Airdrie Public Library ‘Newcomer Kits’

The Cause

Airdrie Public Library (APL) plays an important role for the people of Airdrie through the collections, programs, services, and spaces it offers. It is a place for learning, creative expression, and building connections for people of all ages, and we strive to meet the needs of every patron in the community. With a mission to foster literacy, knowledge, and cultural connections, our values include intellectual freedom, literacy and lifelong learning, service and organisational excellence, innovation, community collaboration, and accessibility and inclusiveness.

APL’s Plan of Service (renewed every three years) is based on a community needs assessment where we identify what our community wants to see at their library. Know Your Community: Community Resources was identified as a priority by the community for our 2022-2024 Plan of Service. In response to this, APL would like to introduce ‘Newcomer Kits’ as a new service we provide to the community to improve access to local information. As a community resource and hub for community activity, APL is at the heart of Airdrie and is well-positioned to support newcomers in this way.
APL will work collaboratively with community agencies and businesses relevant to newcomers to collate information into a package available free of charge from the library. We envision the Newcomer Kits as APL reusable bags filled with informative library and community materials tailored to welcoming newcomers and to helping them access the many resources APL and Airdrie have to offer. Examples of community groups we would hope to include are APL, Community Links, Volunteer Airdrie, Welcoming Airdrie, the Boys and Girls Club, Airdrie Food Bank, Airdrie P.O.W.E.R., City of Airdrie services, and more.

APL will promote this important project through the following promotional materials:
- APL e-newsletter (distribution to 11,000+ e-mails)
- APL internal TV monitor promoting the project
- Program/poster brochures distributed throughout APL and the community
- APL social media posts (Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest, 4,700+ followers)
- Presented in the Director’s Report (presented to the Library Board)
- Featured in weekly Library Links column in local paper
- Shared with community partners to spread awareness about the availability of these kits

Who Will it Benefit?

APL’s Newcomer Kits initiative will benefit those who are new to the Airdrie community, Alberta, or Canada. The content of these free kits will not only benefit one individual, but also their families and other newcomers that may be part of their network.