Author Robert J. Sawyer received the Toronto Public Library Celebrates Reading Award. The award, which includes a $2,500 cash prize and a crystal sculpture, was presented at the second annual Book Lover’s Ball on 15 February. The Book Lover’s Ball is a $350-a-plate black-tie event held at Toronto’s Liberty Grand, and was a sold-out affair.
According to Josephine Bryant, the City Librarian who presented the award, it “is one of the key means by which we strive to re-emphasize the importance of literacy and reading, and the continuing relevance of the Library.” The Toronto Public Library is the largest and busiest library system in North America, and the second largest in the world. The Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation, and Fantasy is one of the Library’s special collections.
Accepting the award, Sawyer said “Science fiction still struggles in some places for respectability, but that’s never been the case in Toronto. The Toronto Public Library is known world-wide for its support of the genre.”
The program book said of Sawyer: “From haunting the stacks of the North York Central Library in the 1960s, through working at a Toronto independent bookstore in the 1980s, to being writer-in-residence at various Ontario libraries in the 21st Century, Rob has devoted his life to reading and writing. He has served on literary advisory boards for the International Festival of Authors at Harbourfront and the Toronto Olympics bid committee.
“Rob frequently mentors emerging authors, and has taught writing at the Banff Centre, Humber College, Ryerson, and the University of Toronto. Sawyer is one of only seven writers in history (and the first Canadian) to win all three of the world’s top awards for best science-fiction novel of the year: the Hugo [for Hominids in 2003], the Nebula [for The Terminal Experiment in 1996, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award [for Mindscan in 2006].”
Famous faces at the banquet and award ceremony included Toronto Mayor David Miller, Canadian authors Allan Fotheringham and Peter C. Newman, and Canada AM co-host Seamus O’Regan, who served as master of ceremonies.
The award was established in 2001, and is one of Canada’s top book-related honors. Previous winners include Dennis Lee, Kenneth Oppel, and TVOntario (the provincial educational television network).