If you're in a library, you can try the 'We Recommend' collection for great staff picks. Our Build a Book Bag service may also be of interest. We offer curated lists on our website and access to the NoveList Plus database. You can also find staff picks through our eBook collection.
MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 20, 2020Calgary, AB – 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.“Knowing about fire safety is critical for children,” says Steve Dongworth, Chief, Calgary Fire Department. “We are very grateful to the Calgary Public Library for their support in this initiative. Both their credibility with parents and accessibility to all Calgarians makes them an ideal partner in fire safety.”The Fire Safety Activity Booklet teaches kids all about home safety and the life of a firefighter through colouring sheets, puzzles, and games designed to engage school-aged learners. While a popular teaching tool, the activity book previously had not been updated in over 12 years. Calgary Fire approached the Library to help them update the booklet in early 2019.“Calgary Fire has been a great partner to the Library and we were eager to help them update this important fire safety tool,” says Mark Asberg, CEO of Calgary Public Library, "Linking safety and literacy with accessibility ensures that this resource will create safer homes across Calgary."The fire safety campaign will kick off with a Special Firefighter Storytime at Central Library on January 21 at 10:00 am. Visitors can enjoy a special firefighter storytime, meet real-life firefighters, and pick up a copy of Calgary's new Fire Safety Activity Book!Thanks to generous support from the Calgary Public Library Foundation, over 75,000 booklets will be made available to Calgarians this year.For more information on fire safety, please visit calgary.ca/fire For more information on the new activity book and event details, please visit Calgary Public Library. -30-Firefighter Storytime Media Event Details:Date: Tuesday, January 21 | 10 am – 11 am Where: Central Library, 800 3 Street SE What: Fire Safety Booklet Launch 9:30 am Media check-in 10:00 am Welcome and remarks (Fire Chief and Library CEO) 10:15 am Firefighter Storytime 10:45 am RefreshmentsPhoto opportunities will be available throughout the event. Mark Asberg, CEO of Calgary Public Library, and Steve Dongworth, Calgary Fire Department Chief, will be available for interviews on January 21.Fire Safety Facts:The Calgary Fire Department connects with over 1 in 9 Calgarians each year, providing fire safety information through station visits, educational programs and fire safety campaigns, and community events. Calgarians are at greatest risk for fires in their homes, which are most often due to careless behaviours, cooking or defective electrical appliances. House fires can double in size every 30 to 60 seconds. The greatest cause of indoor fire in Calgary happens in the kitchen: an average of 1.2 cooking fires occur every day in our city. Smoke alarms can save you when you are sleeping: in 2016, an estimated one-third of all fires in Calgary happened between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half in reported home fires. Smoke and toxic gases emitted from household contents on fire can make a person confused, disoriented or even unconscious after just a few short breaths. How fast does fire move? Very fast. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), you could have less than 2 minutes to get out safely after a smoke alarm sounds. Calgary Fire DepartmentServiced by 41 fire stations, The Calgary Fire Department is dedicated to health, safety and vitality of Calgarians, and we deliver our services through an integrated program of emergency fire and medical response, fire prevention, education and enforcement. Our service encompasses responding to fire incidents, critical medical interventions, motor vehicle collisions, hazardous conditions, specialized technical rescues including water rescues, calls for public service assistance, and providing community risk reduction through fire prevention activities.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 currently the second largest library system in Canada and the sixth largest municipal library system in North America, with Calgarians borrowing more than 14.4 million physical and digital items and with 6.9 million in-person visits last year. The awe-inspiring 240,000 sq. ft. new Central Library — the newest gathering place for our city — opened on November 1, 2018.Media Contacts:Mary Kapusta Director, Communications Calgary Public Library 403.774.7256 mary.kapusta@calgarylibrary.caMary Ann Houston Communications Planner Calgary Fire Department 587.227.2058 MaryAnn.Houston@calgary.ca
Read more about "Stories New Fire Safety Activity Books Now Available Across Calgary"MEDIA RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 28, 2020Calgary, AB – Thousands of young children and their families living in northwest Calgary now have access to a new early learning space that provides enriching resources and learning opportunities. Today, the Calgary Public Library celebrated the opening of the Co-op Community Early Learning Centre at Nose Hill Library (1530 Northmount Dr NW).“Nose Hill Library has been a cornerstone of the community since 1988, and is one of our most loved and well used locations in the city,” says Mark Asberg, CEO of the Calgary Public Library. “Thanks to Co-op Community Spaces, we are delighted to open our newest play-based learning space, which helps prepare children for lifelong learning and success.”With more than 90,000 kids under the age of five in Calgary, the demographics of the city demand a significant investment in high quality early learning. The Co-op Community Early Learning Centre at Nose Hill Library was guided by the idea that we are all connected to each other and the earth, and like all of the Library’s Early Learning Centres, is interactive, flexible and open-ended to support play and active learning."We’re proud to partner with the Calgary Public Library to create this play-based learning space at Nose Hill Library," says Lindsay Arnott, Social Responsibility Supervisor at Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL). "On behalf of local co-ops across Western Canada, Co-op Community Spaces helps create spaces for Western Canadians to come together and build social connections. We’re so glad that we can support the families and children that live in the communities around Nose Hill Library."Early Learning Centres are one piece of the Calgary Public Library’s Early Learning Strategy. The Library has a long-term goal to create these vibrant and innovative spaces in all 21 libraries in Calgary. Philanthropic support from individuals, organizations, and all levels of government have made our other Early Learning Centres possible.- 30 -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 currently the second largest library system in Canada and the sixth largest municipal library system in North America, with Calgarians borrowing more than 15 million physical and digital items and with over 7 million in-person visits last year.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.Federated Co-operatives Limited and the Co-operative Retailing SystemFederated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), based in Saskatoon, is the 58th largest company in Canada and the largest non-financial co-operative in Canada. FCL is a unique multi-billion dollar wholesaling, manufacturing, marketing and administrative co-operative owned by more than 170 autonomous retail co-operatives across Western Canada. Together FCL and those local retail co-operatives form the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS).The CRS serves our members and communities with products and services that help build, feed and fuel individuals and communities from Vancouver Island to northwestern Ontario. Our total workforce of 25,000 employees serve 1.9 million active individual members and many more non-member customers at 1,500 retail locations in more than 580 communities. We are a different kind of business – we are locally invested, community-minded and offer lifetime membership benefits including patronage refunds, quality products, quality service and fair prices. More information is available at fcl.crs.FCL administers the Co-op Community Spaces program on behalf of more than 170 independent local co-ops across Western Canada that form the Co-operative Retailing System.Media Contacts:Mary KapustaDirector, CommunicationsCalgary Public Library403.774.7256mary.kapusta@calgarylibrary.caRachael TernerCommunications ManagerCalgary Public Library Foundation403-774-2543rachael@libraryfoundation.caCameron ZimmerCommunications and Public Relations Manager Federated Co-operatives Limited306-244-1614cam.zimmer@fcl.crs
Read more about "Stories Calgary Public Library Opens Its 13th Early Learning Centre with Support from Co-op Community Spaces"Always available eBooks on everything from animals and weather, to history and technology.
Read more about "Gale eBooks"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 prepares for the opening of the new Central Library on November 1, we’re also saying goodbye to Central Library, our home for the past 55 years. Take a look at photos from our past and see how our beloved downtown Library has served a growing city for more than five decades.Plans for a new Central Library were in the works as early as 1954, amid a space crunch at Memorial Park Library. But after two failed plebiscites for a new library in the 1950s, the project stalled.In 1961, Mayor Harry Hays told Chief Librarian W.R. Castell that a downtown area across from city hall, slated for urban renewal, could include a new library. No plebiscite would be needed this time; the money would come from a surplus in land sales for new subdivisions. In February 1962, construction of a new downtown Library began on the site of a former service station.Central Library, in all its brutalist splendor, officially opened on June 15, 1963. Castell was thrilled. “Except for the day in January 1912 when the doors of the Library opened for the first time to the public, June 15, 1963, will be long remembered as the most important date in the history of the institution,” he said.The Library was designed by J.H. Cook and Associates, a Calgary architectural firm. Its monolithic look was typical of office buildings at the time. Inside, interior details included an orange, gold, and blue-green colour plan, teak bookshelves and catalogue cabinets, white formica tables, and blue and nutmeg carpeting.While opening day featured a speech by Lieutenant Governor Percy Page, not everyone got to hear it. Seventeen people got stuck in an elevator for 35 minutes. As Central patrons know well, elevator challenges have continued over the years.When it opened, Central Library had a children’s area in the basement, next to a newspaper reading room. The main floor housed a circulation desk and a carpeted reading lounge filled with comfortable seating, where smoking was permitted.The second floor, the reference department, offered the Library’s first-ever coin-operated Xerox photocopying machine for patrons. The third floor had music and film rooms, books on art, music, and theatre, and an art gallery operated by the Glenbow Foundation.The fourth floor was used for the storage of books and the fifth floor housed the ordering, cataloguing, and bookbinding departments. Finally, the sixth floor contained the administrative offices and a circular auditorium.In 1963, when Central Library opened, Calgary’s population was just over 275,000. Central Library had a full-time staff of 41, and Calgarians could borrow books free of charge. They used a transaction card system, filling in cards with their names and address to check out books.In the 1970s, as energy prices soared, Calgary became one of the fastest-growing cities in North America. It soon became apparent more room was needed at Central Library.In early 1971, a formal request went to the city for a much-needed extension, and construction started the following year. The six-storey addition to the north of Central Library opened in 1974.A second-floor theatre was added, and the Library was renamed the W.R. Castell Central Library. A metal sculpture was commissioned and added to what was then the front of the Library, a piece of public art by Robert Oldrich known as “Library Frieze.”Over the years, there’s been many renovations at Central Library. A dedicated Canadiana room opened on the main floor in 1967, Canada’s centennial year. In 1981, the fourth floor of Central Library’s north extension was opened to the public. With wider aisles and lower shelves, it was designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.In 1990, work started on major renovations, including an expanded second-floor children’s area, a secure room for the Local History collection, and a new main entrance at the southwest corner. In 1993, Central’s theatre was named in honour of John Dutton, the chief librarian from 1979 to 1991.In 2011, Central Library’s main floor was renovated to accommodate the new City Hall LRT platform. In 2013, a catastrophic June flood profoundly affected Alberta and Calgary, including Central Library’s lower level, where water seepage caused significant damage.In 2016, Central Library welcomed a big addition. A decommissioned fire truck was moved to the main floor. Engine 23 was retrofitted into a space for kids to play, read, learn, and listen to regular storytimes with firefighters.After 55 years in our current home, we can’t wait to welcome you to the new Central Library. Come visit starting November 1.Want to learn more? Read The Calgary Public Library: Inspiring Life Stories Since 1912 by Brian Brennan, explore the online Calgary Public Library Archives: Our Story in Pictures, and visit the Vintage Media Lab in the new Central Library.
Read more about "Stories Saying Goodbye to Central Library Photos Through the Years (1962 – 2018)"When Susan Calder’s husband was transferred to Calgary for work in 1996, she was happy to make the move with her young family. But, unfamiliar with her new city, she struggled to find reasons to get out of the house.“I wasn’t working when we first moved here — I was just writing, and spending time with the kids. So I really needed something to keep me active, keep me social,” she says.Her solution came during a trip to Fish Creek Library, when she picked up a copy of the Library’s program guide and noticed a listing for a book club. “I’d never been in a book club before, but I’d always been interested in the concept. It seemed the logical thing to do as a book lover,” she says.Susan fell in love with the club immediately. Not only did it give her a way to make new friends in Calgary, but she discovered that the group was full of people who shared her interest in and love of stories. They offered her a different way of looking at the written word, which helped her to improve her craft as an aspiring author.“It’s been incredibly useful to me as a writer,” she says, “because it’s a look at writing from the reader’s perspective. I can see how almost no book is loved by everybody — no matter how well written. You start to understand that it's really all a matter of taste, and you feel a lot better when people don’t like your work.”At 23 years, Susan is one of the longest-attending members of the book club. While her book club has since become too popular to accept new members, the Library offers other book discussion groups. “What’s really nice about the group is that we often disagree heartily, but there’s never any ill-will about it,” she says of her tight-knit reading community. “We respect each other, and the divergence of opinions is quite lovely. People come away with a bit more of an appreciation for the book, and each other's point of view. You feel like you’ve stretched a bit, and grown, for having read outside of your comfort zone."A New Book Club MemberLittle did Susan realize that her passion for the club wasn’t going unnoticed. Although her husband was an avid reader, she never would have imagined him wanting to join a book club. It came as a total shock when, shortly after he retired in 2007, he asked her if he could tag along to a meeting. “I’d go out on book club day, come home and tell him about some of the discussions — the people, what they had to say. I didn’t really realize that all these years I had basically been selling the book club to him.” Unsure if her husband, who mostly read murder-mystery novels, would be on the same page as her literary-loving friends, Susan was hesitant to allow him to join her, but eventually, she gave in. Luckily for both Susan and her husband, her fears never materialized. Her husband has been a member of the club for over a decade now, even volunteering to lead discussions on the occasion that the group pursues a murder-mystery.“We don’t often talk about the books before the club meets, because we don’t want to influence each other’s opinions,” she says, “We’re able to approach it as individuals. But we do sometimes like to talk about them after, and it’s a social event as well, so it gives us something extra in common that we can do together.”More PossibilitiesThe Library is about much more than books for Susan and her family. “When we moved to Calgary, the opportunities just opened up. There were more possibilities for me to engage with the Library. There was more offered to me,” she says.Aside from attending her monthly book club, she also sharpens her writing skills with workshops and writing programs, attending several each month. She and her husband frequently borrow DVDs and CDs to watch movies and listen to music, and once attended Tech Mentors for three weeks in a row to get help fixing their computer.“Right now, we’re planning a trip to Italy,” she says, “so I’ve just taken out a series of audiobooks and things to try to learn a few essential words of Italian before we go.”Susan also likes to give back to the Library, and frequently shares her talents through panel discussions and readings of her work. Now an accomplished local author, Susan discussed her latest book, To Catch a Fox, in May at the Writing as Medicine program, and will discuss her contributions to the literary art exhibit Print(ed) Word: The Salon Series, which is displayed in the Central Library's TD Great Reading Room, in August.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 Opportunities Just Opened Up' A book club at the Library was the beginning of Susan Calder's Library Story"MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 20, 2020Calgary, AB – 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.“Knowing about fire safety is critical for children,” says Steve Dongworth, Chief, Calgary Fire Department. “We are very grateful to the Calgary Public Library for their support in this initiative. Both their credibility with parents and accessibility to all Calgarians makes them an ideal partner in fire safety.”The Fire Safety Activity Booklet teaches kids all about home safety and the life of a firefighter through colouring sheets, puzzles, and games designed to engage school-aged learners. While a popular teaching tool, the activity book previously had not been updated in over 12 years. Calgary Fire approached the Library to help them update the booklet in early 2019.“Calgary Fire has been a great partner to the Library and we were eager to help them update this important fire safety tool,” says Mark Asberg, CEO of Calgary Public Library, "Linking safety and literacy with accessibility ensures that this resource will create safer homes across Calgary."The fire safety campaign will kick off with a Special Firefighter Storytime at Central Library on January 21 at 10:00 am. Visitors can enjoy a special firefighter storytime, meet real-life firefighters, and pick up a copy of Calgary's new Fire Safety Activity Book!Thanks to generous support from the Calgary Public Library Foundation, over 75,000 booklets will be made available to Calgarians this year.For more information on fire safety, please visit calgary.ca/fire For more information on the new activity book and event details, please visit Calgary Public Library. -30-Firefighter Storytime Media Event Details:Date: Tuesday, January 21 | 10 am – 11 am Where: Central Library, 800 3 Street SE What: Fire Safety Booklet Launch 9:30 am Media check-in 10:00 am Welcome and remarks (Fire Chief and Library CEO) 10:15 am Firefighter Storytime 10:45 am RefreshmentsPhoto opportunities will be available throughout the event. Mark Asberg, CEO of Calgary Public Library, and Steve Dongworth, Calgary Fire Department Chief, will be available for interviews on January 21.Fire Safety Facts:The Calgary Fire Department connects with over 1 in 9 Calgarians each year, providing fire safety information through station visits, educational programs and fire safety campaigns, and community events. Calgarians are at greatest risk for fires in their homes, which are most often due to careless behaviours, cooking or defective electrical appliances. House fires can double in size every 30 to 60 seconds. The greatest cause of indoor fire in Calgary happens in the kitchen: an average of 1.2 cooking fires occur every day in our city. Smoke alarms can save you when you are sleeping: in 2016, an estimated one-third of all fires in Calgary happened between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in half in reported home fires. Smoke and toxic gases emitted from household contents on fire can make a person confused, disoriented or even unconscious after just a few short breaths. How fast does fire move? Very fast. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), you could have less than 2 minutes to get out safely after a smoke alarm sounds. Calgary Fire DepartmentServiced by 41 fire stations, The Calgary Fire Department is dedicated to health, safety and vitality of Calgarians, and we deliver our services through an integrated program of emergency fire and medical response, fire prevention, education and enforcement. Our service encompasses responding to fire incidents, critical medical interventions, motor vehicle collisions, hazardous conditions, specialized technical rescues including water rescues, calls for public service assistance, and providing community risk reduction through fire prevention activities.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 currently the second largest library system in Canada and the sixth largest municipal library system in North America, with Calgarians borrowing more than 14.4 million physical and digital items and with 6.9 million in-person visits last year. The awe-inspiring 240,000 sq. ft. new Central Library — the newest gathering place for our city — opened on November 1, 2018.Media Contacts:Mary Kapusta Director, Communications Calgary Public Library 403.774.7256 mary.kapusta@calgarylibrary.caMary Ann Houston Communications Planner Calgary Fire Department 587.227.2058 MaryAnn.Houston@calgary.ca
Read more about "Stories New Fire Safety Activity Books Now Available Across Calgary"Read full-text and full-colour eBooks for learners of all ages. Students will enjoy the DK Eyewitness book series on everything from animals and weather, to history and technology. All readers will find the information they need to level-up their skills in coding, writing and math. Entrepreneurs will want to explore handbooks for small business, marketing and all aspects of running your business. Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial in Niche Academy: Gale eBooks tutorial
Read more about "Educational eBooks. Always available."Use this bilingual resource to find maps of Canada, information about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a glossary of Indigenous terms, contemporary and historical photography, and more.Created by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society in conjunction with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis Nation, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, and Indspire. This resource was created for Grades 5 and up.
Read more about "Indigenous perspectives shared through maps, artwork, history, and culture."Learn the true history from Indigenous perspectives, shared through maps, art, and culture.
Read more about "Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada"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"