In this issue:
- Letter from CELA’s Executive Director
- Converting former CD users to digital magazines
- Awards update
- Accessible Reading Symposium
- Promoting Canada Reads
- One eRead Canada
- Accessible Reading Canada Alexa skill issue affecting Android users
- Reading for Truth and Reconciliation
- Books to promote at your library
- Upcoming conferences
- Welcome to two new CELA member libraries
- Webinars
- Featured title for adults: Jesusland: Stories from the upside down world of Christian pop culture
- Top five this month
- Featured title for kids: Ramin Abbas has major questions
- Top five for kids
- Top five for teens
- Service tip: Supporting patrons without internet
- Holiday hours
- Stay connected!
Letter from CELA’s Executive Director
This month we are celebrating so many things at CELA. The Accessible Reading Symposium which happened March 11and 12th was a great success and we are so pleased with the turnout and the feedback. The Symposium was collaboratively organized by CELA, NNELS and BAnQ, and I would like to say a special thanks to the steering committee that organized the event, including Lindsay Tyler and Jessica Desormeaux from CELA. We also are so grateful for all the speakers whose contributions were essential to the success of the symposium. If you weren’t able to join the event live, recordings will be made available in the coming weeks.
We also wanted to thank all those who filled in our strategic planning survey, participated in focus groups and offered their feedback. We will be working with the data collected and our team to draft the new strategic plan and we are looking forward to sharing more this summer.
We are pleased that Bill C-15 has received royal ascent and that the protections for both the Free Literature for the Blind, and the reduced rate for library materials were preserved. These Canada Post programs are an essential component of services like CELA's which allows us to get physical materials to people in Canada with print disabilities. Our thanks go out to everyone who participated in our advocacy efforts and to Minister Lightbound for maintaining these provisions.
Lastly, we are excited for Canada Reads which takes place April 13-16, and the One eRead Canada which kicks off April 1. We love any chance to talk about books, especially great Canadian books. Learn more about these programs in this month’s newsletter.
Happy Reading!
Laurie Davidson, Executive Director
Converting former CD users to digital magazines
Beginning in early April we will be completing the final transitions of former CD users to digital services. As part of this process, we will switch users who were receiving CD magazines to receive the DAISY audio magazines subscription through Direct to Player.
This will apply only to users who are not already receiving magazines in Direct to Player format. We expect this process to take about 2 weeks.
The magazines include Canadian Geographic, Chatelaine, Macleans, Good times and What’s New, a CELA publication which highlights new audiobooks in our collection.
Our goal is to make the move to digital services easier, and DAISY audio magazines are a unique and popular service.
Users may subscribe to CELA magazines, or cancel any CELA magazine subscription at any time by logging in and visiting My Account. Contact Centre is available to assist with magazine subscriptions as well.
Awards update
Congratulations to the 4 authors with Canadian ties longlisted for $205K Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, including Amanda Leduc for her book WildLife.
Find books from the longlist in our collection.
The 2026 Lambda Literary Awards have announced their selections for this year.
These awards celebrate more than 150 LGBTQ writers across 26 categories spanning a number of genres, lived identities, and experiences. You can find accessible versions of nominated titles in our collection. Finalists will be announced on Friday, June 12.
The Griffin Poetry Prize has also announced its longlist. Celebrate poetry Month in April by reading the titles available in our collection.
Accessible Reading Symposium
We are so pleased that the Accessible Reading Symposium was a success according to the feedback we are receiving from participants. The collaboration between NNELS, BAnQ and CELA took place March 11 and 12.
The program brought together readers, authors, publishers, and many experts from the accessible reading sector to share information.
The sessions were recorded and in the coming weeks you can find the recordings and transcripts of both the French and English sessions on our YouTube channel. And we will have an upcoming blog with more information.
We want to thank everyone involved in organizing and presenting at the symposium and we are looking forward to planning the second annual symposium next year.
Promoting Canada Reads
The debates are just around the corner. When promoting Canada Reads in your libraries, please include information about accessible options. You can find information on our Awards page.
This year's books include:
- A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt
- Searching for Terry Punchout by Tyler Hellard
- The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor
- Foe by Iain Reid
- It's Different This Time by Joss Richard
Find all the books on the shortlist and the ones on the longlist in accessible formats.
The debates will take place April 13-16. You can learn more on the CBC Canada Reads website!
One eRead Canada
One eRead/Un Livrel Canada kicks off in April.
The selected book for 2026 is What I Know About You by Éric Chacour, originally published in French as Ce que je sais de toi and translated by Pablo Strauss.
CELA has accessible versions in audio and braille in both English and French. Please promote accessible versions in any of your communications or programming. Thanks!
Accessible Reading Canada Alexa skill issue affecting Android users
We have learned about a problem affecting Android users who use the Alexa app to link their CELA and Amazon accounts in order to use CELA’s Accessible Reading Canada skill. These users are getting a message that says “Unable to link your account at this time”.
We are working on a solution to this issue. The account linking works on iOS devices.
In the meantime, we suggest Android users enable the skill and link their account on the Amazon website. Visit our page Instructions on manually enabling the skill via the Amazon website or contact us at 1-855-655-2273 for help.
Reading for Truth and Reconciliation
Treaties cover much of Canada. Some were established thousands of years ago, with Land and animals, and others date back to the time when Europeans first arrived in North America. These agreements make it possible for all of us to live, work, play, and profit on these Lands.
Additionally, treaties have profoundly shaped the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. In Talk Treaty to Me, Crystal Gail Fraser and Sara Komarnisky untangle the complexities of treaties and set forth a path to a greater understanding of all our roles, rights, and responsibilities. With a quick-reference timeline, maps, and black-and-white photographs throughout, Talk Treaty to Me concludes with a call to action and specific, tangible steps that all of us can take every day to support truth and reconciliation.
Talk treaty to me: Understanding the basics of treaties and land in Canada by Crystal Gail Fraser.
Books to promote at your library
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
If you are attending BCLA in April, our Executive Director Laurie Davidson is presenting the session Canadian Copyright Act and Accessible Content: Overview & Best Practices, along with Adam Wilton, Program Manager, PRCVI and ARC-BC and Daniella Levy-Pinto, Manager, National Network for Equitable Library Service. Drop into the session on April 23, 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM.
And on May 13, at the Marigold Library System Conference, Jessica Desormeaux, our Manager of Member Services is presenting "I Belong at My Library Too! Creating Accessible Library Services for Children With Disabilities" with Megan Sellmer, the Outreach Coordinator for the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS).
This interactive session will inspire participants to adapt the current way they deliver their programs, collections, and services to accommodate kids with disabilities and their reading needs.
Come say hi!
Welcome to two new CELA member libraries
We are delighted to welcome Cranbrook and Penticton public libraries as CELA member libraries. People with print disabilities in these BC communities can now access CELA through their local libraries.
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:
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
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.
Featured title for adults: Jesusland: Stories from the upside down world of Christian pop culture
In 1999, after three years of secular living in Eastern Europe, Joelle Kidd moved back to Canada and was enrolled in an evangelical Christian school. Immediately, she found herself in a strange world of upbeat Christan pop music, purity education, and desperately trendy Bible redesigns, trying to make sense of this unfamiliar preteen cultural landscape.
In Jesusland, Joelle writes about the Christian pop culture that she was suddenly immersed in, from perky girl bands to modest styling tips, and draws connections between this evangelical subculture and the mainstream, a tense yet reciprocal relationship that both disavows the secular while employing its media markers. But none of this was just about catchy songs; every abstinence quiz in a teen magazine was laying the foundation for what would become a conservative Christian movement that threatens women's healthcare, attacks queer and trans rights, and drives present-day political division. Through nine incisive, honest, and emotional essays, Jesusland exposes the pop cultural machinations of evangelicalism, while giving voice to aughts-era Christian children and teens who are now adults looking back at their time measuring the length of their skirts, and asking each other if their celebrity crush was Christian enough. With care and generosity, Jesusland shows us how the conservative evangelical movement became the global power it is today by exploring the pop culture that both reflected and shaped an entire generation of young people.
Top five this month
Most popular with our readers last month:
- Villain Hitting for Vicious Little Nobodies by Lindsay Wong, Multi-cultural folklore fiction
- Black Bear: A Story of Siblinghood and Survival by Trina Moyles, Family and relationships
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, Science fiction
- Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden, Suspense and thrillers
- Fancy Gap: A Novel by Zak Jones, Serious and literary fiction
Featured title for kids: Ramin Abbas has major questions
An intensely brave, beautifully honest, and wryly funny story about a gay Muslim teen who has to choose between being true to himself or his faith—and his realization that maybe they aren't as separate as he thought. Ramin Abbas has spent his whole life obeying his parents, his Imam, and, of course, Allah — no questions asked.
But when he starts crushing on the ridiculously handsome captain of the soccer team, so many things he'd always been so sure about are becoming questions: 1. Music is haram. But what if the Wicked soundtrack is the only thing keeping you sane because you're being forced to play on the soccer team... with Captain Handsome?! 2. A boy crush is double haram, and Ramin's parents will never accept it. But can he really be the only Muslim on Earth who feels this way? 3. Allah is merciful and makes no mistakes . Then isn't Ramin just the way Allah intended him to be? And so why should living your truth but losing everything — or living a lie and losing yourself — have to be a choice?!
Read Ramin Abbas has major questions by Ahmad Saber in our collection.
Top five for kids
Most popular with kids last month:
- Mister Monday: Keys to the Kingdom (Book 1) by Garth Nix, Fantasy
- An American Spring: Sofia's Immigrant Diary (My America) by Kathryn Lasky, Historical fiction
- On the court with: Kobe Bryant (Super Sports Star Series) by Glenn Stout, Stew Thornley, Sports and games
- Only You Can Save Mankind by Terry Pratchett, Science fiction
- Super Gran by Forrest Wilson, Humourous fiction
Top five for teens
Most popular with teens last month:
- Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet, Suspense and thrillers
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (#1) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Fantasy
- Reckless (Powerless Trilogy #2) by Lauren Roberts, General fiction
- Midnight sun (Twilight Saga #5) by Stephenie Meyer, Romantasy
- The Promise: a novel by Danielle Steel, Contemporary romance
Service tip: Supporting patrons without internet
Users who don’t have access to internet at home can still read CELA titles. Here are a few ways they can access their books.
- Mail their Envoy Connect to CELA for reloading. Sometimes users have two Envoy Connects so they can read with one and mail the other.
- Libraries can burn CELA titles to CD for the patron, if they have the capacity and equipment.
- Libraries can assist in transferring titles to the patron's Envoy Connect or DAISY player at the library so they can take their device home and listen.
- Users can bring their smartphone, tablet or computer to location with Wi-Fi and download titles in EasyReader.
Looking for more info? This may help!
How to support library patrons to read CELA’s audiobooks and magazines (YouTube)
Or reach out to our Member Services team at 1-855-655-2273 (press 2), Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Eastern time, or email us at members@celalibrary.ca.
Holiday hours
CELA and the Contact Centre will be closed on Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6 for the Easter holiday.
Stay connected!
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.