You can learn about and register for programs for children of all ages here. To see which programs you are already registered for, click here
It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Bill Ptacek passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 15.Bill was a visionary who came to Calgary to bring the new Central Library to life but left his mark in ways we are still counting. He played a pivotal role in re-imagining how Calgarians connect and use libraries and he will be deeply missed.We will remember Bill for the incredible energy and vigor he brought into libraries by creating spaces that are lively, spark discussion, and are welcoming community hubs. But mostly, we will miss his infectious personality and his ability to inspire greatness in all of us.In the coming days and weeks we will determine how to best celebrate Bill’s legacy at the Calgary Public Library and his impact on our community.Our thoughts are with Bill’s family and friends.BiographyBill Ptacek joined the Calgary Public Library as its CEO in early 2014. Previously, Bill was the Director of the King County Library System in western Washington State, where he led King County to become the Library Journal's "Library of the Year" in 2011.During his time at Calgary Public Library he worked hard on developing relationships for the Library with government and community groups, and partnerships with the school boards. He also led multiple new initiatives, including a full rebranding, a new catalogue and website, a focus on safety at the Central Library, free library cards for all, the growth of the Library’s Foundation, and a refresh in the design and collections at all libraries in the system.He was passionate about early literacy initiatives, including building 12 early learning centres across Calgary and actively grew the reach of the Library through two new locations and the opening of the new Central Library on November 1, 2018.Recently, the City of Calgary named Bill as its 2018 Citizen of the Year and the Urban Libraries Council presented him with the 2019 ULC Executive Board Award.
Read more about "Stories Remembering Bill Ptacek"Why is feedback so difficult, and how can we make it easier? The idea is simple: You don't have to choose between being a pushover and a jerk. Kim Scott, New York Times...
Read more about "Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity: An Author Talk with Kim Scott"When it comes to learning the alphabet, preschoolers benefit from repeated exposure and varied practice with letters. If you’re looking for fun ways to incorporate the alphabet into your child’s day, these simple indoor games are easy to replicate at home and provide a variety of ways to engage with the alphabet.You’ll find both calm, quiet activities to keep them occupied, and more active games that will help them burn off energy. Ready? Let’s have fun with letters!Alphabet Connect-the-DotsThis simple activity promotes letter recognition and gets little bodies moving.What you’ll need: A long roll of art or butcher paper, or sheets of paper taped together, and crayons or markersWhat to do:To start, choose five or six letters to focus on (aim for a mix of letters they know well and letters that are more of a challenge). Using a long roll of paper and some crayons or markers, write the first letter you’ve chosen in random spots on the paper. Then move on to the next letter and do the same thing, until all the letters are written. Each letter should repeat about eight to ten times on the paper. Hand your preschooler a crayon and ask them to draw a line connecting the letters which are the same. For example, they may choose to start with the letter “G” and connect all of the “Gs” they see with their crayon. Source: Hands On As We Grow website Secret LettersWho doesn’t love receiving a secret message? This exciting activity combines the delight of revealing a hidden message with letter recognition practice. What you’ll need: White paper, white crayon, watercolour paint (or homemade paints made of jello powder or fruit juice), and a paintbrush What to do:Use a white crayon to write hidden letters or words on the paper. Hand the note to your child to paint over with watercolours. As they paint, the white wax of the crayon is revealed. See if they can read your message or tell you what letters they see appearing. Note: the message can be adapted to your child’s age and reading level. For toddlers, pictures and squiggles are fun to discover, while older children may be ready for words, phrases, or sentences.Source: Busy Toddler website At-Home Alphabet HuntLetters are everywhere: the cover of a book, a bottle of dish soap, the side of a box. This simple activity reminds little learners that there are letters all around them and promotes everyday reading. What you’ll need:Marker, pad of paper, pencil What to do: On a pad of paper, write out the entire alphabet with a marker in the style of a grocery list, with one letter on each line. Pass your little one the pad and pencil and go on a hunt around your house (or even your neighbourhood) together and have them check off the letters they find on their search. Can they find them all?Source: No Time for Flashcards website Fishing for LettersThis engaging activity fosters the imagination and helps preschoolers learn to recognize letters outside of their alphabetized order. What you’ll need: alphabet fridge magnets, extra magnet, string or yarn, cloth or fabric to act as “water," popsicle stick or wooden spoon, baking sheet (optional)What to do: Create a pretend fishing rod by tying an extra magnet to a piece of yarn at the end of a popsicle stick or wooden spoon, so that the magnet dangles like the hook on a fishing rod. Spread alphabet magnets over some cloth (using blue fabric is a fun touch to represent water) and go fishing for magnets! Tell your child to “stay on the shore” and pick up magnets without walking on the cloth. Each time they “catch” a letter, say the letter out loud together and put it on the fridge or a baking sheet. Once all the letters are caught, see if they can arrange them in order. Writing TrayWriting trays are a wonderful way to help children learn to write letters and practice fine motor skills.What you’ll need:Cookie sheet or a large, shallow container, flour or sprinkles, writing tool such as a spoon or cotton swab (optional)What to do:Spread a layer of flour or sprinkles over the tray and have your child write letters in the tray using either their fingers or a writing tool. Gently shake the tray to erase the letters and start again. This activity also works well for drawing shapes and numbers — or simply let them be creative and draw all kinds of pictures! Musical LettersThis activity is perfect for burning off energy while promoting gross motor co-ordination and quick letter recognition. Plus, who doesn’t love dancing to great music?What you’ll need:Painter’s tape, paper or card stock, marker, music your kids will dance toWhat to do:Using your painter’s tape, create letters on the floor in a random pattern. You don’t need to include every letter but can pick and choose which ones to focus on. Next write out the same letters individually on pieces of paper or card stock. To start, play the music (choose a song that will get your child dancing). As the music plays, let them move around the room and dance like crazy! Stop the music and hold up a letter. They must run to find the letter on the floor that matches the letter you’re holding up. Play the music again and repeat. Source: No Time for Flashcards website Have fun with these wonderful alphabet-learning games! Want even more great early literacy activities you can do at home? Be sure to check out our Library at Home section for more resources like these.Not yet a member? Sign up online for your free Library card to get access to the Library's online activities and Digital Library immediately.
Read more about "Stories Six Fun Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers"After attending a 50+ Coffee and Conversation group, Rudy Wagner and his wife Mary Jean decided to keep the conversation going. Now, using a free, bookable meeting room at Signal Hill Library for the past eight years, it’s more than just a casual coffee group — members attend lectures together, share in weekly tai chi lessons, and more, all for free at the Library.Rudy Wagner, eight years with the group“It’s such an interesting group, and as long as we have the space at the Library to do it, I’m happy to make it happen. My wife and I supply the coffee, and the group supplies the conversation! Some of them bake, and so we’ll get to try different foods from different countries around the world. It’s the variety that I love. I used to be a principal at public schools in Toronto, so I’ve been working with the community my whole life, and I just love meeting new people. It’s the companionship. We have new people join us every time, there are no strict rules. People come when they can, there’s no fee. It’s just a place for people to get together and chat.”Mary Jean Wagner, eight years with the group“Our grandchildren were getting older and starting to head off to school, so we weren’t so occupied with them anymore, and I wanted to meet other people. Where we live, there are a lot of people our son’s age. We moved from Toronto to live near him and help with the two grandchildren, but we had difficulty meeting people our age. And I really wanted to make new friends, because it can be hard to meet new people as you get older. So, this was a perfect opportunity for us. We feel that we’ve made friendships here, and others have done the same. The Library makes it easy for us to continue doing what we’ve always loved to do.”Pal Aggarwal, eight years with the group“We came to Calgary from Germany in 2011, my wife and me, and my wife was just coming to the Library for some books. Then she saw this group here and started talking to them. Now we’ve been coming here every week, ever since we came here. It’s a real cosmopolitan group, you see people from all different countries, you have different subjects to talk about, that’s the best part. We are a big group, but there are four of us couples, and now we have each other [over] every once in a while, for dinner at our home. We meet every two weeks at somebody’s house for drinks, it’s nice. We are all very friendly to each other. It’s a real inspiration, it gives you a positive feeling, and I appreciate that.”Elaine Lee, seven years with the group“The best part of this group is that people who feel isolated or don’t know too many people have a place to go. They have a community, and they know that they have something to look forward to each week. It keeps them active. That’s the beauty of the group, they open up to you. It’s not just a weekly meeting, they become like family for those who come on a regular basis. Getting to know them has really been my greatest honour and pleasure, because I really feel like I can bring them joy, and to see them interact with one another and to see how the group has grown brings me so much joy as well.”Jeffrey Quo, two years with the group“I had joined a Library reading club … actually, I joined two. I used to be a computer engineer, but after I retired, I had to find a way to kill the time. That group forced me to read some books which I would never have thought to involve myself in; it forced me to expand my interests, same as this group. I find it quite interesting. I needed to find some new focus in my life. Before I retired, I only focused on my job. Now I need to change my lifestyle. So reading, or making a new friend, that’s important for me. I enjoy that about this group. In this hour we always have lots of new people join us, and we get the chance to know new friends.”Shirley Lutz, two years with the group“It’s fun, it’s free, it’s close by, and the people here are just so warm and friendly. I love the conversation because I get to learn more about the people around me. It’s an interesting group we have, because we have so many different nationalities here. A lot of our people don’t come from around here, and it exposes me to other cultures and ideas, which I really enjoy. Today I just met a new lady who joined us from Vietnam, so I’ve been getting to know her, and she says she’ll be coming back. It’ll be great to have her join our group.”Tam Dang, first-time visitor to the group“I just retired, so I have a lot of time on my hands. So I started to wonder, where can I go? When we work, we wake up, go to work, we come home, we sleep. We have the same routine. But since then I’ve become so bored. I miss having a place to go. Every day I saw my friends and had conversations with them, but now it’s so empty. So that’s why I am looking for a group a bit older, with the same feelings as me. In this group, I can be with people the same age and in the same situation as me. Even though I’ve only seen them this first time, people have already explained to me: we are friends now, and we can talk.”David Stratford, two years with the group“I find the people in the group to be so funny — their little explanations of their lives, where they come from and what they do day to day. They really are absolutely wonderful people to be around. I try to make them laugh, and mostly I can do that. Some can’t hear as well as they used to, so you may have to tell your joke a couple of times. I call us the crumblies — I say I’m going to go visit with the crumblies, because frankly we’re all falling apart a little bit. But I love to be a part of that. We’re all here, we all try, we don’t give up. We’re just trying to live this section of our life fully. If you want to stay young, then you have to think young, and you’ve got to laugh.”
Read more about "Stories ‘To Know New Friends’ Older patrons are using the Library in a new way to create their Library Story"Join the Library’s 2023 Children’s Artist in Residence, Sumin Choi, and discover the fun in developing your own character and bringing their stories to life, with hands on art...
Read more about "Children’s Artist in Residence 2023: Design Your Own Character"Calgary Public Library is piloting new programs and services at libraries across the city, in anticipation of launching them at the new Central Library. This testing helps ensure all our libraries are imaginative and innovative spaces, while simultaneously giving us an opportunity to prepare for our newest building. Here’s a glimpse at some of the features:FurnitureCentral Library will feature 17 different categories of chairs to sit in, with over 2,000 public seats in total! You’ll find lounge chairs for reading, study seating with access to power, chairs of all sizes for children, café chairs, and more — all chosen with flexibility, durability, and accessibility in mind. Chairs, tables, desks, and shelving units have been tried out in libraries across Calgary, including pods at Saddletowne Library. This type of seating is great for small groups, as it’s sound absorbing and includes power outlets.Library SchoolSince March 2018, elementary school students have been coming to Central Library for Cenovus Campus Calgary Library School. At Cenovus Library School, students, their teacher and parent volunteers use the Library as their classroom for a week of hands-on, inquiry learning. Cenovus Library School launches at the new Central Library in November 2018, for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Whether experiencing the hands-on Questionarium, exploring resources in the Calgary’s Story collection, or meeting artists in residence and Library staff experts, students and teachers are sure to be inspired by five floors of story at Central Library.Early Learning CentresCalgary Public Library is excited for our littlest members to explore our newest Early Learning Centre this November. The Library’s 12 Early Learning Centres are vibrant and interactive spaces designed for young children to learn through play. Successful features have been duplicated from one space to the next, while fresh elements are tested at each new centre. At Central Library, the focus will be on full-body play. A full-body play structure was tried out at Crowfoot Library, with the Bird’s Eye View Early Learning Centre. Both centres are designed for kids to climb, crawl, explore, and imagine!Room Booking SoftwareCentral Library features over 30 free bookable meeting rooms for members. They’re perfect for your next book club meeting, study group, or business gathering space. How do you book rooms, you might wonder? In Quarry Park Library, staff and Library members have piloted a new room booking software. The software is simple to use, with a device outside each bookable room. On the device, you can see all upcoming bookings for the day, have the option to complete day-of bookings, and easily unlock the meeting space for your booked time — all with your free Library card.Create SpaceCentral Library will feature a Create Space, a place for community members to collaborate and engage in dialogue with others. The Create Space — tested at Memorial Park and Central libraries — showcases the diversity, originality, and inventiveness of the community. Mad Libs YYC edition, leaving an encouraging coffee sleeve, blackout poetry, and writing on typewriters are a few examples of activities sampled. The Create Space provides members with whimsical and playful experiences, plus community interaction and collaboration. Come create with us at Central Library this fall.
Read more about "Stories 5 new Central Library Features You Can See In Your Local Library"When it comes to learning the alphabet, preschoolers benefit from repeated exposure and varied practice with letters. If you’re looking for fun ways to incorporate the alphabet into your child’s day, these simple indoor games are easy to replicate at home and provide a variety of ways to engage with the alphabet.You’ll find both calm, quiet activities to keep them occupied, and more active games that will help them burn off energy. Ready? Let’s have fun with letters!Alphabet Connect-the-DotsThis simple activity promotes letter recognition and gets little bodies moving.What you’ll need: A long roll of art or butcher paper, or sheets of paper taped together, and crayons or markersWhat to do:To start, choose five or six letters to focus on (aim for a mix of letters they know well and letters that are more of a challenge). Using a long roll of paper and some crayons or markers, write the first letter you’ve chosen in random spots on the paper. Then move on to the next letter and do the same thing, until all the letters are written. Each letter should repeat about eight to ten times on the paper. Hand your preschooler a crayon and ask them to draw a line connecting the letters which are the same. For example, they may choose to start with the letter “G” and connect all of the “Gs” they see with their crayon. Source: Hands On As We Grow website Secret LettersWho doesn’t love receiving a secret message? This exciting activity combines the delight of revealing a hidden message with letter recognition practice. What you’ll need: White paper, white crayon, watercolour paint (or homemade paints made of jello powder or fruit juice), and a paintbrush What to do:Use a white crayon to write hidden letters or words on the paper. Hand the note to your child to paint over with watercolours. As they paint, the white wax of the crayon is revealed. See if they can read your message or tell you what letters they see appearing. Note: the message can be adapted to your child’s age and reading level. For toddlers, pictures and squiggles are fun to discover, while older children may be ready for words, phrases, or sentences.Source: Busy Toddler website At-Home Alphabet HuntLetters are everywhere: the cover of a book, a bottle of dish soap, the side of a box. This simple activity reminds little learners that there are letters all around them and promotes everyday reading. What you’ll need:Marker, pad of paper, pencil What to do: On a pad of paper, write out the entire alphabet with a marker in the style of a grocery list, with one letter on each line. Pass your little one the pad and pencil and go on a hunt around your house (or even your neighbourhood) together and have them check off the letters they find on their search. Can they find them all?Source: No Time for Flashcards website Fishing for LettersThis engaging activity fosters the imagination and helps preschoolers learn to recognize letters outside of their alphabetized order. What you’ll need: alphabet fridge magnets, extra magnet, string or yarn, cloth or fabric to act as “water," popsicle stick or wooden spoon, baking sheet (optional)What to do: Create a pretend fishing rod by tying an extra magnet to a piece of yarn at the end of a popsicle stick or wooden spoon, so that the magnet dangles like the hook on a fishing rod. Spread alphabet magnets over some cloth (using blue fabric is a fun touch to represent water) and go fishing for magnets! Tell your child to “stay on the shore” and pick up magnets without walking on the cloth. Each time they “catch” a letter, say the letter out loud together and put it on the fridge or a baking sheet. Once all the letters are caught, see if they can arrange them in order. Writing TrayWriting trays are a wonderful way to help children learn to write letters and practice fine motor skills.What you’ll need:Cookie sheet or a large, shallow container, flour or sprinkles, writing tool such as a spoon or cotton swab (optional)What to do:Spread a layer of flour or sprinkles over the tray and have your child write letters in the tray using either their fingers or a writing tool. Gently shake the tray to erase the letters and start again. This activity also works well for drawing shapes and numbers — or simply let them be creative and draw all kinds of pictures! Musical LettersThis activity is perfect for burning off energy while promoting gross motor co-ordination and quick letter recognition. Plus, who doesn’t love dancing to great music?What you’ll need:Painter’s tape, paper or card stock, marker, music your kids will dance toWhat to do:Using your painter’s tape, create letters on the floor in a random pattern. You don’t need to include every letter but can pick and choose which ones to focus on. Next write out the same letters individually on pieces of paper or card stock. To start, play the music (choose a song that will get your child dancing). As the music plays, let them move around the room and dance like crazy! Stop the music and hold up a letter. They must run to find the letter on the floor that matches the letter you’re holding up. Play the music again and repeat. Source: No Time for Flashcards website Have fun with these wonderful alphabet-learning games! Want even more great early literacy activities you can do at home? Be sure to check out our Library at Home section for more resources like these.Not yet a member? Sign up online for your free Library card to get access to the Library's online activities and Digital Library immediately.
Read more about "Stories Six Fun Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers"When Susan Calder’s husband was transferred to Calgary for work in 1996, she was happy to make the move with her young family. But, unfamiliar with her new city, she struggled to find reasons to get out of the house.“I wasn’t working when we first moved here — I was just writing, and spending time with the kids. So I really needed something to keep me active, keep me social,” she says.Her solution came during a trip to Fish Creek Library, when she picked up a copy of the Library’s program guide and noticed a listing for a book club. “I’d never been in a book club before, but I’d always been interested in the concept. It seemed the logical thing to do as a book lover,” she says.Susan fell in love with the club immediately. Not only did it give her a way to make new friends in Calgary, but she discovered that the group was full of people who shared her interest in and love of stories. They offered her a different way of looking at the written word, which helped her to improve her craft as an aspiring author.“It’s been incredibly useful to me as a writer,” she says, “because it’s a look at writing from the reader’s perspective. I can see how almost no book is loved by everybody — no matter how well written. You start to understand that it's really all a matter of taste, and you feel a lot better when people don’t like your work.”At 23 years, Susan is one of the longest-attending members of the book club. While her book club has since become too popular to accept new members, the Library offers other book discussion groups. “What’s really nice about the group is that we often disagree heartily, but there’s never any ill-will about it,” she says of her tight-knit reading community. “We respect each other, and the divergence of opinions is quite lovely. People come away with a bit more of an appreciation for the book, and each other's point of view. You feel like you’ve stretched a bit, and grown, for having read outside of your comfort zone."A New Book Club MemberLittle did Susan realize that her passion for the club wasn’t going unnoticed. Although her husband was an avid reader, she never would have imagined him wanting to join a book club. It came as a total shock when, shortly after he retired in 2007, he asked her if he could tag along to a meeting. “I’d go out on book club day, come home and tell him about some of the discussions — the people, what they had to say. I didn’t really realize that all these years I had basically been selling the book club to him.” Unsure if her husband, who mostly read murder-mystery novels, would be on the same page as her literary-loving friends, Susan was hesitant to allow him to join her, but eventually, she gave in. Luckily for both Susan and her husband, her fears never materialized. Her husband has been a member of the club for over a decade now, even volunteering to lead discussions on the occasion that the group pursues a murder-mystery.“We don’t often talk about the books before the club meets, because we don’t want to influence each other’s opinions,” she says, “We’re able to approach it as individuals. But we do sometimes like to talk about them after, and it’s a social event as well, so it gives us something extra in common that we can do together.”More PossibilitiesThe Library is about much more than books for Susan and her family. “When we moved to Calgary, the opportunities just opened up. There were more possibilities for me to engage with the Library. There was more offered to me,” she says.Aside from attending her monthly book club, she also sharpens her writing skills with workshops and writing programs, attending several each month. She and her husband frequently borrow DVDs and CDs to watch movies and listen to music, and once attended Tech Mentors for three weeks in a row to get help fixing their computer.“Right now, we’re planning a trip to Italy,” she says, “so I’ve just taken out a series of audiobooks and things to try to learn a few essential words of Italian before we go.”Susan also likes to give back to the Library, and frequently shares her talents through panel discussions and readings of her work. Now an accomplished local author, Susan discussed her latest book, To Catch a Fox, in May at the Writing as Medicine program, and will discuss her contributions to the literary art exhibit Print(ed) Word: The Salon Series, which is displayed in the Central Library's TD Great Reading Room, in August.We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'The Opportunities Just Opened Up' A book club at the Library was the beginning of Susan Calder's Library Story"Calgary Public Library is piloting new programs and services at libraries across the city, in anticipation of launching them at the new Central Library. This testing helps ensure all our libraries are imaginative and innovative spaces, while simultaneously giving us an opportunity to prepare for our newest building. Here’s a glimpse at some of the features:FurnitureCentral Library will feature 17 different categories of chairs to sit in, with over 2,000 public seats in total! You’ll find lounge chairs for reading, study seating with access to power, chairs of all sizes for children, café chairs, and more — all chosen with flexibility, durability, and accessibility in mind. Chairs, tables, desks, and shelving units have been tried out in libraries across Calgary, including pods at Saddletowne Library. This type of seating is great for small groups, as it’s sound absorbing and includes power outlets.Library SchoolSince March 2018, elementary school students have been coming to Central Library for Cenovus Campus Calgary Library School. At Cenovus Library School, students, their teacher and parent volunteers use the Library as their classroom for a week of hands-on, inquiry learning. Cenovus Library School launches at the new Central Library in November 2018, for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Whether experiencing the hands-on Questionarium, exploring resources in the Calgary’s Story collection, or meeting artists in residence and Library staff experts, students and teachers are sure to be inspired by five floors of story at Central Library.Early Learning CentresCalgary Public Library is excited for our littlest members to explore our newest Early Learning Centre this November. The Library’s 12 Early Learning Centres are vibrant and interactive spaces designed for young children to learn through play. Successful features have been duplicated from one space to the next, while fresh elements are tested at each new centre. At Central Library, the focus will be on full-body play. A full-body play structure was tried out at Crowfoot Library, with the Bird’s Eye View Early Learning Centre. Both centres are designed for kids to climb, crawl, explore, and imagine!Room Booking SoftwareCentral Library features over 30 free bookable meeting rooms for members. They’re perfect for your next book club meeting, study group, or business gathering space. How do you book rooms, you might wonder? In Quarry Park Library, staff and Library members have piloted a new room booking software. The software is simple to use, with a device outside each bookable room. On the device, you can see all upcoming bookings for the day, have the option to complete day-of bookings, and easily unlock the meeting space for your booked time — all with your free Library card.Create SpaceCentral Library will feature a Create Space, a place for community members to collaborate and engage in dialogue with others. The Create Space — tested at Memorial Park and Central libraries — showcases the diversity, originality, and inventiveness of the community. Mad Libs YYC edition, leaving an encouraging coffee sleeve, blackout poetry, and writing on typewriters are a few examples of activities sampled. The Create Space provides members with whimsical and playful experiences, plus community interaction and collaboration. Come create with us at Central Library this fall.
Read more about "Stories 5 new Central Library Features You Can See In Your Local Library"Calgary Public Library is piloting new programs and services at libraries across the city, in anticipation of launching them at the new Central Library. This testing helps ensure all our libraries are imaginative and innovative spaces, while simultaneously giving us an opportunity to prepare for our newest building. Here’s a glimpse at some of the features:FurnitureCentral Library will feature 17 different categories of chairs to sit in, with over 2,000 public seats in total! You’ll find lounge chairs for reading, study seating with access to power, chairs of all sizes for children, café chairs, and more — all chosen with flexibility, durability, and accessibility in mind. Chairs, tables, desks, and shelving units have been tried out in libraries across Calgary, including pods at Saddletowne Library. This type of seating is great for small groups, as it’s sound absorbing and includes power outlets.Library SchoolSince March 2018, elementary school students have been coming to Central Library for Cenovus Campus Calgary Library School. At Cenovus Library School, students, their teacher and parent volunteers use the Library as their classroom for a week of hands-on, inquiry learning. Cenovus Library School launches at the new Central Library in November 2018, for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Whether experiencing the hands-on Questionarium, exploring resources in the Calgary’s Story collection, or meeting artists in residence and Library staff experts, students and teachers are sure to be inspired by five floors of story at Central Library.Early Learning CentresCalgary Public Library is excited for our littlest members to explore our newest Early Learning Centre this November. The Library’s 12 Early Learning Centres are vibrant and interactive spaces designed for young children to learn through play. Successful features have been duplicated from one space to the next, while fresh elements are tested at each new centre. At Central Library, the focus will be on full-body play. A full-body play structure was tried out at Crowfoot Library, with the Bird’s Eye View Early Learning Centre. Both centres are designed for kids to climb, crawl, explore, and imagine!Room Booking SoftwareCentral Library features over 30 free bookable meeting rooms for members. They’re perfect for your next book club meeting, study group, or business gathering space. How do you book rooms, you might wonder? In Quarry Park Library, staff and Library members have piloted a new room booking software. The software is simple to use, with a device outside each bookable room. On the device, you can see all upcoming bookings for the day, have the option to complete day-of bookings, and easily unlock the meeting space for your booked time — all with your free Library card.Create SpaceCentral Library will feature a Create Space, a place for community members to collaborate and engage in dialogue with others. The Create Space — tested at Memorial Park and Central libraries — showcases the diversity, originality, and inventiveness of the community. Mad Libs YYC edition, leaving an encouraging coffee sleeve, blackout poetry, and writing on typewriters are a few examples of activities sampled. The Create Space provides members with whimsical and playful experiences, plus community interaction and collaboration. Come create with us at Central Library this fall.
Read more about "Stories 5 new Central Library Features You Can See In Your Local Library"Join us for a screening of the film "The Cut of It," based on the research of Dr. Kathleen Sitter. The film uses the power of digital stories to amplify the voices of breast...
Read more about "Science in the Cinema"Join us for a frightfully fun Halloween Storytime with Mayor Jyoti Gondek. Get yourself in the trick-or-treating spirit and wear your costume to enjoy Halloween-themed stories...
Read more about "Mayor's Halloween Storytime"More Indigenous language resources, as well as programming that preserves Indigenous culture and heritage, will soon be available at the Calgary Public Library. The Indigenous Languages Resource Centre will help protect, preserve, and promote Indigenous culture, thanks to $1 million in funding from the Government of Alberta.Located at Central Library, this will be the third centre of its kind in Canada, where anyone, with their free Library card, can access language learning, storytelling, elder guidance, and other materials.The project, which builds connections, supports lifelong learning and deepens understanding of community, is launching at the same time the United Nations declared 2019 as the Year of Indigenous Languages.“The Calgary Public Library is thrilled to acknowledge and support the United Nations’ 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages theme,” said Alayna Many Guns, Indigenous Service Design Lead for the Library. “Language nurtures identity, enhances spirit, and most importantly improves communication amongst families and communities.”More information about programming in the Indigenous Languages Resource Centre will be announced soon.
Read more about "Stories Indigenous Languages Resource Centre to be created at Central Library"After years of discrimination, threats, and violence because of their sexual orientation, Boban Stojanovic and his partner fled Serbia in October 2016 and claimed refugee protection in Canada. As they adjusted to life as newcomers in Calgary, they began to hear a common question.“Everyone kept saying ‘have you been to the library?’” says Boban, a prominent Serbian human rights activist and key organizer of the Belgrade Pride Parade. “We were like, ‘OK, but why?’ In our culture, you don’t often go to the library. It’s not such an important institution in the everyday lives of people.”At the time, the couple were anxiously awaiting a government hearing to determine if they would be granted refugee status in Canada. Boban describes that period in their lives as a stressful grey zone. “You are in some kind of limbo,” he says. “You can’t make any concrete plan because you don’t know what will happen with you.”Looking for something to take their minds off the looming hearing, the couple heeded the advice they’d repeatedly heard from insistent Calgarians: visit the library. The newcomers walked to nearby Nose Hill Library and asked about becoming members.Boban remembers nervously unfolding his refugee claimant document, the lone piece of identification he had. To his surprise, a Library employee politely handed the paper back and explained that just his full name and address were required for a free Library card.“In Serbia, everything is very bureaucratic,” Boban says. “Here, this institution is open.”‘I belong here’Boban's new plastic Library card felt significant. “This was the first official proof I belong here. I am part of this system. I have some roots in this country,” he says.The card also made him feel equal. “In that moment, I was like every other Calgarian,” he says. “They became a member the same way I became a member.”In awe of the fact one person could borrow 99 books, Boban began to explore books at Nose Hill Library. “Having the opportunity to find all those books was something that really gave me hope,” Boban says. “You must have something to occupy your mind.”As he waited for the upcoming hearing, Boban found a sense of sanctuary at Nose Hill Library. He’d read coffee table books about Scandinavian design and imagine how he would decorate his future home in Canada.Boban also borrowed autobiographies, feeling solace in the fact people he admired had also experienced ups and downs in their lives. “Reading all these books, I was more comfortable with my life,” he says. “Claiming for refugee status or waiting for the decision, it doesn’t mean something bad. Because all those people had … some very challenging periods in their lives.”An Open and Safe PlaceIn March 2017, Boban and his partner learned their claim for refugee status had been accepted. They could now apply for work permits, social insurance numbers, and to become permanent residents of Canada.Today, Boban's partner is improving his English through LINC classes, while Boban works at the Centre for Newcomers in a new role, as Settlement Practitioner for LGTBQ+ newcomers.“I am very lucky and happy and privileged to work there and to help people from my community who just came here,” he says, noting LGTBQ+ refugees face distinct challenges. Boban is grateful newcomers can turn to the Centre for Newcomers and Calgary Public Library, both open and safe places for all.Boban also worked a seasonal job at Pier 1 Imports, a position that drew on the interior design books he loves to peruse. He continues to regularly visit the Library; following a move downtown, he calls Central Library home.Boban now finds himself repeating to newcomers the line he once heard again and again: visit the library. “I never had that perception before that something called a library could be so important to my life,” he says. “Now I do.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘The Library Gave Me Hope’ Boban Stojanovic’s Library Story made him feel at home as a newcomer to Canada"