Helping me fulfill a lifelong passion

For years, I have wanted to write a novel based on growing up in the 1960s in Toronto. Our chaotic but seemingly perfect family was shattered when my mother died unexpectedly. Playing out in the background, were the constant images of change and upheaval from the late 60s which filtered through the television into our family room. These images and events were the backdrop of my early life, and frame my memory of my mother's death and our family's tragic circumstances.

It's challenging to write a novel heavy on historical research without the tools to make this happen. The Ottawa Public Library, through its Online Resources, provided me access to a number of Canadian historical newspapers (ProQuest), encyclopedias and resources which were available to me at all hours of the day. I don't know if I would have been able to advance the research in my novel if I hadn't been able to log into the Ottawa Public Library at the end of a long work day. Now that I am retired, I have had more time to dedicate to finishing my novel, and strong progress has been made. The end is in sight! The Ottawa Public Library has been a crucial partner in helping me to achieve a lifelong dream.

One of the best resources that the library offers (in my opinion) is Kanopy, which provides access to films, world cinema, and a variety of video courses. It truly is an incredible resource! Since retiring, I have been able to increase my knowledge and understanding of world cinema and films that I had only heard about but was unable to view. Kanopy is like having a university film school at my disposal, and indeed, I've been able to rewatch many of the films I watched in university Film Studies on Kanopy, while discovering many new gems of world cinema. This resource has provided me with a window into new worlds and avenues of creativity and expression, and I highly value it.

Thank you, Ottawa Public Library!