Stittsville Library will again be welcoming customers inside for returns and holds pick-up, browsing and use of public computers starting Monday, February 22, 2021. Following all Provincial regulations, the library is only allowing a limited number of people in at one time and masks are mandatory inside and while in a lineup outside. Library materials can be returned at all open branches during hours of operation, but keep in mind that the book drop is closed when the branch is closed. Below are the hours of operation:
- On Monday and Wednesday, the Library opens at 10:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm.
- On Tuesday and Thursday, the Library opens at 1:00 pm and closes at 8:00 pm.
- On Friday and Saturday, the Library opens at 10:00 am and closes at 4:00 pm.
- The Library is closed on Sunday.
With “Canadian Black History in the Making”, Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is celebrating the many contributions of the Black community in Canada for Black History Month, in collaboration with the Ottawa International Writers Festival (OIWF). They invite you to meet two Black authors who not only advocate for success, leadership and self-improvement, but also raise issues of poverty, identity and self-esteem for reflection and discussion. The enriching live discussions take place via Zoom or on Facebook.
The first event is with Rinaldo Walcott on February 22 at 7:30 pm. Join CBC Radio’s Idil Mussa for an in-depth conversation with Rinaldo Walcott for the launch of Walcott’s book pamphlet On Property. The pamphlet is an activists’ genre with roots stretching back several centuries. Walcott’s pamphlet “continues the debate on abolition and the historical unfinished project of abolition for Black people.” Walcott believes the “entire system” of private property ownership must be dismantled: “Black people will not be fully able to breathe — a word I do not use lightly — until property itself is abolished.” Rinaldo Walcott is a Professor in the Women and Gender Studies Institute at the University of Toronto. His research is in the area of Black Diaspora Cultural Studies, gender and sexuality.
Then you can take part in a conversation with Celina Ceasar-Chavannes on February 25 at 7:30 pm. CBC’s Adrian Harewood will be the host and will be discussing her recently published book – Can You Hear Me Now? Both a memoir and a guide to leadership, Celina’s book is a funny, self-aware, poignant, confessional and fierce look at how failing badly and screwing things up completely are truly more powerful lessons in how to live than extraordinary success. Caesar-Chavannes was the first Black person elected to represent the federal riding of Whitby, Ontario.
Starting on February 23rd, the Library is offering cooking classes with an international flair and want to add to your cooking variety. Get those spatulas, knives and cookbooks out for these Zoom sessions!
- Tuesday, February 23, at 7 pm: Cooking class with Spaicy Bazile (Vegan Creole Secrets): What better way to celebrate Black History Month than by exploring Creole cuisine. Spaicy Bazile will surprise and entertain you with some easy – and some spicy – recipes from her cookbook.
March is Nutrition Month, and OPL has called on a few engaging chefs to help to pull you out of your routine with some of their favourite recipes.
- Wednesday, March 3, at 7 pm, take a cooking class with chef Bruce Wood and learn the ins and outs of pasta carbonara.
- Wednesday, March 10, at 7 pm, fans of vegetarian cuisine can take a cooking class with Tara Porter to level up their skills and learn how to make a plant-based warm winter salad bowl.
- Wednesday, March 17, at 7 pm, join us for a one-of-a-kind experience with chef Simon Bell and learn how to make an African peanut stew.
These latest classes in OPL’s Comfort Food series highlight nutrition, taste, affordability and availability of ingredients, all wrapped up in a fun and welcoming virtual event for all.
The Library has also put together a list of cookbooks and nutrition resources to help you on the path to healthy eating. If you miss these sessions, more cooking classes are planned for a later date.
To register for any of the discussions or cooking classes visit BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca. If you have questions for the Stittsville Library Branch, give them a call at 613-580-2940 (OPL’s info service line) or send an email to stittsville@biblioottawalibrary.ca.