While I have been formally introduced to the readership of Open Shelf since I began my stint as Deputy Editor, I recently realized I have yet to properly introduce myself (Hello, how are you?) and put a face and personality to the name you see in email responses from the Open Shelf email address.

In 1921, the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto (which had been established in 1918) took over the operation of what was then the Toronto Conservatory of Music’s library. This month, we trace the Library’s history.

You know how it is – you borrow a movie from the library but then you keep it too long. Now you have a fine, so you go to the library to pay it off, but while you’re there you see a book that you want to read so you borrow it. When you return the book, you see that it’s been made into a movie, so you borrow that, knowing you’ll probably keep it late again.

We will be featuring a “Word (Or Phrase) Of The Month” each issue, courtesy of Library Lexique. This is a tool to feature useful and thematic words or phrases which may arise in day-to-day library work. This month’s is “book tasting.”

Open Shelf is proud to announce that our upcoming July issue will have a special theme: The Open Shelf Unconference Issue! Inspired by these participant-led and organized conferences, we want to encourage innovative and engaging discussion and dynamic topics which are dictated by contributors’ interests.

The Ontario Library Association is seeking an interim editor-in-chief for Open Shelf. This position is responsible for stewarding the vision of the magazine, coordinating the efforts of the editorial team and overseeing the smooth operation and timely publication of the magazine.

Interested writers have the opportunity to co-author articles with an Open Shelf regular contributor, a member of our editorial team, or another volunteer who is looking for a writing partner.

These days, library staff in many departments have an interest in related issues, including coding. Pitch us your coding story ideas about HTML, Twine, Python, Jupyter Notebook and more.