Olive Hanen

I was born in Calgary in 1927.

When I was 8 years old my mother, sister Evelyn and I moved into a very old house, where we shared one room on the top floor. We had no radio, no books, no playground.

We lived two blocks from Memorial Park Library, and every evening my mother took us walking and we always spent time in the beautiful library.

Imagine our joy, all those books! I read for hours, my sister and I found it hard to leave the library and return to that room.

Now I'm 80 years old. Imagine my joy at my library: all the books, tapes, movies, music and CD's are mine to take home. What a gift.

No need to settle for TV. I have the best kind of entertainment every evening, and all because of my library card. It's a gift everyone can give themselves.

I made up this slogan: Invest in your library. You'll be surprised at what you can learn.

Rose von Schilling

As a child, the highlight of my Saturday was going to the library with my father. I would be allowed to choose the books I wanted to have read to me, and after I learned to read, I could choose books that I would get to read all by myself.

I loved the library – the smell of the books, the muted sounds, and the funny cards with the holes punched in them tucked in the slots at the front of the books.

Those long-ago trips to the library sparked and kindled a life-long love of books and reading. I have been a proud patron of libraries all over the West and in Northern Canada, and was even lucky enough to work in one for while. The word “patron” to me has a special significance – it speaks to the fact that libraries are supported by, and belong to, all of us.

Adam Legge

The library is a place of beginnings. Beginnings of greatness. Beginnings of excellence. It is incredible to think of all the beginnings that happen in the library. Beginnings lead to many things – literacy; passions; hobbies; action; settlement; inspiration; engagement; education and citizenship.

For me, the library was the beginning of a love of reading. As a child, going to the library was the source of much excitement. Heading to the children’s section, I was met with dozens, if not hundreds of possibilities – stories, pictures, new worlds and new freedoms. I see this love now reborn and reflected in my two children. Both have a love of reading and of learning. They love going to the library. There is no time that isn’t the right time for a book. The library fuels that love and interest.

But I think what is so inspirational, so powerful about the library is what it means as a community building institution. It may be an entrepreneur looking to research the beginnings of their business ideas, the beginnings of a hope and a dream that they have for themselves. It may be a new Calgarian looking to help themselves settle in the community. Or it may be learning and educating oneself in order to be a more active and engaged citizen. Ultimately it is a place where so much begins. And with beginnings we create possibility.

Leslie Burrows

Trips to the local library were a huge part of my life growing up. When we moved to our new home there wasn't a library nearby, so I looked forward to the weekly visit from the bookmobile. It was natural for me to begin that same love of reading with my boys.

As my boys got older, the tote bag has became a basket and now it's a laundry basket being hauled by a luggage carrier. We check out so many items that I can no longer carry everything.

My boys love going to the library as much as I do... maybe more. I love seeing them get excited about the prospect of picking out new books, movies, music. Books fill our life and we use them as part of our evening ritual to wind down before bed. This has evolved into a tradition of cuddling and reading. The boys remind us when it's time to read books. Now I get to be read to by my oldest. I love it!

Margaret Belcourt

Once upon a time there was a young child who walked into a library curious and walked out inspired.

This is the story for tens of thousands of school students in Calgary who have benefited from public libraries in our city for the past 100 years.

The Calgary Catholic School District now serves over 44,000 students who, in addition to using our school libraries, can enjoy the public libraries in their communities for continued enrichment, lifelong learning and the simple joy of reading.

By providing universal access to resources, Calgary Public Library offers a supportive, educational environment which has influenced generations of young people and continues to stir imaginations, build knowledge, enrich lives and enhance communities.