Calgary’s Living Room: The Central Library

On January 16th, 2021 at precisely 3:15 pm me and my friends walked from the City Hall Station to the outside of Central Library. The Central Library has existed for a long time and it was just a small structure next to the Bow Valley College. The picture above depicts the brand new expanded Central Library. This fully-funded $245 million project, paid for by the City ($175 million) and CMLC ($70 million) opened its doors to the people on November 1st, 2018. (Facts | Calgary Public Library, n.d.)

This place is significant to me because it was one of the factors that built the foundation of my path in Social Innovation. I started my volunteering journey at the age of 12 with CPL; specifically, I volunteered for the Arts Explosion Family Fair held at the Central Library. The library gave me the opportunity to me understand who I am and what I like through interactions with people including children, adults, and the elderly. The library gives everyone access to all the education there is and that’s why I love it. There are so many free facilities that people can use to create their own journey in life and meet their community. You don’t have a printer? Go to the library, You don’t have a computer? Go to the library. Need a space to study? The library has many. Looking for a movie, documentary, or a book? Well, guess what? The Central Library has a countless number of them. Do you need a friend? There are clubs, opportunities, and much more to help you. As Jason Cameron from the City of Calgary said, “The Central Library is like the living room of Calgary.”  

Aarushi N.