Forward Thinking Speaker Series
The Forward Thinking Speaker Series reflects EPL’s rich history of taking risks, trying new things and redefining the modern library. EPL invites thought-leaders from a variety of industries to share their insights, ideas, experiences and viewpoints. Its purpose is to help build better organizations, neighborhoods and communities.
Featured Speaker
An Evening with David Sedaris
Monday, May 5, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Edmonton Convention Centre
Tickets for this event are now SOLD OUT!
Join bestselling author and humorist, David Sedaris for an evening filled with storytelling, observations, unpublished tales, audience Q&As and book signings.
Event Agenda
5:00 p.m. - Doors Open
5:00-5:40 p.m. - Pre-event book signing with David Sedaris
6:00-7:30 p.m. - David Sedaris presentation
7:45 p.m.-finished  - Post-event book signing
All event attendees will have an opportunity to get a book signed by David Sedaris! Our friends at Audreys Books will be on site selling a large selection of his titles and Mr. Sedaris will be signing books both pre and post-event.
About David Sedaris
David Sedaris is one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. He is a master of satire and one of today’s most observant writers. Beloved for his personal essays and short stories, David Sedaris is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Barrel Fever, Holidays on Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, and Calypso. His book The Best of Me collects 42 previously published stories and essays. Sedaris also wrote Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, a collection of fables with illustrations by Ian Falconer. His most recent is a short graphic novel for children with illustrations by Ian Falconer titled Pretty Ugly (TOON Books).
There are over 16 million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 32 languages. He has been awarded the Terry Southern Prize for Humor, Thurber Prize for American Humor, Jonathan Swift International Literature Prize for Satire and Humor, Time 2001 Humorist of the Year Award, as well as the Medal for Spoken Language from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In March 2019 he was elected as a member into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 2020 the New York Public Library voted Me Talk Pretty One Day one of the 125 most important books of the last 125 years.
This Year's Speakers
2025 Speakers
Kindness: The Stars that Light Our Way with Jesse Thistle
A Conversation with Peter Mansbridge
Past Speakers
2024 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
2023 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
2022 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
2021 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
2024 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
2023 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
2022 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
2021 Forward Thinking Speaker Series Recap
Frequently Asked Questions
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We have tested a variety of ticketing models at our events, including giving all tickets away for free. Unfortunately, this is not the best practice for us or our customers due to high no-show rates. We often had hundreds of customers missing out on tickets only to have a significant number of no-shows at the event. We have learned that a small cost holds our customers accountable to use their ticket while still making it a very affordable event.
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You can transfer your ticket to a friend or family member if you can't attend an event. EPL does not offer refunds for tickets purchased to Forward Thinking Speaker Series events.Â
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In an effort to create a barrier-free experience, if you have a disability or impairment that will impact your participation in our event please email us at events@epl.ca at least one week ahead of time to allow us to find solutions to best support you.
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The General Admission season pass is $125 and gives you a tickets to all four Forward Thinking Speaker Series events in 2025.Â
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In order to ensure the best experience for all customers, we do not allow latecomers into Speaker Series events after 7:10 p.m. For An Evening with David Sedaris, doors will be closed after 6:10 p.m. Please be in your seats before this time.