The Canadian Library Project (TCL)
The Canadian Library (TCL) is a grassroots art installation project that acts as a memorial to all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Men, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWGM2S).
The project currently consists of micro galleries installed at various locations across Canada. A micro gallery is a temporary art installation, on a smaller scale, where individuals can see books wrapped in Indigenous materials. The names of lives lost, printed in gold letters, are placed on the spines of these books to individually respect and honour the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, men and two-spirit people (MMIWGM2S). Eventually, the 8,000 books from the micro galleries will be brought together into a permanent installation.
The stories of the people named on the books can be read on the Canadian Library Project website. The books without names represent those MMIWGM2S who have not yet been found.
The Canadian Library was inspired by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibar.
The Canadian Library at TMU Libraries
A micro gallery of Canadian Library books can be found in the TMU Libraries.
Where is the micro gallery located?
The micro gallery is in the Ronald D. Besse Information & Learning Commons area on the main floor of the Library. It was unveiled on May 6th, 2024 for Red Dress Day, as part of a series of events on campus.
Where do the names come from?
TCL provided the names based on the location of TMU. The stories of each person named on a book can be found on the Canadian Library project website.
What fabric has being used to wrap the books?
The fabric was sourced by TCL, from a variety of Indigenous businesses so there is a wide variety of patterns. All the fabric was washed, dried, ironed, and smudged.
What books have been wrapped?
60 hard covered, withdrawn books from the Library collection.
Who created the micro gallery at TMU?
The micro gallery at the TMU Libraries was assembled by TMU libraries staff. The books were wrapped by members of the TMU community over the course of several events held at the Digital Media Experience lab.
What happens with the wrapped books and the micro galleries?
The Canadian Library’s vision is to have 8,000 books wrapped and collect all micro galleries in one massive art installation, being placed in a major museum / gallery as a permanent art piece.
The Canadian Library Microgallery at TMU
Images from the TMU Book Wrapping Events
Photo Credits
Photo credits: Jenna Charlton, Veronika Wiszniewska, Michelle Schwartz