Joyner's Dream by Sylvia Tyson

If you had the opportunity to open the pages of a journal that described your ancestors’ lives would you be intrigued? Leslie Archibald Fitzhelm inherits a written memoir of his family’s history, beginning in mid 1800 England.

Singer songwriter Sylvia Tyson’s gift of lyrical storytelling fills the pages of her first book, Joyner’s Dream, as she describes the eight generations of the Tredwell/Joyner/Fitzhelm clan.

Thieving scoundrels and illegitimacy color Leslie’s past as secrets are revealed and his heritage is unravelled. Joining each generation is a love of music and the intrinsic component that this “universal language” plays in their lives. This was one of the themes that I most enjoyed about the book. Tyson finds a way to link family members together, pre social media/digital access, and she kept me interested in learning about each of the characters. I also enjoyed how well she set the mood of each time period; I felt I was travelling the journey with her.

If reading a spirited tale of family history appeals to you give Joyner’s Dream by Sylvia Tyson a try.

When searching the Internet do you ever wonder if the information you are reading is valid? Did you know Calgary Public Library has over 100 databases that will help you get accurate and reliable information on a variety of topics?

Before going out and making an expensive purchase, I like to do my research. Sure, I go on the Internet to get reviews, but without fail I will start my search by going to Calgary Public Library's E-Library and scour the magazine articles.

If you're a fan of Consumer Reports magazine you may be surprised to hear that you can access current issues through the E-Library. Simply go to www.calgarypubliclibrary.com, click on the E-Library tab at the top of the page, or E-Library under QUICK LINKS on the right-hand side of the website. From there click on Newspapers & Magazines and scroll down to MasterFile Premier. Click on MasterFile Premier to start your search. You will be prompted to enter your valid Library Card number and your PIN, which is the last four digits of your phone number.

I like to do an Advanced search. This is where I add keywords and limit my search to articles I can read on the screen by clicking in the box beside Full Text. If you know the name of the magazine you can even put the magazine title in the Publication search box.

MasterFile Premier doesn't have every magazine ever published, so if you want to check if a particular magazine is in the database, click on MasterFile Premier, then on PUBLICATIONS at the top of the screen. Type in the name of the magazine to determine if it is available electronically. Of course, if you're having any difficulty, please call Calgary Public Library at 403-260-2600. We're happy to help you.

MasterFile Premier is just one of the many databases you can search in the E-Library. This particular database features thousands of full text book reviews, biographies and primary source documents as well as hundreds of reference and travel books, including the World Almanac & Book of Facts, and an Image Collection of 107,135 photos, maps and flags. MasterFile Premier even offers PDF backfiles as far back as 1975 for key publications. Have fun exploring the E-Library!