CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION CONTINUES THE FIFTH BOOK CAMPAIGN TO MEET RECORD DEMAND IN 2026
New Book Borrowing Calculator highlights the real savings of a Library card as Calgarians are encouraged to “pay it forward” through a donation
What is your Calgary Public Library card really worth?
After a record-breaking year for Calgary Public Library, Calgary Public Library Foundation is continuing The Fifth Book Campaign in 2026, calling on Calgarians to help ensure every reader can find the book they need, and introducing a powerful new way for Calgarians to see the impact of their Library borrowing first hand.
The Library Foundation has launched a new Book Borrowing Calculator, an interactive tool that shows users how much money they save each year by using their Calgary Public Library card instead of purchasing books. Many families save hundreds — even thousands — of dollars annually. In fact, in 2025, the average Library member checked out 21 items, saving them nearly $400.
The message is simple: if your Library card is saving you money, consider paying it forward.
“Calgarians are using their Library in record numbers,” says Tracy Johnson, CEO of Calgary Public Library Foundation. “The Fifth Book Campaign is about keeping pace with that demand and ensuring that rising costs don’t mean fewer stories on our shelves. Every gift helps put that fifth book back into readers’ hands.”
The Fifth Book Campaign was launched in 2025 to address a growing challenge: rising book prices and unprecedented use of Library services. For every five books the Library could once afford, it can now afford only four. Thanks to generous donor support, the campaign has already made a meaningful impact on expanding access to books, digital resources, and audiobooks across the city.
To date, The Fifth Book Campaign has raised $650,000, which will add more than 21,500 new books to Library shelves — both physical and digital. In 2025 alone, Calgary Public Library recorded its highest circulation ever, with more than 17.5 million checkouts across its system. As the campaign moves forward, the Library Foundation has set an ongoing goal of raising $1 million annually to keep pace with record demand and rising collection costs.
The Library’s growing membership base reflects its role as one of the city’s most trusted and accessible public resources. As more Calgarians turn to the Library for early literacy support, lifelong learning, job search resources and community connection, sustained community investment is critical to maintaining a collection that meets the needs and aspirations of a growing city.
“Every month, thousands of Calgarians sign up for a Library card, each with their own interests, goals, and stories,” says Heather Robertson, Executive Director, Service Design and Innovation at Calgary Public Library. “It’s critical that we can get the right book into the right hands at the right time. Community support through The Fifth Book Campaign helps make that possible.”
Calgarians are invited to calculate their savings and join the movement to put the fifth book back on the shelf. To learn more, visit https://libraryfoundation.ca/calculator.
