Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

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  • Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

    Hey everyone,

    I would like to make a quick announcement about the excellent news I received a few weeks ago. It was a long story because the original email that was sent to me from Brian Raymer somehow ended in my junk folder. It wasn't until 2 weeks later when I was checking my junk mails that I saw a message about Chess in the Library in Victoria.

    My first reaction was - WHAT!??????? I honestly couldn't believe my eyes. After all, I really didn't contact anyone in Victoria about this at all. Was it magic?

    So I opened my email and I saw a short message from Brian Raymer saying that the Chess in the Library idea has spread to Victoria and a local library there called the Juan de Fuca branch will be hosting a chess program starting in late September. They hope to call it "Chess in the Library" and Brian asks me if I mind.

    I was so thrilled to hear this news that I read the email 10 times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Making the program nation wide was my ultimate goal for CITL and now it's coming true a few years ahead of my expectations.

    Here is some info of the program in Victoria that is also listed on our website:

    Juan de Fuca Library
    1759 Island Highway
    Victoria, BC
    V9B 1J1
    250-391-0653

    Open from 6:30pm to 8:00pm on Wednesdays, starting on September 29th, 2010. Session ends October 20th. If you live in Victoria, please support the program by spreading the word about this!

    On behalf of my team, I want to give Brian Raymer and the Victoria Junior Chess Society a HUGE THANK YOU for doing all of this. They are the ones organizing the program there but the fact that they also want to join the Chess in the Library network is just incredible.

    I know that the idea was originally mine and I founded the Chess in the Library organization but in the end, the program and the organization belongs to ALL of us because the one thing that pulls us together is our mission of promoting chess in Canada. That's all it matters.

    I know that there are many other chess clubs in Canada that are ran in public libraries. If anyone would like to join or network, we welcome you will open arms! The power of a team is much greater than an individual. If you want to promote chess, why not do it together with us?

    As of now, CITL has 14 locations in total. 12 in Toronto, 1 in Ottawa and 1 in Victoria~ :D
    For a complete list of locations with detailed information, please visit our website at www.chessinthelibrary.com

  • #2
    Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

    Originally posted by Yuanling Yuan View Post
    It wasn't until 2 weeks later when I was checking my junk mails that I saw a message about Chess in the Library in Victoria.

    So I opened my email and I saw a short message from Brian Raymer saying that the Chess in the Library idea has spread to Victoria and a local library there called the Juan de Fuca branch will be hosting a chess program starting in late September.
    JF has a nice room for this and I'm glad to see it. I don't know anything about who would be running it, but there is a Victoria junior chess website here. I see no mention of this there, though.

    As I am recently retired from GVPL I know the Librarian out there and will try to remember to send an enquiring email and see what I can find out.

    Ed

    UPDATE: I sent an email to Andrea Brimmel, who runs the branch, to see what she knows.
    Last edited by Ed Seedhouse; Monday, 20th September, 2010, 12:38 PM.

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    • #3
      Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

      Originally posted by Ed Seedhouse View Post
      UPDATE: I sent an email to Andrea Brimmel, who runs the branch, to see what she knows.
      Andrea has replied to my email, confirming that there will be such a program at the Juan de Fuca branch and I've asked for more details.

      At this point I don't know who in the Victoria Chess community is going to be the resource person for this.

      Ed

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      • #4
        Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

        I'm thinking the program Yuan started is more than just "chess" played in a "library". We have that here in Windsor. Is there more being organized than just a room and chess pieces?

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        • #5
          Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

          Thanks for the post. The program is being run as a pilot. Shannon Kenning will be on site to give basic instruction. Chess teachers will be dropping in as available. October 20 is scheduled for a tournament.

          We are hoping the program will continue through the winter.

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          • #6
            Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

            Is this also what's happening in the Toronto libraries?

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            • #7
              Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

              Originally posted by Alan Baljeu View Post
              Is this also what's happening in the Toronto libraries?
              As Yuanling wrote long time ago, there are tournaments, and they were providing some lectures and/or instructions. (you may check more details at their website)

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              • #8
                Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                Originally posted by Alan Baljeu View Post
                I'm thinking the program Yuan started is more than just "chess" played in a "library". We have that here in Windsor. Is there more being organized than just a room and chess pieces?
                Hi Alan,

                We actually organize round robin tournaments and do a bit of teaching during the 2 hour session. It's not just about leaving chess sets on the table for people to play freely. What is it that you have in Windsor?

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                • #9
                  Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                  Originally posted by Egidijus Zeromskis View Post
                  As Yuanling wrote long time ago, there are tournaments, and they were providing some lectures and/or instructions. (you may check more details at their website)
                  Yup, our website is www.chessinthelibrary.com and my blog is yuanlingyuan.blogspot.com. :)

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                  • #10
                    Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                    We leave chess sets on the table for people to play freely.

                    How do you manage to teach and run tournaments at so many places?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                      Alan, checkout their web site to see how it works. They lock in enough volunteers before starting each site.

                      Bravo, Yuanling.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                        Originally posted by Michael Lo View Post
                        Alan, checkout their web site to see how it works. They lock in enough volunteers before starting each site.

                        Bravo, Yuanling.
                        It's a great model.

                        The volunteers are mostly high school students, including some strong chess players. I don't know if this counts towards the high school requirement of having to perform x number of hours of volunteer work. But the volunteers have to commit to a full season. The programs are aimed at younger kids and are held in the kid section of the libraries. Interest has to be shown by the library staff and enough kids signed up before the program goes in. The high school students blog of their program and ideas shared of what is working at other libraries. So it is also a fun experience for the high-school volunteers.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                          Originally posted by Erik Malmsten View Post
                          It's a great model.

                          The volunteers are mostly high school students, including some strong chess players. I don't know if this counts towards the high school requirement of having to perform x number of hours of volunteer work. But the volunteers have to commit to a full season. The programs are aimed at younger kids and are held in the kid section of the libraries. Interest has to be shown by the library staff and enough kids signed up before the program goes in. The high school students blog of their program and ideas shared of what is working at other libraries. So it is also a fun experience for the high-school volunteers.
                          What Erik said is mainly correct. :)

                          I'm not sure about high school students in other provinces, but in Ontario we have to complete at least 40 volunteer hours in order to graduate. However, most volunteers who organizes the weekly meets for Chess in the Library volunteer for the experience or for their love of the game. Most would continue after receiving 40 hours or they would come into the program with 40+ already. I'm an IB student so I need 150 volunteer hours starting from gr11. By doing this project, I've already exceed this number long time ago but again, it's for the sake of promoting chess that I'm doing this. :)

                          So please continue to support us!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                            Originally posted by Alan Baljeu View Post
                            We leave chess sets on the table for people to play freely.

                            How do you manage to teach and run tournaments at so many places?
                            Hi Alan,

                            If you are interested, the Chess in the Library team can help you set up a formal chess program (where there's teaching and round robin tournaments) in Windsor. My email is yuanling_1@yahoo.com. Email me anytime! :)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Chess in the Library - Officially a Nation Wide Program Now!

                              Yuanling, it's great to see your program being so successful.

                              Now concentrate on winning at the Olympiad! Go team go!

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