Lambton’s library system has signed on with a consortium hosting talks by bestselling authors, letting library cardholders access the livestreams.
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And the library is kicking off Author Talk program access, with the Library Speakers Consortium, with a Feb. 8 pre-party at Sarnia Library Theater at 7 pm, followed by a screening of romance author Tessa Bailey’s Spice, Spirit, and Swoon livestream at 8.
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“It just seemed like the perfect opportunity,” the library system’s Adrianne Lebert said of the Valentine’s Day-themed Galentine’s Night Out event featuring candy, valentine’s card-making, a draw for a dozen roses and taking romance novel cover-inspired photos in front of the library’s green screen.
Bailey, whose books include It Happened One Summer, Hook, Line and Sinker, and Fangirl Down, is “such a hit with our bosses,” Lebert said.
Typically, the consortium offers two to three talks by different authors each month, on a wide array of fiction and non-fiction topics, she said.
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Others in February include Jason Mott’s Exploring Identity, Love and Being Black in America in Fiction Writing on Feb. 20, and Kim Scott’s Keing a “Kick-ass” Boss Without Losing Your Humanity on Feb. 28.
It costs the library about US$3,500 a year to subscribe, giving access to 30 or so new talks annually, plus recordings of past episodes dating back to July 2022, which have included actor John Stamos and guidebook author Rick Steeves, Lebert said.
“Being able to have access to these bestselling authors (and) knowing that they would be of interest to our bosses was a big driver,” in signing up, she said, noting the consortium books and shares access big-name author talks that would be difficult for libraries to land on their own.
There are no plans for ongoing library theater events in tandem with the talks, but some branches may hold watch parties, Lebert said. “Book clubs that are hosted at some of our other branches might be interested in hearing a specific author talk.”
For details, including how to register, visit libraryc.org/llibrary.
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