Stephanie visits the Calgary Housing company property in Applewood every Wednesday, rain or shine, sleet or snow. It’s a blustery day, but a dozen children are running around outside the library book truck. They’re smiling and laughing as they try to get their kites to catch in the wind. They take breaks from running with their kites to head into the library book truck.

Stephanie greets each child by name and asks them how their week has been. There is a heater in the book truck and some of the children stay to warm up before heading back out to play. The children are curious and engaged, some of them browse through the books, picking out one or two to borrow for the week. Stephanie says that each week she has about a dozen children that visit regularly.

Calgary Public has been visiting Applewood since 2009, and Stephanie has been running the book truck program here since 2019. The programming usually focuses on free play, allowing children to come and go, but occasionally Stephanie has storytimes and structured activities. In the summer she had a reading challenge that saw the kids read over/almost 300 books!

“The book truck is a mobile library so kids whose families don’t have vehicles or whose parents are too busy (usually with work) to take them can access a library in their own communities.” Stephanie shares. “Libraries are different everywhere and we offer things now that we never have before so not everyone is familiar. Some of our more mobile families end up becoming regulars at the branches and enroll in programs there.”

Stephanie says she has seen literacy improve in Applewood as a result of the book trucks visits.

“We’ve had lots of reluctant readers become reading enthusiasts,” she says, “and we’ve seen lots of kids who already enjoy reading grow to become very avid readers – taking home bigger and bigger stacks of books each week because they have easy access.”

“We have one family whose three kids told me they watch out the window for the truck when it comes so they can run out and be the first ones at the program.”

Susanna, the Housing Support Specialist for the property, is very enthusiastic about the program.

“I know the children really love it when the story truck comes to the complex,” she says. “They are excited, and I often see them walking to the truck cradling their books in their arms – it’s so cute!”

The book truck is a mobile public library. It is stocked with books for both children and adults. Families can check out and return books to the book truck. It visits Applewood every week and can also be requested to attend community events.

Calgary Housing is proud of its partnership with the Calgary Public Library, and to be able to offer this program to residents at Applewood. To learn more about the book truck visit calgarylibrary.ca.

Stephanie has been helping run the book truck program at Applewood since 2019, her favourite author is Terry Pratchett.