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Houmou Guiro is no stranger to libraries. She has visited them since she was seven years old, checking out books every few weeks. But when Houmou moved from France to Canada two years ago, she discovered a library system much different than the one she was used to.There were books to read in Calgary’s libraries, plus so much more. Houmou joined an ESL Coffee and Conversation Club to practice her English, and later signed up for an ESL Writing Club. She improved her English skills and met friends at the programs, which helped her to feel more at home in a new city.“The Library in Calgary is very awesome,” Houmou says. “In Paris, you take your books and that’s it. Here, you have services for babies, for newcomers. If you want to open a business, you have services. It’s all free and open and you can take 99 books out.”Houmou credits a resumé development program she took at the Library with helping her get her first job in Canada, at a retail store downtown. “I had a French resumé, but it’s very different how you do it in Canada. So I learned how to do it and got help to improve my resumé,” she says.She now works for a not-profit organization called PIA, which offers services and programs to francophone immigrants and refugees in Calgary. In this role, Houmou tells other newcomers about available services in the city, including all they can do with a free Library card.“I tell them ‘You have to go to the Library! It’s very good. You can take out a lot of books and a lot of everything else too,’” she says.Houmou is also an avid reader, regularly checking out French and English titles. She blogs about the books she’s reading and her life in Canada. Lately she’s been reading a lot of books about entrepreneurship and marketing, as she works on launching her own business: a French tutoring service for kids.When Houmou had her first child, Demba, she took him to a weekly Baby Rhyme Time program. “I didn’t know any English songs, so it was very good for me to meet some parents, talk about our babies, and sing with them in English. It was so cool,” she says.She brings 19-month-old Demba to Louise Riley Library or the new Central Library every few weeks, just as her family used to take her to the Library in France. “We play, we take books out, we read. He likes turning the pages,” she says. “He really likes coming here. I like the Library so much too.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'It's all free and open and you can take 99 books out' Houmou Guiro's Library Story helped her feel more at home in a new city"'\n ', 'Learn to play a musical instrument at your own pace. ArtistWorks complements the musical instrument collection available at Memorial Park Library.', 'NEW! ArtistWorks has moved to the Libby app. Download the Libby app from the ', 'App Store', ' or ', 'Google Play ', '. Sign in with your Calgary Public Library card, then scroll to the "Extras" section on the home screen.', 'Or, if you already have the app, ', 'click here', '.', 'Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial in Niche Academy: ', 'ArtistWorks', '\n '
Read more about "'Free online music classes from ArtistWorks on the Libby app'"Houmou Guiro is no stranger to libraries. She has visited them since she was seven years old, checking out books every few weeks. But when Houmou moved from France to Canada two years ago, she discovered a library system much different than the one she was used to.There were books to read in Calgary’s libraries, plus so much more. Houmou joined an ESL Coffee and Conversation Club to practice her English, and later signed up for an ESL Writing Club. She improved her English skills and met friends at the programs, which helped her to feel more at home in a new city.“The Library in Calgary is very awesome,” Houmou says. “In Paris, you take your books and that’s it. Here, you have services for babies, for newcomers. If you want to open a business, you have services. It’s all free and open and you can take 99 books out.”Houmou credits a resumé development program she took at the Library with helping her get her first job in Canada, at a retail store downtown. “I had a French resumé, but it’s very different how you do it in Canada. So I learned how to do it and got help to improve my resumé,” she says.She now works for a not-profit organization called PIA, which offers services and programs to francophone immigrants and refugees in Calgary. In this role, Houmou tells other newcomers about available services in the city, including all they can do with a free Library card.“I tell them ‘You have to go to the Library! It’s very good. You can take out a lot of books and a lot of everything else too,’” she says.Houmou is also an avid reader, regularly checking out French and English titles. She blogs about the books she’s reading and her life in Canada. Lately she’s been reading a lot of books about entrepreneurship and marketing, as she works on launching her own business: a French tutoring service for kids.When Houmou had her first child, Demba, she took him to a weekly Baby Rhyme Time program. “I didn’t know any English songs, so it was very good for me to meet some parents, talk about our babies, and sing with them in English. It was so cool,” she says.She brings 19-month-old Demba to Louise Riley Library or the new Central Library every few weeks, just as her family used to take her to the Library in France. “We play, we take books out, we read. He likes turning the pages,” she says. “He really likes coming here. I like the Library so much too.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'It's all free and open and you can take 99 books out' Houmou Guiro's Library Story helped her feel more at home in a new city"Learn about the role libraries play in your community This program is an opportunity for school classes in Calgary to visit the Library location nearest them to see how it is a learning space and resource in their community. L ibrary staff will share resources and expertise, and lead hands-on activities to support students in building awareness of the role of public libraries in their school community. Visits are 45 minutes long and are conducted for one class at a time (maximum 30 students per class). Bookings can be made for up to two classes ( larger groups possible at Crowfoot only ), with an option to extend your stay with a 25-minute activity. Book borrowing is not included in your visit, but you are welcome stay with your class afterwards to do so. Opportunities may vary depending on community Library location and size of group. If you would like to bring a non-school group to the Library for a tour, please call Library Hotline.
Read more about "Learn about the role libraries play in your community"Browse installations by artists from or with a connection to Treaty 7 The Library's placemaking journey began in 2017 with meetings with the Indigenous Place Making Council of Canada. Under their guidance, we visited the Stoney Nakoda, Siksika, Tsuut'ina, and Métis Nations of Alberta, as well as the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary for input on making Indigenous visual and oral storytelling more prominent in Library locations. Indigenous Placemaking is the ongoing result. This initiative develops traditional and contemporary artworks that promote understanding of Indigenous peoples and cultures within Treaty 7 territory. The creation of these works inspires collaboration among artists of all disciplines, backgrounds, and experience levels. Having these pieces in the Library helps create an inclusive space for sharing and gathering of all Nations and communities to learn and grow together. Supported by Suncor Energy Foundation.
Read more about "Browse installations by artists from or with a connection to Treaty 7"“Help your sister’s boat across the water, and yours too will reach the other side.” ~ Eric HofferSusan Anderson, Special Events Volunteer with Calgary Public Library, strongly identifies with this quote by the American philosopher and the idea that helping others enriches one’s own life. So when she retired from the Library, she immediately set about volunteering…right back at the Library.Volunteering runs in Susan’s family. “I’ve volunteered since I was a teenager. I do it because I like doing it, not for any monetary gain or external reward; I volunteer because it’s interesting to me. And, it’s really fun and a great learning experience.” To date, Susan’s volunteer role has had her playing an active role in the Library’s daytime Colossal Calgary Playdates, as well the Your Ride’s On Us and Author in Residence programs, working with children and adults alike. From Susan’s perspective, someone who wants to volunteer for the Library should like people and want to understand them, have a sense of curiosity, and be a life-long learner. “An effective volunteer has to be reliable, dependable, and passionate about what they are doing!”The Library’s values align very closely with Susan’s, and that’s why she feels so very comfortable volunteering within the Library environment. “It’s a place for people, where I can offer assistance as patrons learn new things. Those four words the Library has—wonder, seek, discover, share—to me that just nails it. That’s what the Library is about and that’s why I’m so happy to be part of it all.”If you’d like to join the Library’s team of volunteers in special events or a wide variety of other programs, please visit the Volunteers page.
Read more about "Stories Meet our Volunteers: Susan Anderson Susan helps patrons learn new things with the variety of programs she volunteers with"For Jesse Campbell, growing up down the road from the public library in the southern Alberta community of Crowsnest Pass was a big deal.“I was in there all the time,” says Campbell, now 28 years old. A former geologist, Campbell recently returned to university for medical school. “Reading triggered curiosity in me as a kid, and Ibelieve that has helped me in all aspects of life. I just wanted to be able to help other kids feel the same way.”To that end, Campbell started volunteering with Calgary Public Library a year ago, with the School Support program (formerly Homework Help). Campbell heads to Nose Hill Library once a week to help students in Grade 1 to Grade 6 with school assignments.Campbell enjoyed that experience so much, he picked up another volunteer assignment—at Crowfoot Library. With the Learning Advantage program, Campbell helps an adult develop basicreading, writing, and numeracy skills. “I like being able to have a one-on-one interaction, to sit across from someone and feel like I’m having a direct impact,” he says.Both volunteer gigs have come with a bonus benefit. “I think it’s easy to get detached from your community a little bit, and volunteering in these positions has made me feel so much moreconnected to my community,” he says.Just as Campbell’s early library experience played a defining role in his life, his volunteer work at Calgary Public Library is making a difference in the lives of others.If you’d like to join the Library’s team of volunteers, please visit the Volunteers page.
Read more about "Stories Meet our Volunteers: Jesse Campbell Jesse volunteers to connect to his community"Clarence Wolfleg Sr. Clarence Wolfleg Sr. (Agar) is from the Siksika Nation. His traditional name, Miiksika'am , translates to “Red Crane.” This traditional Siksika name was also his fourth great grandfather’s name, who watched their eastern Siksika boundaries for many years back in the late 1700s. Clarence attended the Old Sun Indian Residential School in Siksika and was registered by the name Agar Wolfleg. He later used his correct name, Clarence Victor Wolfleg, which came from his god father, a Siksika Chief named Chief Clarence McHugh. Clarence McHugh’s wife’s name was Victoria. In 2013, Clarence finished his last term with Siksika Nation Chief & Council. He was elected for ten terms as a member of Siksika Council and served under many Siksika chiefs. Clarence is a member of the Sacred Horns’ Society (Transfer of Sacred Bundle 2015) and the Brave Dog Society, which are traditional Blackfoot Societies. He is a five-year veteran of International Peace Keeping (NATO & UN) in the mid 1960s. Upon his return from the Peace Keeping Initiative, he became a police officer and served 14 years as RCMP Supernumerary Constable, and later as Alberta Special Constable. Clarence also served as Chief of Police for the Siksika Nation and worked for Corrections Canada. He was also employed with the Native Counselling Services of Alberta (Native Programs Coordinator, Southern Alberta Area Supervisor) and was one of the first AADAC Outpatient Directors and trained through Nechi (Addictions Counsellor). Presently Clarence is recognized as a Siksika Traditional Spiritual Leader by Siksika Nation and is a spiritual advisor (Elder) at MRU, BVC (Iniikokaan Centre), Sunrise Addiction Services, Heritage Park, Calgary Board of Education, SAIT, and City of Calgary. On November 5, 2020, Clarence was honoured by MRU with an Honorary B.A. in Sociology, and in 2021, Clarence was honored again from MRU with an honorary Doctorate of Law.
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Read more about "Take a stroll down Music Mile."History of Southwood Library Southwood Library opened in 1966. The decision to build it came after a group of 1,000 determined residents signed a petition to have a Library added to their neighbourhood. The majority of the location’s champions at the time were children, who would grow up in this Library, and later bring their children and grandchildren to visit. Several neighbourhood families have been patrons of this location for three generations or more. Southwood is home to many return patrons, who stop by daily to chat with staff they know by name. For this reason, staff recommendations are particularly popular here, and patrons are known to read through every title suggested by their favourite staff members. Since 2012, Southwood has also been the site of our first Library community garden. Photo: Calgary Public Library Archives, Our Story in Pictures
Read more about "History of Southwood Library"The Fidler Map is the first recorded map of the Blackfoot traditional territory. The map details insights from a Blackfoot Chief named Ackomokki — but was named after the European man who transcribed his drawings, Peter Fidler.
Read more about "The Fidler Map"Every Saturday afternoon, Iris Ngo can be found at Judith Umbach Library, volunteering for Math Quest. The Library buzzes as kids complete numeracy challenges throughout the building, with assistance from family members, youth volunteers, and Team Leads like Iris.“I really like working with the younger children, and also getting to know young people in the community who volunteer,” says Iris, a University of Calgary student earning a master’s degree in biochemistry. “I meet new people every week through this program.”Iris started volunteering for Calgary Public Library eight years ago, when she was 15. “I was really shy, so it was difficult for me to converse with people, and I thought volunteering would be a good way for me to get to know other people,” Iris says.For three years, Iris volunteered with the Reading Buddies program, sharing books and literacy games with young students. Initially, she was a nervous new volunteer, but says she quickly felt comfortable and loved witnessing how much her “little buddies” learned over the program.When Iris was 18, she moved into an adult volunteer role. With Math Quest, she acts as Team Lead for the drop-in program’s youth volunteers and participants, a role she greatly enjoys.“Math was the first subject that got me really interested in a science and technology-based career. I like that Math Quest is trying to break down that stereotype that math is hard,” she says.Iris is known as a friendly and fantastic volunteer, always smiling and willing to help. She is skilled at finding ways to keep both students and other volunteers engaged.Iris credits volunteering with helping shape her into who she is today. The formerly shy teenager is hard to recognize now; she excitedly approaches kids and asks if they want to play a math game. “That would never have happened without volunteering,” she says.“You never know how big of an impact volunteering can have on your life, as well as the people around you.”If you’d like to join the Library’s team of youth or adult volunteers, please visit the Volunteers page.
Read more about "Stories Meet our Volunteers: Iris Ngo Volunteering has impacted Iris' life in ways she didn't expect"Ruth was born on the Siksika First Nation, east of Calgary. Her Father was Blackfoot and her mother was Cree. She was raised in her traditional culture. As a young child, she was placed in the Indian Residential School, where she suffered much abuse. She survived that experience and the following years of addiction and violence. In 1974, she experienced spiritual reawakening and chose a healing path. She worked in many helping places until she had the vision to address the legacy of her people, working for many years to establish a shelter for Aboriginal women based on a cultural approach. Ruth ran for the position of MLA in southern Alberta in 1992 for the NDP. She then ran and was subsequently elected as a Band Councillor at Siksika Nation, where she sat for 18 years. In 2014, she released her book titled
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