For Immediate Release
September 10, 2019
Calgary, AB – The Calgary Public Library Foundation is delighted to announce a transformational gift from Calgary entrepreneur and philanthropist Susan Anderson; one of the largest gifts in the Foundation’s history. This generous donation will support early childhood literacy by enhancing the Library’s Early Learning Strategy.
“The first years of a child’s life are so crucial,” says Susan Anderson. “I believe in the value of childhood education and wanted to participate in making this available to Calgary’s children to give them a strong start toward a successful future.”
In recognition of this generous gift, the Calgary Public Library will name the children’s area at the Central Library the Jocelyn Louise Anderson Children’s Library in honour of Anderson’s mother, who was a school teacher.
“We see kids with very diverse backgrounds coming to the Library for specialized Early Learning programs and resources,” says Calgary Public Library CEO Mark Asberg. “Donations like this help us continue to open doors for all of Calgary’s children, regardless of their socio-economic background.”
The Library’s Early Learning Strategy encompasses five areas of focus: research, spaces, people, collections, and programs. Anderson’s donation will uplift each of these focus areas.
Specifically, this donation will enable the expansion of early literacy programming both in Libraries and in the community; enhance collections development for babies, toddlers, and, pre-school children; and update existing Early Learning Centres to reflect current research.
There are more than 90,000 children under the age of five in Calgary. Currently, 12 of Calgary’s 21 Library locations have a dedicated Early Learning Centre, with the goal to have an Early Learning Centre in every single location. Early Learning Centres provide children under the age of five a specialized space to learn through play – the best way for young minds to gain essential early learning skills.
