Whether it’s physical books, online resources, or just a change of scenery, Megan Powell has found what she needs at the Library.As a small business owner, Megan uses various free Library resources to help build and grow Little Dot Creative, a branding and website studio.“I know that if there’s a problem, I can find something at the Library to gain knowledge and solve it,” she says.Megan has been turning to the Library for many years. Her childhood was filled with storytimes at Southwood Library, followed by checking out picture books with her family and hauling them home.She remembers a giant bin for Library books in the hallway of her house, and the joy that came from picking a new book each night before bedtime.“The Library has always been a part of my life, and it has just continued on into adulthood,” Megan says.Gaining New KnowledgeDuring an internship in university, Megan needed to use InDesign, a software program she had little experience with. She used her Library card to access Lynda.com, a free Digital Resource full of short online expert-led video courses, covering software and topics like web design and business skills.“I learned how to use InDesign and all the Adobe programs, including Photoshop and Illustrator, which are now used daily in my business,” she says.When Megan needed a solution for organizing her company’s financials, she put the book Profit First on hold, read it, and adopted new strategies. “There are so many amazing free resources that have helped me in my business and career,” she says. Megan occasionally brings her work to libraries, including Quarry Park and Central Library. She enjoys how the atmosphere is different from a co-work space or a coffee shop.‘So Many Resources’As an organizer with the Rising Tide Society’s Calgary chapter — a free group for creative entrepreneurs — Megan uses larger bookable meeting rooms to host events and co-work days.“Knowing that we have a free resource to be able to do that is amazing,” Megan says. Plus, she adds, the beauty of Central Library makes it an ideal place for a group of creatives to congregate.At those gatherings, Megan is quick to gush about the benefits of a free Library card, from more than 100 online resources to weekly Small Business Tuesdays programs to easily accessible eBooks and eAudiobooks.“I just don’t think people know that there are so many resources and so many things attached to the Library,” she says.Amid the isolation and stress that can come with running a small business, Megan says she has found support at the Library.“It’s reassuring and comforting to know that these resources are available at your fingertips, completely free to you,” she says.We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘Amazing Free Resources’ Megan Powell’s Library Story began when she started her business"Whether you support the Library because you are an active member yourself, or because you know it provides Calgarians with the programs and resources they need, thank you. Your donation improves our city.
Read more about "Donate"May 29 at 1:00 pm: Embark on a thrilling journey with Calgarian author Sophie Torro! Discover how she transformed school scribbles into global stories.
Read more about "From Scribbles to Stories: Sophie Torro's Journey as a Writer (Gr. 3–6) "Hali Heavy Shield is a member of the Blood Tribe/Kainai of southern Alberta. Hali is an author, artist, and teacher who enjoys sharing creative practices with others.
Read more about "Hali Heavy Shield "Cristina grew up in a neighborhood where one mama filled in for another, so while it was not always easy, her childhood was always delicious. Thus was born her lifelong love of food and ideas about community-building through food.
Read more about "Cristina Quintero "Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future Published in 2015, the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada PDF includes details on the history and legacy of residential schools as well as 94 Calls to Action. Call to Action 69 specifically asks libraries, museums and archives to reexamine their commitment to truth and reconciliation and commit more resources to sharing the true history of Indigenous peoples with our communities. 69. We call upon Library and Archives Canada to: i. Fully adopt and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Joinet-Orentlicher Principles, as related to Aboriginal peoples’ inalienable right to know the truth about what happened and why, with regard to human rights violations committed against them in the residential schools. ii. Ensure that its record holdings related to residential schools are accessible to the public. iii. Commit more resources to its public education materials and programming on residential schools.
Read more about "Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future"Did you know... More than 150,000 children were removed from their families and went through the residential school system in Canada. Alberta had the most residential schools of any Canadian province, at 26 (by some counts 30 ), which operated until 1990 . There were 10 residential schools in and around Calgary that took Indigenous children from their families, over the course of 111 years . The last residential school in Canada closed in Saskatchewan in 1996.
Read more about "Did you know..."Books, government documents, and periodicals on Canadian History.
Read more about "Canadiana"Mobile Apps to Learn Treaty 7 Languages Blackfoot Language of the Piikani Nation The Piikani Paitapiiyssin Learning Application by Piikani Child and Family Services contains over 300 Blackfoot words, translations, and pronunciations. You can also find information on clans, traditional symbols, and Piikani sign language. Download the Android app | Download the iOS app
Read more about "Mobile Apps to Learn Treaty 7 Languages Blackfoot Language of the Piikani Nation"November hosts Financial Literacy Month. Pick up one of these books to explore and gain a better understanding of financial concepts.
Read more about "Financial Literacy Grades 7-12"Resources to help your students learn the difference between fact and fiction.
Read more about "Media Literacy"Search businesses and grantmaking databases, including market research reports, trade publications, and philanthropic resources.
Read more about "Business & Investing"Get interview tips Learn how to prepare for job interviews, answer questions with ease, and impress potential employers. Career Basics is a program series by Bow Valley College that helps job seekers prepare for success in the workplace. This program is supported by the Government of Alberta. Stream free on YouTube Listen to The Offer Letter podcast The weekly careers podcast gives tips and advice from professionals on how to improve your answers for interview questions. Each episode discusses one popular interview question with guest career coaches who talk about why the question is asked, tips on what to say, and an example of how to answer it. Start listening
Read more about "Get interview tips Listen to The Offer Letter podcast"Be mindful to not interrupt the Elder who is sharing until they give you the space to speak. This shows the Elder that you respect them and their teachings.
Read more about "Give your time and attention."