For immediate release(CALGARY, AB) As Central Library gets ready to commemorate the second anniversary of its new location in the East Village, there is even more reason to celebrate as the building was recently awarded LEED® Gold certification for the design and construction of the 240,000 square foot downtown location.Since opening on November 1, 2018, Central Library has welcomed 2.3 million visitors and received several awards for architectural design and programming. “Central Library represents the evolution of libraries as vibrant and inclusive community hubs, and I think Calgarians have embraced the building because it also speaks to the future of Calgary and all the potential our city has,” says Mark Asberg, CEO for Calgary Public Library. “Being recognized as a LEED Gold project reflects the hard work of the project team and Calgary’s commitment to thoughtful city planning.” LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. The certification is measured through an extensive set of requirements, some of which include electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions, and healthier environments for visitors and employees who use the facility to work, learn, and play. Designed by Snøhetta and DIALOG, Central Library includes sustainably sourced red cedar wood from nearby British Columbia, a 30% reduction in indoor water use, climate control, and energy efficient upgrades which contribute to more than 26% in energy cost savings. Outside of the building, storm water is stored to irrigate the drought-tolerant plants surrounding the entry plaza and outdoor amphitheatre. “When we first started this project, our aspiration was to design a building that reflected the importance of sustainability both in its design and operations for years to come,” recalls Kate Thompson, President & CEO of Calgary Municipal Land Corporation. “This certification reinforces the hard work of the project team to meet this goal and a reflection of the importance of investing in public spaces that continue to hold significance as the environment changes around us.” All Library locations were closed on March 16 due to COVID-19, and some locations began reopening in late June, with all locations reopening at regular hours by July 20. The building’s air filtration and (more)ventilation system is one of the sustainable features that proved significant in the effort to reopen Central Library.“We knew our community needed our locations to reopen, and we’re proud that we reopened quickly and safely to provide much-needed public service. Central Library gave us a special opportunity to utilize its size and ventilation system to provide an optimal location to respond to COVID-19 and safely welcome back Calgarians,” says Asberg.While there will be no physical event to celebrate Central Library’s second birthday, the Library will be launching a week of digital celebrations, including special interviews, retrospectives on the project, and daily giveaways, culminating in hourly giveaways on the Library’s social media platforms from noon to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 1 and Monday, November 2. For details, follow @calgarylibrary on your favourite social media channel.The LEED Gold Certification marks a multi-level commitment between the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, The City of Calgary, and Calgary Public Library.To learn more about the Central Library’s building features, LEED certification, and how you can visit it and the other 20 locations across Calgary, visit calgarylibrary.ca. - 30 -Central Library Sustainable FeaturesThe use of energy efficient building upgrades contributes to over 26% energy cost savings. During construction, over 79% of construction waste materials were diverted from landfill. Improved indoor environmental quality with increased outdoor air volume, over and above code minimum. Exceptional connection to public transit network reduces the need for parking and greenhouse gas emissions associated with vehicle use. Reduced water use by storing stormwater for irrigation and using low demanding fixtures and flush valves. 100% of wood in the project is Forest Stewardship Council certified to indicate best practices in sustainable forestry. Solar shades are positioned in the Oculus skylight to reflect the sun’s heat and mitigate glare. Thousands of small reflective ceramic dots on the exterior windows prevents the sun's glare from heating the building. Secure bicycle storage and commuter facilities are provided to encourage healthy transportation. Fast Facts on Central Library Since Opening2,391,104 visits 100,840 new members 32,675 room bookings 313,830 computer sessions 6,516 programs delivered 135,757 program attendees 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 one of North America’s largest municipal library systems, with Calgarians borrowing more than 15 million physical and digital items and over 7 million in-person visits last year. To learn more, visit calgarylibrary.ca.Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC)CMLC strives to strengthen connections between people and the places they share. Created and owned by the City of Calgary, CMLC works to achieve the City's objectives for urban densification, community renewal, infrastructure investment and placemaking.Media ContactsNina RehillAccount ExecutiveEdelman1.403.630.6055Nina.rehill@edelman.com Amy CastleSenior Manager, CommunicationsCalgary Municipal Land Corporation587.333.1584ACastle@calgarymlc.ca
Read more about "Stories Calgary's Central Library celebrates two years of operation and a LEED Gold Certification"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 21 libraries are all welcoming and accepting spaces, and the Library is proud to host Reading with Royalty at a different location each month. This family-friendly storytime program, supported by ATB Financial, celebrates inclusion and diversity. Local drag queen and king performers read books to children and families, sharing messages of acceptance and respect. "What I hope that kids take away from these things is just to be myself, not to treat my friend who might be different differently, and to have that respect that we are all the same, but we are all different," said Shane Onyou, a drag king perfomer for Reading with Royalty. Clayton, a 10-year-old who performs in the all-ages drag scene as Summer Cadence, comes to the program with his mom, Beckie."The fact that it teaches acceptance and like, there's drag performers actually reading, and not just, same-day-here Library staff. It makes it, like ... I don't know what the word is," said Clayton. "Fabulous?" Beckie offered. Reading with Royalty is offered in various Library locations throughout the year. No registration is required; visit the programs page to find an upcoming storytime.
Read more about "Stories Library Stories: Meet Summer Cadence A Reading with Royalty performer and a Calgary family share what this program means to them"When Calgary mom Mirna Khaled’s young daughter Julia felt she could not relate to picture books because none of the characters were in a wheelchair like her, Mirna helped write Julia her own book.Julia is an eight-year-old who has cerebral palsy. Her mother Mirna wanted people to "see her, not the wheelchair," so she and Julia’s aunt, Rawan Khaled, wrote and illustrated a book about Julia and her cousin Annabella, called Julia and Bella.The story is about Julia getting bullied at school and her headband being stolen. Annabella helps Julia feel better, including buying her a new headband.Mirna hopes the story will educate other kids about why Julia is in a wheelchair, and teach them that a wheelchair is "not something to be ashamed of.""I wanted her to see someone like her," Mirna said.Julia and Bella is on the shelves at libraries throughout Calgary, including Forest Lawn Library, where the Khaled family frequently visits. Julia personally put copies on the shelves at Forest Lawn Library last fall."I couldn’t believe it," Mirna said when she learned that Julia’s book would be on Library shelves.Mirna, Julia, and Jalal, Julia’s twin brother, moved to Calgary in June 2015 from Lebanon. Mirna, a single mother, wanted a better education and more opportunities for her children.In Lebanon, Julia was not allowed to go to school because the school didn’t have the resources to support her, even though Mirna was an assistant principal. Mirna said people in Lebanon would look at Julia with pity, but in Canada they smile at her and encourage her.The mother and daughter have a close bond, and Jalal loves to help his mother take care of Julia. "My brother is strong, nice, and he helps," Julia said.Julia’s personality changed drastically after the family moved to Canada. Before moving to Canada, Julia was non-verbal. Mirna said she will never forget the day that Julia started speaking to strangers and having a conversation with them.Now Julia initiates conversation with people and always has a smile on her face. She can string together full sentences, in both Arabic and English, and she loves to read books. "Education is her weapon to face the problems in life," Mirna said.The Forest Lawn Library was a big part of Julia’s advancement in reading and learning, Mirna said. Since they moved to Calgary, Julia and her family regularly visit the Library."[The Library] is a safe place to educate and play with your kids," Mirna said. "The Library is the perfect place to meet your neighbours and friends. It’s easy to come here, it’s accessible."Moving to Canada, Mirna had a dream to raise awareness about cerebral palsy. She wants people to know that Julia "can do everything that you do but in her own special way."Mirna created a Facebook page to get the word out about Julia. She is now selling the book, Julia and Bella, and handmade headbands at markets around the city to raise money for a future surgery to enable Julia to walk.Mirna has always had faith in Julia advancing. "I know that she is a smart girl," she said. "I know she can do it. I know she can learn."We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘The Perfect Place to Meet Your Neighbours’ Julia Khaled is breaking down barriers with her Library Story"Explore history in the complete archive of National Geographic.
Read more about "National Geographic Virtual Library"Students K – 6 can drop-in and explore the building in small groups with an adult using our self-guided scavenger hunt.
Read more about "Visit Central Library with your class"When Calgary mom Mirna Khaled’s young daughter Julia felt she could not relate to picture books because none of the characters were in a wheelchair like her, Mirna helped write Julia her own book.Julia is an eight-year-old who has cerebral palsy. Her mother Mirna wanted people to "see her, not the wheelchair," so she and Julia’s aunt, Rawan Khaled, wrote and illustrated a book about Julia and her cousin Annabella, called Julia and Bella.The story is about Julia getting bullied at school and her headband being stolen. Annabella helps Julia feel better, including buying her a new headband.Mirna hopes the story will educate other kids about why Julia is in a wheelchair, and teach them that a wheelchair is "not something to be ashamed of.""I wanted her to see someone like her," Mirna said.Julia and Bella is on the shelves at libraries throughout Calgary, including Forest Lawn Library, where the Khaled family frequently visits. Julia personally put copies on the shelves at Forest Lawn Library last fall."I couldn’t believe it," Mirna said when she learned that Julia’s book would be on Library shelves.Mirna, Julia, and Jalal, Julia’s twin brother, moved to Calgary in June 2015 from Lebanon. Mirna, a single mother, wanted a better education and more opportunities for her children.In Lebanon, Julia was not allowed to go to school because the school didn’t have the resources to support her, even though Mirna was an assistant principal. Mirna said people in Lebanon would look at Julia with pity, but in Canada they smile at her and encourage her.The mother and daughter have a close bond, and Jalal loves to help his mother take care of Julia. "My brother is strong, nice, and he helps," Julia said.Julia’s personality changed drastically after the family moved to Canada. Before moving to Canada, Julia was non-verbal. Mirna said she will never forget the day that Julia started speaking to strangers and having a conversation with them.Now Julia initiates conversation with people and always has a smile on her face. She can string together full sentences, in both Arabic and English, and she loves to read books. "Education is her weapon to face the problems in life," Mirna said.The Forest Lawn Library was a big part of Julia’s advancement in reading and learning, Mirna said. Since they moved to Calgary, Julia and her family regularly visit the Library."[The Library] is a safe place to educate and play with your kids," Mirna said. "The Library is the perfect place to meet your neighbours and friends. It’s easy to come here, it’s accessible."Moving to Canada, Mirna had a dream to raise awareness about cerebral palsy. She wants people to know that Julia "can do everything that you do but in her own special way."Mirna created a Facebook page to get the word out about Julia. She is now selling the book, Julia and Bella, and handmade headbands at markets around the city to raise money for a future surgery to enable Julia to walk.Mirna has always had faith in Julia advancing. "I know that she is a smart girl," she said. "I know she can do it. I know she can learn."We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘The Perfect Place to Meet Your Neighbours’ Julia Khaled is breaking down barriers with her Library Story"Scottie Grinton is a longtime Library member, a voracious reader who upped his visits when he became a father and started bringing his young son. Then in the mid ’90s, with his marriage on the rocks, the Library took on new meaning to him.“The Library deserves a bunch of credit for contributing to the saving of my sanity and my spirit,” he says.Scottie says he’s not the kind of guy that escapes to bars and clubs. Instead, the Library became his refuge.“It was a place I could go and feel safe and I could take time for myself, both in terms of escape, like reading fiction, and in terms of the sort of things I needed to keep my head on straight, like looking up counselling services,” he says.Scottie visited Nose Hill Library a few times a week. During those visits, Scottie remembers smiling Library staff who would always say hello. He found joy being in a comfortable place and devouring works of fiction. “There’s nothing safer than a book,” he says. Scottie gravitated to a diverse assortment of genres: cheesy spy thrillers, science fiction, classics he never read in high school (like Lord of the Flies), and summer reads.“I was lost,” he remembers. “When a marriage breaks down — even if a marriage ending is a good thing — your foundation is shaken up. I was looking for a place where I could feel emotionally safe and secure, and I found that at the Library.”Looking back now, Scottie says time, work, and creativity helped him get through a tough divorce. He also focused on being a good dad, and that meant lots of time spent reading with his son.In later years, when Scottie and his son moved to a south Calgary neighbourhood, the Giuffre Family Library (formerly Alexander Calhoun Library) became their home Library. “I really like this location because there’s an intimacy here,” he says.Scottie sees immense value in libraries, for being buildings full of books and resources, and welcoming places for people. “There’s such a need for community, for people coming together,” he says. He considers libraries valuable public spaces, quite unlike anywhere else in the city.Today, Scottie’s life is much different than it was in the ‘90s. He is happily remarried and works as a Realtor and a part-time actor. His wife, also a Realtor, is a writer with two books on the Library’s shelves.Now a grandpa, Scottie is proud that his three young grandchildren love reading. And Scottie still enjoys escaping into a good read; he loves plays, science fiction, mystery, and biographies, and is currently raving about The Essay.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 Safe Place’ Scottie Grinton's Library Story helped him find hope during hard times"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"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"