episode 114
🎙️ this is episode 114 of The Place of Sound.
it explores the Ottawa Trans Library (OTL), a volunteer-run library and community space in Ottawa.
the OTL was founded by a Carleton alum, Tara Sypniewski, who recently spoke about this with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS).
as a queer student, I wanted to use this episode to highlight a local queer community space during Pride season and explore what spaces like this can offer beyond their physical location or collection.
I visited the Ottawa Trans Library and spoke with volunteers Alice Holland and Serp Rivlow about their experiences with the library and the community that has formed around it. we talked about what makes the library feel welcoming, the importance of accessible third spaces where people can spend time without being expected to spend money, how the library connects people with the wider queer community in Ottawa, and what it means for a space to be entirely volunteer-run.
Alice and Serp also reflect on the importance of having queer and trans community spaces throughout the year—not only during Pride.
