OTTAWA – This April, hundreds of participating Canadian public libraries will offer free, unlimited access to The Break by Katherena Vermette in eBook and eAudiobook formats across different platforms. One eRead Canada is a month-long digital book club presented by Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) from April 1 to 30, 2022, with the support of CBC/Radio-Canada as the official media partner. The Break will be available in English and French without holds or waitlists for cardholders of participating libraries throughout April 2022.
In addition to being a national, bilingual digital book club, One eRead Canada aligns with CULC’s ongoing campaign, eContent for Libraries. CULC aims to increase public awareness and advocacy of the eBook and eAudiobook issues, such as content, pricing, and access, currently faced by public libraries in Canada. “Canadian public libraries play an important role in sharing access to the best eBooks and digital content, regardless of inequities in income,” says Mary Chevreau, Chair of CULC. Collaborative library initiatives like One eRead Canada introduce readers and listeners to new books and authors through digital formats, positively impacting publishers, authors, and readers. One eRead Canada encourages Canadian literature and facilitates Indigenous voices. The initiative promotes Canadian stories that can help Canadians grow in their understanding and appreciation of the unique aspects of their country and the lives of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
“CBC/Radio-Canada has a long history of supporting Canadian literature and championing authors and their works. We’re proud to join the Canadian Urban Libraries Council and public libraries across the country in celebrating this year’s One eRead Canada pick, The Break, by Katherena Vermette, an exciting Métis writer. Good reading!” says Catherine Tait, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada.
In Katherena Vermette’s book, The Break, Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window and notices someone in trouble on the Break — a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house — and alerts the police of the possible crime. Through the perspectives of various characters and shifting narratives, a story about the lives of people living in Winnipeg’s North End is unfolds. A powerful intergenerational family saga, The Break showcases Vermette’s rich writing talent as an exciting new voice in Canadian literature.
Readers will also be invited to attend special live-streamed author events in the second half of April, in English and French, once they have had a couple of weeks to enjoy reading and discussing The Break along with thousands of other Canadians who are invited to join this shared reading experience that is One eRead/Un livrel Canada. Details about events to come.
Follow One eRead/Un livrel Canada through your local library, on the One eRead Canada Book Club Facebook group or on Twitter using the hashtag #1eReadLivrelCanada.