{"id":44465,"date":"2023-01-26T17:59:41","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T17:59:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/?post_type=cu_story&p=44465"},"modified":"2025-02-03T11:30:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T16:30:15","slug":"the-books-that-bind","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/story\/the-books-that-bind\/","title":{"rendered":"The Books That Bind"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n The Books That Bind\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n

New student group hopes to reconnect Carleton\u2019s literary community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Alyssa Tremblay<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos by Ainslie Coghill<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to be an English major to love reading and writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the ethos behind the English Literature Society (ELS)<\/a>, a student-run organization hoping to build an interdisciplinary community of bookworms and wordsmiths at Carleton University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Housed in the Department of English Language and Literature<\/a>, the ELS was previously only available to English students interested in reading, writing and discovering Ottawa\u2019s literary arts scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, starting this academic year, the newly-revived society is now open to students enrolled in any program or faculty at Carleton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Top row, from left to right: Duncan Macfarlane and Jennifer Jakob. Bottom row, left to right: Bo Doyle, Ayla Sully, Abby Denne and Lauren Halkes.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n


The main focus of the group is to forge connections, according to ELS co-presidents Jennifer Jakob and Duncan Macfarlane, who run the organization alongside fellow executive team members Abby Denne (Social Media Officer), Bo Doyle (Communications Officer), Lauren Halkes (Secretary), and Ayla Sully (Secretary).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After two years of online-only coursework, students are eager to explore what going to university means beyond just attending class\u2014as is the case for Macfarlane, who enjoys short fiction and food writing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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“This is a transformative moment for university culture. There\u2019s so much potential at Carleton. Having a place to make connections is so important.”<\/p>Duncan Macfarlane, ELS Co-President<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For their part, Jakob feels personally invested in giving Carleton\u2019s robust literary community a space where it can grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fourth-year student on the cusp of graduation, she found herself reflecting on the struggles she faced as a first-year, trying to put down roots in a new city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I moved to Ottawa for my studies right at the start of the pandemic, and it was hard finding a home,” explained Jakob, who writes poetry, dabbles in fiction and is part of the editing team for flo.<\/a><\/em>, a local literary magazine.<\/p>\n\n\n

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“There\u2019s a robust community here, we just need to set up spaces on campus to help bring it to life.” <\/p>Jennifer Jakob, ELS Co-President<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

ELS plans to host at least two events per month throughout the winter and fall terms, ranging from general meetings for socializing and information sharing, to activities like workshops, guest speakers, group outings to literary events in the city, and collaborations with other kindred spirit campus clubs like the Poetics Society<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From left to right: Abby Denne, Ayla Sully, Jennifer Jakob, Duncan Macfarlane, Lauren Halkes and Bo Doyle.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n


As a faculty mentor for the ELS, Professor Jodie Medd is glad to play a role in helping regrow a rich community among the literary-curious at Carleton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“English has always been proud of our department\u2019s welcoming and vibrant student community, and the wonderful creative initiatives and achievements of our students and alumni,” said Medd. “The initial meetings and gatherings around ELS this fall indicate this collective craving for connection and community is still strong\u2014and students are keen to organize themselves and make their own events.”<\/p>\n\n\n

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“There are also so many developing venues for literary expression both on and off campus\u2014from readings to open mics to writing circles. It\u2019s an exciting time at Carleton and in Ottawa.” <\/p>Prof. Jodie Medd, ELS Faculty Mentor<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about the English Literature Society<\/strong> and get involved: Fill out their new member form<\/a>, visit their website<\/a>, follow them on Instagram <\/a>(@carleton_englitsociety) and Facebook<\/a>, or join their Discord server<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New student group hopes to reconnect Carleton\u2019s literary community By Alyssa Tremblay Photos by Ainslie Coghill You don\u2019t have to be an English major to love reading and writing. That\u2019s the ethos behind the English Literature Society (ELS), a student-run organization hoping to build an interdisciplinary community of bookworms and wordsmiths at Carleton University. Housed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_story_type":[816],"cu_story_tag":[],"class_list":["post-44465","cu_story","type-cu_story","status-publish","hentry","cu_story_type-general"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/44465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/44465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44858,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/44465\/revisions\/44858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_story_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_type?post=44465"},{"taxonomy":"cu_story_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/fass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_tag?post=44465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}