Unlocking Canadian Treasures at EPL  EPL is your gateway to a vast array of Canadian content. In this blog post, we'll take you on a journey through the diverse collections and resources available at EPL, showcasing the richness of Canadian culture in literature, music, and digital media.  Prairie Indigenous eBook Collection  Discovering Indigenous Literature  EPL proudly hosts the Prairie Indigenous eBook Collection, a curated selection of literature by Indigenous authors from the prairies and beyond. These eBooks explore works by acclaimed authors such as Richard Van Cam ..read more

Digital technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, influencing everything from entertainment and communication to education. When it comes to supporting early literacy skills, navigating how technology and digital content can either enhance or hinder pre-reading skills can be challenging. Parents are bombarded with mixed messages about the appropriate amount of screen time for young children. The encouraging news is that digital content can serve as a valuable tool for fostering early literacy and digital skills, provided it is used strategically. In this blog post, we will ex ..read more

Resources for Your Literary Adventure The writing world can be equal parts exhilarating and intimidating. There's so much to learn, from crafting a compelling story to navigating the often-murky waters of the publishing industry. But fear not, fellow wordsmiths! EPL's Writer in Residence, Premee Mohamed has compiled a treasure trove of resources to equip you on your literary adventure. Avoiding Scams: Write with Confidence This is so important it gets its own category. If you feel uneasy or uncertain about someone who's reached out to you, or if you've been targeted by a writing scam, or if ..read more

In a diverse and multicultural city like Edmonton, the journey to developing early literacy skills begins in many different languages. A significant 20% of Edmonton residents speak languages other than English at home, showing how the city is rich in diverse cultures and languages (source: Edmonton-% Non-official Language Speakers [alberta.ca]). It's important to know that kids are good at learning important reading skills even before they start school, no matter what language they hear at home. We know that parents might worry about how well they speak English or how they say words. This blo ..read more

In my branch of the library, the poetry section faces books on travel—thick Lonely Planet guides with simple titles: France, Indonesia. A little further down the aisle is fly fishing and hockey biographies. In the other direction, on the facing wall, the history of Spain.   My first book, The Bosun Chair, is here, in poetry, though it is a hybrid of poetry and family memoir and most of it is written in prose, in full sentences and paragraphs. My latest book, Micrographia, is also here, though it is in nonfiction in the bookstore. It is a collection of essays, though many of the short ..read more

Calling all sleuths and spies! Spring Break is almost here, and we are inviting you to join in the fun at our thrilling classes and events. This Spring Break test your Investi-Gator skills from Saturday, March 23 to Saturday, March 30 at all EPL locations! (Note that EPL is closed on Friday, March 29 for Good Friday.) All classes are free, and you do not need a library card to attend.  But why not explore the library world with endless opportunities for things to do this Spring Break, get your FREE card by signing up online or at your local branch today! Spy-tacular Classes Create yo ..read more

Picture books are very important for young kids who are just learning to read. They have engaging illustrations, information and interesting stories that help children understand and love books. In this blog post, we will talk about why picture books are such great early literacy tools and suggest some good ones for different ages. Why Picture Books are Great: Pictures Bring Stories to Life: The images in picture books make the stories more fun and easy to understand. They help kids imagine the story and become curious about it. Images also provide a great opportunity to talk to your child ab ..read more

What is Mythological Fiction? Mythological fiction is a subgenre of fantasy that draws inspiration from mythology. It can be a retelling or an extension of a myth set in classic or modern times. Well-known myth figures are featured prominently, but not the main characters. Often told in the form of a hero’s journey. Books in this genre end with the heroes winning and good triumphing over evil. This predictability is comforting to young readers, but these stories are far from boring. Stories in this genre usually include quests, magic, gods and monsters. Add in fast pacing, cliffhangers, laugh ..read more

Every year in early March, Open Data Day is celebrated around the globe. It’s a great opportunity to discuss how we can better navigate the world of AI and data. Responsible AI and Data Use Starts with You! The capacity for pretty much anyone to use GenerativeAI such as ChatGPT is raising a lot of questions about how this data-driven technology is leading us into legally and ethically grey areas. How do we navigate the realm of using AI and data responsibly?  Harmful Deep Fakes Some things seem quite obviously wrong when it comes to the use of these technologies—for example, creating a d ..read more

Welcome to our series about early literacy! In this post, we'll talk about an important topic: learning letters and reading early on. When kids start learning to read, recognizing and understanding letters is a crucial skill. It helps them read well and feel confident about it. Let's look at some easy ways to help children with letter recognition. Meaningful Contexts Teach letters in a way that makes sense to kids. Start with the letters in their name. You can point out the letters in their name on signs or in books and display their name using magnetic letters on the fridge. Then move on to ..read more