As Calgary Public Library prepares for the opening of the new Central Library on November 1, we’re also saying goodbye to Central Library, our home for the past 55 years. Take a look at photos from our past and see how our beloved downtown Library has served a growing city for more than five decades.Plans for a new Central Library were in the works as early as 1954, amid a space crunch at Memorial Park Library. But after two failed plebiscites for a new library in the 1950s, the project stalled.In 1961, Mayor Harry Hays told Chief Librarian W.R. Castell that a downtown area across from city hall, slated for urban renewal, could include a new library. No plebiscite would be needed this time; the money would come from a surplus in land sales for new subdivisions. In February 1962, construction of a new downtown Library began on the site of a former service station.Central Library, in all its brutalist splendor, officially opened on June 15, 1963. Castell was thrilled. “Except for the day in January 1912 when the doors of the Library opened for the first time to the public, June 15, 1963, will be long remembered as the most important date in the history of the institution,” he said.The Library was designed by J.H. Cook and Associates, a Calgary architectural firm. Its monolithic look was typical of office buildings at the time. Inside, interior details included an orange, gold, and blue-green colour plan, teak bookshelves and catalogue cabinets, white formica tables, and blue and nutmeg carpeting.While opening day featured a speech by Lieutenant Governor Percy Page, not everyone got to hear it. Seventeen people got stuck in an elevator for 35 minutes. As Central patrons know well, elevator challenges have continued over the years.When it opened, Central Library had a children’s area in the basement, next to a newspaper reading room. The main floor housed a circulation desk and a carpeted reading lounge filled with comfortable seating, where smoking was permitted.The second floor, the reference department, offered the Library’s first-ever coin-operated Xerox photocopying machine for patrons. The third floor had music and film rooms, books on art, music, and theatre, and an art gallery operated by the Glenbow Foundation.The fourth floor was used for the storage of books and the fifth floor housed the ordering, cataloguing, and bookbinding departments. Finally, the sixth floor contained the administrative offices and a circular auditorium.In 1963, when Central Library opened, Calgary’s population was just over 275,000. Central Library had a full-time staff of 41, and Calgarians could borrow books free of charge. They used a transaction card system, filling in cards with their names and address to check out books.In the 1970s, as energy prices soared, Calgary became one of the fastest-growing cities in North America. It soon became apparent more room was needed at Central Library.In early 1971, a formal request went to the city for a much-needed extension, and construction started the following year. The six-storey addition to the north of Central Library opened in 1974.A second-floor theatre was added, and the Library was renamed the W.R. Castell Central Library. A metal sculpture was commissioned and added to what was then the front of the Library, a piece of public art by Robert Oldrich known as “Library Frieze.”Over the years, there’s been many renovations at Central Library. A dedicated Canadiana room opened on the main floor in 1967, Canada’s centennial year. In 1981, the fourth floor of Central Library’s north extension was opened to the public. With wider aisles and lower shelves, it was designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.In 1990, work started on major renovations, including an expanded second-floor children’s area, a secure room for the Local History collection, and a new main entrance at the southwest corner. In 1993, Central’s theatre was named in honour of John Dutton, the chief librarian from 1979 to 1991.In 2011, Central Library’s main floor was renovated to accommodate the new City Hall LRT platform. In 2013, a catastrophic June flood profoundly affected Alberta and Calgary, including Central Library’s lower level, where water seepage caused significant damage.In 2016, Central Library welcomed a big addition. A decommissioned fire truck was moved to the main floor. Engine 23 was retrofitted into a space for kids to play, read, learn, and listen to regular storytimes with firefighters.After 55 years in our current home, we can’t wait to welcome you to the new Central Library. Come visit starting November 1.Want to learn more? Read The Calgary Public Library: Inspiring Life Stories Since 1912 by Brian Brennan, explore the online Calgary Public Library Archives: Our Story in Pictures, and visit the Vintage Media Lab in the new Central Library.
Read more about "Stories Saying Goodbye to Central Library Photos Through the Years (1962 – 2018)"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"MEDIA RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 28, 2020Calgary, AB – Thousands of young children and their families living in northwest Calgary now have access to a new early learning space that provides enriching resources and learning opportunities. Today, the Calgary Public Library celebrated the opening of the Co-op Community Early Learning Centre at Nose Hill Library (1530 Northmount Dr NW).“Nose Hill Library has been a cornerstone of the community since 1988, and is one of our most loved and well used locations in the city,” says Mark Asberg, CEO of the Calgary Public Library. “Thanks to Co-op Community Spaces, we are delighted to open our newest play-based learning space, which helps prepare children for lifelong learning and success.”With more than 90,000 kids under the age of five in Calgary, the demographics of the city demand a significant investment in high quality early learning. The Co-op Community Early Learning Centre at Nose Hill Library was guided by the idea that we are all connected to each other and the earth, and like all of the Library’s Early Learning Centres, is interactive, flexible and open-ended to support play and active learning."We’re proud to partner with the Calgary Public Library to create this play-based learning space at Nose Hill Library," says Lindsay Arnott, Social Responsibility Supervisor at Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL). "On behalf of local co-ops across Western Canada, Co-op Community Spaces helps create spaces for Western Canadians to come together and build social connections. We’re so glad that we can support the families and children that live in the communities around Nose Hill Library."Early Learning Centres are one piece of the Calgary Public Library’s Early Learning Strategy. The Library has a long-term goal to create these vibrant and innovative spaces in all 21 libraries in Calgary. Philanthropic support from individuals, organizations, and all levels of government have made our other Early Learning Centres possible.- 30 -Calgary Public LibraryCalgary Public Library, with 740,000 members and 21 locations, has been inspiring the life stories of Calgarians for more than 100 years. It is currently the second largest library system in Canada and the sixth largest municipal library system in North America, with Calgarians borrowing more than 15 million physical and digital items and with over 7 million in-person visits last year.Calgary Public Library FoundationThe Calgary Public Library Foundation empowers people to make a difference in their community. All donations received through the Library Foundation cultivate innovation and bring the Library to those who need it most. Our 21,500 donors are helping to build a stronger Calgary.Federated Co-operatives Limited and the Co-operative Retailing SystemFederated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), based in Saskatoon, is the 58th largest company in Canada and the largest non-financial co-operative in Canada. FCL is a unique multi-billion dollar wholesaling, manufacturing, marketing and administrative co-operative owned by more than 170 autonomous retail co-operatives across Western Canada. Together FCL and those local retail co-operatives form the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS).The CRS serves our members and communities with products and services that help build, feed and fuel individuals and communities from Vancouver Island to northwestern Ontario. Our total workforce of 25,000 employees serve 1.9 million active individual members and many more non-member customers at 1,500 retail locations in more than 580 communities. We are a different kind of business – we are locally invested, community-minded and offer lifetime membership benefits including patronage refunds, quality products, quality service and fair prices. More information is available at fcl.crs.FCL administers the Co-op Community Spaces program on behalf of more than 170 independent local co-ops across Western Canada that form the Co-operative Retailing System.Media Contacts:Mary KapustaDirector, CommunicationsCalgary Public Library403.774.7256mary.kapusta@calgarylibrary.caRachael TernerCommunications ManagerCalgary Public Library Foundation403-774-2543rachael@libraryfoundation.caCameron ZimmerCommunications and Public Relations Manager Federated Co-operatives Limited306-244-1614cam.zimmer@fcl.crs
Read more about "Stories Calgary Public Library Opens Its 13th Early Learning Centre with Support from Co-op Community Spaces"Nellie Befus has volunteered with Calgary Public Library for 44 consecutive years. At age 90, she holds the distinction of being the Library’s oldest volunteer, and one of the Library’s longest-serving volunteers.Her dedication to the Library was sparked on a warm fall day in 1974, when Nellie bumped into her brother-in-law on a downtown street. “How are things with you?” he asked.Nellie was feeling bored; with her four children now grown, she found herself with a lot of free time. Her brother-in-law had an idea. The oil and gas company where he worked had recently received a letter from the Library, recruiting volunteers for a new program.The program, called Homebound Readers, would see volunteers deliver Library items to people who could not visit the Library because of mobility or health concerns. Nellie was intrigued. She had never volunteered before, but something about the letter caught her eye.“I read the letter, then I marched right down to the Library,” she remembers. “I went straight up to the fifth floor and I went to somebody and I said, ‘I would like to be a volunteer.’”‘An Amazing Volunteer’Nearly a half-century later, Nellie continues to volunteer with Calgary Public Library.“Nellie is an amazing volunteer,” says Azmin Poonja, Manager, Volunteer Resources. “She is one of those volunteers that every organization dreams about. She is reliable, committed, and most importantly, she cares about people and has a passion for literacy. Nellie is a perfect fit for the Library, and her dedication to volunteering is exceptional.”Nellie, however, is quick to shrug off any praise. She’s matter-of-fact about why she has volunteered for decades: “There’s just something it does to you when you can do something for somebody else, you know?”Books by Bus and BicycleNellie started volunteering with the Homebound Readers program at its outset. She took city buses — and occasionally rode her bicycle — to deliver books to readers. She travelled across the city, between libraries and various residences. “These people needed reading, and they couldn’t get out,” she says. “Yes, some of the books were heavy, but I wasn’t an old lady then.”Along the way, Nellie, who had never been much of a reader, started to spend her bus rides reading.Nellie has warm memories of the people she befriended through Homebound Readers and the moments they shared: the stories eagerly told over tea, the “melt in your mouth” shortbread cookies she ate (and got the recipe for), the pet bird who could say “pretty Nellie.”Nellie continued to volunteer with the program into her 80s. When carrying books on the bus became challenging, she started helping with Libraries in Residence. Program volunteers display mini libraries of items, selected by Library staff, in seniors’ residences or continuing care facilities. ‘A Very Good Idea’Today, Nellie proudly runs the Library in Residence at the retirement home where she lives, helping fellow residents sign out books. She stays in close touch with Library staff, who deliver fresh titles to the residence every few months.“Nellie goes to great lengths to ensure that the program is running smoothly and to promote the program to new residents,” says Luke Gray, who oversees the Libraries in Residence program in his role with the Library’s Special Services department.“Nellie’s commitment to volunteering is unwavering. I really appreciate her no-nonsense demeanor, her genuine sense of humour, and her passion for literacy. Nellie sincerely recognizes the importance of the Library in the community.”In her seniors’ home and throughout Calgary Public Library, Nellie has become well-known for her optimistic attitude and cheerfulness. “Be nice. See what happens,” she says.Now a great-grandma, Nellie enjoys playing “silly games” on her iPad and working on jigsaw puzzles. She likes to read and lists Catherine Cookson and Mary Higgins Clark as her favourite authors.Looking back, Nellie says joining the Library as a volunteer in the ’70s was “a very good idea.” She plans to continue volunteering for as long as she can. And when she’s no longer able to get her own books, Nellie hopes there will be a Library volunteer to bring books to her.We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘There’s Just Something Volunteering Does to You’ Our longest serving volunteer Nellie Befus has seen a lot over the course of her Library Story"Many children struggle with learning how to read. Some kids can read well but choose not to read. For others, learning disabilities can make reading more challenging.In today's world, kids have the option of many other activities that may keep them busy and distracted from reading. From after school activities and sports to the pull of devices, TV, and video games, reading for fun is often forgotten or avoided. Older kids might think reading is boring since they associate it with technical reading, like worksheets and textbooks in school.There are plenty of things to try that can make reading more interesting and exciting to kids. Here are ten tips to try that might help motivate your infrequent reader:1. Reconsider what counts as reading.There are lots of ways to read, including listening! Audiobooks, radio shows, podcasts, oral stories — including sharing stories of your family and family history — are all great ways to explore literacy outside of written materials.2. Let them choose what they want to read.All reading is good reading. Be open to comics, manga, blogs, graphic novels, short stories, magazines, screenplays, picture books (even for big kids), song lyrics, books of world records and fun facts, profiles of musicians, artists and sports heroes, or gross-out science books. Visit your public library in person and online for a huge selection of reading material. Our expert staff would also be happy to help make recommendations based on your child’s reading preferences.3. Avoid banning what they love to read.From comic books with adult themes to serial tween romances, it’s natural for caregivers to be concerned about the content of their child’s books. But banning what they love can discourage reading. Instead, talk about why you think certain books are offensive and invite them to ask questions. Let your child recommend a book to you so you can read it and discuss the book together. Everyone has different tastes, which is part of the joy of being a reader.Concerned about age-appropriate content? Look for an online booklist curated for your child’s age or interests. You can use the “advanced search” function in your library’s online catalogue to search by collection (i.e. Hindi, Biography), format (i.e. Graphic Novel) and Audience (i.e. teen).4. Let your kids see you enjoy reading.Nearly 60% of kids who are frequent readers have parents who read five to seven days per week, compared to only 15% of kids who are infrequent readers (Kids and Family Reading Report – Scholastic, 2017).5. Read together as a family.Make reading a memorable family event. Set aside regular time for reading, whether as a family or each person reading independently near each other. Children whose parents are involved with them in family literacy activities score ten points higher on standardized reading tests.6. Read in your home language. Children who learn to read in their first language have an easier time learning to read in a second language because they better understand the process of reading.7. Try reading something funny!Read dramatically, use costumes and accents, or read joke books to each other. Have fun when reading aloud together! Try not to focus on their mistakes and simply enjoy the book. These staff-recommended books will help you get your giggle on.8. Relax.When we enjoy something, we want to keep doing it — the same applies to reading. Try to make reading as relaxing as possible at home, especially if reading at school is stressful. Have a special snack or read in a special spot. If there’s a movie adaptation of the book, watch the movie together after you’ve finished the book and decide which you liked better.9. Keep reading sessions short and simple.Research shows that when students believe they can achieve a task, they are much more likely to persevere and overcome challenges. Parents can help build their child’s reading confidence by praising their effort rather than their outcomes. Use affirming language throughout the process to show that you enjoy seeing their efforts. Another strategy is to break reading into smaller parts, even just one paragraph at a time, so that success comes quickly and can be celebrated.10. Find a role model for your reader.Research shows that older boys read less than their female peers. Men that model reading to boys can have a positive influence, especially around a shared interest. Sports statistics, LEGO instructions, musician biographies, etc., all count as reading too!
Read more about "Stories 10 Tips for Motivating Your Infrequent Reader The Kitchen Table Classroom: A Series to Support Learning from Home"Calgary, AB – The Calgary Public Library Foundation is launching an ambitious new fundraising campaign to bring the joy and pride of book ownership to children across Calgary. My First Bookshelf, a one-year pilot program at Calgary Public Library in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, will provide one age-appropriate, high-quality book every month to children from birth to age five — for free. The pilot is made possible thanks to The Dollywood Foundation of Canada, Canada Life, Rotary Club of Calgary East, Rotary Partners of Calgary at Stampede Park, and donors of the Calgary Public Library Foundation.“My First Bookshelf is an exciting way for the Library to extend its mission of providing accessible early learning support to children in Calgary,” says Heather Robertson, Director of Service Design for Calgary Public Library. “While children can access a world of information through the Library, having books of their own at home is a powerful way to inspire a lifelong love of reading.”The Calgary Public Library is piloting the program in select communities identified by postal code. The goal is to register 1,000 children for the Calgary program in the first year.Jeanne Smitiuch, Regional Director for The Dollywood Foundation of Canada remarked, “We are delighted this partnership will join 290 other communities across Canada inspiring a lifelong love of books to more than 26,000 children each month.”The Library will review the pilot throughout the year and hopes that additional funding will help to expand My First Bookshelf to more communities in Calgary and surrounding areas. The Calgary Public Library Foundation has a goal of expanding the program to bring a love of reading into the homes of children across Calgary. There are nearly 90,000 children under the age of five in Calgary.“Research shows that having even 20 books at home fosters a love of learning and sets children up for success when they start school,” says Tracy Johnson, CEO of the Calgary Public Library Foundation. “COVID-19 has illustrated how critically important this is, and how children are affected when schools and libraries are temporarily closed. We know this program will resonate with Calgarians and we want to invite them to help support this life-changing program for as little as $5.50 a month.”To donate or for more information, visit libraryfoundation.ca/myfirstbookshelf. —Calgary Public Library FoundationThe Calgary Public Library Foundation empowers people to make a difference in their community. All donations received through the Library Foundation cultivate innovation and bring the Library to those who need it most. Our 21,500 donors are helping to build a stronger Calgary.Calgary Public LibraryCalgary Public Library, with 740,000 members and 21 locations, has been inspiring the life stories of Calgarians for more than 100 years. Last year, Calgarians borrowed more than 15 million physical and digital items and visited the Library seven million times.About Dolly Parton’s Imagination LibrarySince launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation has gifted well over 140 million free books in Australia, Canada, The Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom and the United States. The Imagination Library mails more than 1.7 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to registered children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading, inspiring them to dream. The impact of the program has been widely researched and results suggest positive increases in key early childhood literacy metrics. Penguin Random House Canada is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library all across Canada. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.Media Contact:Rachael TernerCommunications ManagerCalgary Public Library Foundation403.680.0626rachael@libraryfoundation.caMary KapustaDirector, CommunicationsCalgary Public Library 403.774.7256mary.kapusta@calgarylibrary.caJeanne SmitiuchRegional Director, CanadaThe Dollywood Foundation of Canadajsmitiuch@imaginationlibrary.caTracy LongDirector of Marketing & DevelopmentThe Dollywood Foundationtlong@dollyfoundation.com
Read more about "Stories"As Calgary Public Library prepares for the opening of the new Central Library on November 1, we’re also saying goodbye to Central Library, our home for the past 55 years. Take a look at photos from our past and see how our beloved downtown Library has served a growing city for more than five decades.Plans for a new Central Library were in the works as early as 1954, amid a space crunch at Memorial Park Library. But after two failed plebiscites for a new library in the 1950s, the project stalled.In 1961, Mayor Harry Hays told Chief Librarian W.R. Castell that a downtown area across from city hall, slated for urban renewal, could include a new library. No plebiscite would be needed this time; the money would come from a surplus in land sales for new subdivisions. In February 1962, construction of a new downtown Library began on the site of a former service station.Central Library, in all its brutalist splendor, officially opened on June 15, 1963. Castell was thrilled. “Except for the day in January 1912 when the doors of the Library opened for the first time to the public, June 15, 1963, will be long remembered as the most important date in the history of the institution,” he said.The Library was designed by J.H. Cook and Associates, a Calgary architectural firm. Its monolithic look was typical of office buildings at the time. Inside, interior details included an orange, gold, and blue-green colour plan, teak bookshelves and catalogue cabinets, white formica tables, and blue and nutmeg carpeting.While opening day featured a speech by Lieutenant Governor Percy Page, not everyone got to hear it. Seventeen people got stuck in an elevator for 35 minutes. As Central patrons know well, elevator challenges have continued over the years.When it opened, Central Library had a children’s area in the basement, next to a newspaper reading room. The main floor housed a circulation desk and a carpeted reading lounge filled with comfortable seating, where smoking was permitted.The second floor, the reference department, offered the Library’s first-ever coin-operated Xerox photocopying machine for patrons. The third floor had music and film rooms, books on art, music, and theatre, and an art gallery operated by the Glenbow Foundation.The fourth floor was used for the storage of books and the fifth floor housed the ordering, cataloguing, and bookbinding departments. Finally, the sixth floor contained the administrative offices and a circular auditorium.In 1963, when Central Library opened, Calgary’s population was just over 275,000. Central Library had a full-time staff of 41, and Calgarians could borrow books free of charge. They used a transaction card system, filling in cards with their names and address to check out books.In the 1970s, as energy prices soared, Calgary became one of the fastest-growing cities in North America. It soon became apparent more room was needed at Central Library.In early 1971, a formal request went to the city for a much-needed extension, and construction started the following year. The six-storey addition to the north of Central Library opened in 1974.A second-floor theatre was added, and the Library was renamed the W.R. Castell Central Library. A metal sculpture was commissioned and added to what was then the front of the Library, a piece of public art by Robert Oldrich known as “Library Frieze.”Over the years, there’s been many renovations at Central Library. A dedicated Canadiana room opened on the main floor in 1967, Canada’s centennial year. In 1981, the fourth floor of Central Library’s north extension was opened to the public. With wider aisles and lower shelves, it was designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.In 1990, work started on major renovations, including an expanded second-floor children’s area, a secure room for the Local History collection, and a new main entrance at the southwest corner. In 1993, Central’s theatre was named in honour of John Dutton, the chief librarian from 1979 to 1991.In 2011, Central Library’s main floor was renovated to accommodate the new City Hall LRT platform. In 2013, a catastrophic June flood profoundly affected Alberta and Calgary, including Central Library’s lower level, where water seepage caused significant damage.In 2016, Central Library welcomed a big addition. A decommissioned fire truck was moved to the main floor. Engine 23 was retrofitted into a space for kids to play, read, learn, and listen to regular storytimes with firefighters.After 55 years in our current home, we can’t wait to welcome you to the new Central Library. Come visit starting November 1.Want to learn more? Read The Calgary Public Library: Inspiring Life Stories Since 1912 by Brian Brennan, explore the online Calgary Public Library Archives: Our Story in Pictures, and visit the Vintage Media Lab in the new Central Library.
Read more about "Stories Saying Goodbye to Central Library Photos Through the Years (1962 – 2018)"