EDMONTON – The Edmonton Public Library is marking a major birthday, but it’s Edmontonians who are getting a gift in the form of free library cards for 2013.
“A library card is a small but powerful way to enrich, educate and entertain,” Ellen Calabrese-Amrhein, board chair of the EPL, said in a news release Tuesday about the system’s centennial year. “It is the gateway to a lifetime of endless possibilities and we want every Edmontonian to have one.
“As hundreds of thousands of people already know, EPL is a sanctuary that lives up to its founders’ ideals, and to the words they had carved over the front door of the grand old library that once stood on Macdonald Drive – Free to All. We are proud to keep their dream alive 100 years later.”
Ordinarily, library cards are $12 for adults, free for children and those customers who can’t afford to pay.
In proclaiming Wednesday Edmonton Public Library Day, Mayor Stephen Mandel noted that “libraries are for everyone, and are a key component of a vibrant and inclusive city. Edmonton looks forward to the next hundred years of success and innovation from EPL.”
Much has changed since 1913, when fewer than 20 staff over two branches served a population of 67,000 Edmontonians and books were all you could find on the shelves. Today, 600 staff across 17 locations offer 12,000 free programs and events each year, and over 6.5 million physical and digital items in their vast collection.
“EPL continues to evolve with the world around us while remaining a cornerstone of our community,” said CEO Linda Cook.
The centennial marks the kickoff of a year of special events, starting with birthday parties at all EPL locations all day Wednesday.
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More to come…
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