Online library
Conversations
We frequently organize informational workshops and seminars with experts on various subjects such as finance, citizenship rights, education, raising children in a new country and the challenges facing immigrants.
Annual Canada Day Picnic
We offer our traditional picnic every year on July 1st. Family and friends come together to have fun and celebrate Canada day.
2024 Events
Uğur Aslan and Sema Ergenekon Aslan Conservation – October 10 &11, 2024
The life we live is our best version, and we should try to accept and live it as it is, in the truest way possible. I wanted to express that everyone should be grateful for where they are and believe that everything is as it should be. That was the message I wanted to convey in the end.”
Sema Ergenekon – Screenwriter of the Emmy Award-winning show Yargı (“Best Telenovela”)
Yargı conveyed a lot to the audience by the end of its three seasons, but most importantly, we saw that justice must be applied with conscience and compassion.”
Uğur Aslan – Played Eren Komiser in the Emmy Award-winning show Yargı (“Best Telenovela”)
Canada Day – July 1, 2024
On July 1st, Turkish Society of Canada and Ankara Library of Toronto have organized the Canada Day picnic. At the event, in attendance were Consul General in Toronto, Mr. Can Yoldaş, and his family. The Turkish community in Canada comes together each year for this enjoyable day in a festive atmosphere.
We would like to express our gratitude to our community for coming, to our volunteers and supporters , for making this event yet another memorable one. See you all next year!
Evrim Kuran – June 8, 2024
On Saturday, June 8, Evrim Kuran met with her readers at the Readers and Writers Meet, moderated by İrep Çakır. The event took place with full attendance in an expanded hall, where Evrim Kuran introduced her fourth book titled ”I’m Sorry for Being a Successful Woman” [”Başarılı Bir Kadın Olduğum İçin Özür Dilerim”] and shared the findings of her study on impostor syndrome with over 3000 people, the majority of whom were women.
Saying that while 3000 women applied to the call for impostor research, only 300 men responded to the same call, Kuran explained why women in Turkey are more inclined to find themselves inadequate, and spoke of experiences women have in the family when they are children, then in society and workplaces as adults to bring them to this point.
Sevil Kesimal – May 30, 2024
On Thursday, May 30, 2024, Ankara Library hosted writer Sevil Kesimal with her second book, ‘Indigo Diaries‘, consisting of 19 short stories.
Following her 2019 debut with the short story collection ‘Smell of Mulberries’, author Kesimal tells the memories of a mother and father who travel to and from their son who immigrated to Canada, tries to match what she feels and sees in a foreign geography with what she knows and senses, and explores the people along with the city.
‘When you see a city for the first time, you compare it to places you know without realizing it’, said Kesimal and spoke to the guests about the process of starting writing and the work she has done.
Ebru Winegard (Designer, Artist, Instructor) – May 11, 2024
Ebru Winegard’s photo exhibition “The Yellow Umbrella Chronicles” was exhibited at Ankara Library between May 11 and May 31 as part of the Contact Photography Festival, which has been held in May for 28 years in Toronto. A reception was held on Saturday, May 11, where many art lovers had the opportunity to tour the exhibition within the scope of the festival. For more information about the exhibition and festival: Click Here
National Sovereignty and Children’s Day – Sunday, April 14, 2024
As part of this year’s celebration of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day on April 23, we will be at the “International Children’s Day-Multicultural Dance and Art” festival organized by the Turkish Society of Canada with the contribution of the City of Toronto, and we will bring our children together with three esteemed authors.
İpek Ongun, Fatih Erdoğan and Defne Ongun Müminoğlu, distinguished authors in short stories and novels for children, will autograph their books for children attending the festival.
Please join us on April 14th in the section reserved for our library for a memorable event and proud celebration!
23 Women write Stories That Make Us Who We Are March 10, 2024
We introduced a new book titled “Bizi Biz Yapan Hikayeler” or “Stories That Make Us Who We Are”, containing 23 short stories written by 23 creative women. One of these women, whose journey of self-realization you will witness from their childhood into their youth and thereon to their adulthood, is the precious Seher Zeynep Arabacıoğlu Özbilen, who has been well known to the Canadian Turkish community for years.
Zeynep attended our event personally at our library in Toronto, and other women writers and Mr. Feridun Andaç, who made great contributions to the creation of this work, attended via zoom from Istanbul.
Invitation to the most beautiful profession in the world
Those who love to write, or those who say they can’t write at all, or those who don’t wait for the muse to come, or above all those who want to write for children, the most beautiful profession in the world…
We invite you to a Turkish workshop on “Writing for Children” by Mr. Fatih Erdoğan, translator, editor, academic and one of Turkey’s best known children’s book authors.The writing workshop takes place at Ankara library every Sunday between 1:00-3:00 starting on March 03, 2024.
Tea time with Katherine Ward – February 17, 2024
We had the pleasure to host Canadian author Katherine Ward at our library and learn more about the story in her book “Another Glass of Tea”. We had a lovely conversation about the impact of cultural differences between Canada and Türkiye from the eyes of a Canadian. While drinking our tea from traditional Turkish tea glasses, we listed to Katherine’s interesting experiences and how the seeds for unbreakable friendships were sown.
Dr. Esin Akalın book launch – February 07, 2024
We launched a book event with Dr. Esin Akalın to introduce her first novel “Valizimde İstanbul, Kısmetimde Toronto” which translates to “Istanbul in my suitcase, Toronto in my fortune”. While reading excerpts from her new book the author took us on an unforgettable life journey through her memories as an immigrant who was in love with the country she was born in but was able to turn the country she immigrated to into a source of happiness for herself, her family and her friends.
College and university application seminar – January 07, 2024
Canada education consultant Gülay Erdoğan Metivier (OCT) provided information to candidates who intend to apply to Canadian colleges and universities either from Canada or abroad, discussing admissions strategies and preparations to be completed ahead of time.
She gave detailed responses to questions from parents and students, emphasizing the importance of taking the right step at the right time for university and college admissions.
2023 Events
Looking back at 2023
The year 2023 was full of events and activities for Ankara Library thanks to the support of our community. We are looking forward to meet you again in one of our upcoming events next year. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year.
Turkish Bazaar – December 4, 5 & 6 2023
We organized our first “Turkish Bazaar” at the Women’s Art Association of Canada in Toronto with the objective to introduce Turkish culture, handcrafts and art presented by Turkish people living in Canada.
Program with Turkish author Sinan Meydan – November 25, 2023
Ankara Library hosted valuable researcher, historian, writer and journalist Sinan Meydan at Innis Town Hall as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the Republic of Turkiye.
Art Show – 26 Mayıs – 3 Haziran
We organized an art exhibition at the Women’s Art Association with ten distinguished artists. We addressed our friends and sponsors who support Ankara Library and those who visited the exhibition with the universal language of art.
Besides, as Ankara Library we aim to introduce you to new writers in Canada and share their works with you. We see it as one of our duties to bring new authors together and introduce you to them. This is especially for prospective writers.In this context, we introduced Şenol Taşdelen’s first book, “Running in the Dark”, to you, our valued followers, on the last day of our Art Show event.
Khatera Tughra “Efsun” book signing event Sunday, May 7
Despite being only at the age of 20, Khatera Tughra has already a background with years of successful involvement in NGO work. Khatera was born and raised in Afghanistan and is currently studying medicine at Ankara Gazi University. She has been selected as the “student of the year” and nominated as one of the “Top 10 most promising young people”.
April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
Ömür Kurt signed his books at the table of Ankara Library for the benefit of children affected by the earthquake at the international children’s festival held in Nathan Philips Square on April 23.
2000+
Total number of books in our library
4000+
Visitiors joined our annual Canada Day picnic
2000
Year Ankara Library was founded
180
Number of short stories written for our traditional competition
ANKARA LIBRARY TORONTO
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Ankara Library is closed on public holidays.