An Update on the Library’s Indigenous Initiative

An Update on the Library’s Indigenous Initiative

Drummers perform for the Round Dance in John Dutton Theatre

This past spring, Calgary Public Library launched its Indigenous initiative to address the Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) recommendations and transform Library services to meet the needs of Indigenous communities.

Building Connections and Community Outreach

The Library has been meeting with members of the Indigenous community and building connections and relationships with Indigenous patrons. The Library is a co-partner in Vibrant Communities Calgary’s elders’ pilot project, as well as an active participant in the City of Calgary’s strategy to address TRC recommendations. We hosted elders as part of School's Out All Summer at Forest Lawn Library, and are partnering with the Iniikokaan Centre on speaker events. We’ve also been attending community information sharing sessions, such as the University of Calgary’s launch of their Indigenous Strategy, and hosted a booth and information session at the Treaty 7 Education Conference at Tsuut’ina Nation. We have even hosted a round dance in the John Dutton Theatre!

Provincial and National Library Strategies

The Library is represented on committees at provincial and national levels, bringing about change in how libraries work with Indigenous communities. This work is far reaching, and includes everything from changing catalogue subject headings, which use outdated terminology such as “Indians of North America”, to looking at cultural and ethical protocols around materials and determining how Library staff training and our spaces can better reflect a welcoming environment for Indigenous patrons.

Indigenous Communities Liaison Position

This new role is receiving interest from throughout Canada, as we actively recruit and interview candidates. We want to ensure that the candidate selected for the Indigenous Communities Liaison role is the best fit for both the Library and Indigenous communities.

Indigenous Strategy Committee

A committee of Service Delivery and Service Design staff was formed to share information and help shape the Library’s strategy on building our relationship with Indigenous communities. Committee members include Leslie Adams, Rosemary Griebel, Tomas Jonsson, Jean Ludlam, and Jennifer Mason. Please feel free to share suggestions, ideas or outreach opportunities with committee members.

There is still a lot of work to be done. The Library is very committed to creating an environment that supports and welcomes Indigenous patrons and is inclusive of Indigenous stories, languages, and histories, and actively builds trusting relationships with our Treaty 7 neighbours.

Introducing Carey Lees

Carey Lees hard at work with the community

Carey Lees has been with the Library for over a year, and is currently the Community Outreach Librarian at Forest Lawn Library. Most of her previous experience has been coordinating and facilitating children’s programs for schools and public libraries—and developing a great love for picture books along the way!

Today, Carey’s outreach work involves coordinating the Library’s component of the Integrated School Support Program (ISSP), a prevention-based initiative spearheaded by the Calgary Police Service. The ISSP helps at-risk children at two elementary schools in the Forest Lawn area, providing them with the supports necessary to thrive both academically and socially. As part of the ISSP, Carey is involved with Kids’ Hub, a daily afterschool program at Patrick Airlie School, which the Library runs in collaboration with the YMCA. Throughout the program, Carey has seen significant progress in the students’ social development, particularly in those with special needs and behavioural issues.

Before becoming a Librarian, Carey worked as costumer and seamstress in film, theatre, and dance. One of the most fun (and ridiculous) costumes she has ever made was the mascot for local hot dog shop Tubby Dog—an anthropomorphic hot dog!

Winter Word Fair

Plan now to attend the Library’s second annual Winter Word Fair—our one-stop bookish Christmas shop featuring entertainment, refreshments, and more than 18 unique vendors, including Shelf Life Books, Kensington Art Supply, The Sentry Box, and Uppercase Gallery! Author in Residence Micheline Maylor will be writing custom poems for attendees, and students from ACAD will personalize gifts with their art.

Staff working the event—Winter Word Fair’s “Reading Enthusiasts”—will be kept busy; 250 patrons attended last year, and over 400 are expected to attend this time! Reading Enthusiasts will help patrons discover their reading preferences with games that utilize the four Ps of our We Recommend collection (Plot, Place, Prose, and People). They’ll also be doing reader’s advisory and inspiring patrons’ gift-giving ideas by helping them explore the diverse vendors’ wares.

Everyone is welcome at Winter Word Fair!

Central Library

Thursday, December 1 | 5:00 pm–8:00 pm

New Guidelines for Kids' Screen Time

As you connect with families at our Early Learning Centres and Children’s Libraries, you may have received questions about how much time kids should spend in front of technology. The Library is an excellent resource for connecting families to technology and media, but screen time for children under two is a complicated subject for today’s parents and caregivers. By being up-to-date on the latest research and recommendations involving screen time for children, we have an opportunity to better serve our patrons. With this knowledge, we can not only help our patrons access technology and media, but also help them understand how best to use it. Evidence suggests that children benefit when media is designed and used for learning.

In a recent article, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), noted that abolishing screen time altogether is an unrealistic expectation for most families. Instead of denying children screen time, the AAP recommended that families create a family media plan together, which they can use to establish guidelines for screen time in the home. You can find a family media plan template here, and additional information on Early Learning and technology here.

TIP: The AAP offers this simple advice, which can be easily shared with your patrons: focus on the “Three Cs” (content, context, and child) when choosing children’s media. The recommendation for parents of children aged two to five is to try and limit screen use to one hour per day of high-quality programming.

Breaking News

e-resource Lynda.com added to e-Library!

Lynda.com is a high calibre on-demand video online learning service for all levels of adult learning and expertise for the general public. It offers 4,000+ short format videos featuring industry experts, and provides quick skill updating in the rapidly changing areas of technology, design, web development, as well professional development courses, including leadership, communication, management—a feature that’s so important in today’s Calgary job searches. It even offers voice, banjo & mandolin lessons!

What Patrons Need to Know

Login from the Library website with your Library card and PIN (do not login from the Lynda app or Lynda website). After that, you can create your own profile, bookmark videos, track your courses, and earn certificates for completing “learning paths”. There is no limit on the number of courses you can take. Lynda.com offers closed captioning and variable playback speeds. The Library’s subscription is limited to 150 simultaneous users for the entire system.

Top 5 Lynda.com Videos

• Foundations of Programming: Fundamentals (computer)

• Excel 2013 Essential Training

• HTML Essential Training

• Project Management Fundamentals

• WordPress Essential Training

Need to know more? Collections will be posting Lynda.com FAQs to SharePoint.

Galamania!

On Friday, November 4, the Calgary Public Library Foundation took over the Palliser Hotel for Galamania, the 39th Annual Bob Edwards Award Gala. With a DJ playing rock music from the balcony, the cocktail reception and ballroom fused ‘80s grunge and upscale elegance while immediately identifying the purpose for the evening: raising money for Early Learning Centres at Nose Hill and Shawnessy Libraries.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi opened the evening and kicked off the first round of fundraising, and two wrestlers were on hand to rile up the crowd and represent the battle that divided the room into the “Nose Hill Page Terrors” and the “Shawnessy Spine Breakers.” These two community libraries were participating in a royal rumble to see who could raise the most funding for their own Early Learning Centres. As the lucky winner of two tickets to the event, Cathy Hamilton from Southwood Library was there to witness this literary wrestling match!

Bret “Hitman” Hart

Following dinner, 2016 Award Recipient, Bret “Hitman” Hart inspired guests while speaking about his favourite childhood memories, his rise to fame, and his health struggles. Hart’s passionate, personal keynote address—which included a reflection on how fatherhood has changed his life—brought home the importance of the work the Library undertakes with Calgary’s families.

Hart and emcee W. Brett Wilson were featured as the cover story in Business in Calgary’s November issue, which highlighted their shared support of the Library and included some incredible photos taken at the New Central Library site. You can access the full article here.

As of the time of printing, the total amount raised was still being tallied, but visit bobedwardsaward.ca for the full announcement! Since 2012, the Bob Edwards Gala has raised more than $1,000,000 in support of the Calgary Public Library.

All photos by Rob McMorris Photography

Collections’ Annual Silent Auction

Collections is accepting handcrafted and seasonal items for their Annual Silent Auction! Your donations help your colleagues shop for Christmas gifts and support a worthy cause at the same time. All proceeds from this year’s Silent Auction will go to the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter.

Send your donations to Collections, 5 Floor South, Central Library, Monday–Friday, 8:30 am–4:00 pm, and leave them with Juliana, Winnie, Michelle, Kristin or Jasna. You can drop off any perishable items on December 7 before 11:00 am. Thank you for your generosity in the past and we hope to see you again this year.

Don’t forget to attend Collection’s Annual Silent Auction, December 7, 10:00 am–2:00 pm!

Bill's Book Café

with George Webber

The latest Bill’s Book Café features renowned photographer George Webber and brings book discussion to a new level! Participants are encouraged to read the featured book, Badlands by Robert Kroetsch, and come prepared for a rich and lively conversation. Northwest Calgary communities (and all book lovers) are invited! Let your patrons know to get there early; the first Bill’s Book Café at Quarry Park Library filled up fast, with more than 40 participants.

Lido Pop-up Library

November 20, 2:00 pm.