Most Libraries have community meeting rooms that you can book with your library card. Visit Book a Meeting Space for more information.
Calgary Public Library is piloting new programs and services at libraries across the city, in anticipation of launching them at the new Central Library. This testing helps ensure all our libraries are imaginative and innovative spaces, while simultaneously giving us an opportunity to prepare for our newest building. Here’s a glimpse at some of the features:FurnitureCentral Library will feature 17 different categories of chairs to sit in, with over 2,000 public seats in total! You’ll find lounge chairs for reading, study seating with access to power, chairs of all sizes for children, café chairs, and more — all chosen with flexibility, durability, and accessibility in mind. Chairs, tables, desks, and shelving units have been tried out in libraries across Calgary, including pods at Saddletowne Library. This type of seating is great for small groups, as it’s sound absorbing and includes power outlets.Library SchoolSince March 2018, elementary school students have been coming to Central Library for Cenovus Campus Calgary Library School. At Cenovus Library School, students, their teacher and parent volunteers use the Library as their classroom for a week of hands-on, inquiry learning. Cenovus Library School launches at the new Central Library in November 2018, for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Whether experiencing the hands-on Questionarium, exploring resources in the Calgary’s Story collection, or meeting artists in residence and Library staff experts, students and teachers are sure to be inspired by five floors of story at Central Library.Early Learning CentresCalgary Public Library is excited for our littlest members to explore our newest Early Learning Centre this November. The Library’s 12 Early Learning Centres are vibrant and interactive spaces designed for young children to learn through play. Successful features have been duplicated from one space to the next, while fresh elements are tested at each new centre. At Central Library, the focus will be on full-body play. A full-body play structure was tried out at Crowfoot Library, with the Bird’s Eye View Early Learning Centre. Both centres are designed for kids to climb, crawl, explore, and imagine!Room Booking SoftwareCentral Library features over 30 free bookable meeting rooms for members. They’re perfect for your next book club meeting, study group, or business gathering space. How do you book rooms, you might wonder? In Quarry Park Library, staff and Library members have piloted a new room booking software. The software is simple to use, with a device outside each bookable room. On the device, you can see all upcoming bookings for the day, have the option to complete day-of bookings, and easily unlock the meeting space for your booked time — all with your free Library card.Create SpaceCentral Library will feature a Create Space, a place for community members to collaborate and engage in dialogue with others. The Create Space — tested at Memorial Park and Central libraries — showcases the diversity, originality, and inventiveness of the community. Mad Libs YYC edition, leaving an encouraging coffee sleeve, blackout poetry, and writing on typewriters are a few examples of activities sampled. The Create Space provides members with whimsical and playful experiences, plus community interaction and collaboration. Come create with us at Central Library this fall.
Read more about "Stories 5 new Central Library Features You Can See In Your Local Library"Calgary Public Library is piloting new programs and services at libraries across the city, in anticipation of launching them at the new Central Library. This testing helps ensure all our libraries are imaginative and innovative spaces, while simultaneously giving us an opportunity to prepare for our newest building. Here’s a glimpse at some of the features:FurnitureCentral Library will feature 17 different categories of chairs to sit in, with over 2,000 public seats in total! You’ll find lounge chairs for reading, study seating with access to power, chairs of all sizes for children, café chairs, and more — all chosen with flexibility, durability, and accessibility in mind. Chairs, tables, desks, and shelving units have been tried out in libraries across Calgary, including pods at Saddletowne Library. This type of seating is great for small groups, as it’s sound absorbing and includes power outlets.Library SchoolSince March 2018, elementary school students have been coming to Central Library for Cenovus Campus Calgary Library School. At Cenovus Library School, students, their teacher and parent volunteers use the Library as their classroom for a week of hands-on, inquiry learning. Cenovus Library School launches at the new Central Library in November 2018, for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Whether experiencing the hands-on Questionarium, exploring resources in the Calgary’s Story collection, or meeting artists in residence and Library staff experts, students and teachers are sure to be inspired by five floors of story at Central Library.Early Learning CentresCalgary Public Library is excited for our littlest members to explore our newest Early Learning Centre this November. The Library’s 12 Early Learning Centres are vibrant and interactive spaces designed for young children to learn through play. Successful features have been duplicated from one space to the next, while fresh elements are tested at each new centre. At Central Library, the focus will be on full-body play. A full-body play structure was tried out at Crowfoot Library, with the Bird’s Eye View Early Learning Centre. Both centres are designed for kids to climb, crawl, explore, and imagine!Room Booking SoftwareCentral Library features over 30 free bookable meeting rooms for members. They’re perfect for your next book club meeting, study group, or business gathering space. How do you book rooms, you might wonder? In Quarry Park Library, staff and Library members have piloted a new room booking software. The software is simple to use, with a device outside each bookable room. On the device, you can see all upcoming bookings for the day, have the option to complete day-of bookings, and easily unlock the meeting space for your booked time — all with your free Library card.Create SpaceCentral Library will feature a Create Space, a place for community members to collaborate and engage in dialogue with others. The Create Space — tested at Memorial Park and Central libraries — showcases the diversity, originality, and inventiveness of the community. Mad Libs YYC edition, leaving an encouraging coffee sleeve, blackout poetry, and writing on typewriters are a few examples of activities sampled. The Create Space provides members with whimsical and playful experiences, plus community interaction and collaboration. Come create with us at Central Library this fall.
Read more about "Stories 5 new Central Library Features You Can See In Your Local Library"The BMO Financial Community Room offers Calgarians a space to collaborate and share ideas. This free meeting room boasts seating for 80, and is the perfect place to host your community club, training sessions, or team building.
Read more about "From street level, you can see Library programming in the Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall."I am a wildfire evacuee currently sheltering in Calgary Calgary Public Library is providing complimentary, non-resident memberships to anyone currently sheltering in Calgary after being evacuated from the wildfires . Non-resident memberships offer access to item borrowing and placing holds on items, printing, internet, room booking, and Library programs. Non-resident memberships expire after one year. Call Library Hotline at 403.260.2600 or visit any Library location to get your free, non-resident membership.
Read more about "I am a wildfire evacuee currently sheltering in Calgary"The main entrance opens into the Shaikh Family Welcome Gallery, a versatile and breathtaking space for large-scale special events, celebrations, and after-hours private bookings. Unfortunately, we are unable to host weddings at the Library.
Read more about "Shaikh Family Welcome Gallery"Gather with your peers to share
Read more about "Meeting rooms are available to book at most libraries"Read a collection of children's books written by local Indigenous authors.
Read more about "Treaty 7 Language Books"Give your creativity a boost at Central Library. Your free membership gives you access to bookable studios for audio and video recording, creative multimedia editing, and green screen filming.As a precaution to help limit the spread of COVID-19, creative studio booking is currently paused. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your ongoing support.
Read more about "Are you the next big YouTube, IGTV, or podcast creator? "The Michael Green Green Room is a testament to the legacy of the co-founder of One Yellow Rabbit Theatre. Michael Green (1957 – 2015) was a driving force and visionary for Calgary’s arts community. The green room where speakers and performers prepare prior to entering the Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall has been named in his honour.
Read more about "The Michael Green Green Room is a testament to the legacy of the co-founder of One Yellow Rabbit Theatre."Rowena Liu-Poon has been practicing tai chi for over 25 years. Now retired from her work at a post-secondary library, she uses a free meeting room at Nicholls Family Library to teach a free tai chi class. “I can share my interests, I can pass on what I’ve learned about tai chi to my students, and hopefully I am able to make a contribution,” Rowena says. “It’s a great way for me to stay connected with the community in my retirement years.”We want to know how the Library has made a difference in your life. Submit your own Library Story online.
Read more about "Stories 'I can share my interests' Rowena Liu-Poon uses meeting room space as part of her Library Story"Memorial Park Library has a free music practice room. Our practice space can comfortably accommodate two musicians and you can book the practice room twice per week, up to two hours each time.
Read more about "Need a place to practice?"Available Library Services Browsing physical collections Printing and copying* Wi-Fi Desktop and Chromebook access* Study space* Public meeting room bookings at select locations Eating and drinking in public areas Indoor seating for groups Interior book returns and exterior return chutes Early Learning Centres and access to small toys Wellness Desk Third-party poster displays Third party events *All locations except Rocky Ridge
Read more about "Available Library Services"Read a collection of children's books written by local Indigenous authors.
Read more about "Treaty 7 Language Books"Everyone deserves to feel the love on Valentine's Day, but what about every book? We were wondering which materials in our collection might be feeling a little left out on this special day. One particular read, Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac, hadn’t been taken off the shelf in a long while. We couldn’t let this phenomenal read continue to gather dust, so we did what any bibliophile would do. We signed it out for the day and took it on a Valentine’s Day adventure it would never forget!Here's what we got up to on our date with our loneliest Library book.We signed out this read from Alberta’s oldest Library, Memorial Park. Initially, we could see why someone might be hesitant to take this book out on a date. A tale of catastrophe, hatred, and revenge, Cousin Bette doesn’t come across as the most compassionate companion. Could we trust this book to not break our hearts? Well, you know what they say — nothing ventured, nothing gained. We’ve been scorned by many a cliffhanger and plot twist in the past, but we couldn’t let our hopes be dashed and give up on finding our one true book love.We spent some time getting to know each other in the Create Space, checking out all the community crafts and engaging games together. Then we played a couple of board games – Bette’s big vocabulary came in handy when we brought out the Scrabble board.It turns out this classic tale is a fan of classical music, so we signed out a few of the available instruments in the Library’s music practice room and serenaded them.As a token of our affection, we offered Cousin Bette a rose. They promised to treasure it always, even though a rose is not a bookmark.We ended our day with a tour of Central Library, sipping on hot chocolate from the café on the second floor. We could have read Bette for hours in the cozy reading nooks throughout the building.But like all good dates, this too had to come to an end. We walked Cousin Bette to the Central Library book return, knowing Library staff would make sure they got back home to Memorial Park Library safely. They gave us their ISBN number in case we ever wanted to hang out again. Speaking for ourselves, we’d be into a second borrow.Want to romance a book of your own this Valentine’s Day? Search for your perfect match among staff-curated lists on Library shelves, and on Libby.
Read more about "Stories The Loneliest Library Book"Elders are available for drop-in discussions at the Elders' Guidance Circle during the dates and times listed. Visitors are not guaranteed a private visit during drop-in hours, so we recommend booking a meeting if you have a specific request.
Read more about "November open office hours with the Elders"