Calgary Public Library: A Space Designed For You
Designed with thought in every detail, the new Calgary Public Library has been a highly anticipated event and now it’s here! Measuring 240,000 square feet, it contains more than 30 free community rooms, 485 exterior glass windows, recording studios, and 450,000 books. As someone who loves the smell of used books, I’m personally excited for a new generation to see a library both as a place to spend some time reading as well as a hub to create, innovate, and meditate.
Follow along, as we go on a literary tour of the new space Calgarians will proudly call their Central Library!
Co-working spaces are appearing all over Calgary and have become a normal part of many of our work lives. The traditional office setting has evolved to include everyone from entrepreneurs, remote employees to students learning new skills. As someone who has worked remotely, it can get a little lonely when you’re by yourself for over eight hours. So why not come to one of the 30 free community rooms and set up your own co-working spaces?
Send out invitations to your LinkedIn network, volunteer organizations or friends with flexible work environments. Designing your own space is a necessary part of remote working and as the conventional view of an “office” becomes more fluid, the new Central Library is the perfect place to start exploring your space options!
The design of the Central Library came from the minds of over 16,000 Calgarians. Guided by the simple, yet daunting vision, “To inspire all,” the board listened, delivered, and exceeded expectations to the beautiful space that Calgarians can claim as their own. The Central Library is the result of listening to the city, library patrons, and the multiple experiments of new furniture, layouts and concepts on their other branches.
Our annual Geeky Summit echoes the architecture of the new Central Library by allowing its users to design their own spaces using modern spaces and furniture that can be reconfigured. The space you work could impact your innovation, communication and productivity. From a leader in a tech organization to a marketer who needs to communicate often with clients, your work sets the guidelines for what is best in your space.
Would you prefer a sitting desk or a standing one? Would you require a quiet area for you to take meetings or perform demos? It is clear from all the detail placed into the new Central Library that these were all taken into consideration and with over 30 community rooms, you’d be hard pressed to not find a space that suits your needs.
Calgary is a growing city filled with diverse cultures and backgrounds. The Central Library aims to be a hub for all Calgarians from newcomers, families, job seekers, teenagers, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to learn. Reserve a slot in the recording studio to create your masterpiece, use one of over 30 meeting rooms to gather a co-working session or learn directly from an artist, historian or author through the residency programs.
Light is something that the Central Library has incorporated into their design. Natural or otherwise, light can set the tone of a room and take you from a laser focused meeting to a leisurely afternoon of reading. Nothing quite compares to sitting near a window that’s streaming sunlight on your face as you work, read, or zone out.
With 485 exterior glass windows, you’d be hard pressed to find a spot that isn’t sunkissed, but the real gem in the windows lies in their source. Each of the 485 windows were donated through the Windows of Opportunity Program. Donations ranged from $100 to $5,000 and includes a name or a message respectively. If you visit the Central Library, look up to the sky and be sure to check out the quotes that frame each window — I’m sure you’ll find a favourite or several!
Measuring 88,000 square feet, the first Central Library opened on June 15, 1963. Six storeys tall and holding close to 100,000 books, the library came about as a means to gather all the city’s materials and resources to be housed in one central location. With 240,000 square feet that encompasses a 12,000 square foot dedicated children’s library, it’s easy to say that space will no longer be an issue.
It’s hard to say goodbye to the past — especially if the past is 55 years old, but Calgarians have so much to look forward to in the new Central Library. Check out 100 reasons to love the new Central Library or find out more about the countless features incorporated into the building. With a long weekend jampacked with events, the fun has just begun for the new gem of Calgary. With approximately 670,000 members, let’s usher in a new era for the Calgary Public Library and be inspired!
Discover the new Central Library November 16–17 at our upcoming Geeky Summit conference! Celebrate women in technology and entrepreneurship with some swag from the Geek Store — you’ll get $15 off during our event!
