More than 52,000 Calgarians flocked to new Central Library on first four days
Calgary ’s new Central Library was met with rave reviews as its opening weekend made it a popular destination for residents across the city.
The long-awaited, $245-million downtown library saw more than 52,000 visits over its first four days, according to statistics released Wednesday.
It opened its doors to the public Nov. 1, boasting 240,000 square feet of spectacular architecture, four floors of learning spaces and 450,000 new books and collections.
“The greatest part of the whole weekend was seeing people just not only coming to see the building and check it out, but really enjoying services,” said Mary Kapusta, a spokeswoman for Calgary Public Library. “One of the things that was really surprising for our team is how many items were checked out.”
Close to 21,000 items were checked out on opening weekend, the library said.
“It just shows that people came maybe for the programming or the building, but really started using our services as soon as they got here,” Kapusta said.
The opening also helped the Calgary Public Library register about 3,400 new members, a 235 per cent increase from the same four daystretch in 2017.
The library hosted several opening-week activities, including an evening with decorated astronaut Chris Hadfield. On Friday night, the Lit Gala fundraiser featured experiences on every level of the new library, from performers to an array of culinary delights.
On Saturday, it launched Family Fun Weekend, with free programming, tours, craft stations and more.
“People were really coming in and using the spaces,” said Kapusta.