On April 8th, 2011 the Calgary Public Library held an annual Volunteer Recognition Event to celebrate the contributions of our wonderful Library Volunteers.  Below are a few clips of our event for your enjoyment.

Alisha Kurji speaking on behalf of our youth volunteers:

Mika, Maddie and Laurie Jarratt, volunteers in the Story Pals program:

Arlie Ring, John Dutton Volunteer of the Year Award Winner:

We hope you enjoyed our videos!

Top Row, From Left to Right: Ellen Humphries Deputy CEO of the Calgary Public Library, Deirdre Harris Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Calgary Public Library Board, Peter Li, Chithra Sekar, Sylvia Moore, Dhruhi Shah, Clara Wylie, Lidia Bomba-Sorbo, Arlie Ring, Clara Galvan and Gerry Meek CEO of the Calgary Public Library.

Bottom Row, From Left to Right: Chaitanya Gandhi, Alfredo Albornoz, Arturo Gutierrez, Phil Cresswell.

Congratulations to all the Library Volunteer Award Winners

Library Volunteer Award Winners

Career Coaching - Lidia Bomba-Sorbo

Computer Buddies – Chaitanya Gandhi

Computer Technology – Chithra Sekar

CyberSeniors Connect – Dhruhi Shah

ESL Conversation Club – Elizabeth Smith

ESL Teen Talk – Peter Li

Homebound Readers – Mary James

Homework Help – Anitra Halliday

Living Library – TD Sparks

Libraries in Residence – Clara Wylie

TD Read With Me – Nicole Kiefuik

Reading Advantage – Shelley Fisher

Reading Buddies – Krishnan Hariharan

Spanish Conversation Club – Alfredo Albornoz, Arturo Gutierrez & Clara Galvan

Family Award - Sylvia Moore and Phil Cresswell

Story Pals-Lori, Mika, Maddie Jarratt

John Dutton Volunteer of the Year Award Winner

Arlie Ring

We had over 550 staff, volunteers, family, and friends celebrate our volunteers on April 8^th, 2010 in the John Dutton Theatre at the Central Library.

Our volunteering dogs stole the hearts of our attendees with their story of volunteerism in the Story Pals program. Story Pals is a program offered in collaboration from the Calgary Public Library and the Pet Access League Society (PALS) which gives children struggling with reading a chance to practice reading out loud to a canine companion in the library.

Congratulations to our Volunteer Award Winners for 2010:

25 Years of Service- Robert High

Career Coaching- Janeen Scott

Computer Buddies- Julia Schade

Computer Technology- Liela Chan and Peggy Jubien

ESL Conversation Club- Barry Simpkins

Homebound Readers- Carol Sinclair

Homework Help- Kim Koch

Libraries in Residence- Nellie Wojtaszek

TD Read With Me- Joan Buhr

Reading Advantage-Fiona Pinnel

Reading Buddies- Charanpreet Gill

Spanish Conversation Club-William Jiménez

Family Award- Carlos Vidal Wu and Susana Lui Colan

John Dutton Volunteer of the Year:

Gloria Rasmussen

Gerry Meek, CEO of Calgary Public Library, with Gloria Rasmussen and Jamie Niessen, Chair of the Calgary Public Library Board.

Calgary Public Library is proud to announce that it is the recipient of the 2009 Literacy Alberta "Award of Excellence" in the organizations category.

This award recognizes the oustanding contribution in the advancement of literacy in Alberta and will be presented at the Provincial Literacy Symposium Banquet on October 23rd in Red Deer. Calgary Public Library is receiving the award on the strength of all our literacy programs for adults and children including programs for:

• Reading
• Writing
• Technology
• English Skills
• Cultural Literacy

We would like to thank our volunteers for your hard work and enthusiasm in making our literacy programs so successful, and for sharing your stories of success.

In the words of our learners and their families:

• "Now, I realize there's no limit to what I can learn. If you want it badly, anything is possible."
• "My daughter looked forward to going every week and seeing her buddy, learning and reading new materials."
• "This program has made it easier for me to have confidence in and out of school organized situations."
• "Now I can see my dreams coming true."

We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the recognition of the Reading Advantage program at the Calgary Public Library by the Canadian Council on Learning's Sharing the Flame program.

Sharing the Flame recognizes excellence in programs which celebrate innovative and effective learning practices. We are proud and honoured to be recognized. Thank-you to both our stellar volunteers and participants for making the program what it is.

Congratulations Reading Advantage!

The Urban Leadership Awards program honours Canadian individuals, groups, and organizations that have made significant contributions to improving the quality of life in Canada’s cities and urban regions.

This year, the judges awarded the 1600 volunteers at Calgary’s 17 public library locations the Canadian Urban Institute’s 2009 Local Hero Award – for our volunteers’ steadfast dedication to literacy and learning. Calgary Public Library’s Director Gerry Meek accepted the award on behalf of volunteers in Toronto on June 5, 2009.

“It’s a powerful statement when one of the services a city provides is so valued that citizens enrich it with their own talent and time,” stated CUI President and CEO Glen Murray.

Our volunteers help children read, new Canadians practice their English, seniors use computers, and deliver books to those in residence. To Ellen Humphrey, Assistant Director of Customer Services, the award evidences the cultural diversity of CPL’s volunteer program: our volunteers speak more than 30 different languages, hail from various age and social demographics, contribute countless hours to their communities, and even include a few highly-socialized dogs.

Community Services, and the Calgary Public Library at large, are extremely proud of our volunteers. Congratulations everyone, thank-you for your tremendous contributions.