Happy Pride Month!
Every June, Vancouver Island Regional Library joins 2SLGBTQI+ communities and supporters to highlight the resilience, commemorate significant milestones, raise awareness, and recognize the contributions of 2SLGBTQI+ communities across our service area and beyond. It is a time for people of all identities to come together in support of diversity, love, and human rights, and we want to celebrate with you!
Listen to our Pride-related Podcast Episodes
Available wherever you get your podcasts or with the episode links provided.
SOGI 1, 2, 3 
Have you always wondered what SOGI stands for but didn’t want to ask the angry people with the signs by the side of the road? Nathan thinks maybe you have. He conducts an investigation with the help of Scout from SOGI 1, 2, 3.
Find some SOGI-inclusive books for children and teens here.
Romance Recipe with Ruby Barret
Casey talks with Ottawa based bisexual author Ruby Barrett. She is the author of The Romance Recipe, a queer rom-com featuring Amy and Sophie possibly adding the non-FDA approved ingredient of “love” into their restaurant food. Publisher’s Weekly calls it “a down-to-earth queer romance”.
This episode was recorded at our live Pride Month event with Ruby Barrett. Queer books are great to read all year round!
Live Vibes for I Am Everything In Between with Sydney Sunderland
Get right into the live vibe of this event from Pride Month at Courtenay library with author Sydney Sunderland. I Am Everything In Between highlights kids who don’t fit into stereotypical gender ideals. The book is published by Rebel Mountain Press in Nanoose.
Find it in the library catalogue, see more info from Rebel Mountain, and find it in your local bookstore!
Visiting Notting Hill for a Queer Romcom
Sooke Librarian Nathalie interviews Victoria-based author Hayden Stone. He is definitely a book-ish person and talks about favourite real-life bookshops along with the fictional one he created for his character Aubrey. You can find his queer romance book An Unexpected Kind of Love for sale or in our catalogue. (Apparently it has a lot of kissing and steamy bits.)
Meryl Wilsner on Queer Romance
Author Meryl Wilsner reads from and discusses their novel Something to Talk About back in June for Pride month. The book follows Jo and Emma in a what starts as a Hollywood rumour and looks like it might become a relationship. Meryl answers questions from the zoom audience as well.
Pride events with our Libraries!
- June 2: Ladysmith Pride -Ladysmith’s first Pride festivities ever!
- June 10: My Gay Book Club – Campbell River
All ages are welcome to discuss LGBTQ books of all kinds, including a monthly book club read! Movie nights also hosted based on member availability. - June 10: Pride Month Film – Sooke
Join staff for a screening of the film, Are You Proud? A docu-celebration of the LGBTQ+ rights movement featuring rare archive footage and interviews across a spectrum of historical campaigns while current activists in the United Kingdom celebrate the LGBTQ+ Pride movement’s landmark achievements. Staff will also screen the film Unarchived on June 12 and Love, Scott on June 24. - June 12: Pride Night at the Library – Port Hardy
Check out all the great LGBTQIA2S+ resources and VIRL’s commitment to full inclusion. - June 15: Sidney Pride Festival – Sidney/North Saanich
Join us to celebrate PRIDE in Sidney at Beacon Park (by the bandshell). Come for music, dance & drag performances, vendors, and good vibes. This year is going to be the biggest and best yet! - June 23 -Cowichan Pride with Library booth & Tales the Whale!
- June 24: Poetry and Music with Catherine McNeil – Courtenay
Come celebrate Pride with Catherine McNeil, a Gibson based author and former teacher of the deaf for the Vancouver School Board as she reads from Emily & Elsbeth, her newest publication with Caitlin Press. Catherine will also read from her book Under the Influence, and sing a few tunes accompanied by button accordion and guitar. - June 26: Paws for Pride Pet Parade –Sooke
Join us as we celebrate our 2SLGBTQI+ selves, relations, and allies. Primp you and your pooch (or other pet) for Pride and join us as we parade from the library to John Phillips Memorial Park. Once at the park, you can select a book to read to your pet, or join in other fun activities. Children aged 12 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
