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"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"Our free programs and events cover a range of topics and interests for every age group. Register for upcoming programs, or catch up on something you might have missed with our program recordings on YouTube.
Read more about "At the Library, there's something for everyone. "Come drop by for a fun game of chess with a chess expert! If you don't know how to play chess yet, or you're looking to improve your skills, we’ll teach you everything there is to...
Read more about "Chess in the Library"Calgary, AB – The Calgary Public Library is piloting a new service in partnership with Wood’s Homes to deliver mental health support for vulnerable patrons facing mental health challenges and addictions. The Wellness Desk at Central Library will provide free, professional mental health care and community referrals in real-time.“The Library is evolving to meet the needs of our city during an unprecedented mental health crisis, one which has worsened due to a pandemic,” says Mark Asberg, CEO for Calgary Public Library. “The Wellness Desk will offer a welcoming, safe, and discreet opportunity for all members of the community to seek help with mental health concerns or issues.”Central Library was chosen to host the pilot due to its centralized location, volume of visitors, and the high-needs population it serves. The Wellness Desk will provide an accessible and critical resource for those who may require immediate, specialized care while on Library premises, or those looking for information and referrals to other services. Any Library visitor will be able to take advantage of the no-cost services the Wellness Desk provides.The Wellness Desk will be staffed by mental health professionals from Wood’s Homes. They will deliver their expertise and care on behalf of patrons and their loved ones who were confronting challenges before COVID-19, help address the significant demand for support as a result of the pandemic and provide general mental health and addictions guidance.“Wood’s Homes is proud to be providing mental health services at the Central Library’s new Wellness Desk,” says Bjorn Johansson, CEO for Wood’s Homes. “Service accessibility and immediacy are contributors to improved mental health, especially in these times when many of us need and help and support. We have a longstanding reputation with the community and see this opportunity as another step in ensuring that Calgarians know we are here to help.”The pilot at Central Library will run from October 6 to December 31, 2020. The Wellness Desk will operate on a drop-in basis during afternoon and early evening hours on weekdays and weekends, adjusting service times to meet the needs of the public.For further details, visit calgarylibrary.ca/wellness.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. Calgarians borrowed more than 15 million physical and digital items and visited the Library seven million times last year.Wood’s HomesWood’s Homes has long served the mental health needs of Calgarians effectively and with diligence. As a non-profit mental health centre, they provide 40+ programs and services to 20,000 children and their families annually.Media Contact:Shae PollockAccount ManagerEdelman403.817.0632 ext. 5181shae.pollock@edelman.comSylvia MacIverCommunications ManagerWood’s Homes403.270.1768sylvia.maciver@woodshomes.ca
Read more about "Stories Calgary Library Pilots Free Mental Health Services with New Wellness Desk"After painting for over a decade, Nada Khatib decided she wanted to turn her hobby into a full-time gig.Originally from Toronto, Nada had spent years working in the corporate sector, most recently in Bahrain, an island in the Persian Gulf. As Nada and her husband contemplated a move to Calgary, it felt like the right time to “take the plunge,” she says, and start anew.“I decided to just pursue what I felt was my dream job. Why not just go for it?” Nada says.Shortly after moving to Calgary in April 2018, Nada began researching the city’s art scene. “I wanted to get my art out there and be able to share it with people and have the community see it,” she says. Through her research online, she learned Calgary Public Library provides free space for art exhibits at eight libraries, and excitedly applied for the program. Selected artists receive one-month showings.New OpportunitiesA self-taught acrylic painter, Nada first exhibited her art at Bowness Library in October 2018. “It has been one of the most significant opportunities I’ve gotten to showcase my work, for free,” Nada says. “It’s something I’m so grateful for.” Nada paints with a palette knife to create lively textures in her pieces. Her vivid work is often inspired by nature, and since moving to Calgary, Nada has found fresh inspiration in the nearby Rocky Mountains. Following that first showing at Bowness Library, Nada’s colourful paintings have also brightened Crowfoot, Louise Riley, Central, and Country Hills libraries.“I love libraries, so it’s really nice to be able to fill such a great space with some artwork and colour,” Nada says. “It’s been a great experience to be at different libraries and in different neighbourhoods, and it’s led to lots of opportunities for me, such as commissions or sales or just general exposure.”Inspiring OthersSince becoming a full-time artist, Nada hasn’t looked back. She has sold over 150 original paintings, teaches painting and drawing, and is building her own company, Expression By Nada. Nada’s new career path breaks from her family’s traditions and expectations. “I always really enjoyed painting, but it didn’t seem possible in my upbringing and culture to do, because it’s not really considered a career,” says Nada, who is a first-generation Canadian.She loves to share her passion for the arts with younger people, showing them what’s possible. This summer, Nada will lead two free art classes at Central Library as part of Ultimate Summer Challenge. At the Acrylic Painting Techniques program, kids can learn about painting with a sponge, palette knife, fingers, and more.“I think libraries are such great places because there’s lots of kids and families here, and for them to be able to see my art and maybe get inspired, it’s exciting,” Nada says. “It’s nice to reach new people with my work.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'A Great Experience' Nada Khatib shares her Library Story with her art on display"Find course lessons, reviews, and practice tests for students in grades 3 to 12. From science and math to social studies and English, Solaro follows the Alberta curriculum and provides online access to the same information found in The Key study guides.
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Read more about "Is your child entering kindergarten this year?"Taking some time to pursue new career goals? You can kickstart your learning and planning right from home with these free resources from our Digital Library.All of these resources are available with your free Library card. Don’t have a membership yet? It’s free to sign up online, and you can start using your card immediately!Career CruisingAre you looking for a new career or interested in going back to school, but aren't sure where to start? Create a personalized plan with Career Cruising. Answer questions about your goals and ambitions to find career paths that play to your interests. You can then explore schools that offer programs matching your career suggestions. Build your resume, learn effective job search techniques, and get tips for your first day on the job all here.Learning ExpressRefreshing your resume is easy with Learning Express. This resource can help you learn to write better cover letters and resumes and provides interview tips. If you’re interested in pursuing careers in the fields of law enforcement, firefighting, cosmetology, nursing, or real estate, you can also find practice tests to help you study for certification exams.Road to IELTSNewcomers to Canada can expand their verbal and written communication skills with this resource. Road to IELTS can help you prepare for the International English Language Testing System exam by coaching you through Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing courses. Identify your strengths and weaknesses in language learning and follow a personalized study planner to stay on track.LinkedIn Learning for LibraryWhether you're looking to improve your skills in your existing field, or want to branch out and try something new, LinkedIn Learning for Library is full of expert-led video courses that can help you grow professionally. Learn helpful workspace skills like project management, time management, conflict resolution and leadership skills, or get instruction on specific software like Microsoft Office (including Microsoft Teams) and Adobe Creative Cloud. You get a certificate of completion for every self-guided course you finish!Gale CoursesIf you’re a fan of interactive instruction, Gale Courses delivery style is right for you. You can receive feedback from your course instructor during and after instruction on this platform. Classes are led by industry experts, and you receive a certificate of completion at the end of each new course. Choose from over 300 courses in topics like Mastering Public Speaking, Troubleshooting PCs, Grammar Refreshers, GED preparation, and more. Your free Library membership grants you access to two, six-week courses every year.
Read more about "Stories Career Advancement Resources"Helping your student with their math homework? We can help take the stress out of studying. Make learning math a breeze with our free eResources that offer content tailored specifically for children and students developing their math skills. Use your free Library membership to access these great apps and resources. No Library card? No problem. Sign up for free online and start using it now. Bookflix Cuddle up and read with Bookflix! Find your favourite picture book classics paired with related fact books for early readers. Read aloud together or watch and listen to an animated version of the picture book. (Ages 5 – 8) Early readers can listen or read along to the book Everyone Uses Math to see how pilots, firefighters, and cooks use math every day. Then play a Word Match or Fact or Fiction game – they’re so fun, kids won’t even know they’re learning. Gale Virtual Reference Library Find full-text eBooks for learners of all ages in the Gale Virtual Reference Library on subjects including coding, business, science, and travel. Superheroes and surfers are the stars of this 15-title series of easy-to-understand math eBooks, from Funky Fractions and Edgy Equations to Glorious Geometry and Dynamic Denominators. (Ages 8 – 12) Solaro Find course lessons, reviews, and practice tests for students in grades 3 to 12 in Solaro. It follows Alberta curriculum and provides online access to the same information found in The Key study guides. (Ages 9 – 17) Find math lessons, flash cards, quizzes, and pre- and –post-assessments that directly support your child’s learning. For instance, the Grade Five section covers Numbers, Patterns and Equations, Geometry, Measurement, and Probability. brainfuse HelpNow brainfuse HelpNow offers free online tutoring for students studying Alberta curriculum. Students studying math in Grades 2 to 12 can access online help from 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm daily. Chat live with a tutor and create your own study tools with flashcards and games. World Book Online for Kids World Book Online for Kids is an online learning platform developed for young users. Children can explore a variety of topics in easy-to-read articles, images, and videos. You can also solve puzzles while learning fun facts or try out experiments. Try some fun and simple math and logic puzzles in the “Activities” section, like using math to find the secret code in your name or solving a numbered puzzle square.
Read more about "Stories Math eResources for ages 5 – 17"Through a series of webinars, Library resources and book recommendations, The Kitchen Table Classroom helps parents and caregivers with tips and tools they can use to support learning from home. Understand reading levels, get infrequent readers in middle grades excited to read, prepare younger kids for kindergarten, and much more with help from The Kitchen Table Classroom. Education specialists provide advice through online programs (you can register for the latest through our
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