I was honoured to be an Author Host at Toronto Library Foundation’s Biblio Bash at the Toronto Reference Library last week. This year’s annual black-tie event raised $1,070,1000 in support of the Toronto Public Library! Donations from Biblio Bash will be directed to youth programs and partnerships that support the social health and mental wellness of teens across Toronto.
Thinking about donating? Donations are now being doubled until June 13th, 2025 thanks to a matching gift, so it’s a great time to give to Toronto Public Library and make a difference for youth in Toronto. See http://tplfoundation.ca/match.
I was especially thrilled to be included because I had featured the Toronto Reference Library in my most recent solo picture book, I Want To Read ALL The Books. Here is the spread inspired by the interior of TPL’s reference library:
And here’s what the real-life interior looked like after being transformed into the Biblio Bash venue:
And check out my Author Table!
I was blown away not just by the magical transformation of the Toronto Reference Library for this one night, but also by the generosity of those organizing and supporting.
Especially grateful to Lisa Radha Vohra (Director, Collections & Membership Services at Toronto Public Library) for introducing me to people….so many great conversations! I learned a new appreciation of those behind-the-scenes at the Toronto Public Library, how book challenges are handled, and how libraries across Canada access books.
Special thanks to Whitehots for sponsoring my Author Table as well as my tablemates:
- Lisa Vohra – Director, Collections & Membership Services – TPL
- Joanna Culver (Whitehots, Ryan Weisser (Whitehots)
- Russ Culver – (CEO, Whitehots)
- Adam McNellis (Whitehots)
- Diana Weisser – Senior Mgr, Bibliographic Services – TPL
- Matt Abbott – Senior Mgr, Collection Development – TPL
- Dan Atkins – CEO (Guelph Public Library)
- Michelle Campbell – Deputy CEO (Guelph Public Library)
- Todd Kyle – CEO, Brampton Public Library (!!!! MY HOMETOWN LIBRARY, where our parents took us every week!!!!).
THANK YOU to Toronto Library Foundation for inviting me to be an Author Host at Biblio Bash, Toronto Public Library, and to Simon & Schuster Canada.