Slice of Calgary
Cultural events, library resources, book reviews and more! Find out what's going on in your community, your city and your library!
There’s nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread. Except, of course, eating the bread! But for hundreds of thousands of Canadians, noshing on the nearest loaf isn’t always an option. Gluten intolerance requires many people to give up bread, baked goods, pasta, and a host of other (why-even-get-out-of-bed-if-I-can’t-have-them?) foods.
If you’re someone who has to avoid gluten, then take heart - we’ve got a special treat for you! In fact, this program is for diabetics and vegetarians, too! Come one, come all!
On September 25th, from 11 - 12 PM, join Brian Hinton of Lakeview Bakery, as he shares tips and tricks to help you bake for celiacs, diabetics, and vegetarians.
Discover a new "flour power" and a whole lot more at our Food is Life Weekend!
Register for programs online, by calling (403)260-2600, or by visiting your nearest branch.
If you’ve never tried Tai Chi, then join us on September 20th, for a 90 minute introduction to this gentle practice, fostering natural good health and well being. Accredited instructors from the Taoist Tai Chi Society will lead the program.
Register for this free program and tons of others either online, in the branch nearest you, or by calling (403)260-2600.
And if you can’t attend the program, why not borrow a Tai Chi DVD from your local library branch?
Catalogue
You don’t have to wait until January to make resolutions. Make them in September!
Attend the Food is Life Weekend, September 25 - 26, and get inspired to nourish and care for your body by feeding it well. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re interested in raw food, slow food, gardening, special diets, or food trends.
A variety of one hour sessions makes it easy for you to attend what's of interest to you. John Gilchrist, Community Natural Foods, Slow Food Calgary, the Calgary Horticultural Society, Leaf & Lyre Urban Farms and Blue Mountain Biodynamic Farms are just some of the many folks who will be facilitating our awesome line-up of programs.
Register for programs in any branch, online, or by calling (403)260-2600.
Every year, in every high school, a girl will attend her prom with a gay date. Well, I was that girl, and my date was - and still is - a dear friend of mine. This post is for you, Joseph!
On September 5, celebrate diversity by marching in Calgary’s Gay Pride parade! Whether you’re gay or not, come downtown and show your support for equality, freedom, and choice.
Although drag queens and other colourful characters give the parade an air of frivolity, participating is actually a political act. Get “beglittered”, dig up that old feather boa, and then show your government, your neighbours, and your children that you believe relationships and families come in many wonderful forms.
For more information about the festivities, visit the Pride Calgary website.
Additionally, visit your local library! We have books to help gay couples improve their sex lives; books to help parents understand their gay children; books about the history of the gay rights movement. We also subscribe to several local GLBTQ magazines.
Don’t be shy about borrowing these materials. After all, some of our staff members are gay!
On September 14, join us at the Fish Creek branch for "Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride".
Happy Pride, to one and all!
Although we typically think that “idiots” are individuals who suffer from an excess of stupidity, the original meaning of the term was a bit different. In ancient Greece, an idiot was a person who failed to involve himself in civic affairs.
With Calgary’s civic election on the not-too-distant horizon, it’s more important now than ever to avoid being an idiot. And your Calgary Public Library is here to help!
- Let our information desk staff help you determine which ward you live within.
- Attend an All Candidates Forum at a branch near you (stay tuned for details…).
- Gather information about your fair city. The 3rd floor of the Central Library is chock full of current statistics and government documents.
- Read Calgary’s daily newspapers online! Your CPL card is your subscription to both the Herald and the Sun, so there’s no excuse for not knowing your candidates’ platforms.
- Check out our Best Websites for links to our favourite online sources of information.
In terms of protecting democratic societies, the public library is a crucial institution. We’re affordable and egalitarian. We celebrate diversity in both people and ideas. We invite you to use your library and to vote for the mayoral candidate of your choice.
If you’re reading this blog, then chances are you’re already fairly proficient with the computer. But, you may know someone who needs assistance with sending e-mail, formatting a resume, or using MS Office Suite.
The Central Library is pleased to announce a new weekly drop-in program called Computer Technology Coaching.
Each Thursday night, on the 3rd floor of the Central Library, a volunteer will be available to provide one-on-one assistance. No registration is required.
Join us from 6 – 7:45 and start formatting, attaching, e-mailing, uploading, and more!
This post is dedicated to my new friend, Nene.
When I reached the train station one morning last week, I heard someone calling my name. It was a woman, Nene, who had attended a Career Tour that I had led the day before.
Normally, I dread running into people first thing in the morning, because I am not a morning person, and it seems like a prison sentence to have to ride the train and make a half hour’s worth of small-talk.
Nevertheless, I sat and talked with Nene.
Nene is from Nigeria. She’s married to a doctor, has three children, and speaks 4 languages.
When I heard her use the word “imbibe”, I was curious.
“Nene, how long have you been speaking English? Your vocabulary is really impressive!”
“I grew up speaking English in school. Nigeria was colonized by the British, you know. And, of course, there’s so much business there because of oil. People from around the world come for the oil. It’s kind of like Alberta, actually.”
How much do you know about Africa? Find out more and celebrate Afrikadey by making a trip to your local library. We’ve got African music and cookbooks; books about African art and jewelry; maps, pictures, videos, guidebooks, and more!
Attend Things Fall Apart, and the festivities on Prince’s Island Park.
A Handbook for Living? And, it’s only 150 pages long?
WOW is a neat, deceptively simple little book. It’s full of considered, insightful advice, and yet reading it is effortless. WOW is self-help in its purest form - no anecdotes, personal reflections, or longwinded passages. In fact, WOW is very sparsely written, and really gives the reader a sense of breathing room. Sometimes you'll find an entire page devoted to just one sentence or a black and white picture, and really, this ought to be the case. Why clutter our minds any more than we need to? If you find yourself feeling bored, unenthused, or just “OK”, then pick up this book and get inspired to achieve something. Or have a good cry. Or set a goal. Or tell someone the truth.
WOW is available at your Calgary Public Library.
Catalogue
August 11th or 12th (depending on one's location) marks the beginning of Ramadan, a religious festival in which millions of Muslims across the world will take part.
Visit your local library branch and learn more!
What do Muslims believe in? Why do Muslims fast? What’s the connection between Ramadan and the Hajj?
The Calgary Public Library has sacred books (like the Koran), as well as a wide variety of commentaries about Islam and issues in the “Muslim world” – if such a thing can be said to exist. We’ve got current statistics and magazines about Islam, too. Or, check out books about Islamic architecture (gorgeous!), or listen to music by Muslim artists.
Check out your local library and learn more about Islam, and every other subject you're interested in!
Read last year's Ramadan post
One of the reasons I love working at a library is that I get exposure to musicians I may never otherwise have listened to. Here’s what’s on my iPod these days:
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings’ I Learned the Hard Way
I love this album! You can hardly tell which decade it was produced in! Give it a listen if you love Motown, soul, or anything that sounds like Mark Ronson produced it.
Never heard of the Dap Kings? Well, you’ve probably already heard their music! They played on Amy Winehouse’s Rehab.
Check out the Dap Kings and tons of other artists at your local library branch!
Here at the Calgary Public Library, it’s our pleasure to answer millions(!) of your questions every year. Some are easy, and others require a whole lot of collective noodle scratching.
One place that we always make sure we search is our own list of best websites.
Our expert librarians have compiled a list of websites that are reputable, current, authoritative, and free to use. As well, we’ve “tagged” the websites with a number of keyword descriptors, so that you can search the list easily, and intuitively.
If you’ve got a question about business, careers, health, or any other topic, check out the websites that we’ve compiled for you.
From our homepage, select e-library, and then the red hyperlink named “Best Websites”. Search by tag bundles on the right hand side.
If you like what you see, you’ll be glad to know that you can store your own favourites online, just like we do. Check out the website, Delicious, and start storing your favourite websites remotely.
Here at the Calgary Public Library, we’ve got everything you need to get into the Stampede spirit!
Music! Bluegrass, Country and Western, Folk and more!
History! Our Local History Room is a wonderful resource for all things related to Calgary’s history – including the Stampede!
Food! Tons of cookbooks to inspire your grilling and BBQ-ing!
Stories! Bring your little ones to a Stampede Storytime, or join an author reading for adults.
There’s always something going on at your local library branch. Check us out today!
If you’ve been cheering for the Orange team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, then make a trip to your local library branch and learn more about Holland and all things Dutch.
We’ve got resources about Dutch people, history, food, culture, and language.
What percentage of Dutch women ride their bikes to work? What are some common Dutch greetings? Is it true that pot is legal in Holland? Where does the expression “go Dutch” come from? Answer these and other pressing questions by asking any one of our friendly reference staff!
Hup! Hup!
What a country! We’ve got water and wood and diamonds, and people from every corner of the earth.
We’re liberal and friendly and funny and free!
Make a trip to your local library and learn about all that surrounds you, here at home.
Borrow a guidebook and plan a hike in glorious Kananaskis country.
Join a free program about Canada’s immigration law.
Get lost in great Canadian fiction.
Check out the Canadian content on our e-library.
There’s so much to discover about our country! Start at the Calgary Public Library!
Browse through the “religion” section of a big box bookstore, and you’ll find that the majority of titles are about Christianity and Jesus. There may be a few about Buddhism, but I’m willing to bet there’ll be practically nothing about Hinduism, Jainism, cults, Paganism and those “other” belief systems.
The library can be superior to bookstores because we have a mandate to stock what the public wants to read about, not to stock what sells.
Browse our “religion” section, and you’ll find books about every belief system under the sun. Eastern and Western, old and new, popular and fringe movements – they’re all here! We’ve got sacred books like the Bible, Koran, and Upanishads, and we’ve got a wide range of scholarly commentary about each one. We’ve got lots about atheism, too – published long before the days of “Dawkins-Dennett-Harris-Hitchens” mania. Some of our textbooks are the same ones used in introductory university classes.
If you’re looking for “the way”, then walk right past that bookstore, and come on in to your local library branch!
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