CALGARY- New look. No membership fees and more selection. Those are some of the key changes Calgary’s Public Library has made in their New Year’s resolution.
Calgary Public Library’s new identity was revealed Friday. Providing roughly 240,000 sq. ft. of usable library space, the ‘New Central Library’ will have a collection of more than 600,000 books and specially designed space for programs and technology.
Construction is underway in Calgary’s East Village with the opening slated for 2018.
The library has also increased the number of e-books, free movies, music apps and no longer has room rental fees.
The new initiative by Calgary’s Public Library is a drive to double its memberships to 800,000 by the end of 2015.
Calgarians can register for a free membership online or on their mobile devices.
Bill Ptacek, the Chief Executive Officer of Calgary Public Library says the extensive service and system changes in progress is an effort to make the library the world’s best.
“Today’s Calgary Public Library is our city’s learning hub and an engine for economic vitality and workforce development,” Ptacek said. “But more than that, great libraries like ours help build an engaged citizenry; engaged citizens create incredible, caring, world class cities.”
Renovations at virtually every community library will include things like new shelving and streamlined collections to free up space and enhance the browsing, reading and meeting experience.
Children’s learning and literary centres will also be added to community libraries in the near future.
All of the advances will be in place long before the ‘New Central Library’ is completed in the East Village in 2018.
The new look is based on Annie Davidson and founding members of the Calgary’s Women’s Literary Club who influenced the city of Calgary to build its first public library more than a century ago.
The new visual identity has also shaped the Calgary Public Library’s web interface and here is the new identity video.
There are a total of 18 public libraries around the city.
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