Quill and Quire

Events

« Back to
Quillblog

Toronto’s LGBTQ speed dating gets a literary reboot

Toronto Public Library Homepage

Speed dating has been given a bookish twist, thanks to the Toronto Public Library’s debut LGBTQ Literary Speed Dating night, which takes place July 4, 6:30 p.m. at the TPL’s Bloor/Gladstone branch.

Organized by librarian Raymond Lam to coincide with the end of Toronto’s Pride Week, the speed-dating night is open to anyone who identifies as LGBTQ, between the ages of 19 and 35. The event gives participants a chance to discuss a favourite book, CD, or DVD with like-minded people.

Lam says he got the idea after reading an article about the success of similar events at other libraries across the country. (In February, The Globe & Mail wrote about the Vancouver Public Library’s popular “Read Dating” nights.) He explains that literary speed-daters create an alias, and when participants meet someone they’d like to see again, they can check their name off on a speed-dating card. If two people show an interest in each other, Lam will put them in touch via email.

About 20 people have registered so far, and Lam is “hoping for some drop-ins to reach the cap of 40 people. Participants can register by calling the Bloor/Gladstone library.

Lam, who has already declared tomorrow night a success, is planning a heterosexual literary speed-dating event for Oct. 24.