School may not be in session for many but there are still plenty of activities to keep kids occupied at your local branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library this September.
Kids’ craft time kicks off this afternoon at the Woss branch from 3-4 p.m., while Port Hardy and Port McNeill will host Mother Goose Story Time Saturday, September 13, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Port Alice will hold its story and activity time on September 18 from 3-4 p.m.
There’s plenty for the grown-ups too, as award-winning author Garth Holden comes to Port Hardy to facilitate a six-week introduction to short story writing for budding authors.
Open to wordsmiths of any skill level, the repeat course will run for six consecutive Saturdays from 2-4 p.m., kicking off September 20. The program, like all the events offered, is free to take part in.
Participants should bring whichever writing medium they are most comfortable with, from laptops to pen and paper.
Holden has won awards at the Surrey International Writer’s Contest, WCDR Competition, and Canadian Tales of the Mysterious competition.
Drop-in attendance is welcome at any session, although pre-registration is preferred at 250-949-6661.
September 18 sees the launch of a six-part discussion series titled Meetings with Remarkable Women.
Presented by Jan Armbrust, the series will shine a spotlight on the struggles and strengths of fascinating female figures, opening with an overview of the subject’s life before opening for a discussion.
“I’m really excited about this one,” said Aileen Selbee, VIRL Community Support Technician. “It’ll be fun.”
The first session, Strength Under Oppression, will look at the life and works of Azar Nafisi.
Nafisi is the New York bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran, a memoir of her experiences living and teaching in the Islamic Republic of Iran, where she formed a women’s reading group to discuss Western literature.
For more information on any of the events, or to pre-register for a program call 250-949-6661.