The week of Oct 20 – Oct 26 is Public Libraries Week.

I could not be more proud to be the city councillor responsible for our Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library.

Mayor Brownstein, Director West, staff and I at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

 Last month we completed the installation of the new acoustic study pods as well the renovation of the reference area. It really looks fantastic and on October 20, Mayor Brownstein, Chief Librarian Janine West and other senior library staff accompanied me for a ribbon cutting ceremomy. Some of the money to finance the project came from the 2022 $500.000 donation by Roslyn Margles. You can also now borrow an IPad or laptop while at the library by inserting your library card in a slot.

The iPads and laptops available to use at the library.

 And the news keeps getting better! Our library received a 96 percent score for library service from the Association des bibliothèques publiques du Québec (ABPQ) for service in 2023, which is the highest score we have ever received and well above the Quebec average.

Each municipality is assessed on quantifiable indicators including acquisition costs of books and other materials, opening hours, surface area, seating capacity, full-time employees—including librarians and technicians. Extra points are awarded if a library has abolished late fees and offers free memberships.
The 96 percent score in 2023 follows previous scores of 88 percent (2018), 90 percent (2019), 79 percent (2020), 87 percent (2021), and 89 percent (2022). The average percent score is 73 percent among municipalities part of the ABPQ with a population of between 25,000 and 49,999.The program was created to highlight the investments made by municipalities to provide quality libraries for their citizens. Read the report including the breakdown of scores.

The top score from the library association is a testament to Library Director Janine West and her staff, who continue to improve the service and the physical space. Bravo to our team!

“We have long known that the Côte Saint-Luc Public Library is a special place, from the days when founding librarian Eleanor London read story time children like me, to today with our expensive library of books and other materials, and our innovative programs and activities, ” added Mayor Brownstein.

Thanks to a generous donation in centenarian Sarah Fremeth’s name, new sensory panels were
added to the early childhood corner of our CSL Public Library.

Sensory panels are bright, colourful, and stimulating for young children. Through visuals, touch, and sound, they engage the senses. They also help develop motor skills, balance, hand-eye coordination, and visual processing, which are all essential for young childrens' development. Through these toys which are designed to develop essential skills, children can also begin to learn about colour, pattern, gravity, and develop spatial reasoning.

Sarah Fremeth is congratulated by librarian Antonella Lalli.

Sensory panels are beneficial for all children, but they are also wonderful for children with
sensory disabilities and children with autism. They can be very engaging for children who are
particularly sensitive to colour, sound, touch, etc. Sensory panels can help them learn about
their senses in a way that feels safe and comfortable for them.

It was an extra special gathering that day with group member Sarah Fremeth. In October, she
turned 100 and the group planned to throw her a small birthday party. Chief Librarian Janine West had arranged for the mayor to present her with a special framed commemorative certificate. Unfortunately, she was hospitalized days before the October date and was not well enough to attend until now.

We were finally able to present it to her in February.

The sensory wall.

Mur sensoriel Sarah Fremeth

Grâce à une généreuse donation au nom de la centenaire Sarah Fremeth, de nouveaux panneaux sensoriels ont été ajoutés au coin de la petite enfance de notre bibliothèque publique CSL.
ont été ajoutés au coin réservé à la petite enfance de notre bibliothèque publique CSL.

Les panneaux sensoriels sont lumineux, colorés et stimulants pour les jeunes enfants. Par le biais de l'image, du toucher et du son, ils éveillent les sens. Ils contribuent également au développement de la motricité, de l'équilibre, de la coordination main-œil et du traitement visuel, qui sont tous essentiels au développement des jeunes enfants. Grâce à ces jouets conçus pour développer des compétences essentielles, les enfants peuvent également commencer à apprendre les couleurs, les motifs, la gravité et à développer un raisonnement spatial.

Les panneaux sensoriels sont bénéfiques pour tous les enfants, mais ils sont également formidables pour les enfants souffrant de handicaps sensoriels et les enfants autistes.
sensoriels et les enfants autistes. Ils peuvent être très attrayants pour les enfants qui sont
particulièrement sensibles aux couleurs, aux sons, au toucher, etc. Les panneaux sensoriels peuvent les aider à découvrir
Les panneaux sensoriels peuvent les aider à découvrir leurs sens d'une manière sûre et confortable.

Ce jour-là, Sarah Fremeth, membre du groupe, a participé à une réunion très spéciale. En octobre, elle
En octobre, elle a eu 100 ans et le groupe avait prévu de lui organiser une petite fête d'anniversaire. La bibliothécaire en chef Janine West s'était arrangée pour que le maire lui remette un certificat commémoratif encadré. Malheureusement, elle a été hospitalisée quelques jours avant la date prévue et n'a pas été suffisamment rétablie pour assister à la fête.

Nous avons finalement pu lui remettre le certificat en février.

There are so many benefits to securing donations. Last September we celebrated a $500,000 gift from Roslyn Margles  for the naming of the Max Margles Children's Library after her late husband,  While most of this money was earmarked for library services, Ms. Margles allowed us to  put some of the funds towards a project of our choice.

The Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library is known for a lot more than books. Culture is a big part of our mandate. I am proud to have Library and Culture as one of my council portfolios. When Director Janine West and I began developing a wish list, a mobile stage came up as a high priority. Besides all of the library concerts, there was also Canada Day and other presentations where the city had to rent stages.   We agreed that purchasing a custom-made stage that could be setup anywhere in the city would be an excellent investment.

The assembled mobile stage.

We made the purchase. It arrived recently and was assembled by our Department of Public Works.  Produced by Stageline, a high quality stage manufacturer used in over 50 countries all over the world, this stage will enable CSL to offer a higher level of professionalism to our array of outdoor summer concerts and events.  Known for its safety features as well as its ease of set up and take down, this compact stage has won numerous awards because of its unique and innovative design – it is built as a trailer that unfolds to become a stage.  This will enable the stage to be easily transported  to any park or area in CSL.  We look forward to using this valuable asset for many years to come.

The stage made its debut on July12 at Trudeau Park at a very well-attended outdoor concert by the group Vintage Wine. Here is a video

Here is the schedule for our Summer in the City events,

If any individual or company wishes to engage in a sponsorship arrangement, contact Councillor Lior Azerad at [email protected] or myself for the library at [email protected].

The first-ever Côte Saint-Luc Comiccon took place July 9 at the Harold Greenspon Auditorium, organized  by teenagers via the Youth Advisory Group of the CSL Public Library.

A look at the scene.

Having attended the Montreal Comiccon many times over the years, it was wonderful to see the enthusiasm and  excitement generated by our youth. Ably assisted by staffers Maria Ressina and Bronwen Cathey,  our Library and Culture Committee member Anna Shi came up with and ran with the idea. 

You can see my video interview with some of the organizers in this link or below.

Geek & Co., located at the CSL Shopping Centre, was a main sponsor and had a large both. "In addition to selling gaming and geek-related products, we have weekly gaming tournaments for Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and other games," said owner Alain Côte, "We get about 60 to 80 people per week coming to play our various games in our game room."

I met people like April Petchsri, selling her two bilingual comic books appropriately titled Poisson D’April . “It’s a slice of life,” she said, describing the books. “about my husband Max and our two cats.”

Nearby was Anna, who had her Stickmenext durable and cool looking anime lover peeker stickers . These high quality vinyl stickers have been tested to tough pressure washes, storms, ice and snow, and more! “You can put them on any surface and they will stay there,” she said.

Vinay Menon with her husband and one of their children.

I loved the booth of Boardgames N More (www.boardgamesnmore.com), a family based business. Founder and owner Vinay Menon opened thos online store on September, 2019. “We have a passion for playing board games and we want to share this with our community,” she says. “ We started the business as a family, two adults and three children. We provide local events for free in our community area to get families involved together and teach new games to everyone. We carry modern board games which are different from the traditional board games. These modern games are designed to fit all different types of board gamers, newbies to masters of board games. They can be played cooperatively and/or competitively, can be played solo to multiplayer and some in a story-telling manner-legacy games.”

Other tables sold posters, earrings, keychains, prints, acrylic charms, bookmarks, t-shirts, postcards , collectibles and more.

There was a photo booth as people entered and some comic book hero trivia games in the front of the room, with a moderator and guests seated in the front row watching the big screen. At the end of the day, a cosplay competition took place.

What a fabulous example this was of how a small idea can materialize at a meeting and thanks to Director of Library Services Janine West we were able to ensure it was properly followed up and came to be.

With one Comiccon under their belt, I hope that the youngsters on the committee will use this experience to even expand things in 2024 and bring more people aboard.

Gary Fagen was a long-time member of the Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library who passed away on, September 19, 2018. Throughout his life he was an avid Science Fiction and Fantasy reader, devouring everything the library had. He often made suggestions for purchase and as no one had the knowledge nor passion that he had, he became the library’s unofficial Science Fiction and Fantasy selector.

Emma, Erin and Daniel showcase the newly affixed plaque.

“Gary was particularly adept at ensuring that no one volume from any series was ever missing,” said CSL Director of Library Services Janine West.  “He was also tireless in his advocacy for the library to purchase more in his beloved genre, but as he was one of its few fans we never purchased as much as he would have hoped. However, he was able to take advantage of our Interlibrary Loan Service, which he used extensively for all of the obscure titles the library didn’t own.”

The late Gary Fagen

Fagen’s daughter, Erin Fagen, remembers her parents bringing her to the library as a child and as the family grew up and dispersed, she recounted how the library became his second home. As she says, he found more than  just books at the library; he discovered a community. He regularly came to the library to chat where he found amongst the library’s talented librarians a group of like-minded people who loved books and who also loved to talk about them.This was true; all of the staff knew him and for those who were also readers of the genre, there was a particular bond where various titles and authors were read and opinions shared. In 2019, Erin, contacted Director West to ask about opportunities for honouring her father as the library was such a big part of his life. He also had his own collection of books and the family donated this soon after he passed away. Various options were discussed, but then  COVID-19 hit and things were put on hold.  

We recently picked things up and I am pleased to report that the family has made a generous $7,000 donation to name the Gary Fagen Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Section. This will include the purchase of some new chairs for the reading section as well.

I spoke to Erin, her brother Daniel and their mom Emma to discuss the donation. Here is the video chat.

Notre bibliothèque publique CSL célèbre un nouveau don de droits de dénomination pour les lecteurs de science et de fiction.

Gary Fagen était un membre de longue date de la bibliothèque publique Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc qui est décédé le 19 septembre 2018. Tout au long de sa vie, il a été un lecteur passionné de science-fiction et de fantaisie dévorant tout ce que la bibliothèque possédait. Il faisait souvent des suggestions d'achat et comme personne n'avait les connaissances ni la passion qu'il avait, il est devenu le sélectionneur officieux de science-fiction et de fantastique de la bibliothèque.

"Gary était particulièrement doué pour s'assurer qu'aucun volume d'une série ne manquait", a déclaré Janine West, directrice des services de bibliothèque de la CSL.  "Il était également infatigable dans son plaidoyer pour que la bibliothèque achète plus de livres de son genre bien-aimé, mais comme il était l'un de ses rares fans, nous n'en avons jamais acheté autant qu'il l'aurait espéré. Cependant, il a pu profiter de notre service de prêt entre bibliothèques, qu'il a beaucoup utilisé pour tous les titres obscurs que la bibliothèque ne possédait pas".

Erin Fagen, la fille de M. Fagen, se souvient que ses parents l'emmenaient à la bibliothèque lorsqu'elle était enfant. Elle a raconté comment la bibliothèque était devenue sa deuxième maison. Il a découvert une communauté. Il venait régulièrement à la bibliothèque pour bavarder et il a trouvé parmi les bibliothécaires talentueux de la bibliothèque des personnes qui ont fait preuve d'une grande créativité.

C'était vrai, tout le personnel le connaissait et pour ceux qui étaient aussi des lecteurs du genre, il y avait un lien particulier où l'on parlait de titres et d'auteurs.

En 2019, Erin a contacté le directeur West pour lui demander s'il était possible d'honorer son père. La bibliothèque occupait une place importante dans sa vie. Il avait également sa propre collection de livres. Il avait également sa propre collection de livres et la famille en a fait don peu après son décès.  Diverses options ont été discutées, mais le COVID-19 a frappé et les choses ont été mises en suspens.  Nous avons récemment repris les choses en main et j'ai le plaisir d'annoncer que la famille a fait un don généreux de 7 000 dollars pour baptiser la section Gary Fagen Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Section (section des livres de science-fiction et de fantastique).

Dr. Sara R. Ahronheim is an Emergency Physician at the Jewish General Hospital,  trained at McGill University. Aside from patient care, she teaches medical students and residents how to become compassionate, knowledgeable physicians. She also runs the Physician Well-being program at her site, and is passionate about maintaining work-life balance and promoting joy at work. An alumnus of Queen’s University, she studied Wildlife Biology there while dipping her toes in medicine as a volunteer with the First Response Team.

After graduating from Queen’s and before being accepted to McGill Medical School, Dr. Ahronheim  spent a memorable period of time as part of the Overseas Volunteer Program for Magen David Adom, the Israeli national ambulance service. This may have occurred   20 years ago, but Dr. Ahronheim wrote diary entries and emails  that she sent out to friends and family.

“Some are emotional, and some may feel very disconnected,” she shares. ‘Being an ambulance medic in a tumultuous time, as a young person with no actual experience of death and suffering, my words, at times, might feel callous. I saw a dead person for the first time, held my hand to a gunshot victim’s bloody chest, and didn’t write about how I felt. I just described the scene, the excitement of it, the rush. I didn’t delve into my soul, and how these moments changed me. “

Dr. Ahronheim’s new book, Side By Side with Heroes:  Stories of an Ambulance Medic in Israel , will be formally launched at Côte Saint-Luc City Hall via our Public Library on Monday evening, February 13 (6:30 pm). She will be recognized at the start if our public council meeting at 8 pm.

Please watch my video interview with her  and Samuel Moyal of Canadian Magen David Adom for Israel right here.

 The book chronicles her daring journey as she follows her cultural roots into the chaos and tragedy of war. Set in Israel in a country fighting for its identity, she searches for her own identity as she bravely explores the human condition through her ambulance work. Torn between her peaceful life in Canada and the adventures that await her, she  learns who she is through the mirror of tragedy, chaos and connection half way around the world. Navigating her own personal journey into womanhood and independence, while risking her life for others, this is where she found her life’s passion in emergency medicine. That and the fact both of her parents were pediatricians.

“I have presented and treated people at three births, one CPR, two bombings  countless other interesting and not so interesting other calls,” Dr Ahronheim wrote upon the completion of that trip in 2002-2003. “I have treated police, terrorists, soldiers, politicians, homeless people, Jews, Arabs, tourists, you name it. To my patients: you taught me about human nature, strength, resilience, triumph, fear and sorrow. You formed me like playdough, into the physician I have grown to be. You trusted me with your stories, as much as you did with your bodies. I can only hope I have described you faithfully.

“Israel in 2002 formed me into the woman, physician and mother that I am today. The people, places and experiences in that time molded me, trained me, grew me into someone who doesn’t give up, someone with grit and the fortitude to do what I have to do every day. The devastation and the passion I experienced back then, I carry forward into my work, my children, and our future.”

The primary objectives of MDA are defined in the Magen David Adom Law, passed by the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) in 1950. These objectives are to provide pre-hospital emergency medical services, to provide the country’s blood services, and to assist the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during times of war. Dr. Moses Erlanger, a Jewish ophthalmologist in Lucerne, Switzerland, conceived the idea of MDA in 1915. He created MDA in order to help Jewish wounded soldiers and prisoners of war during World War I (WWI). In 1918, MDA was established in the USA and expanded to Canada, England and Tel Aviv. After WWI ended, MDA was dismantled as the need for a Jewish rescue organization faded.

A dozen years later,  MDA was founded again in Tel Aviv. It was formed out of necessity, due to the Arab riots against Jewish settlements. World War II (WWII) brought misery to Tel Aviv, when the Italian Air Force bombed the city. Thankfully, MDA had trained 50 physicians and 600 nurses and volunteers. 

After WWII ended, MDA sent support units to European countries to help treat the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust.

MDA  remains a unique organization because it relies heavily on the use of volunteers to staff its medical crews. High school students, from the age of 15, make up the foundation of MDA. Students are trained as first aid responders, and often use their experience at MDA as their high school ”Personal Commitment” assignment.  

In 1991, shortly after the end of the first Gulf War, the leaders at MDA Jerusalem were approached by a shaliach in Montreal  about an idea he had to send volunteers from Canada to Israel to volunteer at MDA. The group at MDA Jerusalem was excited about this opportunity and agreed to help set up this program. The pilot program was launched in the summer of 1991, and ten McGill University science students participated. They each had basic knowledge of Hebrew, passed the training in Montreal, and flew to Israel to complete a final round of training.  

As demand increased, the program began to gain traction, and it was opened to participants from other countries.   

“I first learned about MDA when I was a kid at sleepaway camp in 1992,” Dr. Ahronheim recalls. “I sat cross-legged on the sweet-smelling grass in the warm sunshine and listened, enthralled, to the stories some counsellors shared. They were among the first batch of Canadian students who had flown to Israel to give their time as first responders. The memories they shared with us that summer lit a fire in me, and created vivid hopes and dreams that I carried with me until my turn came, 10 years later.”

In the book, Dr. Ahronheim writes about what it was like to be part of the organization. “Wearing my Magen David Adom jacket around Jerusalem is an intense experience,” she noted. “ It singles me out as an individual who is actively involved in helping her people. I become as visible as a soldier, or a police officer; each of our professions is equally respected and appreciated by the people of Israel. In Canada, ambulance workers are respected, but nowhere near the way they are here. Israelis know that those of us wearing the MDA uniform are there on the front lines. Israelis know that each MDA worker or volunteer is prepared to jump in to help in any crisis. We are treated so well here, and I feel truly loved in this country.”

Dr. Ahronheim’s tour of duty coincided with the United States attack on Iraq. “Well, why did I come to Israel in the first place?” she asked. “To work on the ambulances and save lives, and to contribute in any way possible to the security and moral support of my people. I am here because I love this place, this country, this nation. I am staying because I love all the above. I cannot leave. Could you abandon a loved one in time of need? Obviously not — and as such, I cannot abandon a country full of loved ones in this terrible time of uncertainty.”

What were her most memorable experiences?

Saving a life?

Transporting a terrorist?

Being pelted with rocks by Arab students at an East Jerusalem school?

In medical school interviews she was asked  what she would you do if she was face with treating a wounded terrorist. “I answered the safe way,” she said. “I answered that I would treat her as if I would treat any human being.”  

And that situation did in fact arise for her.

The book is available at Kidlink on Monkland in NDG, Bonders on Westminister  in Montreal West and on Amazon.

Dr. Ahronheim blogs at myblackscrubs.com, where she ofen posts short essays about experiences in the Emergency Department. She has had stories published in the Canadian  Journal of Emergency Medicine, as well as in many other journals, newsletters and websites.

Dr. Ahronheim is a mother to two wonderful, rambunctious children and a lovable tiny golden doodle. Married to the love of her life, Elie, for the last 14 years, she enjoys spending winter date nights in the backyard hot tub and summers out on a nearby lake

Log on to  https://saraahronheim.com/books

What We Choose to Remember is  a fabulous documentary which will resonate with every member of the anglophone community. Courtesy of our CSL Public Library, there will be a free screening in the Harold Greenspon Auditorium on Wed. January 18 (2 pm).

At a time when Quebec’s anglophone community is under constant threat by the CAQ government, Guy Rex Rodgers has come out with this extraordinary documentary which really puts our place in this province in perspective. Rodgers will be at the screening for a talk back with the audience afterwards.

In What We Choose To Remember, Rodgers makes it clear from the start how Quebec is a province of immigrants. Our ancestors’ country of origin, mother tongue and religion influenced Quebec’s history, politics and laws and when we arrive determines how welcome or marginalized, we feel in our chosen home.

Rodgers was born in Vancouver and raised in Australia. He is the founder of the English Language Arts Network (ELAN) and executive director there for 20 years. In 1980, the year of Quebec’s first referendum, he moved to Montreal to attend the National Theatre School of Canada. Not long after arriving he met his wife to be, a francophone Quebecoise, and the couple joined the ranks of many bilingual (and in several cases multi-lingual) households in Quebec.

The documentary is a truly objective view of the plight of anglos. Ironically it came to be when the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise put out a call to anglophone organizations for projects that explored Quebec’s anglophone communities – the relationship with their home province and its official language – who better to take up the challenge.

I had a wonderful  interview with Rodgers last spring when the film first came out  to talk about the process of making the film, its evolution from a six-part video series to feature documentary, how he found the 60 immigrants or descendants of immigrants that he interviewed and the interesting, sometimes surprising, facts, reactions and insights he discovered along the way.

“Our first question was who to interview as anglo Quebecers,” Rodgers said. “Finally, we decided to do so via the different waves of immigration."

With the  introduction of Bill 96 once again putting the language issue front and center, the documentary’s  release was timely. “We believe that this film will resonate strongly with Quebec’s English- speaking community as well as the francophone majority,” said Rodgers. “It sheds a light on stories that have rarely been heard in public and is a celebration of people whose contribution to Quebec has been downplayed or ignored. It’s an open invitation to all Quebecers to reconsider ‘what we choose to remember’; a call to learn about and value each other’s heritage in the hopes of creating a more unified and inclusive Quebec for all.”

Rodgers emphasizes how Quebec is unique, being a linguistic island of French-speakers surrounded by an ocean of English-speakers. Its citizens are divided by different histories, sources of pride and grievances. Young people experience Quebec differently than seniors, who lived through decades of religious and linguistic conflict. Québécois living in the regions often see Montreal as a foreign metropolis. Quebec is increasingly the story of immigrants, the distinctly labelled Allophones, who think it is time for old-stock Francos and anglos to get over their long-lost wars of conquest to deal with the urgent problems of the 21st century. What We Choose to Remember explores the things that make Quebec so fascinating, frustrating and endearingly different.

Masks are encouraged at the screening.

Here is a link to the trailer.

Periodically the CSL Public Library does a review of all of its service providers. In 2015, we looked at the current library system and at that time decided to renew our contract. However, in 2021, at a regular review the library decided to move in a different direction.

In early 2022, Council approved the library’s recommendation to change its computer system from Innovative Interfaces Inc. to Axiell, a system that has been used by other demerged cities including Westmount, Dorval, Kirkland and DDO. Most of the past year has been spent getting ready for this big change.

We have lots of books in our library.

During the month of November, the library made its final preparations to migrate all of the library data including library members, libraries titles, checkouts, reservations, and more which was set for the last week of November. On December 1 the library began using its new system including its new website.

The next month or two will be spent working out all of the small glitches while the library continues to implement new features. There is still much work to be done.

The implementation team consists of Janine West, Jennifer Eisman, Karen Morris and Mearaid Stevenson who have all have worked tirelessly to ensure this project’s success. Karen Morris and Mearaid Stevenson exceptionally have gone above and beyond having to learn the ins and outs of a completely new system and who have been responsible for setting up all of the back end including the website. The Library has been very lucky to work with a great new vendor whose team has been exceptionally responsive to every question, query and issue and who led the library’s team in this process every step in the way.

Finally, it is important to also note that this change will save the City thousands of dollars in annual licensing costs: Specifically, with our previous vendor, Innovative Interfaces Inc. our annual costs were in the ball park of $55,000 a year and increasing. They will now be approximately $15,000 per year (with annual increases).