Kansas City and Toronto Libraries Exchange Literary Insults on Twitter

It may not be the most high-profile Twitter feud of 2015, but the online spar between the Toronto and Kansas City public libraries is at least entertaining. The two cities’ major league baseball teams have been competing in the American League Championship Series all week, and if the Kansas City Royals take home a win against the Toronto Blue Jays tonight, they will have secured their tickets to the World Series.

Team pride is running so high in both cities that even the local librarians are getting in on the trash talk. The Kansas City public library instigated the feud following their Tuesday night win by tweeting an image of some snarky book spine poetry. As you can see from the exchange below, things got pretty heated from there—or at least as heated as a battle between Midwestern and Canadian librarians can get.

Some #bookspinepoetry for our friends @BlueJays & @torontolibrary #TaketheCrown #GoRoyals #ALCS pic.twitter.com/Zj5ZvhFljv
— KCMO Public Library (@KCLibrary) October 20, 2015

Sick burn.

Well played @KCLibrary but we've got a way with words too. 'Til tomorrow! @BlueJays #ComeTOgether #GoJaysGo pic.twitter.com/qED5PFp95t
— Toronto Public Library (@torontolibrary) October 21, 2015

Toronto fires back.

Tonight's reading for the @BlueJays: https://t.co/pyJNN7YSkX #MaybeWeWentTooFar #LoveYouToronto #MayTheBestTeamWin pic.twitter.com/m3veOocyQX
— KCMO Public Library (@KCLibrary) October 21, 2015

Things got a little too real when the Kansas City library tweeted this book cover ahead of game five.

’Tis but a flesh wound! Next game... #TaketheCrown #GoRoyals #bookspinepoetry @torontolibrary @bluejays pic.twitter.com/wg3yqoxApM
— KCMO Public Library (@KCLibrary) October 21, 2015

This was Kansas City's response to their 1-7 loss to the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Amazing job,@BlueJays!!!! That brings us to Round 2 of #bookspinepoetry @KCLibrary @BlueJays #ComeTogether pic.twitter.com/VRCg1ewZcw
— Toronto Public Library (@torontolibrary) October 21, 2015

Toronto tweeted this in celebration.

Just a little warm-up for tomorrow! #TakeTheCrown #WinAtHome @torontolibrary @BlueJays @Royals pic.twitter.com/CbMrer8u1D
— KCMO Public Library (@KCLibrary) October 22, 2015

Only one of these teams will secure a spot in the World Series, but we’re calling this Twitter smackdown a draw.

[h/t The Kansas City Star]