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!
Join us at the Central library on Saturday April 17th, for a festival of all things green. We’ll have retailers, businesses and non-profits. We’ll have artists, poets, and green “improv”! We’ll have an art show (with cash prizes) and a keynote speaker – CBC’s Bob McDonald. If it’s green, it’ll be at Ecopalooza! Join free programs and workshops throughout the day and be inspired by local groups and organizations, making a difference here in Calgary.
For more information about Ecopalooza, check out our event on Facebook.
Or, contact Katherine Anderson or Patrick Mealey, for more information.
Katherine.anderson@calgarypubliclibrary.com (403) 260-2782
Patrick.mealey@calgarypubliclibrary.com (403) 221-2091
Have a Nietzsche Day!
Frederic Nietzsche is one of the most famous 19th century philosophers. He is concerned with objectivity and truth, morality and Christianity, freedom and power, and much more. Are you ready to cast off the “slave morality” that binds you? Can you conceive of a world wherein tragedy is an affirmative power?
Browse the philosophy section of your local library branch, and have a Nietzsche day!
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A recent CBC news article caught my attention, because of this staggering, sobering statistic: every hour, for the forseeable future, 20 people will be diagnosed with diabetes.
Whether you’re concerned about preventing or managing diabetes, check out the Calgary Public Library’s collections – both print and digital. Our cookery section has a huge range of books; our health and wellness section has information about the body, fitness, medications, and treatments. From home, access our e-library for a huge range of articles from encyclopedias, magazines, and authoritative medical journals.
Your doctor is not your only source of information! Empower yourself by making a trip to your local library!
At my favourite thrift store last year, I was beckoned by a T-Shirt featuring a shamrock and boldly declaring: “Kiss me, I’m Irish”. I knew that I had to have it! I also knew that it would lay in wait for almost a year, until March 17th, whereupon I could unearth it and wear it proudly – if only for a few short hours.
But, what is the significance of the shamrock? Who is St. Patrick and why is he celebrated? For the answers to these questions, I turned to one of my favourite databases, World Folklore and Folklife Today.
Is there a custom, festival, mythological character, celebration or folktale that you’d like to know more about? Would you like to impress your friends with your extensive knowledge of Irish history and lore – (over a pint of green beer, of course)?
Use this wonderfully comprehensive database to find out more!
From our e-library, select Social Sciences and Education. From there, select World Folklore and Folklife Today. Browse by subject, geographical region or folktale and you’ll find that you’ve got access to hundreds of full length books!
Cheers!
For the vast majority of human history, the availability of light controlled our daily activities. Obviously, you can’t chop wood in the dark! But with the advent of electricity, we’ve been able to stretch our days, and carry out our business on our time, rather than the Sun’s. That progress is all well and good, until you consider how much electricity is used daily, just to keep lights on – even when they don’t need to be. On March 27, at 8:30 PM, participate in Earth Hour and turn off your lights!
Earth Hour is celebrated all around the world! If you’ve never participated, let 2010 be your first year!
Check out the Earth Hour website, for more information.
Want to get an idea of just how much electricity you're using? Visit your local library branch and borrow a kill-a-watt meter.
The Calgary Public Library is pleased to offer Career Tours to our customers. Spend between an hour and an hour and a half with us, and you’ll soon see how many different books, CDs, DVDs, databases and other tools we have to assist you in your job search. During these Career Tours, we always make sure to mention the importance of networking. Joining clubs and associations, attending conferences and tradeshows, and just simply “getting out there” is paramount. If you need some tips, why not browse our catalogue for “networking”? Additionally, why not join us at the Central Library on March 20, for a program about networking? The program will be led by professional career practitioners from Bow Valley College's Career Connection. Register here!
Even though it’s been thousands of years since he lived (or did he?), Jesus remains one of the most intriguing and influential - (dare I say “controversial”?) - figures in Western history. Nearly every aspect of his life has been debated – from whether he lived at all, to what his spiritual, moral, political and theological beliefs may have been. Is “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” really the case, or was Jesus more of a radical figure?
Browse our catalogue for books about Jesus. You don’t need to have a devotional stance towards Jesus to find him fascinating. Read about Jesus because the art, architecture and icons created in his honour are simply beautiful. Read about him because the history of the Western world has been so strongly influenced by Christianity. Or, read for my favourite reason: because the story of a dying and rising god is as old as ancient Egypt!
There’s a whole lot more to the Jesus story than loaf splitting!
Check out our catalogue today!
Did you know that the Calgary Public Library offers Career Tours? For about 75 minutes, groups or individuals can come to the third floor of the Central Library and learn about the books, CDs, DVDs, databases and other tools we have, to assist in searching for jobs. Many people don’t realize the wealth of information that can be found here. We have the city’s largest collection of career-related materials, encompassing self-assessment tools, occupational profiles, business directories, and much more!
If you’d like to arrange for a Career Tour, please call (403) 260-2782 for more information. Additionally, why not check out our Careers and Employment Resources blog? Here you'll find information about upcoming programs and new career books.
Good luck in your search!
You are now reading the 100th post on the Slice of Calgary blog. This seems as good a time as any to say thank you for reading! Slice of Calgary strives to bring you information about all sorts of interesting events – both in the Calgary Public Library, and in our city, at large. Keep reading for new book reviews, and information about our favourite databases, too!
Given how common break-ups are, it’s no surprise that several of my relatives are divorced. In fact, in my family, the one marriage that has survived the longest isn’t really a marriage per se, but a 30 year, common law relationship.
If you’re considering "shacking up" without getting married first (or at all!), then join staff from Calgary Legal Guidance for an overview of the rights and obligations of common law partners. Common law arrangements have implications for children, housing, property, and even wills and estates. Why not learn more, and have your questions answered?
Register now, for this free program, taking place on the evening of March 3!
Calling all artists and creators! If you work with recycled, found, reclaimed or second-hand materials, the Calgary Public Library wants to hear from you! On April 17th, we’ll be hosting Ecopalooza, a one day festival of all things green. Art, fashion, science and business – if it’s green it’ll be at Ecoplalooza! An important component of the festival will be an art show and competition. If you’d like to display your work, please contact katherine.anderson@calgarypubliclibrary.com for more information. If you’re a Facebook user, why not check out our event listing?
There will be cash prizes for first, second and third place winners, so get crafting, building, making and recycling!
I love the women in my family! They are educated and hard working, they travel, they are wonderful mothers and aunts, and above all, they have left me a legacy of independence. I was raised knowing that I could do anything I wanted – regardless of my gender – and I still believe it. This year, when I celebrate International Women’s Day, I’ll think about the women in my family who paved the way for me.
Celebrate International Women’s Day at the Calgary Public Library! Join us for a free catered lunch and a panel discussion about women, success and equality. There’s still time to register, so don’t miss this unique event!
For more information, please see the following:
International Women’s Day at Calgary Public Library
In the Western world, humans are typically thought of as being tripartite – having discrete minds, bodies and spirits. Many spiritual and even philosophical traditions regard humans in this way. Here at the Central library, we’re celebrating wellness with an entire weekend dedicated to programs for your mind, body and spirit.
Join us on March 6th and 7th, for programs about yoga, birth, reiki, meditation, Buddhism and much more! Last year these programs were very popular, so register today! For more information, see our program guide.
Is your vocabulary lackluster? Do you long to pepper your conversation with multisyllabic declarations of your intelligence? One of the best ways to learn or study English without really studying it is to read. Reading introduces you to new vocabulary, while allowing you to practice the grammar you already know. We also know that reading is especially important for children. When young, children learn to read. But soon enough, that dynamic changes and for the remainder of their lives, they will read to learn. Start your children off on the right foot by registering them in our storytime programs. Whether infants, toddlers or pre-schoolers, all children can benefit from exposure to books, reading, stories, rhymes and songs.
Check out our program guide for storytime dates and locations!
How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? Have you – like most - veered off course? If you need a source of motivation, check out One Year to an Organized Financial Life, by Regina Leeds.
There are some books that pepper good advice with hokey anecdotes. This isn’t one of them. Instead, every page – really, every page! – includes several sensible, practical tips. One could certainly follow it week by week, but there’s no need. It’s organized so that anyone can readily find relevant information, whether it’s as basic as evaluating your relationship with money, or as complex as playing the stock market.
One Year to an Organized Financial Life is simple, straightforward, and packed (and I use that term deliberately!) with useful information. No pictures, anecdotes, or “filler” material. Check it out today!
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