This week we are highlighting our growing collection of Playaways… which are pre-loaded digital audio books encased in a palm-sized unit...half the size of a deck of cards, powered by an AAA battery. Playaway is the simplest way to listen to a book on the go. The unit can hold up to eighty hours of HD Audio content. Using clearly marked buttons, Playaway gives listeners the ability to move back and forth between chapters and alter the speed of a narrator’s voice. With Playaway, borrowers can enjoy best-selling content with first-rate digital audio. This format is very accessible to our sight-impaired clients. It has an automatic bookmark feature that remembers where you left off. Additionally, Playaway has a universal headphone jack that works with almost any type of headphone or mobility accessory.

The library currently has over 725 titles on Playaway, including many selections for teens, self-help programs and bestselling adult fiction. Some of our new additions are: “The Game of Thrones”; James...

On Tuesday May 14th, the Big Screen feature at the Victoria Avenue Library will be the 2012 British comedy drama “Quartet “. The film is based on a play with the same title, written by Ronald Harwood, which ran in London’s West End circa 2000. The film premiered in Canada at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2012. Similar to the crowd pleasing “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the film portrays the lives of a group of cultured but aging English characters living out their twilight years

Our stars are together in a home for retired opera singers. Every year, on October 10, there is a concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday and they all take part. When Jean, (who used to be married to Reggie), arrives at the home and disrupts their equilibrium they are faced with re – examining their lives and decisions. Ultimately, the show must go on... and it does. There are two obvious reasons to see this film; it’s the directorial debut of actor Dustin Hoffman and then the cast includes Maggie Smith, Tom...

Now that the weather is improving we are delighted to welcome Win Laar from the Niagara Falls Nature Club on Saturday May 4th to give a brief free presentation on the wonders of the Niagara Glen, including the geology and plant life. Then Sunday morning at 10am the Nature Club is inviting all interested to join them for a hike into the Glen, meeting at the Niagara Glen store. Be sure to dress appropriately. Sturdy footwear is a must.

The natural beauty of the Niagara River and Falls and all along the Niagara Parkway is probably taken for granted most of the time by locals – but it is there to be enjoyed – and its free!

On Tuesday May 7th we will be offering a chance for you to create a beautiful spring accent window box for your home. Debbie from Rainbow Greenhouses will show you how and all materials are supplied for you, along with advice on choosing the right soils and plants. This is a program for adults 18 + and there is a materials fee of $25.00. Don’t delay, space is limited. Call...

We are very fortunate to be able to count the Niagara Glen – a designated Nature Reserve – as one of our local hiking trails. On Saturday, May 4 at 2pm (Victoria Avenue Library), come and experience the Niagara Glen through a presentation by Win Laar from the Niagara Falls Nature Club – free of charge. Learn about the formation of the Niagara Glen, its geology, plants, and some of the activities taking place there. Then take a guided hike on Sunday, May 5 at 10am (meet at the Niagara Glen Store) and see for yourself why the Glen is such an amazing place!

Spring programs are well underway in the children’s departments of all four libraries, but it’s not too late to register for one of our creative Mother’s Day crafts! Call 905-356-8080 for more information.

Looking to spruce up the front of your house and exercise your green thumb? On Tuesday, May 7 at 6:30pm (Victoria Avenue Library), join Debbie Cank from Rainbow Greenhouses for a “Window Box Workshop”. Debbie will share advice on choosing the right container, plant selection and maintenance, soil mixes, and how to sustain plants throughout the season. Participants will leave with a window box of your own and the knowledge to recreate window box plantings on a larger scale at your home. The workshop is open to adults aged 18 and up and the cost is $25 per person. Plants and a window box are included in the cost of the workshop. Payment in advance is required and space is limited....

A busy couple of months of library events and programs wrap up this Sunday with our 2nd annual Book Lovers lunch. At our medium-sized public library, we have seven book discussion groups of approximately one hundred people, facilitated by our staff.

Our members have always been very loyal to the Library and we wanted to celebrate their dedication and all things book-related. Last year, Cathy Marie Buchanan spoke about the wonders of our community through the discussion of her novel, The Day the Falls Stood Still. It was a perfect tribute to both our city and our book club members. In fact, the lunch was so well received by our Book Discussion group members that we have made this an annual event!

This year, we are very pleased to welcome Terry Fallis to the Library. Terry Fallis is the author of three successful and critically acclaimed novels, The Best Laid Plans, The High Road, and Up and Down. His latest novel, Up and Down, is currently shortlisted for the 2013 Stephen Leacock Memorial...