Talk out loud

The Canadian Geographic Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada is a rich tool that brings together the voices of First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. Each section features interactive maps, text and a range of topics related to communities from coast to coast to coast. It is a valuable reference publication that can be used across disciplines. Our library has both the print and electronic versions  of the atlas.

" It can be easy to say that our school library learning commons is a safe space, grounded in the principles of equity, social justice and human rights. The reality is that simply saying something out loud does not make it true." (Jennifer Brown, Open Shelf, 2018) Jennifer Brown is a school librarian in the Peel District School Board who writes for the Ontario Library Association online magazine Open Shelf. In the November issue of her regular column It's Elementary , she tackles the question of whether to teach classic novels such as To kill a mockingbird — a novel that continues to generate controversy. I think Jenn is speaking to questions of harm reduction and storytelling ... respecting diverse lived experiences and changing our choices in the classroom, on library shelves and in publications accordingly to promote positive social change.

As of January 1, 2019, the Canadiana collections of archival material, government publications, periodicals, monographs, annuals, and newspapers will be free to access. This is exciting news for researchers interested in/needing to access primary historical sources including newspapers, magazines, government records before Confederation and books such as Peep at the Esquimaux , which I use in my teaching.