Creating Space to Engage, Learn, and Reflect
Calgary Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
At Calgary Public Library, we’ve made room for community dialogue through our aptly named Create Space, in the heart of Central Library. When patrons enter the Library, they often have a goal in mind: look at books, find a cozy space to study, or take their child to a scheduled program. Create Space invites patrons to stop, discover, and learn while having fun. It uses custom-made interactive elements to explore complex topics of local interest, covering everything from book banning to elections, to artificial intelligence, and more. Drawing inspiration from museums, Create Space engages adults and families in dialogue with others, fostering connection through temporary exhibits that change quarterly.
Create Space is also a mode for collaboration with community partners, to broaden the reach of important social issues, such as poverty and the policies and public discourse that surround it.
Challenge/Opportunity
How can a library make complex topics — such as artificial intelligence or what it means to vote in a civic election — engaging and accessible? That’s the opportunity Create Space delivers on.
Create Space explores important topics in a way that invites thought, curiosity, and learning. This experience:
-Provides information and curated activities to ignite conversation
-Addresses societal issues/complex topics like civic engagement, intellectual freedom, AI, and poverty
-Offers a welcoming and safe place to learn, reflect, and connect
-Allows patrons to choose their level of engagement and anonymity
For example, our We Need to Talk about AI exhibit in Create Space invited visitors to explore a complex and timely topic, offering hands-on, analogue opportunities to understand how AI works and how it’s shaping the way we access and assess information.
To reach people who may not be able to visit in person, information on Create Space topics can be found on our website.
Key Elements of Innovation
Create Space integrates key strategic priorities — creating purpose together, championing a sense of belonging, and energizing lifelong learning — with the power of innovation.
Developed by the Service Design Team in alignment with priorities identified by Library leadership and our community, Create Space is in a highly visible part of Central Library. Innovation includes:
-Rotating, museum-like exhibit changes every 12 - 16 weeks
-Bridges gap between programs and posters, pairing content with hands-on experiences
-Offers diverse perspectives and encourages reflection without offering definitive answers
-Opportunity to answer prompts
-Development of scalable activities/text panels extends Create Space experiences to other locations
-Advances work and relevance of libraries with topics such as book banning/intellectual freedom
Our 2026 Calgary Election exhibit provided non-partisan information about the election, explaining the voting process and impact of misinformation.
Achieved Outcomes
Create Space enhanced partnerships with the City of Calgary, Vibrant Communities Calgary, The Sprawl, and others. Engagement is evaluated through qualitative/quantitative measures including prompt responses, materials distributed, and feedback shared:
-We Need to Talk About AI: Over 1450 responses
-Book Sanctuary (exploring why books are banned/intellectual freedom): Over 400 responses
-Civic Election: In partnership with The Sprawl, over 7000 zines distributed
"Although I am an anti-AI hardliner, I really appreciated seeing a neutral approach to the subject that invited people to think about its harms without being preachy.” – Zach, patron
"These activities are so well thought out and so easily explain the concepts of AI in a way that children are able to understand. I especially liked the button activity. Even as an adult it made things so much clearer for me and thus allowing me to pass on my understanding in class." – Grade 4 teacher who asked to use prompts in her class
