ONTARIO – From the Holy Writings to the texts of the Ruhi Institute, from uplifting stories of Abdu’l-Bahá to the biographies of the Hands of the Cause – there is always a need for Bahá’í literature to reach the grassroots.
The energy, the vigilance, the steadfastness displayed by these heralds of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh and their elected representatives, under whose auspices the circulation of Bahá’í literature has, of late years, assumed tremendous dimensions, merit the highest praise. – Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By
Below are a few of the ways you can access Bahá’í books, wherever you live in the region!
Bahá’í Bookstores
Whenever a regional or national meeting is held in Toronto, Liz, the Bahá’í Centre manager, makes sure that there is a large enough supply of Baha’u’lláh’s Writings, Ruhi Books, and new release titles to serve the friends who travel long distances to reach the largest Bahá’í Bookstore in the country. Ottawa also has a permanent bookstore in its beautiful Bahá’í Centre on McArthur Ave.
Many smaller communities have their own Bahá’í libraries. Often, for example, in someone’s home. Others order books in bulk for the friends to purchase locally. Ask your Local Spiritual Assembly what opportunities for circulating literature exist in your community.
Your Local Bookstore
Did you know that you can order many titles from your local commercial bookstore, even if they are not stocked on shelves? From big sellers like Indigo and Coles to local independent shops, many titles can be ordered through the customer service counter or even online. You might need the ISBN number to help them find the title you’re looking for. And who knows – maybe after seeing enough orders coming through, they’ll start showing up on the shelves!
Online
One of the quickest, most convenient ways to order books is online. Distribution services can be found at Bahá’í Distribution Service of Canada, Bahá’í Distribution Service of United States, and you can also order directly from publishers like Palabra Publications and George Ronald Publisher.
There is also the newly updated Bahá’í Reference Library http://www.bahai.org/library/ from the Bahá’í World Centre, where you can access the Bahá’í Writings electronically, along with some other Bahá’í literature. For those of us who prefer e-readers over paper, a growing range of titles can be downloaded at http://www.bahaiebooks.org.
Cluster and Regional Institute Coordinators
Are you looking for a junior youth text or new Ruhi book? Chances are if it is in a pre-publication version, the best way to get a copy is directly from the institute itself, which has access to materials from the Ruhi Institute. Talk to your study circles or junior youth coordinator if you have one. If your cluster doesn’t presently have an institute coordinator, you can talk to your regional institute coordinator or write to the Institute Board at instituteboard@ontariobahai.org.
Seasonal Schools
Some seasonal schools and regional events set up “mobile bookstores” for the friends to enjoy. If you are hosting or attending a seasonal school and want to learn more about opportunities to circulate literature, send us a message to pass on to the Seasonal Schools Committee.
