A young boy browses book shelves in the children's section of Nanaimo North LIbrary.

February 2025 

NEWS
The words Black History Month are on a red, black, yellow and green background next to a clenched fist.

Black History Month

February is Black History Month! Celebrate the legacy and contributions of Black Canadians by checking out the resources we've put together for you to watch, listen and read!  

Black History Month

A zodiac sign sits overtop of a starry night sky, with the silhouette of mountains below.

Hey Book Lover! What's your sign? 

We've looked to the stars and the stacks to come up with great pairings for your astrological sign in time for Library Lovers' Day (and Valentine's!) on February 14.

Take a look at our suggested reads. You could find the perfect match! 

Find your match!

Teen Drawing Contest 

Get out those pens teens! Our Teen Drawing Contest is back.

The Teen Drawing Contest, which kicked off Jan.14, invites teens ages 12-18 years old to submit their best line art around libraries and literacy for the chance to win art prizes and be featured in a new colouring book for kids. The contest closes 11 p.m., Friday, Feb.21.

Click the link below for the full contest rules and criteria! 

Teen Drawing Contest details
A collage of posters from Freedom to Read week.

Freedom to Read 

Banned books in this day and age? Believe it.

Freedom to Read Week, from February 23 to March 1, happens annually to raise awareness about censorship and encourage Canadians to think about and reaffirm a committment to intellectual freedom. 

Every year, books are banned or challenged around the globe. Titles like The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and the picture book Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg, for example, have both  been challenged. Click on the link below to learn more about Freedom to Read Week and to browse challenged books.

Check out our list of challenged books!
A hand holds up an Adult Winter Reading Club package, with draw slips, at a library. A table of books is in the background.

Adult Winter Reading Club runs until March

Read for the chance to win prizes during Adult Winter Reading Club. The program, which launched January 2, runs until February 28. 

If you haven't yet joined the fun, there's still time. Pick up an Adult Winter Reading club package at your local branch, print one off at home or try the  Beanstack online reading challenge platform.

Learn more about Adult Winter Reading Club

 
A library staff members sits on a couch and holds up an iPad with an image of the cover of Sea & Cedar Magazine.

Sea & Cedar Magazine seeks art and writing

Sea & Cedar, our literary and art magazine, is now accepting previously unpublished short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and art for its Fall issue. 

The magazine, which showcases local artists and writers, is accepting submissions until May 3. 

Get submissions details here!

A Valentine's Card, with a green background and a cartoon image of a winking book. The image reads "Are you a library book? Because I'm checking you out!"

Send bookish Valentine's to your favourite people

We've created four library-inspired Valentine's Day cards just for you! 

Visit our website to get a free printable or get images and send them to your co-workers, friends or family by email. 

Get your free Valentine's cards

Upcoming events 
One woman stands and the other kneels with a tape measure in this cut-out photo. The women are speakers in an upcoming speaker series.

Virtual series features Canadians speakers 

Learning with Syeyutsus features new Canadian speakers every month.

The free, virtual lunch-time series, a collaboration between Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools, UBC Press and Vancouver Island Regional Library, is meant to spark conversation, generate ideas and create deeper understanding. The next event on February 20, from 12-1pm, features historical ecologist Chelsey Geralda Armstrong and ethnobotanist Nancy J. Turner as they discuss their work in documenting and revitalizing Indigenous knowledge systems.

Register for Syeyutsus
A smiling woman holds up a lantern.

Cowichan Storytelling Workshop for Adutls

Telling and listening to stories is no child's play! Learn all about storytelling from Victoria storyteller and teacher Jennifer Ferris. 

Jennifer will host two workshops at the Cowichan library. On February 11 from 6-8 pm get an introduction to the world of storytelling. Learn about the magic of stories (with examples) and how tyou can find them for yourself. On February 25, from 6-8 pm, learn what you need to do to find, prepare and share a story with an audience. 

This is a free, drop-in workshop. No registration is required. 

More from Cowichan
Tall white displays stand in the Campebll River library with text that describes the 2SLGBTQ+ purge.

Love in a Dangerous Time shifts location

Have you seen the impactful Love in a Dangerous Time exhibition at the Campbell River library?

After its popular debut at the Nanaimo Harbourfront branch, the exhibition has arrived in Campbell River and will be on display until February 20.It'll later move to our Cowichan library from mid-February until March 28. Love in a Dangerous Time, on loan from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is meant to inspire conversation and reflection around Canada's 2SLGBTQI+ purge and the human rights violations that occurred. 

More from Campbell River

Want to find events near you? Check out our events calendar anytime.

Events calendar

Legit Library Hack 
A woman sits on a couch with a laptop in her lap. The laptop has an image on it of the LinkedIN learning website.

Free LinkedIN Learning courses 

Did you know you can tap into an online video learning platform to help with your career development? With LinkedIN learning, you can learn about everything from photography and business to 3D animation, script writing and marketing.

Tell me about LinkedIn Learning

Staff picks: Contemporary Romance 
Cover of the book Codename, Charming by Lucy Parker. A woman in a dress is held in the air by a man in a black suit.
The book cover of Jana Goes Wild byu Farah Heron. It has a woman sitting in the J of "Jan", a giraffe and an elephant.
The book cover of With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson.

Vancouver Island Regional Library | 90 Commercial St. Nanaimo BC | communications@virl.bc.ca