Programs

water colour paint

You can visit the calendar to view some of the upcoming programs.

Author Events

Kate Hilton

May 4, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. on the Zoom platform. Join us as we meet virtually with author Kate Hilton (Just Like Family, The Hole in the Middle). Kate will be discussing her latest book, Better Luck Next Time. Email us to get on the list. Zoom codes will be sent out close to the event date. A Muskoka libraries collaboration.

Linwood Barclay

June 3, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. on the Zoom platform. Join us as we meet virtually with author Linwood Barclay (The Noise Downstairs, Broken Promise, The Chase). Linwood will be discussing his latest book, Find You First. Email us to get on the list. Zoom codes will be sent out close to the event date. A Muskoka Libraries collaboration.

Nadia Hashimi

If you were unable to join us on April 8, 2021 or would like to revisit the virtual live webinar with author Nadia Hashimi (The Pearl that Broke Its Shell, A House Without Windows) as she discussed her latest book, Sparks Like Stars, the recording is available to view on YouTube. A Muskoka libraries collaboration.

Susan Nairn

If you were unable to join us on March 25, 2021 or would like to revisit the virtual live webinar with Muskoka author Susan Nairn as she discussed her book, The Waking Hours, the first in The Relative series, the recording is available to view on YouTube.

Jennifer Robson

If you were unable to join us on February 25, 2021 or would like to revisit the virtual live webinar with author Jennifer Robson (The Gown, Goodnight from London, Moonlight Over Paris) as she discussed her latest book, Our Darkest Night, the recording is available to view on YouTube. A Muskoka libraries collaboration.

Emma Donoghue

If you were unable to join us on November 24, 2020 or would like to revisit virtual live webinar with Emma Donoghue (Room, The Wonder, Akin) as she discussed her latest book, The Pull of the Stars, the recording is available to view on YouTube. A Muskoka libraries collaboration.

Book Highlights

Adult

Featuring Irish authors for St. Patrick's Day 2021

Brooklyn, author Colm Tóibín. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Normal People, author Sally Rooney. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
A Book of Bones, author John Connolly. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Lying in Wait, author Liz Nugent. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Milkman, author Anna Burns. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.

Featuring Some of the authors on the CBC Reads 2021 Longlist

Yiddish for Pirates, author Gary Barwin. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
The Midnight Bargain, author C.L. Polk. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
The Lonely Hearts Hotel, author Heather O'Neill. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Dirty Birds, author Morgan Murray. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Tatouine, author Jean-Christophe Réhel. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Autopsy of a Boring Wife, author Marie-Renée Lavoie. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.

Muskoka authors

The Waking Hours, author Susan Nairn. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Lighting the Stars, author Gabriele Wills. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.
Murder in Muskoka, author Liam Dwyer. Listen to a short reading. Find it in the catalogue.

Young adult and junior

Children's Choir

Under the direction of choir masters Kathy McCarthy and Sarah Lundy, we are excited to have plans to, once again, host the Muskoka Children’s Choir for children in grades one through six!

We are ready to start as soon as our health district unit shifts to orange.
Sessions are held outside, behind the library, on Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. April 7 to June 2, 2021.
Sessions are held in a safe way through the use of masks and social distancing as well as using library protocols in place for washroom use. We are distanced more than enough to sing without masks so we can see each others smiling faces in a safe way!
In the event that we cannot meet in person for some of the first practices, we will have choristers pick up the music, and we will send out some links and info to practice online if we are delayed in starting.
Tentative concert date for the evening of June 4 is planned and will be held in whatever is a safe way with a combination of in-person and/or online guests.
Please let us know if you are interested prior to March 31, 2021.
Music is available for pick up beginning April 6, 2021 during our regular pick up times for library items.
Although we don’t know if we’ll be able to go ahead with the children's choir, we’d like to plan to, and see if we can get some singing time together!
Contact us by email to join the choir or phone us at 705-765-5650. We can't wait to hear from you!

LEGO

Do you love to build with LEGO? We do! Here you will find some challenges to complete. Send us some pictures of your completed challenges as we would love to see your creativity! Send your photos to the library, listing who is in the photo, ages, and any other details about your construction that you would like to share.

December 2, 2020 Tiny House

Mahjong

Our Muskoka Lakes Public Library Mahjong players met every Monday morning at 10 in the Heritage Room at the Port Carling branch, in the 'before times'. They didn't let the pandemic closures and restrictions stop them from playing the game they all enjoy, though! They have been meeting at a private Mahjong table, online, since all the closures. Interested in joining them? Contact Val Duke for access information. valerieduke@gmail.com

Reading Challenge 2021

Challenge yourself this year to go out of your reading comfort zone. Can you check off 21 of the following reading challenges this year? 21 books sound too daunting? Don’t let it be! Some books can check more than one category! The 2-page challenge list can be printed at home or a copy can be picked up at the library.

Challenge	Title & Author	Date read
A banned book
A memoir or autobiography
A childhood favourite
A young adult book
An immigrant or refugee’s story
The story takes place in Canada
The book has 500+ pages
It has a one-word title
It was made into a film
It was mentioned on the radio
It’s based on a real event
It’s an author you have never read
The author has your first or last name
A book by an Indigenous author
The novel is older than you
The book has a colour in the title
The book has a season in the title
The book features a witch or magic
The book has a cover you dislike
The genre is not one you normally read
A book you own but have not read
An e-book
An audiobook
A book of poetry
The first book in a series
A western
A romance
A who-done-it mystery
A thriller
A science fiction
A fantasy
A book written in diary or letter style
A CBC Reads 2021 book
A Giller Prize winner
A Man Booker Prize winner
A non-fiction book
A book about Muskoka
A book about a different culture
A book from a grandparent’s birthplace
A book recommended by a friend
An historical fiction
A book less than 200 pages
A book with two authors
A book with the same title as another but with a different author than the other
A book by an author that writes under more than one name
A book by a debut author
A book by a Muskoka fiction author
A book on a controversial topic
A book written by a female person of colour
A science book
A book that has a sport in the storyline
A classic
A book you had to read in school
A book set in the future
A book published this year

Something Learned

Check out our YouTube channel containing instructional videos on a variety of topics.
Get Clear 2021 Intention Setting

Download this self-directed activity to help guide you through the year ahead with purpose and intention.

Self Care Guide 2021

Download this self-directed self care guide. Self care is not selfish. You cannot give others what you don’t have yourself. Self-care encourages you to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself so that you can transmit the good feelings to others. Fill your own cup, so you have more of yourself to share with the help of this activity guide.

Take and Make

We make up kits for you to take home and make! We have them for adults and for kids. Note: Some of the kits are per household and some are per person. A reminder that you must be an active Muskoka Lakes Public Library cardholder to participate in this program. First come, first served. No reserves.

Coming soon and ideas

Bead craft -kids

April 2021

Paper butterfly -available now

Spring multimedia paint and collage -available now

Good in Every Grain seed planting kit -available now

Earth Day roadside clean-up kit, a collaborative giveaway between the Township of Muskoka Lakes and Muskoka Lakes Public Library -one per household -available now

Fairy garden starter kit -one per household

Paper mache owl -sold out but watch our YouTube video to DIY

Postcard giveaway courtesy of Arlene Burley Photography: send someone a note to brighten their day! -available now

Candle making kit -available now