Our final book club sessions before the summer break!

Come join us the 4th Thursday of every month for lively discussion on a variety of English-language books. Everything from non-fiction to fantasy to gentle reads, there's something for everyone - and you may find a new genre that appeals to you!

When you register, we will reserve a copy of the book for you - no need to place a hold, unless you would like to enjoy the book in a different format.

For June, we'll be having a BYOB party... Bring Your Own Book Party, that is! Whether it be an old favourite, or something new and amazing that recently crossed your path, we want to see what you recommend everyone should read and hear why you loved it. A list of the recommended titles will appear on the website after the event.

In partnership with the National Arts Centre (NAC), the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is hosting an Indigenous Book Club for National Indigenous History Month featuring book of essays Making Love with the Land. On June 11 at 7pm, join us for this conversation with author Joshua Whitehead (Oji-Cree - Peguis First Nation) to discuss the book and connect directly with the author and other readers.

Borrow a copy today: Making Love With the Land | Ottawa Public Library | BiblioCommons

About the Book
Making Love with the Land is a startling, challenging, uncompromising look at what it means to live as an Indigenous person “in the rupture” between identities. In these ten unique, heart-piercing non-fiction pieces, award-winning writer Joshua Whitehead illuminates the com­plex moment we’re living through now, in which Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are navigating new and old ideas about “the land.” He asks: What is our relationship and responsi­bility towards it? And how has the land shaped ideas, histories, words, our very bodies?

About the Author
Joshua Whitehead (he/him) is a Two-Spirit, Oji-nêhiyaw member of Peguis First Nation (Treaty 1). He is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary where he is housed in the departments of English and International Indigenous Studies (Treaty 7).

He is the author of full-metal indigiqueer (Talonbooks 2017) which was shortlisted for the inaugural Indigenous Voices Award and the Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry. He is also the author of Jonny Appleseed (Arsenal Pulp Press 2018) which was long listed for the Giller Prize, shortlisted for the Indigenous Voices Award, the Governor General's Literary Award, the Amazon Canada First Novel Award, the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award, and won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction, the Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction and Canada Reads 2021. Whitehead is the editor of Love after the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction, which won the Lambda Award in 2021.

This is a hybrid event: the program is in-person, but will be streamed live: https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/36739. A recording of the event will be provided on the OPL YouTube page afterwards.

Registration is for the in-person portion of the event- Registration required. This event is free but seating is limited.

Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in Ireland? Are you interested in having a penpal abroad? If so then this program is for you! Please join us on Saturday May 4 or Saturday May 11 at 11:30 (30 min) in the meeting room to be matched with an Irish penpal and to create a letter! 

Please note: Communications will be sent and received strictly through the library address. All letters will be monitored by library staff to ensure certain guidelines are followed in terms of appropriate language, content and to ensure that personally identifiable information is not shared. 

Ages 8-13

Wear your pajamas, bring along your favourite stuffie, and come get cozy with us! Stories, rhymes, and songs for children of all ages and parents or caregivers.Drop-in program