Sisters in Spirit Day: Remembering and Reflecting

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Poster for the Canadian Library Project

As many as 4,000 Indigenous women and girls are believed to have been killed or gone missing in Canada over the past 30 years. Since colonial times, Indigenous women have suffered severe gender-based violence and faced a higher risk of violent crimes due to hatred and racism. The homicide rate for Indigenous women and girls is roughly 4.5 times higher than that of all other women in Canada. The true number of victims is unlikely ever to be known.

On October 4, Sisters in Spirit Day honours the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse People, supports grieving families, and creates opportunities for healing. Led by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and funded by Status of Women Canada, the Sister in Spirit initiative aims to research and document the statistics of violence against Indigenous women in Canada. Through heightened awareness and education the initiative aspires to influence policy.

What is The Canadian Library Project?

The Canadian Library (TCL) is a grassroots art installation and memorial to all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls (MMIWG2S) and Children. The project aims to acknowledge the history and the wrongdoings that have occurred and are still occurring.

The goal is to cover 8,000 books in Indigenous fabric as a testament to the lives lost. Stories that have been gathered from all across Canada are published on the TCL website.

Vaughan Public Libraries is committed to building two Micro Galleries. These galleries will be featured prominently as a testament to MMIWG2S to spark awareness and dialogue. At a future date, Micro Galleries from across Canada will be combined into a massive art installation and placed in a major museum or gallery as a permanent art piece.

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More Food For Nerds

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The cover of Heroes' Feast The Official D&D Cookbook by Kyle Newman

Back in March, I made a post about some of the nerdy cookbooks we have in our collection here at VPL. Since then, we’ve added more, and there were options that I just didn’t mention the first time around. The last time around, I highlighted some books that did a little of everything and a couple that focused on gaming. This time I’ve ended up with two based on shows and one on… kind of a show? More of a personality. But before I launch into the full three-course meal, let’s start with some hours-d’oeuvres, the books that either didn’t make it to me in time or that I just feel need a quick mention.

First up, the one that didn’t make it: Heroes’ Feast, the official Dungeons & Dragons Cookbook. Would I have wanted to make some halfling dishes? Maybe find out what Dragonborn eat? Or try some cuisine eaten by Drow in the Underdark? Whatever I would have made would likely spice up a game night. If you’re a D&D fan, throw a hold on this and roll your percentile dice to see what recipe you should cook from it.

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Coffee Shop Treats for Your Fall Reads

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Is it technically still summer? Yes. Did we only recently come out of a brutal heatwave? Also yes. But these minor inconveniences won’t stand in the way of coffee shops purveying us autumn enjoyers with their fall-flavoured staples. It’s fall in our hearts, and that’s what matters. And what better way to enjoy a seasonal drink than to sip it alongside an excellent read? Below is a list of coffee shop staples paired with a matching book. Of course, my scientific metric for this is purely vibes, but as a connoisseur of café items this makes sense to me. If you need some fall reading inspo, find your favourite beverage below!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Let’s start with the ever-iconic pumpkin spice latte (PSL), undefeated queen of the fall menu items (which other drink gets its own acronym?). Sweet, unchallenging, and universally appealing, I like to think of the PSL as the romantic comedy of the fall beverage lineup. It’s the drink you pickup on the way to an orchard for a wholesome (maybe even romantic?) day of apple picking, or to do a Caitlin Covington-esque autumn photoshoot. With that in mind, PSL lovers will want to check out You, Again by Kate Goldbeck. Luring in fans of both autumn and autumn-flavoured rom-coms a la Meg Ryan’s 90s oeuvre, they slapped a When Harry Met Sally inspired cover on the book and said come get your food! And if that’s not enough, it seems the plot is also a riff on the beloved movie: two people who initially didn’t get along accidentally  reconnect years later, spawning a friendship that just might develop into something more.

Flat White

Not technically a seasonal item, but it has the right spirit. Smooth, minimalist and dark (but not bitter), the flat white is the dark academia of beverages. It’s the drink to carry as you step onto campus–preferably a neo-Gothic one like the University of Toronto–amid the blowing leaves. It will also match perfectly with your neutral-toned plaids and sweater vests. And the perfect book to be reading while tucked into an aesthetic reading nook, sipping on a flat white, is Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, a novel I would also describe as smooth, minimalist, and dark. Like the architect after which it’s named, Piranesi features a labyrinthine “house” with endless rooms, statues, and flooding corridors. The protagonist Piranesi is the house’s caretaker and sole occupant–except when The Other visits. Told in epistolary format, Piranesi is a weird one for sure. But if you stick with it, you’ll unravel a compelling and haunting mystery.

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