You can read current issues of the Calgary Sun in PressReader.
Join Blackfoot storyteller Alexander Soop for the launch of his debut short story collection.
Read more about "Midnight Storm Moonless Sky"Adrian’s research and subsequent writings have formed foundational documents on Indigenous homelessness in Calgary and Edmonton. Published internationally, he has educated tens of thousands of individuals about Aboriginal Peoples’ history, culture, and protocols as an Educator, Executive Director, and Elder. A personal highlight for Adrian was providing cultural guidance and expertise to the Canadian, French, and Belgian governments for the 2005 Aboriginal Calling Home Ceremony.
Read more about "Adrian"Volunteering with us means developing new skills, sharing your love of libraries with others, and making new friends.Each year, over 3,500 dedicated Library volunteers help Calgary’s citizens build learning skills, make stories come to life, deliver Library materials to seniors, help patrons explore computer technology, and much more.
Read more about "Make a difference in someone’s life"'\n ', 'Artists, community groups, and organizations are invited to submit their work (all mediums including photography) for consideration to be displayed at community libraries. Artwork provides educational and cultural enrichment, encourages lifelong learning, and connects communities.\xa0Display space is available without charge.\xa0', 'Preference is given to artists who live or work in Calgary. Selected artists are given one-month showings.', '\n '
Read more about "'Bring beauty to the Library'"'\n ', "The Author in Residence program has been offered at the Library for over 30 years. Through this program, we have hosted many exceptional authors who continue to contribute to Calgary's strong literary community.", 'During their residency, these authors champion the joy of reading and help patrons appreciate the craft of writing. They deliver programs and review manuscripts, providing advice to both beginner and established writers.', 'The Author in Residence is available from September to November.', '\n '
Read more about "'Connecting readers and writers.'"History of Quarry Park Library Quarry Park Library opened on July 2, 2016, and is located inside the Remington YMCA in Quarry Park. It was built to better serve the rapidly expanding community previously served by Glenmore Square Library. It is currently the only location in our system to have bookable meeting rooms available after hours, when the rest of the Library is closed. It was also the pilot location for Read and Play kits, take-home early learning development kits loaned to families across Calgary. Prior to development in 2006, the neighbourhood the Library is located in was a gravel quarry for over 50 years, which is how it got its name.
Read more about "History of Quarry Park Library"Last July, David Greer travelled from his home in Vancouver to Calgary’s Central Library, hoping to meet the people who helped him find his birth father.More than a year earlier, David had written a letter to ResearchPlus, a fee-based research and reference service at Central Library.In his letter, David explained how he was adopted as a baby in Edmonton in 1957, and for decades was fine knowing nothing about his birth family. That changed when he turned 60. He decided he wanted to find out who his birth parents were and see if he could connect with them or their families.David had applied for his records from the Alberta Post Adoption Registry in 2017. Four months later, he received a heavily redacted file and began to glean what he could about his past.The Search BeginsDavid found support from the Forget Me Not Family Society in Vancouver, which led him to connect with an Edmonton counsellor who specializes in helping adoptees find their birth parents. With the counsellor’s help, David identified his birth mother.The search for his birth father proved more difficult. David’s adoption file included no name for his birth father and just a few details. David knew his birth father lived in Calgary when he was born, was 17 years old and in Grade 12, was interested in basketball, swimming, and track, had three siblings, and a father who was an anesthetist.“I was really stuck at that point,” David says. David had previously used Vancouver Public Library’s specialized research centre, and when he learned Calgary Public Library had a similar service, he reached out.In his letter, David outlined the details he knew from his adoption file. “I said, ‘I’ve taken my search this far, can you take it any further?’ And the answer was yes,” David says. “Librarians are really smart people, and they know how to access a lot of information that we don’t necessarily think of or know of.”ResearchPlus Steps InCalgary Public Library offers free genealogy programs, such as Family History Coaching, run in partnership with the Alberta Family Histories Society. As well, the eLibrary contains a variety of free history and genealogy resources, plus Library staff at Central Library can help patrons navigate the Calgary’s Story collection, full of community heritage and family history resources.David was not in Calgary to access those free services, so he turned to ResearchPlus instead. Four Library staff members helped on David’s file, including Kayla McAlister, a Library Experience Facilitator at Central Library.Kayla says one small detail — that David’s birth father’s father was an anesthetist — is what “broke it open.”Library staff used a free Digital Resource called Ancestry Library Edition. The database contains voters’ lists, which typically include occupation. Kayla searched by occupation only, and got just a few hits.From there, another staff member, Christine Hayes, used those names to search high school yearbooks in the Calgary’s Story collection. She found a student whose last name matched one of the last names for an anesthetist on the voters’ list. The yearbook also listed the student’s interests, which matched the description from David’s file.Using that name, other members of the ResearchPlus team found more information, through other free resources including Henderson Directories and Canadian Newsstream. The ResearchPlus team shared their detailed findings with David.Kayla has been involved in genealogy research for about 25 years and says it’s a rewarding area to work in. “It’s just a way for me to help people,” she says. “It means something to people, finding this fundamental piece of who they are and where they came from.”A New ConnectionWith the information from ResearchPlus, David found a phone number for the man he believed was his birth father. Last October, he dialed the number. He got an answering machine, called again a few days later, and spoke to his birth father for 45 minutes.“He shared that for the last couple of years, he wondered when he got unknown phone calls if it would be me,” David says.Seven months after that phone call, David travelled to Ontario to meet his birth father and three new brothers. David has also gotten to know two sisters on his birth mother’s side, who he talks to regularly through a WhatsApp group chat.He’s been introduced to many extended family members on both sides, and continues to meet even more. “It’s been an amazing experience,” David says.When David travelled to Calgary in July to visit his two sisters on his birth mother’s side, he decided to stop by Central Library and meet the people who helped him on his search.“Meeting the team members face to face was just a piece of completion for me,” David says. “The work they did was incredibly valuable to me.”Guinevere Soare, a Library Experience Facilitator at Central Library who helped on David’s file, was working the day David stopped by.“I’m really, really happy for him, that he found this new extended family,” she says. “It was rewarding to hear his story and know we helped him.”
Read more about "Stories 'The work they did was incredibly valuable to me' ResearchPlus staff contributed to David Greer's Library Story by helping him find his birth father"Award-winning musician Daniel Pelton grew up in a musical household and has been playing saxophone since the age of nine. Studying under Dr. Jeremy Brown at the University of Calgary, Daniel became a versatile performer in classical, jazz, and contemporary music styles. Daniel also studied composition under Juno Award-winning composer Allan Gordon Bell.
Read more about "Meet Daniel Pelton"Artists, community groups, and organizations are invited to submit their work (all mediums including photography) for consideration to be displayed at community libraries. Artwork provides educational and cultural enrichment, encourages lifelong learning, and connects communities. Display space is available without charge. Preference is given to artists who live or work in Calgary. Selected artists are given one-month showings.
Read more about "Bring beauty to the Library"The world outside may be chilly, but there are still so many ways to enjoy winter – both cozy at home and out in the snow! For the month of February, Chinook Blast invites you to bring the whole family to check out local artists illuminating our winter weekend nights with light installations around downtown Calgary.Winter Froth (photographed above by @laurenmneves) is part of Chinook Blast. The balloon installation and selfie booth created by Calgary Party 50 that is on display right outside of Central Library on February 26 — 28 and Stephen Avenue Place on February 19 — 22.That’s not all there is to do for free during the snowy days of February! Here are some more fun and easy ideas for family winter activities that you can access from home with your FREE Library membership. Don’t have a Library card? Sign up online and start using it immediately.Check out this winter fun booklist for kidsThese staff-picked titles will inspire you and your kids to bundle up and explore the wonderful world of winter.Listen to cozy winter playlists on FreegalLet music create a cozy atmosphere in your home with Freegal. Explore playlists curated just for winter vibes or find songs by your favourite artists. Stream up to three hours per day of free music and download up to five songs per week.Watch shows about winter fun on Kanopy KidsStream kids’ TV shows for free on Kanopy Kids! Right now, they have a Winter Fun playlist full of winter-themed episodes of kids’ TV shows, like “What Will Little Bear Wear?” and “Lemonade in Winter.”Learn about what winter is like for Indigenous PeoplesRead about various Indigenous seasonal traditions and what it’s like to live on the Land during the winter by exploring the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada.Learn about winter birds with Birds of the WorldDid you know that some types of birds can only be seen during the winter in Calgary? Dress warmly and go birdwatching in one of Calgary’s parks, then use Birds of the World to learn about the birds you saw.Chinook Blast Book Launch with Radical BooksJoin us during Chinook Blast for a virtual program of author readings and a book launch, featuring eight local authors. A moderated Q and A will follow the readings. The event takes place Saturday, February 27 at 2:30pm.
Read more about "Stories Free Winter Fun with the Library and Chinook Blast"This resident supports Library users as they explore business, tech and innovation skill development.
Read more about "Entrepreneur in Residence"My name is Rachel Murphy and I have two boys, Fraser and Anderson, ages three-and-a-half and two. They are growing up with a love of reading and Calgary Public Library is a big reason why.I spent a lot of time at the Library during my maternity leaves. We attended Drop-in Family Storytimes, and signed out each of the six themed Read and Play kits at Quarry Park Library. The Library was a place where I felt very comfortable bringing my boys because kids are encouraged to learn through play.When my oldest was two, I asked him what his favourite place in Calgary was. I assumed he would say an indoor play place but he said the Library, and that made me feel so happy and proud.Now that I’m back at work, the Library continues to be a big part of our lives. I place holds on books online and then pick them up on my lunch break. My boys’ eyes light up when I come home with Library books as if it’s Christmas morning. My oldest even sleeps with Library books at the foot of his bed for the three-week borrowing period.Currently, the boys are very interested in hockey and trains. I love being able to borrow books because as their interests change, so can their selection of books.We also visit several Library locations every month or two to enjoy the Early Learning Centres, as each one is interactive and centered around a different theme. We love the Early Learning Centres at Fish Creek, Shawnessy, and Quarry Park Library, but our favourite is definitely Engine 23 at Central Library.You can’t beat being able to sit inside and pretend to drive a real firetruck. We also love reading firetruck books in the upper reading area. My boys were both firefighters for Halloween because Engine 23 gave them their love of firetrucks.We are SO excited for the new Central Library to open later this year! Calgary Public Library understands that healthy development in early childhood sets kids up for future success. My family and I are so lucky to live in a place where reading is so accessible and lifelong learning is encouraged. Follow Rachel and her boys on Instagram at @newwestmom.We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘My Boys Are Growing up With a Love of Reading’ Rachel Murphy is helping her children write their own Library Story"This program
Read more about "Roll out the rainbow carpet with us!"Experience the farm without the need for rubber boots! This VR experience gives you a…
Read more about "Virtual Reality Dairy Barn"