Most Libraries have community meeting rooms that you can book with your library card. Visit Book a Meeting Space for more information.
What books inspire the artistic practice of Kristy North Peigan? This list contains titles on Indigenous ways of knowing, art design for video games, and classic art history.
Read more about "Recommended reads from the Indigenous Artist in Residence"We were a large and connected community. We turned to books and read a lot. We found new ways to connect safely. The Digital Library became even more important. We gathered to learn and interact online.
Read more about "Stories A Look Back at the Past Year at Calgary Public Library Over the past year, we've altered and innovated our services, adapted to a new normal, and come together as a community."This 75-minute conversation, hosted by Richard Kelly Kemick, includes an audience Q&A and book signing. Bring copies of Johnston's invaluable back list, including 2021's The...
Read more about "IMAGINARIUM by wordfest: An Evening with Wayne Johnston"Sign up for a TAL (The Alberta Library) card at your local library or register for a ME card using your local library card. Use either of these cards to borrow books, CDs, and DVDs from Calgary Public Library. Some restrictions apply.
Read more about "I live in another Alberta community with its own public library."Discover new and upcoming independent authors from Alberta in a variety of genres from romance to fantasy, biographies to picture books. There's something for everyone to enjoy.Check out the highlighted titles for the best reads as selected by Library Journal.
Read more about "Discover Local Authors"Frank O’Keeffe has lived all over the world, but no matter where he travels one thing never changes — how close he stays to his local library.“I’ve always gone to the library wherever I’ve lived. They are invaluable places in our communities, and have always brought such joy to my family,” he says. “We went to live in Australia for a year when our daughter was two, we even had a library card there as well.”Frank signed up for his first Calgary Public Library card about 50 years ago. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Frank immigrated to Canada when he was 19 years old. Memorial Park Library provided him with a place to visit during the day on his way to and from work.When Frank began university, the library became a place to find free resources on the Canadian history he was studying. He eventually became a teacher, passing on the love of learning libraries instilled in him to students and his own family.“My daughter got her first Library card when she was just a little girl. She was always wanting us to take her to Memorial Park Library and read books — new books, more books,” he says. “And it was so convenient, because you could borrow as many books as you liked.”An Accomplished AuthorFrank is more than just a lover of libraries, though; he’s also an author with books on library shelves, including eight young adult novels. His ninth book is Woodbine, an adult historical fiction novel that follows a young girl and her father as they travel from Paris across Africa in the 1890s, eventually visiting Ireland as the First World War breaks out.Frank says this most recent novel, published in August 2018, could not have crossed the finish line without the help of staff at Shawnessy Library.“Three of the ladies at Shawnessy Library — Olga Tanailova, Kirsten Pedersen, and Nelli Boutchev — were instrumental in that last book being published. Those three read my last manuscript as I was writing it. They helped me research it. I even acknowledged them in the book. It couldn’t have happened without their help.”As a retired teacher and avid history buff, Frank says he enjoys the opportunity writing gives him to inject a bit of realistic humour into everyday life, “because the world can always use more of that.” His next book, The Grand Getaway, set to be published this spring, focuses heavily on that aspect.“It starts with an old folks’ home, and a homeless man. One of the patients at the home is living with dementia, and she wants to go see the Grand Canyon one last time, because she went there when she was young on the back of a motorcycle. And so, this homeless man is accidentally let into the home one day and ends up sort of hiding out there, and the two of them form a sort of unlikely friendship that leads to adventure.”‘Chitchat and Good Company’The characters explore themes that hit particularly close to home for Frank. His wife Patricia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 10 years ago. As the couple has grown older and their family’s needs have changed, how they use the Library has changed too.“I certainly used to read a lot, but I don’t have as much time for it now. I try to keep as active as I can, but my life involves a lot of worrying about my wife these days. Helping care for her is the most important thing,” Frank says.The Library has become a part of Patricia and Frank’s weekly routine. On Fridays, Frank takes Patricia out from the care facility where she lives and the pair go to the ESL Coffee and Conversation program at Shawnessy Library, for some “chitchat and good company.” Once a newcomer to Canada himself, Frank empathizes with the people who attend the program.“Many of the folks I meet at the Library are immigrants, just like me,” he says. “As an older patron, what I get out of the Library now is companionship. I’m still pretty active, and I don’t have any health problems, but it can be hard to meet new people. The Library is an important means of communication for me.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘Invaluable Places in Our Communities’ Frank O'Keeffe has been writing his Library Story for over 50 years"Helping your child learn from home? Check out these free resources for help guiding their studies. These online options for young children and teens can all be easily accessed from the comfort of your home.BrainfuseThis online tutoring resource is aligned with the Alberta curriculum for students in Grade 2 to Grade 12. Get expert online help with your homework from 2 pm to 11 pm daily. Support for adult learners is also available.SolaroUse this online resource to access course lessons, reviews, and practice tests for students in Grade 3 to 12. Prepare for tests and final exams in Math, Science, Social Studies, and English, through study guides and practice questions aligned to the Alberta curriculum.Study BuddyStudy Buddy is perfect for kids ages six and up. It allows students to find eBooks and articles by searching multiple digital resources at once, including OverDrive for Kids, World Book Kids, National Geographic Kids, Flipster, and Gale Virtual Reference Library. Study Buddy also offers premade searches on popular topics, like Alberta history or nature.TumbleBookLibraryTumbleBooks offers unlimited access to a collection of eBooks for young children, their parents, and teachers, including more than 250 animated, talking picture books, Spanish and French books, read-along chapter books, non-fiction books, and games.Plus Much MoreAre you an adult who wants to learn from home? Check out our Digital Library for free access to learning resources like LinkedIn Learning for Library, Gale Courses, Rosetta Stone, and Pronunciator. Use your free Calgary Public Library card to access all these resources, plus more like eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and newspapers online for free.
Read more about "Stories 8 Resources to Help Students Learn from Home"Indigenous languages have long been underrepresented in literature. In 2019, the Library worked with aspiring Treaty 7 writers and illustrators to help them create children's books in their traditional languages.
Read more about "Learn the original languages of this land"Find detailed timelines for notable people, places, and events in this highly interactive database. Build, save, and share timelines for an authentic learning experience.Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial on Niche Academy: World Book tutorial.
Read more about "More than 650 historical timelines and 14,000 world events"Haritha Devulapally Committee membership: Governance; Chair of Audit and Finance Committee Term end: 2025 Haritha’s passion for the library dates back to when she was a child. One of the very first books she picked up at the Calgary Public Library was Matilda , written by Roald Dahl. In that instant she fell in love with reading, and through the Calgary Public Library she had the opportunity to read a vast number of books and publications that helped her succeed in her academics. Haritha believes that the Calgary Public Library is the cornerstone and heart of the Calgary community, promoting empowerment, inclusion, and economic, social, and cultural integration. Haritha looks forward to bringing her financial acumen as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) to make a positive impact on the Calgary Public Library Board.
Read more about "Haritha Devulapally"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"Come Discover What's New and Wonderful at Calgary Public Library on Love Your Library Day MEDIA RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 17, 2018Calgary, AB — Everybody is invited to Calgary Public Library’s Love Your Library Day, a one-day event at all 20 libraries across the city on Saturday, August 18. This free event is for all, from avid Library users to those curious about what the Library can offer.“As we near November 1, all eyes are on New Central Library,” says Bill Ptacek, CEO for Calgary Public Library. “Love Your Library Day is an exciting opportunity to celebrate our incredible members and highlight our entire Library system that reaches so many people each day. We’ve never held a city-wide open house like this before, and we’re especially delighted at the chance to introduce more Calgarians to Calgary Public Library.”Love Your Library Day will run from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at each location. Staff have a jam-packed schedule of activities planned, including a city-wide storytime featuring special guests at 11:00 am, family programming, behind-the-scenes Library tours, musical performances, collaborative art and story walls, scavenger hunts, and face painting.On the day, people can celebrate how the Library has made a difference in their life, learn about new services and programs, enjoy refreshments, and enter to win one of 20 door prizes. The Calgary Public Library Foundation will also be selling special limited-edition commemorative community library tote bags on Love Your Library Day for $10 (regular $15). All sales proceeds will support the essential work of the Calgary Public Library.Love Your Library Day is also a perfect time to introduce someone you know to the Library. Whether it’s been a few years since they last checked out a book, or are visiting for the first time — bring a friend to your local Library, sign up for a free Library membership on August 18 and you will both be entered to win our Refer a Friend Grand Prize, valued at nearly $1,000, which includes:Calgary Public Library late fine forgiveness $100 gift certificate and other prizes from Lukes Drug Mart A six-month membership and other prizes from YMCA Four guest passes and other prizes from Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre Literary swag from the Library Store For more details on special programs related to Love Your Library, please visit calgarylibrary.ca/Love-Your-Library.Community Libraries Get Freshened UpDuring the construction of the new Central Library, the entire system has received a facelift, with all community Library locations being renovated before the November 1 opening. These renovations include new furniture, fresh paint, enhanced technology, more meeting spaces, and 10 Early Learning Centres. Stay tuned for refreshed spaces at Village Square Library and Country Hills Library this fall!Your Library Membership BenefitsYour free Calgary Public Library card gives you access to books, eBooks, programs, online resource, printing, plus much more. Free membership benefits include:Browse and borrow print and digital books, audiobooks, music, movies, magazines, newspapers, and more. E-Library access to more than 100 Digital Resources. Read digital books with OverDrive, learn a language with Rosetta Stone, take online courses with Lynda.com, watch movies with Kanopy, and listen to music with Freegal. Online resource for kids, including animated read-along story books with TumbleBook Library and tutoring with Brainfuse. Access to Early Learning Centres, where children can learn through play. Book free meeting rooms around the city. Free WiFi and three hours of computer use per day. Borrow Chromebook laptops for in-Library use. Up to $5 of free printing per month. Hundreds of free in-person programs for everybody. Calgary Public Library Calgary Public Library, with 650,000+ members and 20 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 14.6 million physical and digital items and with 6.8 million in-person visits last year. The awe-inspiring 240,000 sq. ft. Central Library — the newest gathering place for our city — opens November 1, 2018.- 30 -Media Contact:Mary KapustaDirector, CommunicationsCalgary Public Library403-774-7256mary.kapusta@calgarylibrary.ca
Read more about "Stories"As Calgary Public Library moves into the new Central Library in East Village, we’re also saying goodbye to Central Library, our beloved downtown home for more than 50 years. In this month’s Library Stories, longtime staff, volunteers, and patrons reflect on their favourite memories and spots at Central Library. What’s your favourite memory of Central Library? Share in the comments at the bottom.Maureen Proctor, Library VolunteerPictured at Engine 23 on the main floor“This fire truck is my favourite part of Central Library. It’s just such a welcoming thing for children, for people of all ages. It’s always the first thing I look at when I come to Central. I come here to volunteer, mostly with the Library’s Special Events team, including events at the John Dutton Theatre. I’ve volunteered at various libraries since 2002, starting with the TD Read with Me Program. I still volunteer with the program and am mentoring an eight-year-old girl."I started volunteering because I wanted to give back. I like the fact the Library is open to everyone, people from all walks of life. The Library provides really incredible services — and the price is right! I’m excited about everything at the new Central Library, especially the Maureen Proctor Reading Nook. I’m volunteering to lead tours at the new Central Library, and I can’t wait.”Susanna Hartmann, Customer Services ClerkPictured at her desk on the third floor“This move, it’s like when you give up a family home. This has been my home for 35 years. This was my first job in Canada when I came from Hungary, and my only job since, my life. So, this is really like leaving a family home — the only home you’ve ever known, behind, and starting all over again. It’s very exciting, but you know, it’s just as sad at the same time."There are so many memories. We had so many friendships develop here. We had parties, we had baby showers, and welcomed new family members. We had retirement parties and Christmas celebrations. I built my life here. If I could say just one thing to this building, it would just be ‘I love you.’ I love you, I love you! I will never forget you. It is very sad for me to leave this place, but I know it will be good, and I know our new home will awe everybody."Jerry Fawcett, Civic Literacy LibrarianPictured in the Law section on the third floor“The third floor at Central has been my home for much of my Library career [since the fall of 1989, after starting at what is now Judith Umbach Library]. Many patrons come to the Library trying to deal with difficult life circumstances, which frequently touch on legal matters. Providing basic information or informed referrals often can get them started towards resolution."I am frequently reminded how simply listening, showing compassion, and making appropriate referrals can make a difference in someone’s day. I hope the new Central Library will continue to be a place where people who need help feel welcome and safe.”Gerry Burger-Martindale, Senior Transition LeadPictured near the east windows on the third floor“I’ve worked on the third floor since 1982, and it used to be such a dark floor. On the east side there were what we always assumed were fake window frames, with horrible 40-year-old Mylar covering the glass. The old Remand Centre and courtrooms were smack up against the east side, so you’d think it was one building. Then, when they were removing those buildings (moving to the new courthouse and renovating for Bow Valley College), they removed those buildings and left us standing — and suddenly there was light!"Morning light is so amazing in Calgary. In short order we started picking off the Mylar … and we could see out to the east. Now the seats in the east windows are the most popular."Unfortunately, only the third floor benefitted in this way, as we were the only floor with the “fake” windows, except for the women’s washroom on the north side — from where you could see beautiful sunrises, but someone was concerned about our modesty and covered it up with Mylar!”Bill Dyck, PatronPictured at his favourite reading nook on the third floor“I come to the library just about every day. It’s quiet, it’s a place to go — plus, I mean, books! I usually finish one or two a day, but always at least one. I read about 300 books a year, and if I were to buy them, they’d be hugely expensive. And if you buy it, so what? Then you own a book, but you only really read it once, maybe twice if it was really good. You can always check out a book again if you want to. Or come sit and read."This is just a really nice, quiet, private spot where you can sit and nobody bothers you. You can relax. It’s peaceful. It’s consistent. You know when it’s open, no surprises. And when I finish the books, I like going to [listen to] the author speak. Just about anybody can write a book, but why did you write this book? Why did you need to tell this story? Why write about aliens? What were you thinking? As a reader, you wonder. That’s the kind of stuff I want to know.”Kevin Allen, Incoming Historian in ResidencePictured in the Local History Room on the fourth floor“I started work here in 1989 when I was 18 as a Sunday circulation employee. I worked here all throughout my university years and early career — always part time. I eventually gravitated toward the magazine and newspaper department, stored in the basement, that was tragically flooded back in 2013. That was heartbreaking for me because I had spent so many years walking through those stacks."When I started Calgary Gay History Projectopens a new window in 2012, I went back to magazines and newspapers and luckily pulled a bunch of citations before they were washed away. These included old issues of Macleans and Chatelaine magazines from the 1960s, as they were among the first publications to feature articles sympathetic to gay and lesbian people. Of course, I spent a lot of time in this Local History Room."I think there’s something really important in large urban centres about the big, downtown library as a repository for researchers and access to information in general. I feel like the Central Library historically, and hopefully into the future, will be that place for Calgarians.”David Plouffe, Library VolunteerPictured at the Idea Lab on the fifth floor“My relationship to Central Library has been that of a living book, a volunteer, and as an Idea Coach. Central Library is also the place I pick up my books when I work downtown."As an Idea Coach, I always ask this question: what seed might we plant together today that can make the most difference to your idea? Planting that seed and encouraging the minds of Calgarians is what being an Idea Coach is all about."Moving from this space over to the new Central Library, I think people will not only be drawn into the space, but in awe of it. Even better is that it’s a space for patrons, whether they’re reading, using the computers, or visiting the Idea Lab. Being an Idea Coach, I think the space will help stimulate new thoughts and ways of thinking.”Richmond N’goran, PatronPictured on the fifth floor“I come here three times a week, sometimes more. I come here to use a Chromebook, or sometimes I take books from the third floor. If you’re looking for a certain book, people are always there to help you find it. And if it’s not in, they’ll let you know about other books. I like to do homework here, because there’s all the necessary things I need."I usually come here from school. I’m studying English now at SAIT, and in the winter I will start my main program, Architectural Technologies. I came to Calgary almost three years ago, from Ivory Coast, and did not know any English. I like all the services provided at the Library. If you can’t get a Chromebook here on the fifth floor, you can go to the third floor and use a computer for two hours. I also read eBooks online, and I like that too.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'There Are So Many Memories' Patrons, volunteers, and staff talk about their favourite spots in the old Central Library building"