Literacy is an essential skill that we need to have in order to succeed and maneuver through our day to day lives. Many of us read for enjoyment yet also have to read important documents to help accomplish our jobs. According to Literacy.ca, “42% of Canadian adults between the ages of 16 and 65 have low literacy skills”. Here in Liberty Village, we have various resources to help promote, teach and enjoy reading.
Having been around for 30 years, currently located at King and Dufferin, this not for profit organization, Parkdale Read, is a resource centre helping adults learn or improve their literacy skills. The organization is partially funded by the Government of Ontario and also relies on donations. Over the years, they have been able to expand their program offering to also include writing workshops, academic upgrading geared towards people aged 16-29 who didn’t complete high school, and Literacy Through Hip Hop. To donate, volunteer, or learn more, visit Parkdale Read on Facebook, Twitter, or their official website.
Known as the curators and organizers of the annual Toronto Book and Magazine Festival, this not for profit organization works passionately and tirelessly throughout the year to celebrate Canadian writers in their Liberty Village office. Save the date, as the event happens on September 24th, 2017 and will mark the 27th anniversary of the festival. Twenty different literacy organizations exhibit at and many acclaimed and accomplished Canadian writers also take part. The Word on the Street is a proud member of Tourism Toronto. To get involved with the organization, visit them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or their official website.
The Little Free Library program was initially launched in 2009 by Todd Bol in Wisconsin, USA. Inspired by his school teacher mother who loved to read, Bol put books in the mini DIY library and put the sign “Free Books” up. It gained popularity and the attention of Rick Brooks. Together they furthered the concept and grew it into an international initiative. Here in Liberty Village, there are 3 Little Libraries. The first one was started by the Toronto Carpet Factory on their main floor. Many employees stop at it daily and take or leave a book. In the summer of 2016, the kind folks at Liberty Grace Church added two more to the community. One is located at 25 Liberty St, outside the building. The second one is located on the north side of Liberty Village Park, along Lynn Williams. St. Take a minute or two and see the titles available for your enjoyment.
For the more tech savvy individual, they will appreciate that Kobo Books calls Liberty Village home. They are busy creating and improving e-readers. Many of their devices have advanced capabilities such as built in dictionaries, note taking and highlighting abilities and neat features like night time modes. And is should be mentioned that Kobo has a library with millions of titles for readers to select from. The Toronto Public library is compatible with many Kobo e-reader models to allow modern day, digital book borrowing. To learn more about Kobo, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or visit their official website.
In the words of Neil Gaiman, “A good book is a dream that you hold in your hand.” Happy reading Liberty Village, and hopefully we can all find some time or money to donate to allow others the same pleasure.
