Library excited about new summer programming

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

Despite funding cuts that shortened the duration of this year’s Summer Reading Program, the Strathmore Municipal Library is thrilled about ending the program with a never-before-seen magic show, taking part in a cultural experience this summer and introducing a creative new card making program.
Self-proclaimed as Calgary’s funniest children’s magician, Christopher Cool is returning to Strathmore on Aug. 10 with a brand-new show that is catered to the reading program theme, Feed Your Passion. The popular magician is known to fill a room and during his last Strathmore appearance in February, 110 people attended the show.
“It goes hand-in-hand with our wrap up for the summer reading program but it’s also a free event for the community,” said Carmen Erison, assistant director of library services with Strathmore Municipal Library.
“This is a whole new show, we’re very excited. Who doesn’t love a free magic show? We usually love to provide some sort of program for families every year for the Summer Reading Program and they usually have a great wrap up party. This was something that he offered to us and we felt it was the right connection and a great partnership to bring him back.”
The library is also hosting a new summertime event, led entirely by three Indigenous students – two who are currently working at the Marigold Library System and another working as liaison student with the Strathmore Family and Community Support Services (FCSS). The Siksika Nation students already have a fun-filled day planned with stories, games and a dream-catcher craft. While it’s not the first time the three organizations have partnered together to provide programming, this is the first of its kind.
“One of our goals is to bring great cultural diversity to the library and in our programming, and so when the Marigold Library System approached us and asked if we’d be willing to host a program like this we jumped all over it,” Erison said. “I just think that it’s important to learn about other cultures and I think that this could be a really great program for children. They have created this program and we are so thrilled because this is a program where our hands are off of it, it’s all of them creating this program.”
Two days after the Indigenous Summer Program, one of the library’s staff members, Heather Ulmer, who owns her own scrapbooking business, will be sharing her artistic talent with the public with a newly introduced Creative Card Making event. All ages are welcome and participants will walk away with several of their own greeting card creations.
Magician Christopher Cool will be performing his show at 2 p.m. in the library’s program room on Aug. 10. The event is free to the public and no registration is required. The Indigenous Summer Program goes Aug. 13 from 2 to 3 p.m. for children aged five to 10. This program is also free to attend and no registration is required. Creative Card Making for children aged seven to 10 takes place on Aug. 15 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; and for those aged 11 to 17, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Cost for the program is $2 per child and includes supplies for several greeting cards. Registration for this program began on Aug. 1. Space is limited.