Writes of Spring

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Penning the next great Canadian novel. Green Chameleon via Unsplash

Courtney Bates-Hardy chats about Regina Public Library’s current program

The Regina Public Library offers a variety of events and workshops all year round for readers and writers in the city. The central branch of the public library also has a film theatre, where all screenings are free for anyone with a library card. If you don’t have a library card, you can obtain one in under 10 minutes by showing up to any branch around the city. There is also the option of obtaining a temporary membership barcode to access the online programs offered by the library by filling out an online form on their website. At present, the services provided by the library range from borrowing books and DVDs to accessing many online entertainment websites and apps with your library card. In addition, as mentioned above, there are events throughout the year with something for everyone.

Late last year, we did a story on the Regina Irregulars, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Regina which had resurfaced after a long hiatus. Earlier this month, the Regina Irregulars shared news among members of an upcoming film screening of Hound of the Baskervilles at the RPL Film Theatre on April 2. Looking into it a little, we realized that there are going to be film screenings of a number of mystery movies throughout the month of April, as part of the library’s Writes of Spring annual event.[1] More information is going to be posted over time, and we also reached out to the events co-ordinator, Courtney Bates-Hardy, to find out more about the event.

Tell us about the Writes of Spring event. Is it an annual event? Are there themes in a given year? Who are your target audience for the event?

Writes of Spring is an annual celebration of readers and writers. You have a story, and we can help you tell it! Many of the events this year are themed around mysteries, including a talk by Dr. Nils Clausson on Arthur Conan Doyle and the Art of the Detective Story on April 26 at 7 p.m. We have partnered with the Department of English at the University of Regina to offer a series of films that will be introduced by a number of University of Regina professors. The films include Hound of the Baskervilles, Get Shorty, The Big Sleep, and Witness for the Prosecution.

We have also partnered with the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild to offer four writing workshops from a children’s [and] young adult author, a graphic novelist, a poet, and a romance writer. Lastly, we have partnered with SaskBooks to offer a two-part publishing symposium to help you learn more about the publishing process. We would love to see aspiring writers at these programs, or anyone who is interested in reading and writing.

For the events that one needs to register for, does one have to be a member?

In order to register for programs, you will need a library card. If you do not have one, it is easy to sign up! You can either visit any RPL location or fill out our online registration form at www.reginalibrary.ca to get a temporary barcode by email.

For drop-in events, is there a charge for members and/or non-members?

All library programs are free to attend!

Are there any major parts of this event you want to draw attention to?

We’d love to see some students at Lancaster Taphouse for a special Mystery and Detective Story Trivia Night on Thursday, April 14 at 8pm.

In light of the pandemic and recent changes to public health guidelines, what guidelines will be in place for in-person events?

Masks are optional but welcome at the library.

Anything else you want to add?

The library offers programs for readers and writers all year round, including one-to-one consultations on personal writing projects with our Writer in Residence (WIR). Neil Aitken, our current WIR, will be wrapping up his term in May, and our next author, still to be selected, will join us in September. If you’d like to keep up to date on our writing and publishing programs, you can sign up for My Events Guide, a digital service that allows you to subscribe to customize listings of library programs based on your interests.[2]


[1] On the RPL website, more information about this event can be found at: https://www.reginalibrary.ca/search?terms=Writes+of+Spring&search_in=programs&age_filter=Adults&search_type=KW&op=Search.

[2] https://www.reginalibrary.ca/eventsguide

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