library school, supported by cenovus energy · walking around the building (and climbing numerous...

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT — LIBRARY SCHOOL October 15, 2019 |

PREPARED FOR: Cenovus Energy

Creating a Community of Learners through

Library School, supported by Cenovus Energy

PREPARED BY: Tracy Johnson, CEO, Calgary Public Library Foundation

Rachael Terner, Manager, Communications, Calgary Public Library Foundation

October 15, 2019

CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION

Central Library 800 3 Street SE Calgary, AB T2G 2E7

P 403 221 2002 www.libraryfoundation.ca

http://www.libraryfoundation.ca/


IN THIS REPORT YOUR INVESTMENT ................................................................................................................. 3

2018/19 PROGRAM RESULTS ................................................................................................. 6

ALBERTA CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS ............................................................................... 8

2018/19 TESTIMONIALS ..........................................................................................................10

PROFILE AND RECOGNITION ................................................................................................11

SUMMARY ...............................................................................................................................12


YOUR INVESTMENT As an existing supporter of the Campus Calgary program, we are grateful that Cenovus Energy

decided to extend its support to the Calgary Public Library to create the Cenovus Classroom

and launch Library School at Central Library. This program creates an immersive and dynamic

learning experience for Calgary’s children in our city’s award-winning Central Library.

Your $400,000 philanthropic investment has enabled the Library to provide students across

Calgary with hands-on, experiential learning experiences about the Library system and their

community through Library School, supported by Cenovus Energy. Additionally, your investment

has allowed the Library to build the Cenovus Classroom, a flexible and welcoming learning

environment where students can work and gather to reflect on their experiences.


LIBRARY SCHOOL, SUPPORTED BY CENOVUS ENERGY Library School offers my students the valuable

opportunity to extend, enrich and deepen the

learning that has taken place in our classroom

this year.” Vicky Fernandez, Grade 1 Teacher,

Copperfield School

With your investment, the Library has hired a full-

time Library School Coordinator who delivers an

array of programs designed to encourage the

exploration of new ideas through deep inquiry

and first-hand experiences. Your support also

enabled a pilot of the program that began at the former Central Library in 2018. Learnings from

the sixteen pilot weeks informed the launch of the full program at the Central Library in January

2019.

As of June 30, 2019, this cultural hub for learning and innovation has already seen more than

1.75 million visitors, welcomed 39,174 new Library members and hosted more than 950

programs. The Central Library is our city’s largest community gathering space, and children

attending Library School have a unique opportunity to explore not only the building, but are

exposed to and interact with our larger community.

With more than 240,000 square feet to explore and discover, notable student experiences within

the Central Library include learning about legacy media and making connections to how media

is used today in the vintage media lab. Students are also able to observe and journal in key

areas in the library such as in the TD Great Reading Room, the Simmons-Harvie Community

Living Room, at the Education is the New Buffalo installation and near the Past/Present/Future

Indigenous Placemaking Mural.


CENOVUS ENERGY CLASSROOM Library School Classes are based in the Cenovus Energy Classroom—a learning environment

where students gather to investigate ideas and reflect on their experiences at Library School.

The Cenovus Classroom was designed to accommodate 30 students at a 3:1 student to adult

ratio, which includes lots of space and materials to help them seek answers to their questions.

When students arrive in the morning, they first visit the "coat room" to hang their coats, lunches,

backpacks, switch from outdoor to indoor shoes and gather their journals. The coat hooks are at

varying heights to meet the needs of students of a variety of ages. This space helps promote

ownership of their space and time at Library School.

The classroom was created with an emphasis on natural and neutral materials, implying a

connection to the land. In addition to being a bright space with large windows and sightlines that

look out to City Hall and downtown, it features a quiet corner for reading with "sit-upon" seats

woven with a light brown/beige bamboo material. Student work is displayed on shelves, which

also provide easy access to related books and resources (such as renderings of the building).

The Cenovus Classroom functions as a gateway to the entire Library system. With community

libraries across the city, kids who participate are inspired to continue exploring interests sparked

during their time in the program, even after it ends.


2018/19 PROGRAM RESULTS 273 STUDENTS (GRADES 1-7) PARTICIPATED FROM

THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS:

Auburn Bay School (Auburn Bay)

Chinook Park School (Kelvin Grove/Chinook Park)

Copperfield School (Copperfield)

Elbow Park School (Elbow Park)

John Ware School (Palliser)

St Luke School (Brentwood)

St. Pius X School (Mount Pleasant)

Valley Creek School (Hidden Valley)

2018/19 CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTERS INCLUDED:

Lisa Hardy, Facility Manager, spoke to Grade 3 students from Auburn Bay School about the ways in which we design and build structures for the community. She reviewed the choices that went into the creation of the Central Library such as the furniture, fabric, colour choices and brought fabric samples and noise control fabric for the children to explore.

Meghan Durieux, Service Design Lead, spoke to Grade 3/4 students from Elbow Park School about the design of the Questionarium, why the library feels it is important to make space for everyone, and the choices that went into developing the space.

Mary Graham, Service Design Lead, spoke to students from Chinook Park School about the development of Central Library.

Marcelo de Cinto, Author in Residence, spoke to Grade 4 Students from Valley Creek School about the importance of storytelling and how to craft stories.

Nicole Wolf, Artist in Residence, explored the idea of storytelling through art with Grade 4 students from Valley Creek School.

Becky Potter, Library Experience Facilitator - Special Services, held a workshop with Grade 3/4 children from Elbow Park School about how the Library accommodates people with various needs, including those who cannot travel to the library or people with visual impairments who make use of the Library’s large print and audio collections.

Luke Gray, Library Experience Facilitator - Special Services, gave students from St. Luke School a tour of the Special Services Collection on Level 2 and spoke to them about what diversity looks like.

Christine Hayes, Library Experience Facilitator, spoke to children about our local history collection and shared examples of the oldest book in the collection, The Big Book, a tool that teachers used before we had projectors to help with reading comprehension.

Kelli Morningbull, Program Coordinator, provided an overview of the Library’s Indigenous partnerships, programs and art within the Central Library.

Brin-Chenille Bugo, Teen Librarian, met with students from John Ware Jr. High School and gave them a tour of Teen Centre and Tech Lab.


EXTERNAL COMMUNITY PRESENTERS INCLUDED:

Antyx Community Arts provided a workshop to students from Chinook Park School that explored how to build community through art.

Councillor Jeremy Farkas, Councillor Evan Woolley, Councillor Druh Farrell, and Councillor Jyoti Gondek, met with students from Elbow Park, Chinook Park and St. Pius X Schools and responded to their questions.

Grade 3 students from Auburn Bay School met with a City Planner to discuss how community spaces support the growth of the city.

Grade 3/4 students from Elbow Park School attended a Planning Commission Meeting at City Hall.

Students worked on a service project in conjunction with Calgary Police Services.

Blackfoot Elder Sheldon First Rider shared information about himself and Blackfoot culture and language including his baby name "Boy with long eyelashes," how the Elbow River means” the clean water,” and provided an overview of Indigenous cultures in Canada.

Samantha Urias, Manager of Indigenous Programs, Calgary Drop-in and Rehabilitation Centre, spoke to students from St. Luke School about how to take care of those in our community.

Team Members from Decidedly Jazz Danceworks led students from John Ware Jr. High School in a Hip Hop workshop to help students understand how libraries have changed over time and how library spaces can be used in a variety of ways.

East Village Experience Centre Ambassadors provided a tour to students from St. Pius X School and explained how the community has changed and how design decisions were made.

Carolyn Reicher, Cofounder and Past President, Women for Women in Afghanistan, spoke to St. Pius X students about the work of her organization in building community between women in Canada and Afghanistan.


ALBERTA CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS The list below highlights some of the ways Library School, supported by Cenovus Energy,

supports the Alberta’s programs of study.

ACROSS ALL GRADES

Art: Students sketch, draw, paint and colour in their visual journals.

Math: Through patterns, numbers and measurement that exist within the Central Library, students explore math in their everyday lives.

Physical Education: Students are exposed to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle through walking around the building (and climbing numerous flights of stairs) and exploring the neighbourhood.

Social Studies: Students learn about First Nations Languages.

GRADE 1

English Language Arts: Being at the Library highlights why words are important and how they can be used to create beautiful stories.

Science: Students’ natural sense of wonder is fostered and they experience the seasons through time spent outside in East Village, at St. Patrick’s Island and by being near both the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

Social Studies: Through exploring Calgary’s Story, the Elders Guidance Circle, the East Village and Stephen Avenue, students are able to answer the following questions; what makes a community? How do I fit in? What are some stories of the past?


GRADE 2

Art: Students are encouraged to use reflection, depiction, composition and expression in their journaling techniques.

English Language Arts: Students write their own stories and observations.

Health and Life Skills: Students are taught about trustworthy individuals in their community.

Social Studies: Students explore other Canadian communities.

GRADE 3

Art: Students practice making their sketches more realistic.

English Language Arts: Students focus on describing things in detail in their visual journals.

Social Studies: Students are introduced to how the Library connects cultures and children are encouraged to make their own connections to family, and focus on understanding what life is like in other countries and Canada's role in the global community.

GRADE 4

English Language Arts: Students explore, discuss, and interpret other opinions (which is also supported by the expert presenters.)

Social Studies: Students learn more about our province and its evolution, supported by both Calgary’s Story and the Elder’s Guidance Circle.

GRADE 5

Art: Students explore shapes, particularly through journaling.

Social Studies: Students explore the life of Canada's peoples and how various events have contributed to Canadian's identity.

GRADE 6

English Language Arts: Students begin to learn first-hand how oral and written stories help us to understand one another.

Health and Life Skills: Students focus on safe choices in the space and consider the safety of others. They are also exposed to Career and Technology Foundations.

Social Studies: Students learn about Democracy and how it works in Alberta.

GRADE 7

English Language Arts: Students focus on expressing ideas and analyzing stories.

Health and Life Skills: Students learn about organization and showing responsibility.

Social Studies: Students learn how Canada has changed over time and how the lives of Canadians have changed and developed. There is also a focus on the concept of citizenship and diversity in society.


2018/19 TESTIMONIALS “I feel like this is my place. I can’t believe I get to

touch all of the old books!”

—Emma, Grade 4 student at Valley Creek School

“My favorite part is the Indigenous Mural because

when I look at it, I see me.”

—Paige, Grade 4 student at Valley Creek School

“All curricular areas in grade one came to life this

year as we explored the question: What’s your

story? From mathematic problems, to seasons, animals, plants, family, belonging and creative

expression each student in my class found a personal path to discovering that stories are all

around us. As one student shared “We are a story. Everything’s a story.”

In the excitement of watching the live opening of the new Central Library one student wondered:

Does the library have a story? To which I enthusiastically responded: well, let’s find out…

What better way to honor this student’s question then to be right here in this incredible new

building. At Library School my class has the opportunity to uncover the hidden stories of the

library, reflect on how they are part of the library’s story, as well, they get to explore the stories

of Calgary, of indigenous communities, of the natural world around them, and then share those

stories with others.

Library School offers my students the valuable opportunity to extend, enrich and deepen the

learning that has taken place in our classroom this year.

Thank you to Cenovus for this powerful experience, which fosters and inspires wonder,

connection, and life-long learning.”

—Vicky Fernandez, Grade 1 Teacher, Copperfield School


PROFILE AND RECOGNITION On May 7, 2019, Cenovus Energy’s philanthropic investment was formally announced at a

media event held at the Central Library.

President & Chief Executive Officer, Alex Pourbaix, spoke about Cenovus Energy’s commitment

to enriching learning experiences for children. There were also a number of special guests in

attendance, including a class of Library School students from Copperfield School and their

teacher, Vicki Fernandez. Ms. Fernandez spoke about the importance of this program for the

students, and students received special cookies and a custom-designed journal to

commemorate their time at Library School. Thanks to Cenovus Energy, the students were later

gifted a copy of “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds, a delightful story that highlights the need to kindle

and tend our creative flames with care.

On May 7, 2019, CityNews at 6 Calgary highlighted Cenovus Energy’s gift and included an

interview with Vicki Fernandez. The news story was also featured on the Eyeopener (CBC

Radio 1 Morning News) and Breakfast Television Calgary on Wednesday, May 8.


SUMMARY The Calgary Public Library Foundation’s mission is to connect people and organizations who want to make a difference with the opportunity to improve our shared community, and we are proud of our partnership with Cenovus Energy, and grateful for your transformational investment in Library School and the Cenovus Energy Classroom. Since 2011, the Library Foundation has been working on Add In—the Campaign for Calgary’s

Library, is a bold and transformational initiative to invest in the potential of all Calgarians and the

future of our city. The goal of Add In is to raise $350 million dollars for the Calgary Public Library

system. As of October 2019, we have reached 98.5% of our goal, which would not have been

possible without the philanthropic investment of corporations like Cenovus Energy.

In the past year, Library School, supported by Cenovus Energy, has grown from its pilot to a full-fledged Campus Calgary program. As more and more students and teachers take part in this innovative experience, we look forward to refining and evolving the program to support their learning and provide them with greater knowledge of our community and their own potential. Cenovus Energy, please accept our sincere gratitude for your investment in the Calgary Public Library, and in turn, our entire city.

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