Calgary Public Library
This library was a modern wonder and is beautiful, both inside and out. My phone battery was in critical condition, but lucky for me I had the talented and generous photography skills of Dr. Wendy to fill the gap.
If you have only seen one photo of this library, it is probably similar to the one below. This is the view from one floor above the front entrance.
The area to the left of the entrance is dominated by this mural—clearly inspired by the reconciliation movement.
The impression I got upon walking through the door was that I was entering into a beautiful art gallery. But not a gallery of precise, unchanging beauty. Instead, it was humming with the vibrant, living art of an entire society.
There were cards to leave comments, stations to vote on how you use different Calgary libraries, and pages to fill with thoughts from books that have shaped our lives in some way.
Also, if any managers or SPL board members read this, below is the coffee bar that I have been asking for over the last 10 years. Yes, I’m ahead of my time, but I won’t gloat. Let’s just agree to get this important work done ;)
The area dedicated to children was pretty fabulous, as well.
Notice the ramp in the photo above? Sure it’s great for strollers, but accessibility is at the core of this building. For parents with strollers or individuals in wheel chairs. Elsewhere, hand-rails and stairs were equipped with signals for patrons who can benefit from non-visual cues about their environment.
The children’s area is full of portholes to peek in and climb through, and things to hang off or slide down.
So many great places to sit! This library wants you to be comfortable. There are nooks, pillows, tables, rooms, power ports (did I mention coffee?), all with the purpose of saying, “Stay for a while. Learning can be fun, easy and comfortable. Take your time.”
I was continually invited to think of books as an exploration. Of course, as you can see below, the explorations continue in more modern formats as well.
I was continually invited to think of books as an exploration. Of course, as you can see below, the explorations continue in more modern formats as well.
There are many areas that were packed with people, but also places to work that felt more calm and isolated.
One of the things that I found amazing is that despite the fact that the building at times felt overwhelmingly full of vibrant activity, there were also lots of places that I could find to be completely alone ...
... And, I didn’t need to be in some dark corner to find that solitude.
As someone who works in libraries, I really wish I had the time to try and talk someone into touring me through the non-public spaces. What I could see from an operational standpoint was also pretty awe inspiring. Below is one of the conveyor “belts” that carried books up, down, and throughout the building.
I inquired about the paging cart above. Machines sort and load these devices. They are stacked with books until the sensor towards the right hand side says the cart is full and then humans grasp the handles with their appendages to more precisely relocate them within designated zones within the building. I assume that to make this work, there must be cyborgs floating in a nutrient rich bath somewhere in a vault in the basement. I began a preliminary search, but was deterred by banks of security screens attached to the many cameras throughout the building. The previous sentence is true. The one preceding it is based on somewhat more speculative ruminations.
In case you were wondering, you should definitely go visit this building. Other than possibly having to park in downtown Calgary, it won’t cost you a cent. Perhaps you have thoughts of getting swept up in a hybrid of Minority Report meets The Name of the Rose, or maybe just to spend a few hours finding a new favourite book.
Wendy was fascinated and took many more photos. She has also written a post of her own thoughts on the library. For what it’s worth, all the photos from our visit are here.
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