Open Book for Libraries: April 2026

Open book for libraries

In this issue:

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Letter from CELA's Executive Director

One of our goals at CELA is to provide books to people with print disabilities so that everyone can participate in our national conversations, like the ones surrounding this month’s Canada Reads, One eRead Canada, Hackmatack and the Forest of Reading. We are delighted to see so much participation by our users in these programs and we appreciate their support of accessible reading materials.

The aspect of choice, and inclusion, has been a key theme in our strategic planning discussions. We’ve recently completed the next phase of the process with staff and our Board taking part in important conversations based on the feedback we received from everyone who took part in our survey and focus groups. We are looking forward to sharing the completed plan with our users and member libraries later this summer.

As the season of conferences wraps up, we are so pleased to have been able to attend library conferences like BCLA as well as conferences for the learning disabilities community including ASET and IDA. We are grateful for the opportunity to meet and chat with folks who use and promote our services. One of our final conferences, the Marigold Library System conference will give us the opportunity to present the TD Summer Reading Club Accessibility Award to a library which did outstanding work in creating welcoming and inclusive programming for their reading club last year. It’s always an honour to be able to recognize the hard work and dedication of our member libraries.

If you are interested in learning more about what we are doing, come follow us on Instagram. We’re featuring lots of books, along with information about CELA’s services. And we would love it if you would share and help us spread the word!

Happy reading!

Laurie Davidson, Executive Director

Awards update

Book cover Wellwater by Karen Solie.Congratulations to Canadian poet Karen Solie who won the $239K Windham-Campbell Prize. 
Read her work in the CELA collection.

The BC and Yukon Book prize has named their shortlisted titles. The winners will be announce in September.

And the Crime Writers of Canada announced their selections for their Awards of Excellence. The list includes some of the usual suspects including Louise Penny for The Black Wolf, The Tiger and the Cosmonaut by Eddy Boudel Tan, Jen Sookfong Lee for The Hunger We Pass Down. The Awards of Excellence encompass eight categories so there is something for everyone.

The Festival of Literary Diversity

Logo for the Festival of Literary Diversity.The Festival of Literary Diversity (The FOLD) is currently underway with in-person and virtual events from April 26 to May 3.

Designed specifically to amply voices which may not always get the attention they deserve, including people with disabilities, The FOLD includes both in-person and online programming. Check out the schedule and the many books from featured authors or presentations available in accessible formats.

Canada Reads Winner Announced

The five Canada Read debaters stand together holding their selected book.Congratulations to Loghan Paylor, whose book The Cure for Drowning won the 2026 Canada Reads Battle of the Books contest. If you loved this book we have two suggestions for others you may like: 

If you missed this year's debates, you can listen to them through the CBC Canada Reads podcasts, on Apple podcasts or on Spotify. And if the debates inspired you, here is the shortlist of this year's contenders. 

Reading in the News: Tips from professional bookworms

Whether it's a lack of time or a dwindling attention span, or a bit of both, you may not be reading as much as you like. The Globe and Mail recently interviewed some avid readers and professional bookworms who shared how they make time to read in a world filled with so much distraction.

Books or Movies First?

A bag of movie theatre popcorn.Some popular books are headed to the big or small screen in the coming months.

Whether you are a purist who must read the book first, or a film fan happy to read the book later, we've got the books behind the upcoming adaptations. Get the popcorn ready!

If you are quick, you may still be able to catch the adaptation of Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary in the theatres.

Margaret Atwood's The Testaments is already airing as a 10 episode series on Hulu, which can be accessed on Disney+.

Canada's own Carley Fortune will see two of her books make the leap to the screen. Every Summer After renamed Every Year After will debut this summer on Amazon Prime and This Summer Will Be Different is currently in development. 

Verity by Colleen Hoover will be adapted for the big screen and feature Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry debuted in January as a film on Netflix with Emily Bader and Tom Blyth starring as Poppy and Alex.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is scheduled to debut on Netflix in early May with Sally Fields in the lead role.  

Reading for Truth and Reconciliation

Cover of Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.This month's pick is Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead
by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.

Acclaimed Nishnaabeg writer Leanne Betasamosake Simpson takes a revolutionary look at that most elemental force, water, and suggests a powerful path for the future. For many years, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson has found refuge in skiing—in all kinds of weather across different forms of terrain, often following the trail beside a beloved creek near her home. 

Recently, as she skimmed along this path and meditated on our world's uncertainty—including environmental devastation, the rise of authoritarianism, and the effects of ongoing social injustice—her mind turned to the ice beside her, and the snow beneath her feet. And she asked herself what might it mean to truly listen to water? To know not only the land on which we live, but the water that surrounds and inhabits us? To coexist with and alongside water?

So begins this renowned writer's quest to discover, understand, and trace the historical and cultural interactions of Indigenous peoples with water in all its forms. On her journey, she reflects on the teachings, traditions, stories, and creative work of others in her community—particularly those of her longtime friend Doug Williams, an Elder whose presence suffuses these pages; reads deeply the words of thinkers from other communities whose writing expands her own; and begins to shape a "Theory of Water" that reimagines relationships among all beings and life-forces.

In this essential and inventive work, Simpson artfully weaves Nishnaabeg stories with her own thought and lived experience—and offers a vision of water as a catalyst for transformation, today and into our shared future.

Available in audio and braille.

Books to promote at your library

a megaphone.Are you looking to promote some new accessible titles in your newsletters, social media feeds, or as part of an in-branch display?

Download the list of promotable titles and share it with your communications team.

Find the new list​, updated monthly and featuring links to new books in our collection, on our For Libraries page.

Upcoming Conferences 

a crowd listening to a speaker at a conference.Our Peer Trainer and unofficial accessible tech expert Ioana Gandrabur is presenting at the upcoming "Digital Odyssey Human in the System: Libraries Navigating AI Together" conference. 

Ioana's presentation, AI and Accessibility: A Love-Hate Relationship, is part of a lightning round. 

The OLA event runs on online on June 8, 2026 and some sessions are available on demand. 

 

Getting Ready for Summer Reading Clubs

Are you busy planning inclusive and accessible programming for your summer reading club?  We’ve got some resources to help.

• Check out the TDSRC Plan for Accessibility where you will find lots of resources including the slides from the recent Accessibility Webinar. The video recording will be available soon.

• Visit AccessibleLibraries.ca programming page for ideas and resources to help create accessible programming.

• BC's Club has both an Accessibility Toolkit and an Inclusion and Accessibility page with lots of ideas.

Take time to document your efforts and apply for the TDSRC Accessibility Award in the fall. The prize can be used to support future accessible programming in your library.

Webinars

Are there topics related to accessibility that you would like to see included in our webinars? We regularly update our content and always appreciate hearing ideas from library staff. Send your suggestions to members@celalibrary.ca.

Accessing CELA using a Victor Stratus DAISY Player

Do you own a Humanware Victor Reader Stratus 4M or the new Stratus 2? Were you receiving books on CD and want to continue using the Stratus for CELA content? Are you considering getting the Stratus to access reading materials from CELA? Join us for this hour-long webinar about how this versatile device lets you read CELA’s books and magazines in audio and e-text formats. This webinar is for new Victor Stratus users or those interested in learning new ways of using this player. By attending this webinar, you will learn about:

  • General features of the Victor Stratus, and what’s new with the latest model
  • Configuring the device for use with CELA
  • How to navigate and manage your Direct to Player bookshelf
  • Reading a title and playback options
  • How to find help in using the Victor Stratus with CELA

To register for the online Zoom webinar please select the link below and fill in the registration form. To attend by phone, please call the Contact Centre at 1-855-655-2273.

Tuesday May 12 2:00-3:00pm EDT

How to transfer CELA materials to various devices

Do you have library patrons who need support transferring CELA books and magazines to their devices? Or want to learn how to transfer CELA materials onto library-owned devices so you can loan them out to eligible patrons? Join us for a live 60 minute workshop to guide you through the process of transferring books and magazines from CELA onto different devices.

To register for this workshop select the link below:

Tues June 2 2:00-3:00pm EDT

Decolonize Reading: Promote Accessibility

How can libraries better support Indigenous patrons with print disabilities? This library chat session brings together Indigenous knowledge and accessibility to answer that question. Danielle Big Canoe Snake of Chippewas of Rama will share perspectives on the intersection of Indigenous identity, disability, and colonization. Cora Payne, Outreach Manager for CELA, and Andrea Blake, Outreach Assistant will join Danielle in this conversation. This session will highlight both the cultural importance of accessibility and practical tools libraries can use to decolonize their approach to disability and reading.

Learning objectives:

  • Describe how colonization has shaped current perceptions of disability and how these differ from traditional Indigenous understandings.
  • Identify practical ways your library can provide accessible reading options to Indigenous patrons with print disabilities.
  • Apply culturally respectful practices to promote reconciliation through library services and collections that include Indigenous perspectives and accessible formats.

To register for this session select the link below:

Wednesday June 10 1:00-2:00pm EDT

Client Access Support webinar

Join us for this webinar describing CELA’s Client Access Support program. The Client Access Support program is designed for professionals who require access to CELA's collection in order to assist individuals with print disabilities. This would include recreational and rehabilitation therapists, private tutors, support workers in long-term care and seniors’ residences. Public library staff are also welcome to register for this webinar.

This webinar will cover:

  • Eligibility criteria for access to CELA
  • How to sign up for a CAS account
  • How can your clients access CELA resources
  • Formats & reading devices available
  • Where to go for help & more information
  • Brief site tour of celalibrary.ca

To register for the webinar select the link below:

Wed June 17 2:00-3:00pm EDT

Getting Started with Accessible Reading Canada: Listen to CELA Audiobooks with Alexa

Join us for a live webinar introducing Accessible Reading Canada, a new way for CELA patrons to enjoy CELA audiobooks using Alexa-enabled smart speakers. This 60-minute session will walk you through how to use voice commands to search, browse, and listen to audiobooks from your CELA Direct to Player Bookshelf using the Accessible Reading Canada Alexa skill.

This webinar will cover:

  • What Alexa-enabled smart speakers are and how they work
  • How to set up and use the Accessible Reading Canada skill
  • How to use voice commands for browsing and reading
  • Where to find help guides and additional support

After the presentation, there will be a Q&A session to ask additional questions. This session will be recorded.

To register for the online Zoom webinar please select the link below and fill in the registration form. To attend by phone, please call the Contact Centre at 1-855-655-2273.

Mon June 22 3:00-4:00pm EDT

Featured title for adults: Wild People Quiet

Cover of the book Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux.Torduvalle, Saskatchewan, 1946. Florence has created a beautiful life for herself. Her home is immaculate; she is a model employee at Pratt's Insurance, where she works as a secretary. Her hair is the perfect shade of movie-star blonde—never once does she allow her brown roots to show. She dyes them every other Saturday night, without fail. But one morning, everything changes. 

Florence notices a new group of men at the local diner, Métis workers from out of town, hired on for the season at a nearby farm. And one of them has a connection to the past that Florence has spent her entire life outrunning. He has one simple request for her. Suddenly, Florence is thrown back into memories of her life before. Suddenly, the line between who she once was and who she has chosen to be feels very thin. And when Florence learns of the government's plans for the Métis community on the fringes of town, she will be faced with a choice—one that will shatter her carefully constructed life forever. This extraordinary novel asks us what we will do for our community, for our families, for our friends, even at our own expense. It examines the harrowing effects of choosing to live as someone else—and the radiant peace that comes from finally living one's truth. Gripping, wrenching, and utterly immersive, Wild People Quiet is a stunning achievement by a remarkable literary talent.

Read Wild People Quiet by Tara Gereaux in our collection.

Top five books

Cover of the book Liberty Street by Heather Marshall.Most popular with our readers last month:

 

Top five for kids

Cover of the book The secret river by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.Most popular with kids last month:

Featured title for teens: Fathom Fall

Cover of the book Fathom Fall by Matteo L. Cerilli.On Fathom Fall's leaderboard, player Wyatt "Doctor Doctor" Docherty ranks at number three. In real life, he's seen only as the privileged kid of head engineers at Hydrexo, the company that supplies 75% of North America's water. He has easy access while others must line up to pay exorbitant prices at public water taps, and he feels totally useless. To prove he's more than a spoiled Water Baby, Wyatt wants to win the upcoming Fathom Fall competition and finally make a name for himself. 

But when he starts seeing Bluddites – the water-guzzling monsters from the game – in real life , Wyatt suspects that the tournament is about more than just prize money. Wyatt wants to win , but as the tournament approaches, he starts to worry: Why won't anyone tell them what's really going on? Why would the game – the military, even – be training kids to hunt monsters for them? And how far is he willing to go to prove himself? Set in a near-future, water-scarce Toronto, Fathom Fall is a high-octane speculative thrill ride that questions the ethics of new technology and how it defines our very reality.

Read Fathom Fall by Matteo L. Cerilli in our collection.

Top five for teens

Cover of the book Afterglow by Karsten Knight.Most popular with teens last month:

Service tip: Client Access Support

Outreach to your communities is an important way to expand your support to new users. When you are talking about CELA and accessible reading, don’t forget to mention CELA’s Client Access Support program. Similar to our Educator Access program, this program allows professionals, including recreational therapists, speech and language therapists, staff at seniors' residences or long-term care facilities and more, to access materials on behalf of the people they support, and who have print disabilities.  

Holiday hours in May

CELA and the Contact Centre will be closed on Monday, May 18 for Victoria Day. We will reopen with regular hours on Tuesday, May 19. 

Stay connected!

Logos of X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.Visit CELA's social media, including Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, YouTube and our blog, for more news about what's happening in the world of accessible literature.