by Barbara Green
“Libraries aren’t the quiet study places they used to be,” according to Keitha Langston, who became Louise Riley’s librarian in August. Speaking to a “Let’s Talk” session at the community hall, she described the new role of libraries as places for people to gather and for lifelong learning of all kinds, not just book learning.
And she didn’t “shush” us once.
“The thing that shocked me most when I came to work here was the vast number of programs – it’s bananas!” she said. Louise Riley Library delivered 659 programs last year, including kids’ story hours, reading, and English language help for kids and adults, and even tech support.
“You can come in every Tuesday morning to get help with whatever device you have,” she said.
And you won’t be alone. Our “small but mighty” local library was the site of 260,000 visits last year. Langston said our library’s visitors’ tastes skew toward literary items, with 75% of patrons having post-secondary education.
But the early learners are also well represented. Our library was named after a local children’s librarian and author, and programs for children have always been a strong focus here. Recently, a family made a donation to the library earmarked for the children’s area at Louise Riley, so expect renovations in the next year or two. Langston said the library typically doesn’t close during renovation, but “it may get messy.”
If you haven’t checked out the library in person or online lately, there’s more that might surprise you:
• Memberships are free and don’t expire.
• Your library card is loaded with $5 worth of printing each month (10 cents per page black and white, 20 cents colour).
• No late fees.
• Access to job search help, language learning, physical and mental wellness support.
• Borrow more than books, movies, and music – everything from laptops to musical instruments.
Of course, you don’t have to walk into a library to access its resources – check out the CPL’s Digital Library, including Kanopy for streaming movies and Libby for digital and audiobooks, plus a wide range of video tutorials, newspapers, and magazines.
And if you can’t find the answer online yourself, call the library hotline: 403-260-2600.
“Let’s Talk” is an opportunity to get together with neighbours and learn about a wide variety of topics. Join us in the community hall boardroom the second Tuesday of each month at 2:00 pm.
Click here to the Briar Hill Community News home page for the latest Briar Hill community updates.
Click here to the Hounsfield Heights-Briar Hill Community News home page for the latest Hounsfield Heights-Briar Hill community updates.
