14 Library Perks You Need to Know About Now

1. Use your Calgary Public Library card to access free eBooks. It’s easy to download eBooks onto a computer, smartphone, or tablet using our Digital Resources, including Libby, Overdrive, Gale Virtual Library, Read Alberta eBooks, and TumbleBookLibrary (just for kids). Happy reading!

2. Love podcasts? You’re going to love audiobooks. Nothing makes your daily commute — or a long road trip — better than having the perfect audiobook to accompany you. 

3. Did you know there are more than 60 free meeting rooms available at libraries across Calgary? Book a space for your business, not-for-profit, study group, book club, or event.

4. Early Learning Centres! These free spaces, located in 12 libraries around Calgary, are designed to encourage young children to learn through play. Whimsical and wonderful, your kids are never going to want to leave the Library.

5. It’s Sunday, you’re ready to hit print on your final paper for the semester. But oh no, you’re out of ink and your printer won’t stop jamming. What do you do? Come to the Library, of course! All Library members receive $5 of free printing each month. You’ll never be in another jam with a Library card.

6. Read your favourite magazines for free with Digital Resources like Flipster Magazines. Flipster gives you access to Time, People, Us Weekly, Maclean’s, Canadian Geographic, Today’s Parent, and many more. Plus our Digital Resource National Geographic Virtual Library gives you access to every edition of National Geographic since 1888. Wow.

7. You can use your Library card to borrow musical instruments! The Musical Instrument Lending Library at Memorial Park Library has instruments including guitars, ukuleles, banjos, mandolins, violins, keyboards, and bongos. Plus, the Library offers a variety of free programs to help you learn a new instrument or develop your skills, and there’s also a Practice Room at Memorial Park Library —perfect for aspiring musicians — that can comfortably accommodate two people. What are you waiting for? Start learning a new instrument today.

8. Programs, programs, and more programs... and they’re all free. Calgary Public Library has programs for babies, families, kids, teens, adults, seniors, newcomers, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking for learning and enrichment. Discover a world of free programs with Library Connect, our program guide, or search our programs online to find what you’re looking for. We ♥ programs!

9. More into listening to music than learning to play it? Stream free music on Freegal, a music service with nearly 13 million songs. Download five free songs per week and listen to three hours of streaming per day.

10. Looking to learn another language? The Library has got you covered. Get free access to language learning Digital Resources including Rosetta Stone Library Solution and Pronunciator.

11. Love learning? So do we! Take free online courses at LinkedIn Learning and Gale Courses. The interactive, instructor-led online courses cover topics like business skills, web design, photography, graphic design, and much more.

12. Attention all movie buffs! Access more than 30,000 films for free with Kanopy. Watch award-winning documentaries and acclaimed films, rare and hard-to-find titles, must-see classic films, Canadian cinema selections, and an array of foreign language films.

13. Book clubs are a great way to meet and create lasting connections with people who have similar reading interests to you. Start a new book club or take your existing one to the next level these free resources.

14. Read thousands of popular newspapers, including local and international newspapers in multiple languages, with PressReader. Read on your browser or mobile device… no more ink-stained fingers for you!