intothestacks]

A Toronto Public Library branch removed a poem by a celebrated Palestinian poet killed in an Israeli airstrike in December, following pressure from pro-Israel lobby group B’nai Brith Canada, a move that advocates are calling a clear example of anti-Palestinian racism.

[archivlibrarianist]

The Toronto Public Library (TPL) says sensitive data may have been “exposed” as a result of an ongoing cybersecurity incident that knocked down its website two weeks ago.

[madnessinthemayhem]

In the past 3 months, 3 library systems have been hit with major cyber-attacks that have breached secure databases and completely wiped out the systems’ ability to provide services to the public.

This repeated targeting of public and research libraries is truly insidious. I haven’t seen anyone talking about this, and I have serious concerns about the implications of these events in the near future.

Here I have compiled some surface-level data about the recent cyber-attacks and their repercussions. Please further read up on them if you are a member of any of these libraries, so that you are informed of your next steps and upcoming service closures.

If you are not directly affected, please bring attention to the attacks nonetheless. This trend will pose a serious threat to public access of archives and records, social services, and digital resources if it continues into the new year.

October 28, 2023 - Toronto Public Library Cyber-Attack

- Employee Data Stolen (SINs, Government-Issued IDs, Names, Birthdays, Home Addresses)

- Online Services Unavailable Until January 2024 at the Earliest

October 31, 2023 - British Library Cyber-Attack

- November 27, 2023 - Rhysida Ransomware Group Sells User Data on the Dark Web (e.g. Passport Scans); price set at 20 bitcoin = £596,459

- December 12, 2023 - 2023-2024 Eccles Centre Visiting Fellowship Programme Suspended

- Systems Unavailable for the Foreseeable Future

December 13, 2023 - London Public Library Cyber-Attack

- December 13, 2023 - 3 Branches Closed Until January 2, 2024 (Carson, Glanworth, Lambeth)

- Digital Services Unavailable for the Foreseeable Future

[rayeshistoryhouse]

Postcard from the veranda of the Royal Muskoka Hotel in Muskoka Lakes, Ontario

1910

rayeshistory.com

[marzipanandminutiae]

i really like crimson peak by the way! i don’t enjoy horror, i sometimes get scared just by reading wikipedia summaries of horror movies, but i went to see it in cinemas (alone!) because i love del toro, so i was actually relieved that it turned out to not be a horror. i definitely found it really scary though

That is entirely fair, and I'm glad you like it!

I like some things that fall more clearly under the general Horror umbrella- Mama (2013) comes to mind, if we're focusing on Del Toro, and about half of Cabinet of Curiosities -but I, too, am more likely to see a Gothic than a straight horror movie.

I almost didn't see CPeak- I'm not usually aware of coming attractions unless they breach containment onto my Tumblr dash, because I don't go to the movies often and thus miss a lot of trailers. But some friends saw it and said, "no, you NEED this in your life," so...I went! Alone, just like you. I actually remember the theatre (AMC Times Square) because of its gorgeous old domed ceiling covered in murals.

I also remember leaving afterwards and feeling like I just got hit by a bus full of Seen(TM).

It was a good day.

[rowdy-revenant]

This might be kinda niche but if you're a Hellblazer fan who has had issues finding volumes in stores like I have, check your library! The Hoopla app has high quality digital versions to borrow (with my library at least) and my local library had a good amount in print, including the ones I had been missing!

[muirneach]

the second coolest library is obviously lillian h smith. the third might be high park but only because i like the loft thing above the second floor and their fireplace

[himbosanon]

This randomly passed my dash so apologies to OP for the reblog but I thought it was kind of interesting! My educational background is English Lit, so I've seen this use of expire a lot, it was a pretty common way to say died for many centuries. To me, died and expired mean the same thing depending on context, and it had never occurred to me it might sound weird to a modern ear. That got me wondering whether this was the earliest meaning of the word or whether any predated it, and I did a little etymology deep dive.

Turns out, the use of "expired" as a synonym for died or passed away is one of if not the earliest known meaning of the word. You can see this usage throughout English literature, dating all the way back to the 1400s.

The word comes from the French expirer or 'to breathe out', so in this usage it would be literally to breathe one's last breath, which i think is kind of cool.

I also just enjoy how many different variations on the spelling we got through the years before English was standardized:

So I think OP was disturbed by the use of expired thinking about it in terms of expiration dates on food, which is interesting because in contrast to this much earlier meaning, expiration dates have only existed for about... 50 years maybe? But I'm now wondering if expiration dates played a part in making this a less common usage of expire in the English language.

There's really no point I'm making here I just went on a little journey and figured I'd drag tumblr along with me.

Working part time as a medical assistant while I’m studying and I got a call from this lady who works at an ER and she was like “just wanted to let u know a patient of urs expired—” and I was literally like “… expired?????” like my voice literally cracked on the word like I was SO disturbed and then I kind of recollected myself and was like “I’m sorry can u please repeat the question” back in my customer service voice and there was silence on the other end and then she was like “yes okay so this patient has unfortunately passed away—” like yes exactly we don’t say expired here ab human beings??????

[petsincollections]

A happy Hallowe'en, date unknown

Toronto Public Library Digital Archive

[fuddlyduddly]

obsessed with this poster at my local library

[immaculatasknight]

Erasing a people

[rabbitcruiser]

World Book Day

Some people like to read the biographies of the most influential people in history, like Martin Luther King or Mahatma Ghandi. Some people like novels that send chills down their spines, from goth horror novels like Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” to Stephen King’s epistolary novel, “Carrie”. Some prefer the classics, like “Pride and Prejudice” or the “Old Man and the Sea”.

But regardless of the kind of books you like the most, the indisputable truth is that the world would not be the same without books. Books have been educating and inspiring us for thousands of years, so it should go without saying that World Book Day is a more than a well-deserved holiday.

Books are more than simple pieces of paper with words on them (or, in the case of digital books, a bunch of pixels on a screen). They’re a door into another world, whether that’s one full of fiction and imagination or a factual world that teaches you incredible new things. World Book Day is all about celebrating the wonderful power of books and the joy of reading. It’s especially meant to help encourage a love of reading in children, but people of all ages can recognize and celebrate the day.

World Book Day has a strong connection with schools, and it’s used worldwide to allow school children to engage with reading and their favorite books. It’s not just a day to indulge a love of books, but also a day where children and young people can gain access to books.

History of World Book Day

Books did not always look the way they do today, with their glossy covers and creamy pages. When writing systems were invented in ancient civilizations thousands of years ago, clay tablets were used. Later, humanity moved on to using papyrus. In the 3rd century, the Chinese were the first to make something that resembled today’s books in that they consisted of numerous thick, bamboo pages sewn together. Then, in the mid-15th century, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press brought books into the industrial age, making them readily available to anyone who wanted to read them. It is thanks to than ingenious invention that we are all able to enjoy the works of Shakespeare, Tolstoy and many others in the comfort of our own homes today.

World Book Day was created on April 23rd, 1995, by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The connection between that date and books, however, was made in Spain in 1923, as it is the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, prominent Spanish Chronicler.

There were a few ideas for the day of the year that World Book Day should be held. Originally, Vicente Clavel Andrés, a Valencian writer, suggested that the day should be on a day that honored the author Miguel de Cervantes. This would be either his birthday, October 7, or his death date, April 23. The latter date is the one that was chosen because it was also the date that William Shakespeare died and when Inca Garcilaso de la Vega died too. In fact, several other prominent authors have also died on April 23 – perhaps authors should be wary of this date!

In some countries, World Book Day actually takes place on other days of the year, despite the fact that the international event was created by UNESCO. For example, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Ireland all celebrate their own World Book Day events on a different day. However, the international day has been held on the same day each year since it began in 1995.

World Book Day Timeline

4000 BC

While history is unclear about the exact timing, scrolls are used by well-educated people and act as the predecessors to books.

1st Century AD

More compact and durable than scrolls, codices are developed to make papers easier to handle and travel with, especially when assembled of parchment paper with covers created from wood.

1430s Printing Press is Invented

The earliest mention of a printing press in historical records in Strasbourg, Germany in relation to Johannes Gutenburg.

1582 First Dictionary is Printed

The first English Dictionary is created by Richard Mulcaster.

1923 Booksellers in Spain Celebrate Cervantes

In a nod to Miguel de Cervantes, booksellers in Catalonia instigate a book exchange on April 23, in honor of the famous author’s death.

1971 Books are First Digitized

The first supplier of electronic books, Project Gutenberg begins at the University of Illinois when Michael Hart transcribes a copy of the Declaration of Independence at the University of Illinois in the US. The project continues as a free online library of more than 60,000 eBooks.

1995 World Book Day Inaugural Celebration

The United Nations makes a push toward literacy with World Book Day (also called World Book and Copyright Day). Since Catalonia traditionally celebrates on April 23, the United Nations keeps this date. Incidentally, the day coincides with what is celebrated as the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare.

March 6, 1997 World Book Day Celebrated in UK and Ireland

While most countries celebrate Book Day in April, the UK and Ireland have a tradition of celebrating on the first Thursday in March. It began as Children’s book day, but has continued to foster reading for people of all ages.

2000 World Book Capital City Initiative Starts

This initiative seeks to motivate countries throughout the world to take part. Each year a capital city is chosen to maintain the drive of World Book Day all throughout the year, creating a deeper connection with literacy and publishing. World Book Capital for 2021 is Tbilisi, Georgia.

2011 World Book Night Begins

In an effort to move celebrations of reading into the evening and focus more on adults instead of children, World Book Night starts in the UK.

How to celebrate World Book Day

Passionate book lovers can celebrate World Book Day in a number of ways, and spread the positive ways reading can affect your life. It’s the day when you can put some thought into how to encourage others to read more too, especially if you’re a parent or you work with students. You can read a favorite book and even read it out loud to children, young people, or perhaps some older people who would appreciate someone reading to them.

The absolute best way to celebrate this day would be to find the time to do some reading. Do you have a book you just can’t get around to finishing? Today’s the time to curl up on the couch or a blanket outside with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy every last page.

If you have children, this could be the perfect day to teach them about the joys of reading. In today’s world, we are so flooded with images and videos that we run a very real risk of abandoning reading entirely–why bother if we can just watch a movie? Imagination is a child’s best friend, so make sure you contribute to keeping that little imagination as active as possible. Pick a topic your child is interested in, and spend part of this day exploring the magical world of literature together!

Yet another way to go about celebrating this day would be to get together with some friends for a reading of a book you all love. Hearing someone read aloud sentences you have only ever murmured to yourself could cause you to see them in a whole new way by adding feeling or emphasis of some certain elements. Furthermore, varied interpretations of a book could make for animated discussions about who did what and why they did it.

Whichever way you choose to celebrate World Book Day, make sure it’s an educational experience for you and those you care about. As acclaimed author Alan Bennett once said: “A book is a device to ignite the imagination.” World Book Day is a registered UK charity on a mission to give every child and young person a book of their own. It’s also a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. In fact, it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world.

Unlike some other days started by the UN, there are no themes for World Book Day, so you’re free to think up anything you like to celebrate. You can find various materials and inspiration from UNESCO each year, which will help to inspire you and encourage you to think of some creative ways to celebrate the day. You don’t need to be a teacher or someone who works with children to make this day a fun one, although it is a fantastic way to encourage children to read.

Source

[dreamcatch22]

Here is my latest movie review for Birmingham Public Library. It is about Dream Scenario and all the insanity that unfolds in this movie.