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"The Calgary Fire Department and Calgary Public Library are proud to announce a new joint project to help all children in Calgary learn about fire safety. Starting Tuesday, January 21, 2020, all library locations and fire halls in Calgary will begin distributing a new Fire Safety Activity Booklet.
Read more about "Find dates and locations"It’s a story that couldn’t have been scripted any better, according to the Library’s CEO Bill Ptacek.A search for a business to operate the café in Central Library led to two Calgary entrepreneurs seeking to do something iconic in their hometown. Gareth Lukes and Eric Hendry are partnering on LUKES, a 2,000-square-foot café opening in November 2018 that promises to be welcoming, collaborative, and responsive.Gareth Lukes is the third-generation owner of the popular Lukes Drug Mart. Eric Hendry, a former Model Milk chef who has worked around the globe, is back in Calgary at award-winning restaurant Bar Von Der Fels.Lukes and Hendry first partnered to bring soft-serve ice cream back to Lukes Drug Mart last summer. Their new collaboration is poised to be just as delicious.Operating within one of the city’s most important cultural gathering spaces is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Lukes, speaking at the Jan. 16 announcement for the new café.“Like the Library itself, which is inclusive and accessible, we believe food can serve to bring families and people together to fuel discussion and stimulate learning,” he said. At LUKES, visitors can expect an approachable and interesting menu with affordable prices, plus an emphasis on local, healthy, and sustainable choices, Hendry said. Councillor Druh Farrell, a member of the Calgary Public Library Board, described Lukes and Hendry as people who embody Calgary’s entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit. “It’s their commitment to Calgary that makes their partnership so special for the new Library,” Farrell said at the Jan. 16 announcement. “Together, their vision, experience, and local know-how will elevate the visitor experience at the Library.”Three Questions for Gareth Lukes and Eric HendryIf you could cook for any author, who would it be?Eric Hendry: Ernest Hemingway.What’s your favourite book?Eric Hendry: Probably 1984 by George Orwell. I think it has some relevance in this day and age, which I like about it now.Gareth Lukes: I’d say Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. I just like the bizarreness of that book.What role has Calgary Public Library played in your life?Gareth Lukes: I remember always going as a kid and checking out books. The Library is a great resource, and it’s just a great place.Eric Hendry: Fish Creek Library was iconic when I was growing up in the south. I love to read. For sure, the Library plays a role in community, and that’s what we want to do as well.
Read more about "Stories Meet the Duo Behind Central Library’s Café"On a warm Monday morning in early June, colourful song and dance filled Central Library’s Patricia A. Whalen Performance Hall as Jared Tailfeathers was gifted a new name.To an audience of community members, Jared’s family, colleagues, and the public, Elder Clarence Wolfleg led a naming ceremony in the Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall. Following a smudge, the Elder put his hand on Jared’s head and told the story of Jared’s new name, first in Blackfoot, then English. For the first time, Jared heard his new name.“My name is Sikomh Komii, which means Calling Crane,” says Jared, Program Coordinator for Indigenous Placemaking at Calgary Public Library.In Blackfoot culture, a name is given when a person has done something worthy of note, or they also can get a name from an ancestor or relative who has passed on. A person can earn different names throughout their life, based on their accomplishments, spiritual transfers, and family history. Traditionally, Blackfoot people went by their one given name; the convention of first names and family names came from settlers.For Jared, who works as a facilitator, artist, and community connector, his first Blackfoot name reflects his extensive work in Indigenous arts and culture.“Your name is a way of telling you who you are, and telling other people who you are. It means you did something,” Jared says. “Or an Elder sees something powerful in that name and it connects with you.”“It’s a gift, and it’s supposed to represent gifts and strengths that I have and can share. It’s a powerful name that I have to do justice for, and so it’s a very important thing for me.”When Jared learned that Elder Clarence Wolfleg had a name for him, Jared felt it was important to share his naming ceremony with the public.“I’m half Indigenous, so half my family is always asking questions,” says Jared, whose late father was a member of the Blood Tribe, and whose mother has English and Scottish heritage. Jared grew up in Calgary, making regular visits to see his dad’s family on the Kainai Nation in southern Alberta.“I thought this was a good opportunity for me to participate in my traditions and help other people be educated and show them what a fairly standard ceremony for Indigenous people is like,” Jared says.In addition to educating others, Jared wanted to hold a public ceremony because for so many years, Indigenous people could not share their culture.“People need to remember that ceremonies like this were not allowed, they were outlawed, even less than 100 years ago,” Jared says.At the ceremony, Elder Clarence — whose own name is Miiksika’am, which means Red Crane — told the story behind Jared’s new name. Years ago, there was a camp of the Niitsitapi people, where Elder Clarence and other people were in ceremony for days, transferring knowledge and skills to the next generation.When it came time for the transfer of the last bundle, the people looked east and saw four cranes circling silently above. As the cranes spread out, one came down from the sky and called four times, and then the four cranes went in four directions. The last one gave a loud call as he came close.The people asked, “What does this mean?” Elder Clarence said it was important like a blessing, that the cranes were giving their consent that the transfer was good. Elder Clarence thought it was fitting to answer the blessing of the crane that came on that day, and to call Jared Sikomh Komii, meaning Calling Crane.Jared’s naming ceremony was held on June 3, as part of Calgary Public Library’s kickoff event for Indigenous History Month.“The Library has taken great steps in the last few years to really follow through with truth and reconciliation and education,” Jared says. “This was a special event for me personally, but it also meant a lot to be able to share it inside this lodge of education.”For Jared, who remembers feeling excited but nervous, the naming ceremony was a powerful way of showing him who he is.“Like most Indigenous people, I’ve felt sort of an identity crisis, especially being mixed, growing up feeling not white enough but not red enough,” he says.His new Blackfoot name is a step on an ongoing personal journey, of connecting with Blackfoot culture through language, arts, events, family, and community members.Jared hopes that other people embark on their own journeys, listening and learning from each other. He’s proud Calgary Public Library offers opportunities for everybody to do so, through Indigenous Placemaking, the Elders’ Guidance Circle, and new programs.“I hope that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people feel comfortable enough to talk to each other about things and to continue to ask questions of each other, hard questions and easy questions alike,” Jared says.“I encourage people to learn, to use the Library for what it’s supposed to be used for. You should learn about all of your neighbours. There’s so many people here, so many cultures and backgrounds, and there’s more similarities than differences.”
Read more about "Stories 'Ceremonies Like This Were Not Allowed' Jared Tailfeathers shares his naming ceremony with the Library community"Val Lawton is an illustrator who has worked on more than 30 books. Ever since she was a kid, she dreamed about becoming an artist — and credits Calgary Public Library with helping her get there.“I owe Calgary Public Library a great deal, as it was there that I did all my research, where I discovered who my favourite illustrators are, where I determined what my favourite illustration style is, and where I researched the business side of the children’s book publishing industry,” she says.That journey started in 2000, when Val was a stay-at-home mom of a toddler son and infant daughter. A friend of Val’s was secretly writing a book, which she sold to a New York City publisher. Val remembers feeling encouraged when her talented friend told her, “If I could draw like you, I’d be illustrating books.”It was the push she needed. Val decided to start pulling together an art portfolio and market herself as a children’s book illustrator. To do that, she spent hours and hours at the Giuffre Family Library (then known as the Alexander Calhoun Library), poring over the children’s book collection.Val took out books illustrated by Quentin Blake, Simon James, and Charlotte Voake, and used them for inspiration as she practiced her own art over and over again. (Quentin Blake, best known for illustrating books written by Roald Dahl, remains Val’s favourite illustrator.)During her kids’ naptime or after their bedtime, Val would draw. “You just have to slog away at it,” she says. “With those practice pieces, I would find some pieces that I thought were particularly good, and I’d put them in my portfolio. Then I learned how to start approaching publishers.”For that, she used the Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market book in the Library’s collection, a directory with hundreds of listings for publishers. “Slowly but surely, I got the odd job here, then something would snowball into something else,” she says.Val’s illustrations start with pencil outlines in scratchy, black India ink. She lets that sit overnight, then paints with watercolours. Val describes her style as whimsical but not saccharine. “I like not too much detail. Sometimes I’ll do faces that only have eyes. You have to sort of fill in the blank. It’s a relaxed kind of style, not too fussy.”That’s the style Val has long found herself drawn to in other books. “I like illustrations that aren’t too clean, aren’t too polished, leave a little bit up to the imagination,” she says. “I just found my kids seemed to gravitate to that style of illustration as well, so that’s always what’s appealed to me.”Val went on to work full-time as an illustrator, specializing in children’s books. Seeing her illustrations in published books feels “out of this world,” she says. “It’s very exciting.” Her work as an illustrator opened other doors, too, like working as an artist-educator in classrooms through the Royal Conservatory’s Learning Through the Arts program.As the publishing industry changes, Val increasingly works on self-published projects. She enjoys the connections it brings. “I get to work with the author, the person who has actually created the story, whereas in the traditional world of publishing I never meet the author,” she says.One of those self-publishing projects happened a few years ago, with the Calgary Food Bank. Val illustrated the book Emma and the Food Bank, of which proceeds support Calgary Food Bank services and programs. That led Val to her newest gig, a part-time role with the organization as Food Industry Coordinator. Val continues to illustrate part-time, and continues to be an avid and appreciative Library user.“I just think the public Library is the greatest resource on the planet,” she says. “It’s astounding what it does.”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 Greatest Resource on the Planet’ Val Lawton Library Story's helped her share her art with the world"Napi's World: Stories and Teachings from the Land is a virtual program for grades K – 6. In this program, Elders, knowledge keepers, Treaty 7 authors, illustrators, performers, and Library staff share the diverse perspectives and ways of knowing of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people living in Alberta. Use the information, activities, booklists, and resources on this page at home or in class to support students as they learn about Indigenous ways of knowing.
Read more about "Stories and teachings from the land."Find the perfect picture book for story time, practice reading with books for beginning readers, and enjoy chapter books from all of your favourite series. You can also find homework help, learn about your favourite topics and even do fun crafts and activities. Have stories read to you with hundreds of audiobooks and readalongs. Listen or read on your computer, or take the book on the go by downloading it to the Libby app.
Read more about "Borrow eBooks and Audiobooks for kids of all ages. "Learn about science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space. Read the complete National Geographic Kids magazine from 2009 to the present, as well as eBooks, videos, and images. Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial on Niche Academy: National Geographic Kids tutorial.
Read more about "Explore the world like never before"Alongside partners, the Library will celebrate and honour Indigenous peoples in Calgary with events, activities, and resources. From a round dance at The Confluence (formerly Fort Calgary), to performances by Indigenous artists, and Elder Storytimes, National Indigenous History Month is filled with moments to celebrate, reflect, and learn.
Read more about "Ultimate Summer Challenge "Making space for learners of all ages. Libraries are vital community hubs, where people of all ages and backgrounds come together and access needed resources. The Library’s teen spaces, collections, and programs are intentionally designed to support teens as they grow from childhood to adulthood. Learn more about our Teen Engagement Strategy in this PDF.
Read more about "Making space for learners of all ages."Election Day in Calgary is October 20, 2025. Your vote will help influence public transit, waste collection, recreation programs, police, and fire services in Calgary. Register to vote, find your polling station, and learn about the candidates so you’re ready to cast your ballot and have your voice counted.
Read more about "2025 Calgary General Election"Learn the basic English skills you need to open a bank account, talk to a doctor, go shopping, or find a job. You will find English practice, vocabulary, study guides and study tips.Arrivals in English teaches beginner level English: Pre-A1 to A1.
Read more about "Beginner-Level English for Newcomers"Learn about science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space. Read the complete National Geographic Kids magazine from 2009 to the present, as well as eBooks, videos, and images. Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial on Niche Academy: National Geographic Kids tutorial.
Read more about "Explore the world like never before"Rocky Ridge Library at Shane Homes YMCA opens January 15. This express Library is focused on convenience; think grab and go, library style. The new Library — located in a northwest City of Calgary recreation facility — is the first of its kind in Calgary to operate on a self-service model. Join us for the Grand Opening of Shane Homes YMCA Thursday, February 1, 10 am – 12 pm.At Rocky Ridge Library, you can pick up hold items from an innovative system of self-service lockers, browse popular collections, including 4,000 books for kids and 2,500 adult books, and use self-checkouts to borrow materials.Mark Asberg, Director, Service Delivery at Calgary Public Library, says the express model is based on years of learning at Calgary Public Library about which services can be offered in a self-service format. The new approach helps to bring the Library into more people’s lives, Asberg says.“We want to be in spaces where our resources are as available as possible to as many people as possible,” he says. The opening follows Calgary Public Library’s 2016 move into the Westbrook CTrain Station, with Nicholls Family Library, and the new Quarry Park Library located in the Remington YMCA.Rocky Ridge Library is an open, active 3,000-square-foot space within the 284,000-square-foot YMCA. The beautiful new building, designed to complement the neighbouring landscape, is nestled between a reconstructed wetland and an existing hill that offers city and mountain views.The Library’s features include public seating, a children’s area, a study space, and free Wi-Fi. Staff will be on-site daily to attend to the Library collection and deliver free programs, including Drop-In Storytime, Words and Wiggles, and Career Coaching.As the rhythm of the new recreation centre develops, it will inform what Library programs are offered when. Already, demand for Library services at the new location is expected to be strong. The growing northwest quadrant of the city is home to Calgary’s busiest community library based on circulation, Crowfoot Library.Rocky Ridge Library at Shane Homes YMCA is located at 11300 Rocky Ridge Road NW. The Library is open from 5:30 am to 10:30 pm Monday through Friday, and 7:00 am to 8:30 pm on weekends. Not yet a Library member? Join online for free today. See you at Rocky Ridge Library!
Read more about "Stories Calgary’s First Express Library Opens in New YMCA"Is your student looking for a good book to read in French or Spanish? Our Digital Library offers tons of free resources for kids who want to learn, read, and listen to books in French or Spanish. Check out our favourite tools below for supporting bilingual literacy. 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. eReading Room for Kids Find popular audio and eBooks titles for French-speaking kids in our eReading Room for Kids, including Harry Potter, Captain Underpants, and Dogman. Borrow kids’ audio and eBook titles in Spanish like Harry Potter, as well as fairy tales and science books. PressReader Read kids’ magazines in multiple languages, including French and Spanish, in PressReader. Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos Want to find cool facts about your favourite animal or learn how to make a craft in Spanish? Explore the Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos to learn new words from a visual dictionary, read articles and videos on a variety of topics, and try fun activities like making your own play dough. L'Encyclopedie Decouverte Get students excited about research and strengthen their French language skills at the same time with engaging activities in the L’Encyclopedie Decouverte, aimed at beginner French reading levels. TumbleBook Library Browse a selection of animated French and Spanish eBooks for kids that they can read, watch, or listen to in the TumbleBook Library.
Read more about "Stories French and Spanish Language eResources for school-age kids"