Chrissie Walker-Hong
Description
An interview with Chrissie Walker-Hong for the Lillian H. Smith Story Project.
Creator
Walker-Hong, Chrissie
Contributor
Wong, Christina
Format
MP3
Date Created
August 12, 2015
Spatial Coverage
Downtown (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington-Chinatown (Toronto, Ont.)
University (Toronto, Ont.)
Rights Holder
Wong, Christina
Interviewer
Wong, Christina
Interviewee
Walker-Hong, Chrissie
Location
Lillian H. Smith branch
Transcription
00:00 Speaker 1: Why don't we start off a little bit maybe about your childhood and your connection with... And then your connection with Lillian?
00:06 Speaker 2: It's interesting, because I grew up around this neighbourhood, so I'm back to my old roots here in Chinatown. I went to Ogden Public School, and long before the Lillian Smith branch existed it was... The Sanderson branch was my home branch and Boys and Girls House was on St. George Street.
00:24 S1: You went to Boys and Girls House, too?
00:25 S2: When I was very small, I guess in the '80s?
00:28 S1: I went there too.
00:29 S2: Yeah. And Sue worked there, our former colleague, so this is going way back. Then I... Of course, I moved to Etobicoke, but I would still visit downtown. I went to the University of Toronto, and then when the Lillian Smith branch opened in the '90s, I was desperate to work here. So it took a few years, but I finally got a position at this branch, and it was nice coming back to the old neighbourhood. It's like nothing had changed and great Chinese collection. My father speaks Cantonese and he's a big fan of this branch and loved to visit and got to know my colleagues.
01:03 S1: Does he still come here?
01:05 S2: He would go to the Reference Library sometimes. I think since I left, it's less incentive for him to visit, but he still enquires about my colleagues and his favourites. But he'd always love to read the paper here, and yeah.
01:18 S1: I remember when he'd bring you lunch.
01:20 S2: Yes.
[laughter]
01:21 S2: And he'd always walk away with a stack of DVDs, so yeah.
01:27 S1: Has anything changed since you were young? Do you remember what it was like then and what it is now, and where do you see...
01:36 S2: In the neighbourhood in general or...
01:37 S1: Yeah, and the library.
01:39 S2: The library it... The minute I walked in I felt like I was home. It feels like time has stood still. I've been out of this branch for a few years now, but not a lot has changed. I felt very welcomed, just as a patron. The neighbourhood itself, I've noticed a lot of new developments and... I don't wanna say it's off-putting but it's a little... I miss the way it used to be downtown. I know you feel the same, we both grew up downtown. Yeah, but I guess that's just the way it is. That's how it is in my new neighbourhood too. I've been there for most of my life but I can see a lot of changes happening.
02:15 S1: And you said you also work with Boys and Girls House. Is there anything you can remember from your visits there?
02:22 S2: My goodness. I probably have more memories of the Sanderson branch, only because we would go to Scadding Court and we had swimming there, so I probably spent more of my time at the Sanderson branch, but I really remember the Boys and Girls House being at St. George. And then seeing some of the old books in Lillian, you would see the imprint, like the stamp that said, "St. George, Boys and Girls House", and then it would just take you back and you knew that book was from way back when... Before the big move down here.
02:51 S1: So did you come here as a patron first before you started working here?
02:55 S2: Yeah. So when I was attending the University of Toronto, I would come here as a patron. This is actually before amalgamation. Funny you should mention it, because I worked in the former Etobicoke Public Libraries. So while this was still the old TPL with the old logo, that's when I was patron here. And then, when we became unionized and we all got rid of the former East York Region Etobicoke, yeah, then I start working here. So many memories here. I was just talking to someone the other day about all the great people we've hosted here at this branch for author talks and whatnot, so I mentioned Terry Gilliam and I actually... I brought the photo when I got to meet him, just before the premiere of one of his films. And then I believe they're giving away free passes, 'cause I actually got to see that film.
03:39 S1: It was here?
03:40 S2: That was here, that was... Yeah, right in the basement. Got my DVD signed, and very personal, a very nice person. But anyway, someone I was talking to online worked with him on the Brothers Grimm, and because now I'm getting into producing films and whatnot... Yeah, got to talking about movies and I actually met Terry. He worked with him on a professional level, but as a fan, I got to meet him here and it wouldn't have happened if... Yeah.
04:05 S1: Well, I just found out J. K. Rowling was here.
04:08 S2: She was here. Bill Gates, I think...
04:11 S1: I didn't know that was...
04:12 S2: Yeah. And then of course, the Empress of Japan was here. It was a lot of... Neil Gaiman. Yeah, that's probably a personal highlight. And then just flipping through the photos that I had from all my years here, lots of farewell parties, graduate... But I don't think I've attended as many weddings as I have when I was working here. The few years I was here, I think every year someone was either getting married or having a baby, so it's like a second family. It's always gonna be a part of my life.
04:39 S1: Yeah.
04:39 S2: Yeah.
00:06 Speaker 2: It's interesting, because I grew up around this neighbourhood, so I'm back to my old roots here in Chinatown. I went to Ogden Public School, and long before the Lillian Smith branch existed it was... The Sanderson branch was my home branch and Boys and Girls House was on St. George Street.
00:24 S1: You went to Boys and Girls House, too?
00:25 S2: When I was very small, I guess in the '80s?
00:28 S1: I went there too.
00:29 S2: Yeah. And Sue worked there, our former colleague, so this is going way back. Then I... Of course, I moved to Etobicoke, but I would still visit downtown. I went to the University of Toronto, and then when the Lillian Smith branch opened in the '90s, I was desperate to work here. So it took a few years, but I finally got a position at this branch, and it was nice coming back to the old neighbourhood. It's like nothing had changed and great Chinese collection. My father speaks Cantonese and he's a big fan of this branch and loved to visit and got to know my colleagues.
01:03 S1: Does he still come here?
01:05 S2: He would go to the Reference Library sometimes. I think since I left, it's less incentive for him to visit, but he still enquires about my colleagues and his favourites. But he'd always love to read the paper here, and yeah.
01:18 S1: I remember when he'd bring you lunch.
01:20 S2: Yes.
[laughter]
01:21 S2: And he'd always walk away with a stack of DVDs, so yeah.
01:27 S1: Has anything changed since you were young? Do you remember what it was like then and what it is now, and where do you see...
01:36 S2: In the neighbourhood in general or...
01:37 S1: Yeah, and the library.
01:39 S2: The library it... The minute I walked in I felt like I was home. It feels like time has stood still. I've been out of this branch for a few years now, but not a lot has changed. I felt very welcomed, just as a patron. The neighbourhood itself, I've noticed a lot of new developments and... I don't wanna say it's off-putting but it's a little... I miss the way it used to be downtown. I know you feel the same, we both grew up downtown. Yeah, but I guess that's just the way it is. That's how it is in my new neighbourhood too. I've been there for most of my life but I can see a lot of changes happening.
02:15 S1: And you said you also work with Boys and Girls House. Is there anything you can remember from your visits there?
02:22 S2: My goodness. I probably have more memories of the Sanderson branch, only because we would go to Scadding Court and we had swimming there, so I probably spent more of my time at the Sanderson branch, but I really remember the Boys and Girls House being at St. George. And then seeing some of the old books in Lillian, you would see the imprint, like the stamp that said, "St. George, Boys and Girls House", and then it would just take you back and you knew that book was from way back when... Before the big move down here.
02:51 S1: So did you come here as a patron first before you started working here?
02:55 S2: Yeah. So when I was attending the University of Toronto, I would come here as a patron. This is actually before amalgamation. Funny you should mention it, because I worked in the former Etobicoke Public Libraries. So while this was still the old TPL with the old logo, that's when I was patron here. And then, when we became unionized and we all got rid of the former East York Region Etobicoke, yeah, then I start working here. So many memories here. I was just talking to someone the other day about all the great people we've hosted here at this branch for author talks and whatnot, so I mentioned Terry Gilliam and I actually... I brought the photo when I got to meet him, just before the premiere of one of his films. And then I believe they're giving away free passes, 'cause I actually got to see that film.
03:39 S1: It was here?
03:40 S2: That was here, that was... Yeah, right in the basement. Got my DVD signed, and very personal, a very nice person. But anyway, someone I was talking to online worked with him on the Brothers Grimm, and because now I'm getting into producing films and whatnot... Yeah, got to talking about movies and I actually met Terry. He worked with him on a professional level, but as a fan, I got to meet him here and it wouldn't have happened if... Yeah.
04:05 S1: Well, I just found out J. K. Rowling was here.
04:08 S2: She was here. Bill Gates, I think...
04:11 S1: I didn't know that was...
04:12 S2: Yeah. And then of course, the Empress of Japan was here. It was a lot of... Neil Gaiman. Yeah, that's probably a personal highlight. And then just flipping through the photos that I had from all my years here, lots of farewell parties, graduate... But I don't think I've attended as many weddings as I have when I was working here. The few years I was here, I think every year someone was either getting married or having a baby, so it's like a second family. It's always gonna be a part of my life.
04:39 S1: Yeah.
04:39 S2: Yeah.
Files
Collection
Citation
Walker-Hong, Chrissie, “Chrissie Walker-Hong,” TPL Virtual Exhibits, accessed April 29, 2024, http://omeka.tplcs.ca/virtual-exhibits/items/show/1794.