Mackenzie Brown (she/her) is a First Nations Cree woman from the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, currently residing in Mohkinstsis, Calgary. She is a performer, drummer, tourism entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate for at-risk youth. Mackenzie and her mom perform as “Warrior Women.” They drum and teach around Alberta. Along with drumming, Mackenzie is also an avid acrylic artist and traditional crafts artisan.
Read more about "Indigenous Artist in Residence "The race to 50,000 words is on! These books can help support and inspire you through your journey.
Read more about "National Novel Writing Month"Tanisha is an illustrator from the Stoney Nakoda Nation. Her practice explores storytelling and symbolism, relying heavily on the sacred circle. For her, the circle represents humanity, moving onward but always returning to its beginning.
Read more about "Tanisha Wesley"Stories are cultural teachings handed down through generations. Remember that stories are there to educate or help you; they are not frivolous or strictly for entertainment.
Read more about "Treat stories as a gift."The Newcomer Artist in Residence is an artist who recently arrived in Canada (five years or less) and is the winner of the annual Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) New Canadian Artist Award at the Mayor’s Luncheon for Arts Champions.
Read more about "Newcomer Artist in Residence"What is a land acknowledgment? On November 21, we launched new resources to help c
Read more about "Acknowledging the importance of the land"Rosemary Griebel, Design Lead for Readers’ Services at the Calgary Public Library, started writing poetry as soon as she could start forming letters on a page. She started practising poetry more seriously 15 years ago, when she took a course with Richard Harrison, a Calgary poet and professor. Harrison won this year’s Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry.Rosemary’s favourite kinds of poetry are music, spoken word, and form poetry. However, she most often reads lyrical and free verse. Rosemary has advice for aspiring poets: “Read, read more, and keep on reading!”“I really believe that if you don’t have a passion for reading you won’t have the right passion for writing,” she said.One of her poetry mentors, Patrick Lane, said it is important to learn from the masters, and the only way you can learn from the masters is by reading them.If you’re an aspiring poet, follow Rosemary’s top five tips to start writing:Just breatheIn the Inuit language Inuktitut, the words “to breathe” and “to make a poem” are the same. Rosemary thinks of this often as it provides her the freedom to just sit down and write and see what appears, without worrying about meaning or listening to her inner critic. You must start somewhere, and it starts with that first word or sentence. Welcome what comes. The poems choosing you are the ones that need to be written.Commit to a regular time to writeFor Rosemary, it is early morning when her mind is clear and the world is quiet. But for many, it is late at night when the rest of the house is sleeping.Take inspiration from the world around youSometimes we forget that what is most miraculous is the ordinary. What poetry does best, is to make us see the familiar with awe.Be proud of your voiceAlways remember that what you write only you can write. Use of language and experiences are unique, so be proud of your authentic voice and experience. Find your method and voice, and then sing loud.Be patientBe patient and don’t be afraid of failure. It takes a lifetime to learn a craft and failure is part of the journey.
Read more about "Stories Poetic Advice from Rosemary Griebel, Local Poet and Longtime Writer"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"The newest Story Truck on the road features illustrations from Mo Willems, children’s author and creator of
Read more about "Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Story Truck"In Calgary’s Story, presented by Walt and Irene DeBoni, enlarged photographs give you a glimpse of what Calgary and its surrounding area used to look like. Materials celebrating the city, southern Alberta, and Western Canada’s unique stories, can be found here.
Read more about "History surrounds you."Find fiction and non-fiction from Alberta publishers, including the Prairie Indigenous ebook Collection.
Read more about "Read Alberta eBooks"Find a wide range of 2000+ eBooks from Alberta Publishers and 42 made-in-Alberta eMagazines. Special feature is the Prairie Indigenous eBook Collection: 300 titles by indigenous authors and writings about indigenous culture from publishers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.Sponsored by the Government of Alberta and Alberta publishers.Accessible on devices including desktop, tablets and eReaders. The Aldiko Next app is recommended.
Read more about "Over 2000 Audiobooks, eBooks and eMagazines from Alberta publishers."Author Lori Beattie tells us about her new book and guides us on one of…
Read more about "Calgary’s Best Walks"The Prairie Indigenous eBook Collection brings together over 300 titles from publishers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. This significant addition to the Alberta eBooks repository increases access to stories by Indigenous authors and writings about Indigenous culture, serving as the first of its kind in Canada.Sponsored by the Government of Alberta and Alberta publishers.Accessible on devices including desktop, tablets and eReaders. The Aldiko Next app is recommended.
Read more about "Browse over 300 titles"