History of Calgary Public Library | Calgary Public Library

1900s and 1910s

1906: The Calgary Women’s Literary Club is founded by Annie Davidson on February 6, 1906.
1907: Annie Davidson organizes a petition requesting funds from the Carnegie Foundation for Calgary’s first public Library. The Public Library Act is passed on March 15, 1907.
1908: Andrew Carnegie offers Calgary City Council $50,000 to build a Library. Calgary’s public library bylaw is also passed this year.
1911: Alexander Calhoun is hired as Chief Librarian by the Library Board.
1912: Central Park Library (now Memorial Park Library) officially opens on January 2, 1912.
1913: Crescent Heights Library opens on October 15, 1913.

1945: William R. Castell replaces the retiring Alexander Calhoun as Chief Librarian.
1946: Inglewood Library opens.
1947:
Calgary becomes the first Library in Canada to loan records.
A new location in Hillhurst also opens.

1950: Glengarry Library opens.
1952: The Bookmobile begins service in October 1952.
1954: Alexander Calhoun Library opens in the South Calgary neighbourhood.
1959: Louise Riley Library opens in the Hounsfield Heights-Briar Hill neighbourhood.

1960: Chinook Library opens.
1962: Forest Lawn Library becomes part of Calgary’s Library system when the City annexes the village of Forest Lawn.
1963: Central Library opens at 616 Macleod Trail South.
1964: Westbrook Library opens and Bowness Library is added to Calgary’s Library system when the City annexes the village of Bowness.
1965: Georgina Thomson Library opens in the Collingwood neighbourhood.
1966: Southwood Library opens.
1967: Memorial Park closes and the collections moves to Central Library.

1970:
Hillhurst Library closes and the collections move to Sir Winston Churchill School, where the Winston Churchill Community Library opens in September 1970.
The Westbrook Library also closes and the Shaganappi Library opens in August 1970.
1973:
Leslie (Les) Fowlie is appointed as the new Director.
The new Forest Lawn Library location opens in 1973.
1974:
The Central Library addition to the northside of the building is officially opened by Canadian author W.O. Mitchell.
Thorn-Hill Library opens.
1975: The Varsity Library replaces the Sir Winston Churchill Community Library.
1977: Memorial Park is restored and reopens as a Library after serving as Glenbow Museum’s reference library and archives for eight years.
1979:
John Dutton is appointed Director.
The Macleod Library opens in the Willow Park neighbourhood, and the new Bowness Library location opens.

1991: The Bookmobiles make their last run on February 28, 1991. Gerry Meek is appointed Director.
1992: The self-serve catalogue is introduced.
1996: Public computers and internet access are introduced at several branches.
1998: Midnapore and Signal Hill libraries open.

2001: Shawnessy Library opens, replacing Midnapore Library.
2004: DVDs are introduced to the Library’s collection. The Crowfoot Library and Country Hills Library open.
2007: Wireless internet is added to all locations.

2011: East Village is chosen as the location of the new Central Library on July 24, 2011.
2012: Saddletowne Library opens on January 3, with an official celebration on January 14, 2012.
2014: Bill Ptacek is appointed as the new CEO.
2015: Thorn-Hill Library is renamed Judith Umbach Library to recognize the contributions of Calgarian Judith Umbach to the Library system.
2016:
Nicholls Family Library opens on April 23 and Quarry Park Library opens on July 2, 2016.
The Book Trucks start visiting communities without a local Library.
2017:
Sage Hill Library opens on June 16, 2017.
The Musical Instrument Lending Library launches at Memorial Park Library.
2018:
Rocky Ridge Library opens on January 15, 2018.
Alexander Calhoun Library is renamed Giuffre Family Library to recognize the Giuffre family’s legacy in the community and their support of the Library.
Memorial Park Library is designated a National Historic Site.
Central Library, at 616 Macleod Trail South, closes on October 25, 2018. The new location in East Village opens on November 1, 2018, at 800 3 St SE.
2019:
Seton Library opens on January 14, 2019.
Mark Asberg is appointed as the new CEO.

2020: For the first time in history, all Calgary Public Library locations are closed to visitors to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Innovative contactless and virtual services are implemented to ensure continued public access to essential Library resources. Closures took place from March to June 2020, December 2020 to March 2021, and April to June 2021.
2021: Sarah Meilleur is appointed the new CEO, becoming Calgary Public Library's very first female CEO.