Black History Month

February is a busy month.  We are a week into Black History Month and heading towards Freedom to Read Week.  I want you to take just a few minutes to reflect that unfortunately, this is not just history.  Even today, there is a need for each of us to consider our role and responsibilities in this area.  There are displays of books here at the Library Learning Commons.  In the Read More …

Black Excellence Day

Today in Burnaby schools we are celebrating Black Excellence Day.  This is an opportunity to learn about “Black history … Black stories, Black art and Black people, and a day to stand in solidarity with Black Canadians”.  What do you know about the contributions Black Canadians have made to our country and the ongoing struggles they continue to face?  We are so grateful that our School District is providing time Read More …

BMSS’s Own Published Author

We have a newly arrived book in our library, authored by our own grade 9 student, Cara.  Like many others, Cara sometimes found learning online during Covid tiring and frustrating.  Her story, Rainbow Puppy Daycare, came out of that experience.  When she needed breaks, she would make up stories about her favourite things – rainbows, unicorns, and her EA’s dogs.  Mr. Laroque, her EA, helped her develop these into the Read More …

Autumn

has arrived! After maybe the longest ever summer, autumn arrived this week.  We’ve already had a few cool mornings, but the sun has been shining everyday and it’s usually been really warm walking home after school.  But now the rain has come, and with it, that cold to your bones feeling.  While I don’t like the cold, I do like woolly clothes.  And we really need the rain.  The changes Read More …

Day for Truth & Reconciliation

This week we are taking time to stop and consider what Truth & Reconciliation means and why it is important.  What are truth and reconciliation?  What do they have to do with me?  Why wear an orange shirt?  These are all important questions and each one of us needs to contemplate our own role.  When it feels too big, too difficult, think on these words of Lee Maracle, a local Read More …

Happy New Year!

Another new school year has begun.  The sun is still shining but it’s chilly in the mornings as I walk to school.  As I was considering what to do for my first book display, I thought about the books I love and how I like to share them with others.  So… Ms. Griffith and I pulled some of the Books We’ve Read; We’ve Loved & [have] Given Us Joy.  What Read More …

Booksellers and Libraries

This Saturday was Independent Booksellers Day and I went over to one of my favourite, Iron Dog Books.  This is a small, but busy, bookstore.  The owners started with a bus, but now have this great little shop on Hastings.  I have other favourites as well.  Over in North Van, Edgemont Village, a great little community, is bookended by 2 stores; on the north end, 32 Books, and at the Read More …

Challenged & Banned Books

April is Literacy Month here at Burnaby Mountain.  While we’ll be saving the school-wide celebrating for April 11 – 14, here in the Library Learning Commons, we’re going to make a full month of it.  So we’re starting with a week that encourages you to think about your Freedom to Read. Books can take us to different times, different places, just … different.  Sometimes we see our own lives in Read More …