Does your student like to know how things work? Let them explore the world of technology and engineering with this curated guide of digital resources for learning, building, and experimenting. Use your free Library membership to access these great apps and resources in our Digital Library. No Library card? No problem. Sign up for free online and start using it now. Gale Virtual Reference Library eBooks Online Find full-text eBooks for learners of all ages in the Gale Virtual Reference Library on subjects including coding, business, science, and travel. Help your kids learn the tech behind cyber scams to avoid phishing, smishing, identity theft, and other hacks with the eBook Coding for Digital Security by Patricia Harris. (Ages 10+) Data, logic, conditionals, and Raspberry Pi; learn coding and brush up on your computer skills with 36 always-available eBooks in the Coding for Youth section. (Ages 8 – 12) Kanopy Kanopy is a free video streaming app with more than just movies and TV – you'll find lots of courses and educational content for all ages as well. Bridges! Buildings! Cathedrals! Domes! Watch the 24-part series Understanding the World’s Greatest Structures to inspire your budding engineer or architect. (Ages 10 – 12) 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. Make your own aerofoil, vacuum, turbine, or find out how boats float with the science experiments in the Machinery category under Science Projects.
Read more about "Stories Technology/Engineering eResources for ages 8 – 12"Marje Wing was working as manager of Memorial Park and Giuffre Family Library (then known as Alexander Calhoun Library) back in 2014, when architects first shared the plans for Calgary’s new Central Library building. Standing at the back of the room, where Calgarians had gathered for the unveiling, Marje remembers feeling blown away by the plans.Fast forward four years and Marje — who is now retired — will start leading patrons through the stunning new Library this November, as a volunteer guide for architecture tours. “I’m very excited,” she says.It’s just the latest volunteer endeavour for Marje, who retired from a nearly 35-year career at Calgary Public Library in 2015. About a year later she began volunteering at the Library.“I really believe in the Library. I love what the Library stands for,” Marje says. “This is my way of continuing to contribute to the Library.”Marje has volunteered with a variety of programs, including ESL programs, Special Events, and Colossal Playdates. “There’s such a huge range of things that you can do as a volunteer. You can find a fit with whatever your interests are,” Marje says.The same reasons that drew Marje to Calgary Public Library as an employee — that it’s a democratic institution, open to everyone — continue to inspire her as a volunteer. Plus, her new gig is a lot of fun.“I get on the floor with the babies at the playdates. I work one-on-one with an ESL student. I get to do things that are so different from when I was working,” she says. “Every time I do a shift at the Library, I come away with a bounce in my step.”Azmin Poonja, Manager, Volunteer Resources, describes Marje as a passionate and committed volunteer. “She is professional, accountable, and a natural leader. Marje is a great asset to our team of volunteers,” Azmin says.Calgary Public Library is recruiting volunteers for all libraries. If you would like to join the Library's team of volunteers, please visit the Volunteers page.
Read more about "Stories Meet our Volunteers: Marje Wing Marje continues a 35-year involvement with the Library by volunteering"Last July, David Greer travelled from his home in Vancouver to Calgary’s Central Library, hoping to meet the people who helped him find his birth father.More than a year earlier, David had written a letter to ResearchPlus, a fee-based research and reference service at Central Library.In his letter, David explained how he was adopted as a baby in Edmonton in 1957, and for decades was fine knowing nothing about his birth family. That changed when he turned 60. He decided he wanted to find out who his birth parents were and see if he could connect with them or their families.David had applied for his records from the Alberta Post Adoption Registry in 2017. Four months later, he received a heavily redacted file and began to glean what he could about his past.The Search BeginsDavid found support from the Forget Me Not Family Society in Vancouver, which led him to connect with an Edmonton counsellor who specializes in helping adoptees find their birth parents. With the counsellor’s help, David identified his birth mother.The search for his birth father proved more difficult. David’s adoption file included no name for his birth father and just a few details. David knew his birth father lived in Calgary when he was born, was 17 years old and in Grade 12, was interested in basketball, swimming, and track, had three siblings, and a father who was an anesthetist.“I was really stuck at that point,” David says. David had previously used Vancouver Public Library’s specialized research centre, and when he learned Calgary Public Library had a similar service, he reached out.In his letter, David outlined the details he knew from his adoption file. “I said, ‘I’ve taken my search this far, can you take it any further?’ And the answer was yes,” David says. “Librarians are really smart people, and they know how to access a lot of information that we don’t necessarily think of or know of.”ResearchPlus Steps InCalgary Public Library offers free genealogy programs, such as Family History Coaching, run in partnership with the Alberta Family Histories Society. As well, the eLibrary contains a variety of free history and genealogy resources, plus Library staff at Central Library can help patrons navigate the Calgary’s Story collection, full of community heritage and family history resources.David was not in Calgary to access those free services, so he turned to ResearchPlus instead. Four Library staff members helped on David’s file, including Kayla McAlister, a Library Experience Facilitator at Central Library.Kayla says one small detail — that David’s birth father’s father was an anesthetist — is what “broke it open.”Library staff used a free Digital Resource called Ancestry Library Edition. The database contains voters’ lists, which typically include occupation. Kayla searched by occupation only, and got just a few hits.From there, another staff member, Christine Hayes, used those names to search high school yearbooks in the Calgary’s Story collection. She found a student whose last name matched one of the last names for an anesthetist on the voters’ list. The yearbook also listed the student’s interests, which matched the description from David’s file.Using that name, other members of the ResearchPlus team found more information, through other free resources including Henderson Directories and Canadian Newsstream. The ResearchPlus team shared their detailed findings with David.Kayla has been involved in genealogy research for about 25 years and says it’s a rewarding area to work in. “It’s just a way for me to help people,” she says. “It means something to people, finding this fundamental piece of who they are and where they came from.”A New ConnectionWith the information from ResearchPlus, David found a phone number for the man he believed was his birth father. Last October, he dialed the number. He got an answering machine, called again a few days later, and spoke to his birth father for 45 minutes.“He shared that for the last couple of years, he wondered when he got unknown phone calls if it would be me,” David says.Seven months after that phone call, David travelled to Ontario to meet his birth father and three new brothers. David has also gotten to know two sisters on his birth mother’s side, who he talks to regularly through a WhatsApp group chat.He’s been introduced to many extended family members on both sides, and continues to meet even more. “It’s been an amazing experience,” David says.When David travelled to Calgary in July to visit his two sisters on his birth mother’s side, he decided to stop by Central Library and meet the people who helped him on his search.“Meeting the team members face to face was just a piece of completion for me,” David says. “The work they did was incredibly valuable to me.”Guinevere Soare, a Library Experience Facilitator at Central Library who helped on David’s file, was working the day David stopped by.“I’m really, really happy for him, that he found this new extended family,” she says. “It was rewarding to hear his story and know we helped him.”
Read more about "Stories 'The work they did was incredibly valuable to me' ResearchPlus staff contributed to David Greer's Library Story by helping him find his birth father"Search full-text academic journals, magazines, trade publications, and newspapers on all major areas of research. You can also find over 75,000 videos (from 1930 to the present) from the Associated Press.Not sure how to start? Watch the tutorial in Niche Academy: Academic Search Premier tutorial
Read more about "A Leading Multidisciplinary Research Database"At the opening ceremony for Central Library on November 1, five special members joined Library CEO Bill Ptacek and Mayor Naheed Nenshi on stage. Instead of a ribbon-cutting, these people were presented with the first five Library cards issued at the new building. The five members represent more than 670,000 active Library members across Calgary.Alex Grinwis is a 17-year-old Grade 11 student who has been using Calgary Public Library since a very young age. Alex loves reading, and is also passionate about music — playing piano, guitar, ukulele, and currently learning violin. When asked what they’re looking forward to about the new building, they said: “I’m just looking forward to having such a cool space to be able to go and do homework or find new books.”Nikki Brule is the proud owner of Yummy Yogis, a small business she helped develop and grow by using the Library. Nikki does a lot of research for her business at the Library, and often brings along her six-year-old daughter. As an entrepreneur who works from home, she enjoys having a space to come to, surrounded by books, where she can work and connect with others.Mirna Khaled arrived in Calgary from Lebanon in 2015, in search of better opportunities for her children: nine-year-old twins Jalal and Julia. Mirna appreciates the accessibility of the Library as Julia has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. In Calgary, Mirna and her children visit the Library two to three times a week; they like to read, play, and meet new friends. There’s even a book about Julia, written by Mirna and Julia’s aunt, on library shelves!Frank O’Keeffe is a longtime Library member who first got his Calgary Public Library card about 50 years ago. Frank, who is originally from Ireland, is a former teacher who has written and published eight young adult novels. He recently published his first adult novel that staff members at Shawnessy Library helped to review. Frank visits the Library several times a week and brings his wife — who has Alzheimer’s — to the ESL Coffee and Conversation program, for some chitchat and good company. “As an older patron, what I get out of the Library now is companionship,” he says.Felix McLeod Saunders is just two and a half years old and is ready for his first Calgary Public Library card! His mother Maranda is excited to have a new, public space in Calgary where she and her young children can connect with their Indigenous culture and learn together. Plus, Felix is really into books.Special thanks to these five members and to everyone who joined us for the opening ceremony of Central Library!
Read more about "Stories Introducing the new Central Library’s First Five Members"The more reading a student does (whether it’s over the summer or during the school year), the more opportunity they have to build and strengthen their comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking skills, background knowledge and efficiency. Research has shown that children without summer reading and learning support may lose one to three months of the reading skills they built in the previous school year. This, in addition to a disrupted and stressful school year, might leave families wondering, how can we keep reading and learning this summer, while still having fun?Join the Ultimate Summer ChallengeBlast off to free summer fun with the Ultimate Summer Challenge at Calgary Public Library. Kids ages 0 – 12 can reach reading milestones, complete activities, and attend free interactive online programs. Those ages 13 – 17 can join the Teen Takeover. Registration automatically enters you to win prizes that are out of this world! Tracking your progress online helps you earn badges and qualify for weekly prizes.Sign up for Ultimate Summer ChallengeRead aloudA great way to expose kids to books that are slightly outside their range is by reading more difficult books aloud. Generally, it is good for kids to read things at their independent level and be read to at a higher level because it helps to build vocabulary and helps makes the listener a better reader.Do something unexpectedRead in unexpected places and ways, like a tent or around the campfire. Switch roles and have kids read to you at their bedtime!ListenListening to audiobooks counts as reading too! Listening to books can be a great way to immerse yourself in a series and can make a long car trip fly by. Download kids audiobooks for free with your Library card in our Digital Library.Browse audiobooksRead before you watchRead the book before you watch the movie. Why not start a family book club this summer and invite grandparents who live far away to read the book too? Check out great online videos of Canadian author readings and illustrator demos from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.Go to Canadian Children’s Book CentreShare through a book swapKids love to read recommendations from friends. This summer ask a group of friends to bring three to five titles over for a book swap. Kids will ask each other about the books and you'll naturally get the same kind of conversations that go on in the classroom.Get recommendations from the LibraryNeed new ideas? The Library is always a good place to start looking for children’s books. Check out our recommended reads for summer.See the listThis blog post is published as part of The Kitchen Table Classroom: A Series to Support Learning from Home, a partnership with Edmonton Public Library. Visit our website for information on the next live, online workshop in the series and for more tips and tools to support learning from home.
Read more about "Stories Top Tips for Reading and Learning All Summer Long The Kitchen Table Classroom: Slide into Summer"Learn job search strategies using employment guides, including resume and interview help.
Read more about "Career Cruising"The more reading a student does (whether it’s over the summer or during the school year), the more opportunity they have to build and strengthen their comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking skills, background knowledge and efficiency. Research has shown that children without summer reading and learning support may lose one to three months of the reading skills they built in the previous school year. This, in addition to a disrupted and stressful school year, might leave families wondering, how can we keep reading and learning this summer, while still having fun?Join the Ultimate Summer ChallengeBlast off to free summer fun with the Ultimate Summer Challenge at Calgary Public Library. Kids ages 0 – 12 can reach reading milestones, complete activities, and attend free interactive online programs. Those ages 13 – 17 can join the Teen Takeover. Registration automatically enters you to win prizes that are out of this world! Tracking your progress online helps you earn badges and qualify for weekly prizes.Sign up for Ultimate Summer ChallengeRead aloudA great way to expose kids to books that are slightly outside their range is by reading more difficult books aloud. Generally, it is good for kids to read things at their independent level and be read to at a higher level because it helps to build vocabulary and helps makes the listener a better reader.Do something unexpectedRead in unexpected places and ways, like a tent or around the campfire. Switch roles and have kids read to you at their bedtime!ListenListening to audiobooks counts as reading too! Listening to books can be a great way to immerse yourself in a series and can make a long car trip fly by. Download kids audiobooks for free with your Library card in our Digital Library.Browse audiobooksRead before you watchRead the book before you watch the movie. Why not start a family book club this summer and invite grandparents who live far away to read the book too? Check out great online videos of Canadian author readings and illustrator demos from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.Go to Canadian Children’s Book CentreShare through a book swapKids love to read recommendations from friends. This summer ask a group of friends to bring three to five titles over for a book swap. Kids will ask each other about the books and you'll naturally get the same kind of conversations that go on in the classroom.Get recommendations from the LibraryNeed new ideas? The Library is always a good place to start looking for children’s books. Check out our recommended reads for summer.See the listThis blog post is published as part of The Kitchen Table Classroom: A Series to Support Learning from Home, a partnership with Edmonton Public Library. Visit our website for information on the next live, online workshop in the series and for more tips and tools to support learning from home.
Read more about "Stories Top Tips for Reading and Learning All Summer Long The Kitchen Table Classroom: Slide into Summer"At the opening ceremony for Central Library on November 1, five special members joined Library CEO Bill Ptacek and Mayor Naheed Nenshi on stage. Instead of a ribbon-cutting, these people were presented with the first five Library cards issued at the new building. The five members represent more than 670,000 active Library members across Calgary.Alex Grinwis is a 17-year-old Grade 11 student who has been using Calgary Public Library since a very young age. Alex loves reading, and is also passionate about music — playing piano, guitar, ukulele, and currently learning violin. When asked what they’re looking forward to about the new building, they said: “I’m just looking forward to having such a cool space to be able to go and do homework or find new books.”Nikki Brule is the proud owner of Yummy Yogis, a small business she helped develop and grow by using the Library. Nikki does a lot of research for her business at the Library, and often brings along her six-year-old daughter. As an entrepreneur who works from home, she enjoys having a space to come to, surrounded by books, where she can work and connect with others.Mirna Khaled arrived in Calgary from Lebanon in 2015, in search of better opportunities for her children: nine-year-old twins Jalal and Julia. Mirna appreciates the accessibility of the Library as Julia has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. In Calgary, Mirna and her children visit the Library two to three times a week; they like to read, play, and meet new friends. There’s even a book about Julia, written by Mirna and Julia’s aunt, on library shelves!Frank O’Keeffe is a longtime Library member who first got his Calgary Public Library card about 50 years ago. Frank, who is originally from Ireland, is a former teacher who has written and published eight young adult novels. He recently published his first adult novel that staff members at Shawnessy Library helped to review. Frank visits the Library several times a week and brings his wife — who has Alzheimer’s — to the ESL Coffee and Conversation program, for some chitchat and good company. “As an older patron, what I get out of the Library now is companionship,” he says.Felix McLeod Saunders is just two and a half years old and is ready for his first Calgary Public Library card! His mother Maranda is excited to have a new, public space in Calgary where she and her young children can connect with their Indigenous culture and learn together. Plus, Felix is really into books.Special thanks to these five members and to everyone who joined us for the opening ceremony of Central Library!
Read more about "Stories Introducing the new Central Library’s First Five Members"The more reading a student does (whether it’s over the summer or during the school year), the more opportunity they have to build and strengthen their comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking skills, background knowledge and efficiency. Research has shown that children without summer reading and learning support may lose one to three months of the reading skills they built in the previous school year. This, in addition to a disrupted and stressful school year, might leave families wondering, how can we keep reading and learning this summer, while still having fun?Join the Ultimate Summer ChallengeBlast off to free summer fun with the Ultimate Summer Challenge at Calgary Public Library. Kids ages 0 – 12 can reach reading milestones, complete activities, and attend free interactive online programs. Those ages 13 – 17 can join the Teen Takeover. Registration automatically enters you to win prizes that are out of this world! Tracking your progress online helps you earn badges and qualify for weekly prizes.Sign up for Ultimate Summer ChallengeRead aloudA great way to expose kids to books that are slightly outside their range is by reading more difficult books aloud. Generally, it is good for kids to read things at their independent level and be read to at a higher level because it helps to build vocabulary and helps makes the listener a better reader.Do something unexpectedRead in unexpected places and ways, like a tent or around the campfire. Switch roles and have kids read to you at their bedtime!ListenListening to audiobooks counts as reading too! Listening to books can be a great way to immerse yourself in a series and can make a long car trip fly by. Download kids audiobooks for free with your Library card in our Digital Library.Browse audiobooksRead before you watchRead the book before you watch the movie. Why not start a family book club this summer and invite grandparents who live far away to read the book too? Check out great online videos of Canadian author readings and illustrator demos from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.Go to Canadian Children’s Book CentreShare through a book swapKids love to read recommendations from friends. This summer ask a group of friends to bring three to five titles over for a book swap. Kids will ask each other about the books and you'll naturally get the same kind of conversations that go on in the classroom.Get recommendations from the LibraryNeed new ideas? The Library is always a good place to start looking for children’s books. Check out our recommended reads for summer.See the listThis blog post is published as part of The Kitchen Table Classroom: A Series to Support Learning from Home, a partnership with Edmonton Public Library. Visit our website for information on the next live, online workshop in the series and for more tips and tools to support learning from home.
Read more about "Stories Top Tips for Reading and Learning All Summer Long The Kitchen Table Classroom: Slide into Summer"Last July, David Greer travelled from his home in Vancouver to Calgary’s Central Library, hoping to meet the people who helped him find his birth father.More than a year earlier, David had written a letter to ResearchPlus, a fee-based research and reference service at Central Library.In his letter, David explained how he was adopted as a baby in Edmonton in 1957, and for decades was fine knowing nothing about his birth family. That changed when he turned 60. He decided he wanted to find out who his birth parents were and see if he could connect with them or their families.David had applied for his records from the Alberta Post Adoption Registry in 2017. Four months later, he received a heavily redacted file and began to glean what he could about his past.The Search BeginsDavid found support from the Forget Me Not Family Society in Vancouver, which led him to connect with an Edmonton counsellor who specializes in helping adoptees find their birth parents. With the counsellor’s help, David identified his birth mother.The search for his birth father proved more difficult. David’s adoption file included no name for his birth father and just a few details. David knew his birth father lived in Calgary when he was born, was 17 years old and in Grade 12, was interested in basketball, swimming, and track, had three siblings, and a father who was an anesthetist.“I was really stuck at that point,” David says. David had previously used Vancouver Public Library’s specialized research centre, and when he learned Calgary Public Library had a similar service, he reached out.In his letter, David outlined the details he knew from his adoption file. “I said, ‘I’ve taken my search this far, can you take it any further?’ And the answer was yes,” David says. “Librarians are really smart people, and they know how to access a lot of information that we don’t necessarily think of or know of.”ResearchPlus Steps InCalgary Public Library offers free genealogy programs, such as Family History Coaching, run in partnership with the Alberta Family Histories Society. As well, the eLibrary contains a variety of free history and genealogy resources, plus Library staff at Central Library can help patrons navigate the Calgary’s Story collection, full of community heritage and family history resources.David was not in Calgary to access those free services, so he turned to ResearchPlus instead. Four Library staff members helped on David’s file, including Kayla McAlister, a Library Experience Facilitator at Central Library.Kayla says one small detail — that David’s birth father’s father was an anesthetist — is what “broke it open.”Library staff used a free Digital Resource called Ancestry Library Edition. The database contains voters’ lists, which typically include occupation. Kayla searched by occupation only, and got just a few hits.From there, another staff member, Christine Hayes, used those names to search high school yearbooks in the Calgary’s Story collection. She found a student whose last name matched one of the last names for an anesthetist on the voters’ list. The yearbook also listed the student’s interests, which matched the description from David’s file.Using that name, other members of the ResearchPlus team found more information, through other free resources including Henderson Directories and Canadian Newsstream. The ResearchPlus team shared their detailed findings with David.Kayla has been involved in genealogy research for about 25 years and says it’s a rewarding area to work in. “It’s just a way for me to help people,” she says. “It means something to people, finding this fundamental piece of who they are and where they came from.”A New ConnectionWith the information from ResearchPlus, David found a phone number for the man he believed was his birth father. Last October, he dialed the number. He got an answering machine, called again a few days later, and spoke to his birth father for 45 minutes.“He shared that for the last couple of years, he wondered when he got unknown phone calls if it would be me,” David says.Seven months after that phone call, David travelled to Ontario to meet his birth father and three new brothers. David has also gotten to know two sisters on his birth mother’s side, who he talks to regularly through a WhatsApp group chat.He’s been introduced to many extended family members on both sides, and continues to meet even more. “It’s been an amazing experience,” David says.When David travelled to Calgary in July to visit his two sisters on his birth mother’s side, he decided to stop by Central Library and meet the people who helped him on his search.“Meeting the team members face to face was just a piece of completion for me,” David says. “The work they did was incredibly valuable to me.”Guinevere Soare, a Library Experience Facilitator at Central Library who helped on David’s file, was working the day David stopped by.“I’m really, really happy for him, that he found this new extended family,” she says. “It was rewarding to hear his story and know we helped him.”
Read more about "Stories 'The work they did was incredibly valuable to me' ResearchPlus staff contributed to David Greer's Library Story by helping him find his birth father"At the opening ceremony for Central Library on November 1, five special members joined Library CEO Bill Ptacek and Mayor Naheed Nenshi on stage. Instead of a ribbon-cutting, these people were presented with the first five Library cards issued at the new building. The five members represent more than 670,000 active Library members across Calgary.Alex Grinwis is a 17-year-old Grade 11 student who has been using Calgary Public Library since a very young age. Alex loves reading, and is also passionate about music — playing piano, guitar, ukulele, and currently learning violin. When asked what they’re looking forward to about the new building, they said: “I’m just looking forward to having such a cool space to be able to go and do homework or find new books.”Nikki Brule is the proud owner of Yummy Yogis, a small business she helped develop and grow by using the Library. Nikki does a lot of research for her business at the Library, and often brings along her six-year-old daughter. As an entrepreneur who works from home, she enjoys having a space to come to, surrounded by books, where she can work and connect with others.Mirna Khaled arrived in Calgary from Lebanon in 2015, in search of better opportunities for her children: nine-year-old twins Jalal and Julia. Mirna appreciates the accessibility of the Library as Julia has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. In Calgary, Mirna and her children visit the Library two to three times a week; they like to read, play, and meet new friends. There’s even a book about Julia, written by Mirna and Julia’s aunt, on library shelves!Frank O’Keeffe is a longtime Library member who first got his Calgary Public Library card about 50 years ago. Frank, who is originally from Ireland, is a former teacher who has written and published eight young adult novels. He recently published his first adult novel that staff members at Shawnessy Library helped to review. Frank visits the Library several times a week and brings his wife — who has Alzheimer’s — to the ESL Coffee and Conversation program, for some chitchat and good company. “As an older patron, what I get out of the Library now is companionship,” he says.Felix McLeod Saunders is just two and a half years old and is ready for his first Calgary Public Library card! His mother Maranda is excited to have a new, public space in Calgary where she and her young children can connect with their Indigenous culture and learn together. Plus, Felix is really into books.Special thanks to these five members and to everyone who joined us for the opening ceremony of Central Library!
Read more about "Stories Introducing the new Central Library’s First Five Members"Frank O’Keeffe has lived all over the world, but no matter where he travels one thing never changes — how close he stays to his local library.“I’ve always gone to the library wherever I’ve lived. They are invaluable places in our communities, and have always brought such joy to my family,” he says. “We went to live in Australia for a year when our daughter was two, we even had a library card there as well.”Frank signed up for his first Calgary Public Library card about 50 years ago. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Frank immigrated to Canada when he was 19 years old. Memorial Park Library provided him with a place to visit during the day on his way to and from work.When Frank began university, the library became a place to find free resources on the Canadian history he was studying. He eventually became a teacher, passing on the love of learning libraries instilled in him to students and his own family.“My daughter got her first Library card when she was just a little girl. She was always wanting us to take her to Memorial Park Library and read books — new books, more books,” he says. “And it was so convenient, because you could borrow as many books as you liked.”An Accomplished AuthorFrank is more than just a lover of libraries, though; he’s also an author with books on library shelves, including eight young adult novels. His ninth book is Woodbine, an adult historical fiction novel that follows a young girl and her father as they travel from Paris across Africa in the 1890s, eventually visiting Ireland as the First World War breaks out.Frank says this most recent novel, published in August 2018, could not have crossed the finish line without the help of staff at Shawnessy Library.“Three of the ladies at Shawnessy Library — Olga Tanailova, Kirsten Pedersen, and Nelli Boutchev — were instrumental in that last book being published. Those three read my last manuscript as I was writing it. They helped me research it. I even acknowledged them in the book. It couldn’t have happened without their help.”As a retired teacher and avid history buff, Frank says he enjoys the opportunity writing gives him to inject a bit of realistic humour into everyday life, “because the world can always use more of that.” His next book, The Grand Getaway, set to be published this spring, focuses heavily on that aspect.“It starts with an old folks’ home, and a homeless man. One of the patients at the home is living with dementia, and she wants to go see the Grand Canyon one last time, because she went there when she was young on the back of a motorcycle. And so, this homeless man is accidentally let into the home one day and ends up sort of hiding out there, and the two of them form a sort of unlikely friendship that leads to adventure.”‘Chitchat and Good Company’The characters explore themes that hit particularly close to home for Frank. His wife Patricia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 10 years ago. As the couple has grown older and their family’s needs have changed, how they use the Library has changed too.“I certainly used to read a lot, but I don’t have as much time for it now. I try to keep as active as I can, but my life involves a lot of worrying about my wife these days. Helping care for her is the most important thing,” Frank says.The Library has become a part of Patricia and Frank’s weekly routine. On Fridays, Frank takes Patricia out from the care facility where she lives and the pair go to the ESL Coffee and Conversation program at Shawnessy Library, for some “chitchat and good company.” Once a newcomer to Canada himself, Frank empathizes with the people who attend the program.“Many of the folks I meet at the Library are immigrants, just like me,” he says. “As an older patron, what I get out of the Library now is companionship. I’m still pretty active, and I don’t have any health problems, but it can be hard to meet new people. The Library is an important means of communication for me.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘Invaluable Places in Our Communities’ Frank O'Keeffe has been writing his Library Story for over 50 years"1. Read from our Treaty 7 children’s book collectionHave you joined the Challenge? Kids ages 0 – 17 can register for the Ultimate Summer Challenge and track their reading with books like these from our Treaty 7 children’s book collection. Sign up at calgarylibrary.ca/summer.2. Read Stepping Stones for help understanding the curriculumStepping Stones is a publication of the Alberta Teachers’ Association Walking Together: Education for Reconciliation. It supports teachers on their learning journey to meet the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Foundational Knowledge competency in the Teaching Quality Standard. Parents and caregivers may also find the documents useful to build understanding of their child’s classroom curriculum, especially the Terminology Reference and Numbered Treaties: Treaty 7 documents. The Alberta map of Treaty Areas can also be downloaded at the link.3. Go to a museum virtuallyExplore Blackfoot culture and listen to Elders tell stories, like Sky Stories and Indigenous astronomy, through the Glenbow Museum’s Niitsitpiisini: Our Way of Life and The Virtual Museum of Canada.4. Watch Indigenous authors and illustrators on YoutubeLearn from Indigenous authors and illustrators through the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Indigenous channel on YouTube.5. Meet an ElderMeet an Indigenous Elder, attend an Indigenous Storytime and more, FREE with your Library card at our Indigenous Services page.6. Browse the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of CanadaFor grades five and up, Canadian Geographic Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada is available free in the Digital Library.7. Play games and listen to a podcastCBC Kids is a great resource for elementary school students with virtual games, online articles, video clips, and more about Canada’s Indigenous cultures. The Métis Nation of Alberta’s Youth Programs and Services team also has a podcast created by youth, for youth, called Keeping It Riel.8. Explore your own backyardAs Covid restrictions lift, explore your own backyard by visiting historic sites such as those at Blackfoot Crossing (which includes the site of the signing of Treaty 7), Writing on Stone, Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump, Métis Crossing, and in downtown Calgary, the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers at Fort Calgary. Indigenous Tourism Alberta is a great resource to find out where to camp, visit, shop, and more.9. Attend a PowwowThere are thousands of Powwow held across North America every summer and they are open to everyone to attend. Remember to dress in long pants or dresses, sit in areas for spectators (not Elders, dancers, or drummers) and avoid touching regalia or picking up an eagle feather — even though they are beautiful!10. Read stories by Indigenous authorsRead together and learn from the lived experiences of Indigenous authors with a Library booklist, or check out the Prairie Indigenous eBook Collection. The first of its kind in Canada, this collection increases access to stories by Indigenous authors and writings about Indigenous culture. Check out over 200 eBook titles from publishers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.This blog post is published as part of The Kitchen Table Classroom: A Series to Support Learning from Home, a partnership with Edmonton Public Library. Visit our website for information on the next live, online workshop in the series and for more tips and tools to support learning from home.
Read more about "Stories 10 Ideas for Kids to Learn More about Treaty 7 and Métis Culture This Summer Books, videos, backyard adventures, and more will help enrich your knowledge of Indigenous culture and history."Frank O’Keeffe has lived all over the world, but no matter where he travels one thing never changes — how close he stays to his local library.“I’ve always gone to the library wherever I’ve lived. They are invaluable places in our communities, and have always brought such joy to my family,” he says. “We went to live in Australia for a year when our daughter was two, we even had a library card there as well.”Frank signed up for his first Calgary Public Library card about 50 years ago. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Frank immigrated to Canada when he was 19 years old. Memorial Park Library provided him with a place to visit during the day on his way to and from work.When Frank began university, the library became a place to find free resources on the Canadian history he was studying. He eventually became a teacher, passing on the love of learning libraries instilled in him to students and his own family.“My daughter got her first Library card when she was just a little girl. She was always wanting us to take her to Memorial Park Library and read books — new books, more books,” he says. “And it was so convenient, because you could borrow as many books as you liked.”An Accomplished AuthorFrank is more than just a lover of libraries, though; he’s also an author with books on library shelves, including eight young adult novels. His ninth book is Woodbine, an adult historical fiction novel that follows a young girl and her father as they travel from Paris across Africa in the 1890s, eventually visiting Ireland as the First World War breaks out.Frank says this most recent novel, published in August 2018, could not have crossed the finish line without the help of staff at Shawnessy Library.“Three of the ladies at Shawnessy Library — Olga Tanailova, Kirsten Pedersen, and Nelli Boutchev — were instrumental in that last book being published. Those three read my last manuscript as I was writing it. They helped me research it. I even acknowledged them in the book. It couldn’t have happened without their help.”As a retired teacher and avid history buff, Frank says he enjoys the opportunity writing gives him to inject a bit of realistic humour into everyday life, “because the world can always use more of that.” His next book, The Grand Getaway, set to be published this spring, focuses heavily on that aspect.“It starts with an old folks’ home, and a homeless man. One of the patients at the home is living with dementia, and she wants to go see the Grand Canyon one last time, because she went there when she was young on the back of a motorcycle. And so, this homeless man is accidentally let into the home one day and ends up sort of hiding out there, and the two of them form a sort of unlikely friendship that leads to adventure.”‘Chitchat and Good Company’The characters explore themes that hit particularly close to home for Frank. His wife Patricia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 10 years ago. As the couple has grown older and their family’s needs have changed, how they use the Library has changed too.“I certainly used to read a lot, but I don’t have as much time for it now. I try to keep as active as I can, but my life involves a lot of worrying about my wife these days. Helping care for her is the most important thing,” Frank says.The Library has become a part of Patricia and Frank’s weekly routine. On Fridays, Frank takes Patricia out from the care facility where she lives and the pair go to the ESL Coffee and Conversation program at Shawnessy Library, for some “chitchat and good company.” Once a newcomer to Canada himself, Frank empathizes with the people who attend the program.“Many of the folks I meet at the Library are immigrants, just like me,” he says. “As an older patron, what I get out of the Library now is companionship. I’m still pretty active, and I don’t have any health problems, but it can be hard to meet new people. The Library is an important means of communication for me.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories ‘Invaluable Places in Our Communities’ Frank O'Keeffe has been writing his Library Story for over 50 years"