I always enjoy visiting libraries when I visit new cities. When I saw the beauty of this library through pictures and reviews, I knew I had to visit this one. Honestly, the pictures don't do it justice. In person, it was much nicer and cleaner. Every section of the library was sparkling clean and clearly maintained well. There are 4 stories with computers, meeting rooms, tables, coffee shop, art installations, children's area, etc. They definitely made it so there are plenty of resources available for whatever you may need. The only downfall I can think of is that the library has quite a bit of drugged up people in there as well as right outside and some of them causing a scene or clearly making others uncomfortable. I understand it's a public facility but it's still a negative aspect about the library. read more

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A cool architectural building with ample artificial and natural lighting coming through the windows. There 3 levels out do with a children's section on the 3 floor with a play area and multiple reading areas and kids books spread out. They have mega cheese board and table chest set up on the 4th floor with a manual hockey board and crossword puzzle on the white board. They also have a little cafe serving coffee, lattes, tea, smoothies, and ice cream desserts. Reasonably priced. It's a cool place to check out on a rainy day in Calgary. They have free tours on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 12-1pm plus an escape library game on select dates. read more

Very nice library in Calgary. Beautiful architecture and well laid out make it a great place to visit and explore. Reminds me of an art center. You can spend hours or all day in here and get lost in the massive knowledge base. Very inclusive to all ages, ethnic groups, belief systems, and all walks of life and has plenty to see and do. Great places in the library to get lost in study, or in a book or two or three. Child's center area is great for young kids and the teen center is excellent as well. Books on every subject imaginable. There is a nice cafe and 4 stories to explore and enjoy. Quite possibly the greatest library in North America and arguably the world. 5 stars and two thumbs up! read more

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wao unreal totally better than any of the other libraries i have ever visited... the wooden architecture and just how clean it's laid out !! it was quiet in some areas but louder in others; lots of photoshoots happening in downtown too so so fun and sunny yeth read more

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Architecture here was absolutely incredible. The design of the building was breathtaking. So many wonderful nooks for a communication and continued education. Very well staffed and very clean. read more

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The architect of the library is beautiful, clean, well Organized, lighting is bright, spacious, quiet, books are in great conditions. I don't see worn out or torn books. I love it and highly recommend people to stop by and check out the library. We saw a couple getting marry in front of the library. read more

This is fantastic place. I cannot imagine that library can be useful and great like it. Highly recommend for attend this place. If they can handle this homeless nearby entrance and stairs, it will be great. read more

We are from California, and had a short duration in Calgary, and needed some time to get our bearings and city info before continuing on, and stumbled upon a Calgary treasure! The library was architecturally breath taking! not gonna spoil it but a must see! A public facility! free of charge!! there were others who had a large professional looking SLR camera and not a phone snapping away at the interior! read more

good location to visit after exploring downtown. coffee and pastries on third floor. staff kept people following decorum well. open view of city while resting for our next stop read more

Calgary Public Library - architecture - Libraries Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

LOOOOOVE this library they are the BEST !!!!! I met the architect at a party and told him in person how much I love this architecture its incredible ! It could be the coldest greyest cloudiest day on the planet and this place is FULLL OF LIGHT !!!! Its even more gorgeous from the inside than the outside ! Thank youuuuuuuuuu!!!! read more

This library is so cool! Great architecture and it's set up really well. SO clean! I wish we had libraries like this where I live. It would've been nice if it had a gift shop where they sold some merchandise. If they took photos of the place and made bookmarks, bags, coffee mugs, etc. out of the photos, they could easily sell them. I went in hoping to find something cool to buy. Anyhow, great library and worth checking out! read more

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The library has been named as top 100 places to visit in the world by the Times magazine. The library was completed and opened to the public in Nov 1, 2018. Coming back to Calgary, I got the chance to check this library out. I have visited it several times already. I have borrowed books here. I don't have a physical card. I use an app on my phone. All Calgarian have full access to audiobooks, books, magazines and etc. If you don't live in Calgary, they do not allow you to listen to the audio books. The Central library has 4 floors excluding the basement. They also have a theater halls where they sometimes hold events, talks or shows here. It is a magnificent architecture. Great for pictures taking. Also note that there are events happening here on weekends. Most of these events are free. My favorite thing about this library is that food and drinks are allowed into the library. It is not the quietest library. But they do have rooms and meeting rooms that you can use for free. There are many seats here. They also have a large number of computer available for use. Everything is super clean here. The books are in good condition. Free wifi is available. read more

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We had read about the Calgary library in a tour book and wanted to visit when we were in town since it looks so cool. We were not disappointed since this is an iconic, award-winning modern work of architecture. We got a map of the layout and visited all the floors and sections. There are interesting sculptures outside and nice views from the top floors. Our only minor complaint is that you have to pay for parking, I guess unless you use public transportation to get there. Definitely a great place to check out. read more

Attended a concert at the beautiful Calgary Central Library in the Patricia Whalen Performance Hall. This hall is unfortunately not a venue I will revisit. The seats are comfortable but there is very little room between rows - very, very cramped. The performance was thankfully only 1 hour. I would not have wanted to sit there any longer. read more

This library is certainly impressive. Everything at Calgary's Central Library is well organized and maintained, there's a ton of staff walking around to make sure everything's in order, there's even a little café so you can enjoy a hot beverage while reading a novel and enjoying the sites. Would highly recommend a boat just to see it in person. read more

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This is a gorgeous downtown landmark. There's a large lovely plaza integrated into the entrance on the east and west sides of the building. The C-train runs through the building, which is a neat feature. Inside there are lots of different spaces to sit, from conversation corners to workstations, stadium seating and the coffee shop. There aren't a lot of power outlets, but there are enough that you'll be able to find one. There is wifi throughout the building, which requires a library card to sign in. Wifi in the plaza outside is hit or miss. I've only been in Calgary since the pandemic, so who knows if this was always the case, but everything (including the bathrooms) is spotlessly clean. They seemed to have a lot of events before the pandemic, many of which are still taking place virtually. Everything is automated, so you check out books and scan them to return on your own. They don't give physical library cards, they give you a digital card. Still, there are always staff who are happy to answer questions and give you a hand. Calgary is very relaxed about getting a library card. When I lived in Brooklyn it took me three tries to get them to accept my proof of residency, even though I'd looked up the requirements ahead of time. In Calgary you just have to show up and sign up online. If you're just looking for online access you just need to be within city limits and have location services turned on. The library has a good selection of ebooks, audio books, and online magazines. They also provide access to Rosetta Stone and Pronunciator, which are great tools for learning languages. read more

Calgary Central Library is a wonderful architectural engineering having incorporated the LRT to run through the low part of the building. Very modern with lots of space. In some areas of the building you will be able to hear and feel the rumble of the train going through. When entering the library you are greeted by security at the door. -level 0 has a restaurant, lost and found. -Level 1 has a Library Express , performance Hall the day I was there a musician was playing a harp. If you want you can take a Tour of the facility with a tour guild to answer any question you have on the library. -Level 1M children's Library, nursing room, toddler nook, jungle gym to release your child's energy. -Level 2 fiction and literature, lounges, Author in residence studio. -Level 3 studios , teen centre & labs, digital learning labs in other words computer to use with a Library card, services for new comers. -Level 4 finally the top floor, the view is spectacular! The best floor of them all! The History floor. The history of Calgary, books and books, walls and walls of history. Spent hours upon hours looking reading, just enjoying the experience of this new library. We will be returning do advise to take the bus or LRT parking can be difficult. I would recommend families with children to have this on their bucket list and take the time to come here for the experience you will not be disappointed. The location does have it's big city issues such as homeless, stay alert you'll be just fine. read more

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The online service is slower than molasses, and guaranteed to go offline at least several times a week. You will get kicked out of the system even in the middle of reading something, and won't be able to log back in for the rest of the day. Not a good look when it comes to borrowing online material, as you lose access to these whenever the system is undergoing maintenance or whatever. Not sure why CPL doesn't automate the system to run overnight if it's just a matter of updating renewals and whatnot, but instead it goes offline during the common daytime and evening hours when people are available to read their materials. This is extremely frustrating as many online materials have a huge waitlist and every day counts as it is one less day to finish reading, especially since the system automatically takes your borrowed material away once it hits the due date. Meanwhile, physical copies are rare or non-existent and people hog them well past their due dates now that late fees are no longer being applied. This is a great example of how a few rotten apples ruin the experience for everyone. The library is no longer the productive place it used to be. read more

Really cool design, but obviously location is somewhat difficult to get to and sketchy people all around it.

What a wonderful resource for Calgary. An architectural marvel and visual delight. Everyone in this city needs to come here.

Dear Calgary Public Library, There's been so much buzz about the new Central Library here in Calgary; it has become the new Instagram hotspot. Since I work from home, I like to explore new, bright spaces to change up my routine, and this library seemed to be a great place to add to my list of "offices." This morning, I got off the train, grabbed a cup of coffee from Luke's, and proceeded to climb the stairs into the beautiful building. Once I stepped inside, I stopped to take it all in - the gorgeous wood lining the ceilings, the massive amounts of new books waiting to be read, and the clean, crisp curves gave off a modern, sophisticated feel. I walked through each floor to see all of the unique areas that this new library has to offer - multiple meeting spaces, several areas for parents to bring children to play, and loads of places to sit. However, there was one glaring thing missing - a quiet space. I arrived shortly after opening and found a spot near a window on the 3rd floor. Soon, small groups of people started to settle around me, and light, quiet conversations were shared. Unfortunately, about 10 minutes into my productive morning at the new, fabulous Calgary Central Library, a woman sat in a chair not too far from me, and she began to have a loud phone conversation. This conversation lasted at least two-hours. For two-hours, I sat there wondering if she would ever stop talking. For two-hours, I watched multiple staff members wearing blue shirts walk by her, nod at her and continue walking without a single world or a "shush." For two-hours, I wondered why the City of Calgary even bothered to call this new building a library when it's really just like any other bookstore, coffee shop or mall. Oh, how I long for the libraries of 10 years ago. A place where you could quietly roam the rows of books; a place where you would need to whisper to your lab partner if you had a question; a place where you could get a break from all of the noise from the outside world. Oh, how I miss it. Upon leaving the "library," the woman was still on her cell phone. I left the new, beautiful building disheartened, as one of my favorite pastimes seems to be disappearing. Times change, and human needs and desires evolve. Yet, in a world where we are constantly pinged and subjected to listening to other's force their opinions on us - don't we deserve a quiet space? A space to retreat from all of the constant noise and distraction? That space was once called a library. That space is not Central Public Library. read more

I visited this gorgeous new downtown library during stampede week with a friend . She gave me a tour showing me various floors and things available for the public. What an awesome place! Everyone should go visit this fantastic place ! So much to offer to every age and just walking through it was an amazing experience. Job well done for the city of Calgary ! read more

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An epic, beautiful voluminous glass honeycomb full of books & welcoming spaces. Plan 1-4 hours just to take in the pleasant vibes of this elegant edifice. Abundant staff were helpful in answering my 101 questions on books, building, and events. Tip: Nice for an after dinner meandering on a cold night or hot afternoon. ;) read more

This is a review not so much for this location, but for the Public Library itself. Calgary really offers you a lot with their Public Library; free membership, a ton of recourses, various free programs... The programs are for kids and/or adults and happen at all the different locations, so you don't always have to come downtown. They are on the topics of learning, newcomers, babies, parenting, photography, career, small business, .... you name it. There is just so much to choose from! Usually you have to sign up for it and they sometimes fill up quickly. You can check out online what's happening or get their brochure "Library Connect". The book selection is great! They get more and more e-books as well. If they don't have a book that you are looking for send them a request, there is a good chance they will buy it. If the book you are looking for is at a location far away from you or not available at the moment, you can place a hold and have it transferred to the location closest or most convenient for you. And then there is also DVDs, CDs, audio books, magazines, games, maps, and I really enjoy getting access to data bases like ebsco, great for research! It seems that they renovate or rebuilt various locations, I saw a few "new location X opens" news over the last months. The biggest project for sure is the new central library they are building, the photos of it look really cool, I am sure this is a great place to hang out! Completion for this is expected in late 2018, so we need to be patient for a bit. read more

Calgary Public Library - John Dutton Theater - Libraries Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

This is the biggest library in Calgary. It is also the sketchiest. Its convenient location downtown is close to transit and the city centre. It's also both warm and out of the elements, and is basically a refuge for many of the city's less fortunate. There is nothing more disconcerting than popping into the bathroom and noticing the very clearly marked hazardous waste materials bin. Those ain't for diabetes sufferers, let me tell you. Often there is a slight boozey smell that I have yet to notice at any other library location. And signs warning you not to leave your valuables. I deal with it by popping in and out as fast as I can, or by using the library's convenient hold system where you can request books to any location in the city. That said, this library is still very much worth visiting. In addition to four overstuffed floors of books (renovations are scheduled for the near future) they have a number of excellent programs. They offer services for new immigrants and ESL, which is great. And they offer career support services, writing workshops and basic computer skills workshops, in addition to the massive supply of books. read more

Calgary Public Library - Libraries Near Me - Calgary, Alberta

The new public library is astounding. Everyone who visits Calgary should skip the tower and see this work of art. From the design to the atmosphere it creates, this is a location no one should miss! read more

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Amazing piece of modern architecture. Everyone should visit at least once this Central branch. Great place for children. Recommended!

Very bright, quiet, clean, and peaceful atmosphere with thousands of great resources. I would spend days here if I could.

Updated review: Calgary Public Library, you are winning me over. Yes, I still stand by the things I wrote in my first review. But I've found that I've been catching up on old classics, due to you not really having many of the books I want to read (invention truly is the mother of necessity!). For example, I never thought that I'd finally sit down and read the entirety of Shakespeare's plays. But since nobody really checks out your Shakespeare collection, I've been giving myself a nice education of sorts with some of the most beautiful literary passages I have ever read. Your employees are still extremely kind and helpful (and probably still underpaid!). People in the stacks are still weird and sometimes intimidating. And yet, nowadays I look forward to my visits here. Feels more homey than it used to. read more

Very rude library staff,pushy patrons,virtually no decent digital access to the databases that the university of Calgary has i.e: the Vogue and Harper's Bazaar archives or the Women's magazine archives. ,no access to back issues of magazines/microfilm-fiche. I always ask and 5 or so years ago they had limited access to pro quest's vogue archive, but was discontinued. in 2019 I wasted 400.00 to go to Edmonton's UofA to view and download some materials from the WMA's there.I asked the library many times and they cannot provide me with an answer. Proquest's licensing is restricting the freedom of knowledge by not providing it to CPL -EPL,etc. Also instead of building a multi million dollar library facility, it could have gone to refurbish the older location and allow continued access to all the databases read more

This is the new Central Calgary public library. It just opened for the first time last week. It features over 250,000 books, most of which are brand new. I spent over four hours there yesterday admiring this gorgeous building and all its contents. It offers something for everyone in a stunning beautiful space lit by sunshine on all sides. I believe the Architects are from Sweden and kudos to them it is just stunning. Evidently one of the reasons why they won this bid when it went to tender was because all the other architects saw it as a problem that the C train went right underneath. Instead these architects saw it as a problemtunity..... which is an opportunity presented by a problem. Therefore they designed the building around the C train, therefore this beautiful building is easily accessible by people arriving by subway who don't even have to step out into the elements to enter the library, because God knows Calgary has about 10 months of winter. The children's level on the second floor is stunning and includes a brand new beautiful play area,I wish my kids were the small again so they could enjoy it. There's a nice section for stem science. There is a whole floor for teenagers. The top two floors are for adults fiction and nonfiction and dozens of beautiful meeting rooms complete with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and computer screens which are all free to anyone with a library card! Free! My only problem is unfortunately because this is government owned land it is also right next to other government owned buildings which unfortunately are catering to the most undesirable scary looking crowd I've ever seen in my life, there is the biggest homeless shelter in the city right next-door at the mustard seed, and a detox centre and a free methadone clinic treatment center. Therefore I thank God my kids are not tiny anymore, if I brought little children in to this location I would have to watch them like a hawk for fear of kidnapping. Literally. And now because of course all these homeless transient drug addicts have been provided with a brand new beautiful space heated all winter and free to use complete with many different seating and quiet corners for sleeping, you know they will be there all the time. Already I've seen so many scary people in there who clearly have no interest in the books whatsoever, there was a 60-year-old approximate homeless looking guy with open sores on his face that I noticed sitting With a view of the kids play area but he had no kids with him, just sitting and staring and not even with a book and his hands. Four hours later he was sitting in the same spot still staring. Clearly he has no reason to be there except maybe he's waiting for his drug connection or waiting for a lost child.... who knows... Very scary. But otherwise this building is beautiful I just wish they had less potentially violent homeless addicts in this area of the city. If that sounds heartless you should know that I am a gardener downtown and a large portion of my day is dealing- on my own a short woman alone!- with homeless people usually very rough men who scream at me because when they see me deadheading they think I am killing "their flowers". Also every day at least once a day I find casually discarded used heroin needles, they just throw them in the garden after they shoot up because they don't care if it hurts people like me, It could literally kill me by giving me aids or worse. But they don't care. Each bathroom in this new library has used needle deposits which really confuse me, they could totally cancel out on illegal drug injections in their bathrooms if they just use blue light bulbs. People can't shoot up in bathrooms using blue lighting because they can't find their vein. All the money spent on this building ($245 MILLION !!!!) and such a simple simple easy safety precaution at a cost of about $50, I'm really shocked it wasn't done. Who wants to walk into a children's bathroom on the children's floor in the biggest library in Canada and the first thing you see is a used needle deposit with radioactive caution signs all over it? Scary PS If you are looking for a restaurant locally; Whatever you do, NEVER go to the Calgary restaurant The Guild. The insane manager literally called the police and tried to put me "under citizens arrest" for accidentally knocking over a glass of wine- see my full review here https://www.yelp.ca/biz/the-guild-calgary read more

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This is for the just-opened NEW CENTRAL LIBARY, which opened to the public on 1 Nov 2018. It is beyond brilliant. It's a temple to the intellectual life of a great city, a testament to the evolution of Calgary and its cultural life, an anchor for a resplendantly redeveloped East Village. It's inclusive and it's absolutely amazing. I can't say enough. Oh, the new Lukes (no apostrophe- founder had surname Lukes) coffeehouse is absolutely brilliant and with that the East Village has all of Phil & Sebastian, Rosso (in the NMC) and now Lukes in the New Central Library. It's coffee paradise east of Chinatown. read more

This library saved my life during a spring class I was taking a few months ago in University. I ended up having to sign out about 30 books from them and I was happy to find that almost every book I looked up was there for me. I also had a bit of a heart attack when I had requested to put a transfer on books from this library to one closer to my house, only realizing that I needed the books within that day and I couldn't wait for a transfer. In a panic I called the library hoping that they hadn't loaded my books up on a truck somewhere. The lady working was so nice and helpful and we ended up sorting out my problem. I was able to come down that day and someone helped me find out where all my books had been placed. The one thing that stops me from giving this place 5 stars is just the location. While it is nice and central to everybody, the type of people that hang around in that area aren't exactly the people I'd like to meet in a dark alley...so I would suggest sending your children here alone. Also, I hate downtown parking with a passion and this library doesn't have any free parking near it (although there is a free 10 or 15 minute parking right outfront, so if you just need to run in and grab something you can always park there I believe). read more

I agree with some of the other negative reviews on here that this library is more of a noisy book store than it is a place where you can read quietly or study. And it IS an Instagram hotspot now - people come here to enjoy the architecture, talk on their phones, snap photos, have their children shout and run throughout every floor - there are staff that use microphones, leading tour groups through even 'quiet' areas. They have done a poor job of making the upper floors what they call 'quiet spaces', as the noise from the main floor travels throughout the entire building. This is an entertainment space, NOT a library. read more

An amazing, inspiring building perfectly designed for a modern library. I am confident this will become a central hub for Calgarians to meet, learn, and hopefully engage in meaningful discourse, and not just a place to borrow a book. The highlight for me is the reading room on the top level - if they made this. A quiet space, it would be perfect (it's not loud, but I do miss the quiet libraries of old in a small way). Something that all Calgarians should be very proud of! read more

I've come here a couple times for school group projects since it was a fairly central place for my group members and I to meet. The pros: This place is huge! It has a large selection and covers a number of categories. This may be the best place to look for what you need. As well, its downtown location means there are plenty of train stations near by and other attractions to visit while you are in the area. The cons: This place is sketchy. In one day my friend and I saw two people escorted out because they were drunk or had alcohol (good thing this place has security!) and then my friend needed to use the bathroom. After seeing the used needle tubs in there we never returned. I wouldn't refuse to go back here, but if I did it would be more so of a get what you need and go place, not really somewhere to stick around. read more

I'm not sure who John Dutton is, but I thank him for his theatre in the library downtown. Spacious theatre style seating, a stage, projector... even a big screen! It's a great spot to hold an event. I was most recently here for the screening of @Nenshi4mayor during the Calgary International Film Festival. We were sitting on the far left side (stage right I think? I'm no drama major). The seats were far back enough that it was easy to have a clear view. Behind the scenes, there's a little green room off to one side if you're looking for a place to put your presenters. PS... just googled John Dutton. He was the library's director from 1979-1991. read more

This major library downtown is so central and so close to many of the train terminals that it tends to provide a refuge for the homeless at times in the winter, so expect this when you visit this location. The library itself has many floors and is chock full of books, the staff here is consistently pleasant and helpful. There has never been one time where I felt that I wasn't supported by the staff here; they really go out of their way as resource people for you. I love the magazine and newspaper selections here, and also the DVD and CD collection. They also offer free internet access to members and non members which is so convenient for people searching for jobs or needing to create a resume. They are also very amenable to partnering with local non profit groups as well; they have offered their 400 seat theatre to our organization for free for two days in May. Renting a space like this can put a community organization back $500 or more so their generosity I felt should be acknowledged here. I like this library it is a one stop resource center on so many level read more

One of the most unsung cultural venues in Calgary.... They have a CD/DVD Movies and Music Collection that is extensive eclectic and international ! They host often Singers/ Poets / Artist / Movies and Events frequently Edit Remove read more

This is an invaluable addition to Calgary, and a great example of what the future of public spaces should look like.