Toronto author Peter Unwin sent us an interesting note about Occupy Toronto this week, which is quoted in full below:
On Saturday I visited the yurt that houses the Occupy Toronto Library where I was donating a copy of my last book, Hard Surface; In Search of the Canadian Road. The young librarians staffing this darkened tent were not accustomed to this sort of thing and demanded of me, suspiciously, "Is it Canadian?" I assured them that it was in fact, very Canadian, and they somewhat reluctantly put the book on the shelves with the rest of them. The shelves, of course, are made up entirely of plastic Sealtest milk crates.
Anyway, I mention this because the Occupy Toronto library is now widely viewed as the finest library in the entire Occupy system. The Occupy New York librarian was up recently and said the Toronto library put the New York library to shame. I find this very encouraging and something that has not yet been observed by the media here.
My own library, the High Park Branch, where I researched and wrote Hard Surface, and nearly all of my other books, is now cutting staff, cutting hours, and reducing book purchases. I find myself wondering how it is that the entire City of Toronto cannot maintain a public library that serves the local community, but that somehow a few kids in tents can do exactly that.
Regardless, book lovers around the world will appreciate this; the Occupy Toronto library is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
I can only trust that when the authorities come to dismantle this library, they will not, of course, burn the books.
Best,
Peter
