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National Library News |
by Randall Ware,
Research and Information Services
When the distinguished writer Norman Levine came to read at the Library in March 1991, he told me over dinner that he thought that we were offering too many readings. In his view, readings at the National Library should be reserved for writers who have already made their mark and should not be offered to newer writers. Norman’s point, well intentioned of course, was that it should be an honour and a reward to be invited to read at the National Library. I thought a lot about Norman’s suggestion, but did not follow his advice.
I recently passed a pleasant afternoon looking over ten-year’s worth of Public Programs brochures in order to refresh my memory about the hundreds of readings, concerts, lectures, book launches and other events we have sponsored. Less than two months after Norman’s visit, we hosted two readings; one by a poet with her second book and another by a prose writer with his first novel. There were perhaps 40 people in the room in the first instance and 55 in the second. The poet was Anne Michaels, who has since gone on to worldwide acclaim for her novel Fugitive Pieces. The novelist was Rohinton Mistry, one of our best-loved writers. On their most recent visits, they each filled our auditorium of 400 seats! Our investment, as it were, has paid off in these obvious cases, but it has also frequently come to fruition in readings and lectures where people have left the room stimulated or changed in some way. A good reading or concert or lecture is good for reasons that have nothing to do with the size of the audience. Happily, the Library’s commitment is the same for all of its events, big or small. In this case, size doesn’t matter!
Because the National Library collects printed and recorded Canadian material exhaustively, we believe that our public programming should reflect the broadest possible expression of our culture. Thus, unlike most other reading series in Canada, we regularly program non-fiction authors as well as poets and novelists. We also offer some programs for children and we program in both official languages. In our concerts, we feature Canadian musicians and encourage the performance of Canadian repertoire.
And why do we do all of this? Simply, to make our collections come alive. There is nothing that does this better than hearing the writer discuss her work or hearing the musician interpret his compositions. Every reading or concert is a billboard ad for a small part of our collection. It is an encouragement to use our collections and an invitation to explore them.
As well, we like to feature authors whose literary manuscripts are held here. When Carol Shields or Michel Tremblay or Jane Urquhart or Marie-Claire Blais have come to read, we have selected materials from their collection (manuscripts, letters, photos, journals) and displayed them as part of the event. Such activities encourage the study and enjoyment of Canadian literature and help to bridge the distance between the writer and the reader.
The National Library has always recognized that our literature and our music exists in a larger context. Thus, we have had the pleasure of welcoming musicians and writers from other countries. Gloria Steinem, Richard Ford, E. Annie Proulx, Derek Walcott, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Stephen Sondheim, Vikram Seth and the Soweto Singers are just some of the outstanding artists who have come here in the past ten years.
We have also managed to establish Ottawa’s only regular theatre-style jazz concert series, featuring some of Canada’s finest musicians. Jazz fans will recognize names like Kenny Wheeler, Renée Rosnes, D.D. Jackson, Jane Bunnett, Alain Trudel, and Lorraine Desmarais – they have all performed on our stage. On the classical music side, Rémi Boucher, Antonin Kubalek, Louise Bessette, Angela Hewitt, Davis Joachim, Beverley Johnston and Nouvel Ensemble Moderne have graced our premises and shared their artistic gifts with us.
After ten years of programming, we believe that we have built an audience that trusts us to bring them the best of what Canadian publishing has to offer. We know that our programs have done much to increase the visibility of the National Library in its immediate community and in the larger community of writers and publishers. And we continue to delight in the ongoing success story that is Canadian writing today. Norman, we honour all the writers who come here.
Bessette, Louise
Bissoondath, Neil
Blais, Marie-Claire
Christensen, Andrée
Itani, Frances
Maillet, Antonine
McLean, Stuart
Mistry, Rohinton
Moore, Brian
Rabello, Rafael
Shields, Carol
Tremblay, Michel
