The Moms’ Stairway in Central Library honours moms everywhere. Eveline Wheatley Goodall, the donor who named this special spot, shares the story behind the name.There was no library in the small Alberta town where I grew up — a fact that seems shocking to me now. What is even more shocking is that there was no library in the school. There was a room in the school called the library, but it held typewriters. This was post World War II, in a relatively affluent town.What I did have in those early years of my life was what my mother called the blanket cupboard. Located in our house on the landing of a stairwell, it was child-sized. I remember being lifted into it to retrieve some stored item too difficult for my mother to reach. It also contained books. Once I eagerly learned to read, it was a wellspring of stories. When I finished one book I would simply hand it to my mother and she would reach another from the blanket cupboard.What did I read? The Bobbsey Twins; all the Anne books by Lucy Maud Montgomery; Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and Kidnapped. The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series likely started me on my life of paying attention and figuring things out. There were many others with titles now forgotten. A travel book, by a writer who swam the Dardanelles and climbed the Matterhorn, most likely started me on my life as a traveller.When I was about ten and in Grade 4, a miracle happened. One of the service clubs in town started a library! Using a basement room in one of the medical clinics, they simply asked the townsfolk for any books they could donate. (No magazines and no Reader’s Digest condensed books.) The library, open Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons, had one full wall of children’s books and three walls of adult books.Thursday night I was there: in the back door of the medical building, down steep stairs, a long hallway, a turn to the left, another long hallway, and in the door. The room was always full of people. Clearly, I was not the only one hungry for more books and the adventure and story and beauty of word they provided.The Moms’ Stairway in Central Library honours moms everywhere. Eveline Wheatley Goodall, the donor who named this special spot, shares the story behind the name.I have continued to love libraries and reading throughout my life. I adore fiction; my all-time favourite author is David Adams Richards. When I moved to Calgary and had my own children we regularly visited our local library, Louise Riley. Today, I borrow books and browse magazines at Nose Hill Library and attend Wordfest events at Memorial Park Library.When Calgary Public Library started work on Central Library and shared renderings, I was thrilled. I thought it was the most beautiful of buildings, the sort of architectural marvel I have longed for in Calgary. My husband and I were eager to support the new Library.As donors, the Library offered us a naming opportunity. I was instantly drawn to a wonderful stairway. This spot links the exciting and unique Jocelyn Louise Anderson Children’s Library and coffee shop, making it a logical place for moms. We chose the name “The Moms’ Stairway” to honour all of those good moms past, present, and future who encourage reading. And, of course, it is named for my Mom too, M. Oren Wheatley. After all, she was my first librarian, reaching into the blanket cupboard in the stairwell to share books.
Read more about "Stories Honouring All Moms The story behind a Central Library stairway"For immediate releaseSeptember 10, 2019Calgary, AB – The Calgary Public Library Foundation is delighted to announce a transformational gift from Calgary entrepreneur and philanthropist Susan Anderson; one of the largest gifts in the Foundation’s history. This generous donation will support early childhood literacy by enhancing the Library’s Early Learning Strategy.“The first years of a child’s life are so crucial,” says Susan Anderson. “I believe in the value of childhood education and wanted to participate in making this available to Calgary’s children to give them a strong start toward a successful future.”In recognition of this generous gift, the Calgary Public Library will name the children’s area at the Central Library the Jocelyn Louise Anderson Children’s Library in honour of Anderson’s mother, who was a school teacher.“We see kids with very diverse backgrounds coming to the Library for specialized Early Learning programs and resources,” says Calgary Public Library CEO Mark Asberg. “Donations like this help us continue to open doors for all of Calgary’s children, regardless of their socio-economic background.”The Library’s Early Learning Strategy encompasses five areas of focus: research, spaces, people, collections, and programs. Anderson’s donation will uplift each of these focus areas.Specifically, this donation will enable the expansion of early literacy programming both in Libraries and in the community; enhance collections development for babies, toddlers, and, pre-school children; and update existing Early Learning Centres to reflect current research.There are more than 90,000 children under the age of five in Calgary. Currently, 12 of Calgary’s 21 Library locations have a dedicated Early Learning Centre, with the goal to have an Early Learning Centre in every single location. Early Learning Centres provide children under the age of five a specialized space to learn through play – the best way for young minds to gain essential early learning skills.About the Calgary Public Library Foundation:The Calgary Public Library Foundation supports the Library through fundraising.We connect people and organizations who want to make a difference with the opportunity to improve our community. All donations received through the Library Foundation enhance Library collections, programming, and services.Since 2011, the Library Foundation has been working on Add In, the Campaign for Calgary’s Library. The goal of Add In is to raise $350 million dollars for the Library system. As of June 2019, we have reached 98.5% of our goal.- 30 -Media Contacts:Maegan MarshallCommunications AssociateCalgary Public Library Foundation403 774 2543maegan@addin.caNina RehillEdelman 403 630 6055Nina.rehill@edelman.com
Read more about "Stories Calgary Public Library Accepts Historic Donation for Early Childhood Learning"Houmou Guiro is no stranger to libraries. She has visited them since she was seven years old, checking out books every few weeks. But when Houmou moved from France to Canada two years ago, she discovered a library system much different than the one she was used to.There were books to read in Calgary’s libraries, plus so much more. Houmou joined an ESL Coffee and Conversation Club to practice her English, and later signed up for an ESL Writing Club. She improved her English skills and met friends at the programs, which helped her to feel more at home in a new city.“The Library in Calgary is very awesome,” Houmou says. “In Paris, you take your books and that’s it. Here, you have services for babies, for newcomers. If you want to open a business, you have services. It’s all free and open and you can take 99 books out.”Houmou credits a resumé development program she took at the Library with helping her get her first job in Canada, at a retail store downtown. “I had a French resumé, but it’s very different how you do it in Canada. So I learned how to do it and got help to improve my resumé,” she says.She now works for a not-profit organization called PIA, which offers services and programs to francophone immigrants and refugees in Calgary. In this role, Houmou tells other newcomers about available services in the city, including all they can do with a free Library card.“I tell them ‘You have to go to the Library! It’s very good. You can take out a lot of books and a lot of everything else too,’” she says.Houmou is also an avid reader, regularly checking out French and English titles. She blogs about the books she’s reading and her life in Canada. Lately she’s been reading a lot of books about entrepreneurship and marketing, as she works on launching her own business: a French tutoring service for kids.When Houmou had her first child, Demba, she took him to a weekly Baby Rhyme Time program. “I didn’t know any English songs, so it was very good for me to meet some parents, talk about our babies, and sing with them in English. It was so cool,” she says.She brings 19-month-old Demba to Louise Riley Library or the new Central Library every few weeks, just as her family used to take her to the Library in France. “We play, we take books out, we read. He likes turning the pages,” she says. “He really likes coming here. I like the Library so much too.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'It's all free and open and you can take 99 books out' Houmou Guiro's Library Story helped her feel more at home in a new city"In a time when we’re being called to stay home, there are still plenty of ways to spend time together. In addition to your favourite online Library resources, patrons of all ages can find fun, at-home learning opportunities from educators and organizations offering innovative solutions for staying connected. Science Get a Daily Dose of the Calgary Zoo on their YouTube channel, where they share short, behind-the-scenes videos with their critters. Explore the surface of Mars from the eyes of NASA’s Curiosity rover, or check out their Image of the Day gallery for a high-definition intergalactic image, with fun facts about what you’re seeing. Kids can also tune in for science-themed stories read by astronauts on the International Space Station with Storytime from Space. Art You might know acclaimed children’s author Mo Willems for his books like Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Elephant and Piggy (and this beloved illustrator also designed the Library’s Story Truck). Now you can learn to draw at home with his Lunch Doodles series. Interested in classic artworks? Follow along with #GlenbowFromHome, which includes online gallery tours and other free at-home activities from the Glenbow Museum. Music Freegal is our favourite way to stream contemporary tunes, but if you’re craving a live concert, look no further than the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. They have countless hours of concert footage saved to their YouTube channel, ready for you to have a night out at home. Tours You might not be able to leave your house, but you can still go on an at-home adventure with these online tours. Check out these 12 museums you can visit online to experience their exhibits from your couch. Feel like going for a hike? Visit Yellowstone National Park, make the trek along the Great Wall of China, or browse the botanical gardens of the Cincinnati Zoo. Relaxing Want to kick back and chill out during this time at home? Take some time to unwind and listen to Canadian authors share readings of their work. Create some quality time with your family with cooking lessons with Food Network Kitchen chef Michael Symon — or if your board game cupboard is a little empty, play games together online. Looking for more fun to be had at home? Check out the Digital Library for more free resources.
Read more about "Stories"MEDIA RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 6, 2018Calgary, AB — Calgary Public Library is thrilled to announce the artists who are creating Indigenous art installations for the new Central Library, opening November 1, 2018. The collaborative works by six Indigenous artists — all from, or with a connection to Treaty 7 territory — will define three spaces in the new Central Library.Keegan Starlight, Kalum Teke Dan, and Roland Rollinmud are collaborating on a colourful and vast wall mural in the new Central Library’s main entrance. Visitors will carry this impactful piece with them as they travel throughout the Library.On the feature stairs leading to the mezzanine level, there is a platform in the heart of the building that will feature a life-size buffalo sculpture made up of metal letters that spell various words in Indigenous languages, created by Lionel Peyachew.On Level 4, the Elders’ Guidance Circle will feature a stunning table and distinct furniture by Glenna Cardinal and a large photo and text-based piece by Brittney Bear Hat. The Elders’ Guidance Circle is a safe and comfortable space where anyone can meet with Elders, join in Indigenous programming, and more."Calgary Public Library knows that a public library is about more than just providing access to books; it’s about creating public gathering spaces where people can connect with one another and share ideas, knowledge, stories, and culture. Indigenous Placemaking at New Central Library will create a welcoming environment where Indigenous people can feel their culture reflected in an urban setting and where all Library visitors can learn about the original inhabitants of the land that we also call Calgary," says Shereen Samuels, Vice Chair of the Calgary Public Library Board."I’m pleased to be a part of this important initiative with the Calgary Public Library. For myself this project brings me a step closer to uncovering my family's heritage and understanding of our history through storytelling. I am creating a project that is about reminiscing and focusing on the care that reveals itself in the moments that are shared between family members," says Brittney Bear Hat.The project began nearly a year ago with insight from the Indigenous Place Making Council of Canada followed by community engagement meetings at Stoney Nation, Siksika Nation, Tsuu’tina Nation, Métis Nation of Alberta, and the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary."What makes this process so unique is how community-driven it has been,” says Teneya Gwin, Indigenous Services Design Lead at the Library. “We’ve been so adaptive based on the feedback we’ve received."The new Central Library is located in the growing community of East Village, close to Fort Calgary, where the Bow and Elbow Rivers meet and where Indigenous Peoples gathered for thousands of years.The permanent art installations are part of a $500,000 Indigenous Placemaking project, funded by the Calgary Public Library Foundation. More spaces for Indigenous art in the new Central Library are expected to be announced in 2019.The ProcessIndigenous Placemaking at Calgary Public Library began in the fall of 2017. In early 2018, Library staff and members of the Indigenous Place Making Council of Canada visited the Stoney Nation, Siksika Nation, Tsuu’tina Nation, Métis Nation of Alberta, and Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary. Open meetings were held to receive input and guidance on the placemaking process.Input from those meetings led the Library to form an Artist Selection Committee. The Library heard how important it was for the process to be community-driven, collaborative, and representative of all Treaty 7 communities: TsuuT’ina Nation, the Blackfoot Nations (Piikani, Kainai, and Siksika), Stoney Nations (Chiniki, Wesley, and Bearspaw), and Métis Nation Region 3.On May 30, 2018, the Library posted a call for Indigenous artist/artist teams and for Indigenous candidates for the Artist Selection Committee. Eight committee members joined Library staff and Artist Consultant Tamara Cardinal. The Artist Selection Committee went on to select six Indigenous artists. The selected artists encompass a range of disciplines, backgrounds, and stages of career, and are all willing to work collaboratively with each other and the broader community.The artists have presented their concepts and received feedback from the Artist Selection Committee and the Elders’ Guidance Circle. This month, the artists will present their work to Indigenous communities. Work is now underway on designing and fabricating the pieces, with installation beginning this fall.Calgary Public LibraryCalgary Public Library, with 660,000+ 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. the new Central Library — the newest gathering place for our city — opens November 1, 2018.-30-Media Contact:Kelsey MarklundSenior Account Executive, Earned MediaEdelman | edelman.caT 403.817.0633 | C 403.471.1284Kelsey.Marklund@edelman.com
Read more about "Stories"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."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."Houmou Guiro is no stranger to libraries. She has visited them since she was seven years old, checking out books every few weeks. But when Houmou moved from France to Canada two years ago, she discovered a library system much different than the one she was used to.There were books to read in Calgary’s libraries, plus so much more. Houmou joined an ESL Coffee and Conversation Club to practice her English, and later signed up for an ESL Writing Club. She improved her English skills and met friends at the programs, which helped her to feel more at home in a new city.“The Library in Calgary is very awesome,” Houmou says. “In Paris, you take your books and that’s it. Here, you have services for babies, for newcomers. If you want to open a business, you have services. It’s all free and open and you can take 99 books out.”Houmou credits a resumé development program she took at the Library with helping her get her first job in Canada, at a retail store downtown. “I had a French resumé, but it’s very different how you do it in Canada. So I learned how to do it and got help to improve my resumé,” she says.She now works for a not-profit organization called PIA, which offers services and programs to francophone immigrants and refugees in Calgary. In this role, Houmou tells other newcomers about available services in the city, including all they can do with a free Library card.“I tell them ‘You have to go to the Library! It’s very good. You can take out a lot of books and a lot of everything else too,’” she says.Houmou is also an avid reader, regularly checking out French and English titles. She blogs about the books she’s reading and her life in Canada. Lately she’s been reading a lot of books about entrepreneurship and marketing, as she works on launching her own business: a French tutoring service for kids.When Houmou had her first child, Demba, she took him to a weekly Baby Rhyme Time program. “I didn’t know any English songs, so it was very good for me to meet some parents, talk about our babies, and sing with them in English. It was so cool,” she says.She brings 19-month-old Demba to Louise Riley Library or the new Central Library every few weeks, just as her family used to take her to the Library in France. “We play, we take books out, we read. He likes turning the pages,” she says. “He really likes coming here. I like the Library so much too.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'It's all free and open and you can take 99 books out' Houmou Guiro's Library Story helped her feel more at home in a new city"1. Love podcasts? You’re going to love our new speaker series. Podcast Live! features leading podcasters and innovators behind popular shows like “Radiolab” and “Invisible City.” Learn about and register for upcoming free events on our programs page.2. Can you imagine climbing Mount Everest or scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands? A new virtual reality program lets you do just that. VR Explorers is a program that takes kids ages six to 12 on an immersive virtual reality journey with Google Expeditions. It’s offered at Central Library; find out when on our programs page.3. You already know you can use Library resources in-person or online … but did you know the Library can also come to you? We have five mobile libraries rolling into communities around Calgary. Our Book Trucks and Story Trucks bring the Library to schools, community events, and day homes.4. Indigenous Language Revitalization camps are now part of Library programming! In partnership with the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary, free beginner camps were offered in the fall of 2018, to learn Blackfoot, Cree, and Michif. The Library plans to offer more Indigenous Language programs in 2019.5. There’s fun new places just for Calgary kids! Our Early Learning Centres are designed to encourage young children to learn through play, and now there are now 12 of these Early Learning Centres at libraries around Calgary! Our newest spaces include a real helicopter inside Seton Library, plus a chance to discover dinosaurs at Country Hills Library.6. You can now use your Library card to take online music lessons — the same card that also allows you to borrow musical instruments for free. ArtistWorks for Libraries is an Digital Resource full of step-by-step video music lessons with experts. Watch videos on many instruments, including guitar, banjo, ukulele, trumpet, piano and drums.7. There’s a new way to get your news with Calgary Public Library. Our E-Library, already home to Digital Resources like Newspaper Source Plus and PressReader, now grants access to the New York Times Online. Find all our newsy online resources on this list.8. With exciting new residency programs at the Central Library, you can now learn from an artist and historian. Attend talks, events, and workshops, or schedule office hours with our historian in residence and view art by our artist in residence.PLUS your Library card gives you access to eBooks, eAudiobooks, free meeting rooms, $5 of free printing each month, hundreds of in-person programs, popular magazines, free music, language learning resources, free films, online courses … the list goes on and on! Check out our original list of 15 Library Card Perks to learn more.Not yet a Library card member? Sign up online now or visit any Library location to get your free card.
Read more about "Stories Eight New Library Perks You Need to Know About Now"MEDIA RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 6, 2018Calgary, AB — Calgary Public Library is thrilled to announce the artists who are creating Indigenous art installations for the new Central Library, opening November 1, 2018. The collaborative works by six Indigenous artists — all from, or with a connection to Treaty 7 territory — will define three spaces in the new Central Library.Keegan Starlight, Kalum Teke Dan, and Roland Rollinmud are collaborating on a colourful and vast wall mural in the new Central Library’s main entrance. Visitors will carry this impactful piece with them as they travel throughout the Library.On the feature stairs leading to the mezzanine level, there is a platform in the heart of the building that will feature a life-size buffalo sculpture made up of metal letters that spell various words in Indigenous languages, created by Lionel Peyachew.On Level 4, the Elders’ Guidance Circle will feature a stunning table and distinct furniture by Glenna Cardinal and a large photo and text-based piece by Brittney Bear Hat. The Elders’ Guidance Circle is a safe and comfortable space where anyone can meet with Elders, join in Indigenous programming, and more."Calgary Public Library knows that a public library is about more than just providing access to books; it’s about creating public gathering spaces where people can connect with one another and share ideas, knowledge, stories, and culture. Indigenous Placemaking at New Central Library will create a welcoming environment where Indigenous people can feel their culture reflected in an urban setting and where all Library visitors can learn about the original inhabitants of the land that we also call Calgary," says Shereen Samuels, Vice Chair of the Calgary Public Library Board."I’m pleased to be a part of this important initiative with the Calgary Public Library. For myself this project brings me a step closer to uncovering my family's heritage and understanding of our history through storytelling. I am creating a project that is about reminiscing and focusing on the care that reveals itself in the moments that are shared between family members," says Brittney Bear Hat.The project began nearly a year ago with insight from the Indigenous Place Making Council of Canada followed by community engagement meetings at Stoney Nation, Siksika Nation, Tsuu’tina Nation, Métis Nation of Alberta, and the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary."What makes this process so unique is how community-driven it has been,” says Teneya Gwin, Indigenous Services Design Lead at the Library. “We’ve been so adaptive based on the feedback we’ve received."The new Central Library is located in the growing community of East Village, close to Fort Calgary, where the Bow and Elbow Rivers meet and where Indigenous Peoples gathered for thousands of years.The permanent art installations are part of a $500,000 Indigenous Placemaking project, funded by the Calgary Public Library Foundation. More spaces for Indigenous art in the new Central Library are expected to be announced in 2019.The ProcessIndigenous Placemaking at Calgary Public Library began in the fall of 2017. In early 2018, Library staff and members of the Indigenous Place Making Council of Canada visited the Stoney Nation, Siksika Nation, Tsuu’tina Nation, Métis Nation of Alberta, and Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary. Open meetings were held to receive input and guidance on the placemaking process.Input from those meetings led the Library to form an Artist Selection Committee. The Library heard how important it was for the process to be community-driven, collaborative, and representative of all Treaty 7 communities: TsuuT’ina Nation, the Blackfoot Nations (Piikani, Kainai, and Siksika), Stoney Nations (Chiniki, Wesley, and Bearspaw), and Métis Nation Region 3.On May 30, 2018, the Library posted a call for Indigenous artist/artist teams and for Indigenous candidates for the Artist Selection Committee. Eight committee members joined Library staff and Artist Consultant Tamara Cardinal. The Artist Selection Committee went on to select six Indigenous artists. The selected artists encompass a range of disciplines, backgrounds, and stages of career, and are all willing to work collaboratively with each other and the broader community.The artists have presented their concepts and received feedback from the Artist Selection Committee and the Elders’ Guidance Circle. This month, the artists will present their work to Indigenous communities. Work is now underway on designing and fabricating the pieces, with installation beginning this fall.Calgary Public LibraryCalgary Public Library, with 660,000+ 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. the new Central Library — the newest gathering place for our city — opens November 1, 2018.-30-Media Contact:Kelsey MarklundSenior Account Executive, Earned MediaEdelman | edelman.caT 403.817.0633 | C 403.471.1284Kelsey.Marklund@edelman.com
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Read more about "CodeCombat"We’ve all been there. You’ve watched everything there is on Netflix, your eyes are tired from scrolling your newsfeed, and even TikTok can get old after the fifth hour in a row. If you’re out of ideas to keep you busy, you‘ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up a list of our favourite free boredom-crushing apps and resources to get you through even the longest day of nothing to do. All you need is a Library membership (which just so happens to be free too. Get it online and start trying these apps right away).Take free music lessonsAlways wanted to learn the guitar? Maybe you want to brush up on your piano-playing skills or learn to sing like Ari. ArtistWorks gives you access to a ton of free music lessons that you can do at your own pace and watch on your computer or smartphone wherever, whenever. Learn a new language Start preparing for that future vacation by learning a new language. Guess who gives you access to Rosetta Stone Library Edition for free? We do. Get started now and you’ll be speaking and reading in no time (maybe you can finally watch that anime without subtitles). Can't find a language you're interested in? Check out the new Transparent Language eResource for more options, including Indigenous languages such as Cree, Dakota, Denesuline, Gwich'in, Oji-Cree, Ojibwe, and more. Borrow a book without getting up from the couch Graphic novels, dystopian futures, high school romances — it's all on TeenBookCloud, and titles are always available with no holds. Now you can start reading or listening to that novel you’ve been meaning to get to without having to track down the physical book or worry about getting food stains on the pages. Do that thing you’ve always wanted to try Is “learn animation” on your bucket list? How about photography, creating YouTube content, or Python? We have an app for that too. Check an item off your dream to-do list by learning a new skill or hobby with LinkedIn Learning for Library. It’s got hundreds of expert-led video tutorials on all kinds of skills and topics (that you get access to for free, because we like learning). Listen to a good bookGive your tired eyes a break from screens and borrow an audiobook from Libby. Just download the free app to your smartphone or iPad and start listening to a book while you’re doing chores, making a snack, or winding down before bed. Find something new to watchSo you’ve already seen everything on Netflix and you’re running out of movie streaming ideas. Have you checked out Kanopy yet? Besides being free, it has tons of movies the other platforms don’t. From indie film festival favourites to popular Oscar-winners, we’re pretty sure you’ll discover a new gem. Start with our librarians’ recommendations of Must-See Movies About Growing Up or documentaries about video gaming and tech culture. Stream and download music for freeFind that perfect bop to dance or sing along to. Listen to ad-free music and download five free songs per week to your smartphone with Freegal Music. They have 15 million songs from over 40,000 labels, so you can grab your headphones and get lost in some good music. Want more free things to do at home? Be sure to check out our Library at Home section for other resources like these.Not yet a member? Sign up for your free Library card online and start using it immediately.
Read more about "Stories Seven Boredom-Crushing Ideas for Teens"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."MEDIA RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 6, 2018Calgary, AB — Calgary Public Library is thrilled to announce the artists who are creating Indigenous art installations for the new Central Library, opening November 1, 2018. The collaborative works by six Indigenous artists — all from, or with a connection to Treaty 7 territory — will define three spaces in the new Central Library.Keegan Starlight, Kalum Teke Dan, and Roland Rollinmud are collaborating on a colourful and vast wall mural in the new Central Library’s main entrance. Visitors will carry this impactful piece with them as they travel throughout the Library.On the feature stairs leading to the mezzanine level, there is a platform in the heart of the building that will feature a life-size buffalo sculpture made up of metal letters that spell various words in Indigenous languages, created by Lionel Peyachew.On Level 4, the Elders’ Guidance Circle will feature a stunning table and distinct furniture by Glenna Cardinal and a large photo and text-based piece by Brittney Bear Hat. The Elders’ Guidance Circle is a safe and comfortable space where anyone can meet with Elders, join in Indigenous programming, and more."Calgary Public Library knows that a public library is about more than just providing access to books; it’s about creating public gathering spaces where people can connect with one another and share ideas, knowledge, stories, and culture. Indigenous Placemaking at New Central Library will create a welcoming environment where Indigenous people can feel their culture reflected in an urban setting and where all Library visitors can learn about the original inhabitants of the land that we also call Calgary," says Shereen Samuels, Vice Chair of the Calgary Public Library Board."I’m pleased to be a part of this important initiative with the Calgary Public Library. For myself this project brings me a step closer to uncovering my family's heritage and understanding of our history through storytelling. I am creating a project that is about reminiscing and focusing on the care that reveals itself in the moments that are shared between family members," says Brittney Bear Hat.The project began nearly a year ago with insight from the Indigenous Place Making Council of Canada followed by community engagement meetings at Stoney Nation, Siksika Nation, Tsuu’tina Nation, Métis Nation of Alberta, and the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary."What makes this process so unique is how community-driven it has been,” says Teneya Gwin, Indigenous Services Design Lead at the Library. “We’ve been so adaptive based on the feedback we’ve received."The new Central Library is located in the growing community of East Village, close to Fort Calgary, where the Bow and Elbow Rivers meet and where Indigenous Peoples gathered for thousands of years.The permanent art installations are part of a $500,000 Indigenous Placemaking project, funded by the Calgary Public Library Foundation. More spaces for Indigenous art in the new Central Library are expected to be announced in 2019.The ProcessIndigenous Placemaking at Calgary Public Library began in the fall of 2017. In early 2018, Library staff and members of the Indigenous Place Making Council of Canada visited the Stoney Nation, Siksika Nation, Tsuu’tina Nation, Métis Nation of Alberta, and Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary. Open meetings were held to receive input and guidance on the placemaking process.Input from those meetings led the Library to form an Artist Selection Committee. The Library heard how important it was for the process to be community-driven, collaborative, and representative of all Treaty 7 communities: TsuuT’ina Nation, the Blackfoot Nations (Piikani, Kainai, and Siksika), Stoney Nations (Chiniki, Wesley, and Bearspaw), and Métis Nation Region 3.On May 30, 2018, the Library posted a call for Indigenous artist/artist teams and for Indigenous candidates for the Artist Selection Committee. Eight committee members joined Library staff and Artist Consultant Tamara Cardinal. The Artist Selection Committee went on to select six Indigenous artists. The selected artists encompass a range of disciplines, backgrounds, and stages of career, and are all willing to work collaboratively with each other and the broader community.The artists have presented their concepts and received feedback from the Artist Selection Committee and the Elders’ Guidance Circle. This month, the artists will present their work to Indigenous communities. Work is now underway on designing and fabricating the pieces, with installation beginning this fall.Calgary Public LibraryCalgary Public Library, with 660,000+ 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. the new Central Library — the newest gathering place for our city — opens November 1, 2018.-30-Media Contact:Kelsey MarklundSenior Account Executive, Earned MediaEdelman | edelman.caT 403.817.0633 | C 403.471.1284Kelsey.Marklund@edelman.com
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