The 'Build a Book Bag' service is no longer available. You can find books and other Library materials by searching the catalogue. Ebooks and audiobooks are also available through the Libby app.
What will you do? Bring stories and reading to life for students in Grades 1 through 3! Reading Buddies volunteers share books and play fun literacy games with their “little buddy” in a group setting that’s facilitated by a staff member. Volunteers encourage children to read, and make reading fun! This is a youth volunteer opportunity for Grades 7-12. Program Length: 1.5 hours weekly, six-week program What’s in it for you? Meet new people and explore new opportunities Have fun and contribute to your community Develop inter-personal, leadership, problem-solving, communication, and time management skills
Read more about "What will you do? What’s in it for you?"'\n ', 'Get on the path to find a job, build your own website, start a business, improve your English, write your book, brush up on your computer skills, prepare for college, and more.\xa0', 'Cardholders have free access to courses with their Library card. Once registered, the Library is unable to drop or transfer you from a course. Please read the course requirements carefully prior to registering for a course.', 'Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial in Niche Academy:\xa0', 'Gale Courses tutorial', '\n '
Read more about "'Free, interactive, instructor-led online courses. '"The Entrepreneur in Residence, in partnership with Platform Calgary, aims to support individuals keen to explore business and build skills related to tech and innovation start-ups. The Entrepreneur in Residence acts as a mentor to emerging and established entrepreneurs, and can offer advice on starting a business, networking, identifying markets, product development, revenue strategies, and more. Connect with them by booking a private meeting, or attending a public program or workshop.
Read more about "Supporting emerging and established entrepreneurs."What will you do? Help a young reader in Grades 1 to 6 discover the magic of reading. Volunteers share literacy-based games and fun books and support children one-on-one to foster a lifelong love of reading. Program Length: One hour weekly What’s in it for you? Be a positive mentor for a child Help children improve their self-confidence and literacy skills Strengthen creative thinking, coaching skills, and supportive communication
Read more about "What will you do? What’s in it for you?"Indigenous Voices in Library Services Nations to Nations: Indigenous Voices at Library and Archives Canada is a free multimedia e-book featuring essays and images written and curated by Indigenous staff at Library and Archives Canada (LAC). These essays offer personal interpretations of Library collection items and reflect on the unique perspectives that First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation bring to libraries. Download your copy
Read more about "Indigenous Voices in Library Services"Need a place to practice? Memorial Park Library has a free music practice room. Our practice space can comfortably accommodate two musicians and you can book the practice room twice per week, up to two hours each time. The room has an upright double bass, donated by k.d. lang, an electric piano, electric drum kit, and a guitar.
Read more about "Need a place to practice?"'\n ', 'Search Canadian history from the 16th century to 20th century through monographs (books), serials (newspapers, annuals and periodicals), and government publications. Find information on major historical events, the development of institutions, genealogy, Canadian literature and politics, trades and tariffs, and more.\xa0', 'In English and French.', '\n '
Read more about "'Research Canadian history with heritage sources and scholarly journals'"What will you do? Volunteers help in a creative technology space at Central Library. Volunteers share their own expertise through one-on-one or small group mentoring for teens (ages 13-17). This space supports connected, social learning and is guided by the HOMAGO model (Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out) developed by Dr. Mizuko Ito. An evidence-based approach incorporates research on teen development and learning, and best practices developed by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and its partners. The technology in the room — ranging from sewing machines to robots — is there to support teens' innate creativity and can be used in many ways. The volunteer role is to inspire and engage, and to give teens a positive adult role model — someone who cares about them and what they're interested in and is always willing to lend a hand. The volunteer’s own creative or technology skills are a foundation to build from, but they will find themselves doing a wide variety of activities in this role. Program Length: Three- hour shift maximum What’s in it for you? Develop interpersonal, leadership, problem-solving, communication, and time management skills Gain experience in facilitation Meet new people Have fun and contribute to your community
Read more about "What will you do? What’s in it for you?"The main entrance opens into the Shaikh Family Welcome Gallery, a versatile and breathtaking space for large-scale special events, celebrations, and after-hours private bookings. Unfortunately, we are unable to host weddings at the Library.
Read more about "Shaikh Family Welcome Gallery"The BMO Financial Community Room offers Calgarians a space to collaborate and share ideas. This free meeting room boasts seating for 80, and is the perfect place to host your community club, training sessions, or team building.
Read more about "From street level, you can see Library programming in the Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall."Titles to inspire teen writers this National Novel Writing Month.
Read more about "The Write Stuff"We connect people and organizations who want to make a difference with the opportunity to improve our shared community. All donations cultivate innovation and bring the Library to those who need it most.Since 2011, the Library Foundation has raised more than $60 million in support of the Calgary Public Library. Our 21,500 donors are helping to build a stronger Calgary.
Read more about "The Calgary Public Library Foundation supports the Library through fundraising."Learn how to nourish your heart, body, and mind to flourish in sport and in your everyday life! Balance, breathe and flow through an empowering practice of yoga, followed by a fun...
Read more about "Girls in Motion: Nourish to Flourish (Ages 7-11)"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"At the opening ceremony for Central Library on November 1, five special members joined Library CEO Bill Ptacek and Mayor Naheed Nenshi on stage. Instead of a ribbon-cutting, these people were presented with the first five Library cards issued at the new building. The five members represent more than 670,000 active Library members across Calgary.Alex Grinwis is a 17-year-old Grade 11 student who has been using Calgary Public Library since a very young age. Alex loves reading, and is also passionate about music — playing piano, guitar, ukulele, and currently learning violin. When asked what they’re looking forward to about the new building, they said: “I’m just looking forward to having such a cool space to be able to go and do homework or find new books.”Nikki Brule is the proud owner of Yummy Yogis, a small business she helped develop and grow by using the Library. Nikki does a lot of research for her business at the Library, and often brings along her six-year-old daughter. As an entrepreneur who works from home, she enjoys having a space to come to, surrounded by books, where she can work and connect with others.Mirna Khaled arrived in Calgary from Lebanon in 2015, in search of better opportunities for her children: nine-year-old twins Jalal and Julia. Mirna appreciates the accessibility of the Library as Julia has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. In Calgary, Mirna and her children visit the Library two to three times a week; they like to read, play, and meet new friends. There’s even a book about Julia, written by Mirna and Julia’s aunt, on library shelves!Frank O’Keeffe is a longtime Library member who first got his Calgary Public Library card about 50 years ago. Frank, who is originally from Ireland, is a former teacher who has written and published eight young adult novels. He recently published his first adult novel that staff members at Shawnessy Library helped to review. Frank visits the Library several times a week and brings his wife — who has Alzheimer’s — to the ESL Coffee and Conversation program, for some chitchat and good company. “As an older patron, what I get out of the Library now is companionship,” he says.Felix McLeod Saunders is just two and a half years old and is ready for his first Calgary Public Library card! His mother Maranda is excited to have a new, public space in Calgary where she and her young children can connect with their Indigenous culture and learn together. Plus, Felix is really into books.Special thanks to these five members and to everyone who joined us for the opening ceremony of Central Library!
Read more about "Stories Introducing the new Central Library’s First Five Members"