Kelowna library branch’s revitalization period continues. Thanks for your patience, during any ongoing renovation.
Renovation note: Work is still underway in a few areas, so please bear with us.
There are six book drop bins located on the west side of the building. They are locked only during extended library closures (Easter and Christmas).
Adult Fall Programming is now posted! Please click on the Adult tab below to view the exciting range of free activities coming up this fall.
View events in calendar format.
For details or registration info, click on an event below.
Reading Log and Challenge Tracker Deadline - August 31
September 11 to December 2, Drop-in & Free
6:30-7:30pm, Ages 6-12, Online Registration Required
On August 21, the moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun. This rare solar eclipse will be visible from Kelowna. Want to know when, where, and how to watch the Eclipse safely?
Join the Royal Astronomical Society at the Library on August 17th for an information session to help you get the most out of your Eclipse viewing experience.
For more information or to register for those programs that require registration, please call 250-762-2800 or visit our events calendar.
Partnership Lecture Series
Justice for You Lecture Series
UBC History and Sociology Speaker Series
Culture Days
NFB Film Club | Aabizingwashi (#WideAwake)
Book Clubs
Truth and Security in the Digital Age
Technology Training
Genealogy
Strategy Board Games Nights
Language Learning
Job Search Workshops
Personal Planning
Thursday Evenings | September 7 to October 19 | 7:00 to 9:00 pm Special Morning Presentation | Thursday October 5 | 10:00 am
September 7 | Legal Services Society | Michael Newcombe Michael Newcombe will talk about the supports available through Legal Services Society, including public education, informational materials and Legal Aid for those who cannot afford representation. Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
September 14 | Justice System Education Program | Gail Douglas The Justice Educations Society's Justice System Education Program (JSEP) brings groups of school children, youth at risk, recent immigrants and other Okanagan residents into Courthouses througout the valley. Gail Douglas, Regional JESP Coordinator will tell you about services available for the public in the Kelowna Courthouse and will give you information to become more legally capable: Who's who in the courthouse, how to dress and act in court, how do you know when you are having a legal issue, and what are other options to resolve issues before going to court. Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
September 21 | Restorative Justice, Okanagan Boys and Girls Club | Kara York Restorative Justice is a process that recognizes that crime is a violation of interpersonal connection. Restorative Justice empowers a victim to be involved in the solution to an injustice and the offender to be accountable for their actions. Come and learn about the process of Restorative Justice and the services that are available in your community. Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
September 28 | Crime Stoppers and Victims Services | Gerry Guiltenane and Christine Wallache (Classroom 1) Gerry Guiltenane will answer questions about Crimes Stoppers such as: How to give an anonymous tip, how a tipster's identity is protected, why Crime Stoppers pays for information and how many criminals have been apprehended by tips to the program. Christine Wallache will speak on what Victims' Services offers, who works for Victims' Services and how they help victims of crime. Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
October 5 | Special Morning Presentation 10:00 am Justice System Education Program and Courthouse Visit | Gail Douglas Gail Douglas of the Justice Society will talk about the JSEP, share some information to help you feel legally capable, and then take you over to see the courthouse in action. Register early – spaces are limited. This is a great opportunity to see our legal system at work, under the guidance of a Justice System Education expert. This special day-time session of the series includes a field trip from the Kelowna Library to the Kelowna Courthouse! Please dress for the weather and be prepared for a short walk between locations. Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
October 5 | Royal Canadian Mounted Police | Robyn Boffy Cst. Robyn Boffy is a member of the Kelowna RCMP, and has served as a General Duty Constable for 6 years and as a School Resource Officer for 3 years. Robyn will present on how the RCMP works with the courts, schools and other groups in Kelowna. Wondering how police get a suspect from crime to court and what is being done to prevent crime locally? Sign up to find out! Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
October 12 | John Howard Society of Central and South Okanagan | Gaelene Askeland The John Howard Society is a nation-wide registered charity that works to address health and social issues with a focus on criminal justice. We have been offering services including supportive housing, justice services, community living services, employment programs in the Okanagan since 1957. Gaelene Askeland will provide an overview of the resources and services available to community members, and speak about the Shoplifting Education Program. Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
October 19 | Central Okanagan Elizabeth Fry Society | Michelle Novakowski The Elizabeth Fry Society's purpose is to bring about an end to violence, eliminate poverty, and seek justice for women & children. Michelle Novakowski will talk about Family Law when Experiencing Violence in Relationships - Navigating Social Services and Support. Murder of a female partner is most likely to occur in the context of marital separation or divorce. Leaving is the most dangerous time. This workshop will look at the particular needs of women leaving abusive relationships and how to access safety planning and supports. Registration appreciated. Call 250-762-2899 or register online.
Nature, National Character, and Unnatural Disaster: Reflections on the 2011 Eastern Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster
Wednesday September 20 | 6:45 - 9: 00 pm | Classroom 1
Dr. Christopher Craig, Tohoku University The 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan since modern record keeping began in 1900. Along with the accompanying tsunami waves of up to 40.5 metres, the earthquake resulted in widespread devastation and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.
Join us for a fascinating lecture as Associate Professor of History, Christopher Craig, from Tohoku University, takes us through his experiences on the ground in Sendai, during and after the earthquake, and discusses government response to the disaster, as well as thoughts on nuclear disaster and disaster prevention generally.
Smells (and Looks) Like Multiculturalism: The Affective Management of Pakistani Muslim Women in Diasporic Toronto
Tuesday October 24 | 6:45 - 9:00 pm | Classroom 1
Dr. Lalaie Ameeriar, Stanford University Professor Lalaie Ameeriar will deliver a talk based on her recent book Downwardly Mobile, her study of the transnational labor migration of Pakistani women to Toronto. Despite being trained professionals in fields including engineering, law, medicine, and education, they experience high levels of unemployment and poverty. Rather than addressing this downward mobility as the result of bureaucratic failures, in practice their unemployment is treated as a problem of culture and racialized bodily difference.
In Toronto, a city that prides itself on multicultural inclusion, women are subjected to two distinct cultural contexts revealing that integration in Canada represents not the erasure of all differences, but the celebration of some differences and the eradication of others. Downwardly Mobile juxtaposes the experiences of these women in state-funded unemployment workshops, where they are instructed not to smell like Indian food or wear ethnic clothing, with their experiences at cultural festivals in which they are encouraged to promote these same differences. This form of multiculturalism, Ameeriar reveals, privileges whiteness while using race, gender, and cultural difference as a scapegoat for the failures of Canadian neoliberal policies.
Saturdays | September 30, October 14, November 4 and 25
Concert | 11:00 - 11:45 am Instrument Discovery Zoo | 11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Presented by the Telus Thomson Okanagan Community Board. Join us for a free 45 minute performance. Then meet the OSO musicians and enjoy the discovery zoo where everyone is invited to try an instrument. All ages will delight in this musical engagement. Series launches during Culture Days, September 30.
Brass instrument family: September 30 | Culture Days Launch Event
Strings Instrument family: Saturday October 14
Winds Instrument family: Saturday November 4
Percussion: Saturday November 25
Saturday September 30 | 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Enjoy an accelerated introduction to the many diverse cultures that exist in the Central Okanagan. Join the Okanagan Regional Library (Downtown Kelowna Branch), Kelowna Community Resources and the Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership for this innovative, creative and experiential meeting of the many cultures that make up and enrich the Okanagan valley.
Last Wednesday of the Month | September through November | 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Join us for free showings of the films in the National Film Board Film Club Fall 2017 program. Doors at 6:30, films to start at exactly 7:00 pm.
September 27 | Aboriginal Architecture, Living Architecture Featuring expert commentary and stunning imagery, Paul M. Rickard’s Aboriginal Architecture, Living Architecture provides a virtual tour of seven Indigenous communities—Pueblo, Mohawk, Inuit, Crow, Navajo, Coast Salish and Haida—revealing how each is actively reinterpreting and adapting traditional forms for contemporary purposes.
October 25 | The Sacred Sundance: The Transfer of a Ceremony With The Sacred Sundance: The Transfer of a Ceremony, First Nations director Brian J. Francis journeys into the traditions of North American Indigenous spirituality. The Sundance is new to the Mi’kmaq people of Eastern Canada, brought to them from the West by elder William Nevin of the Elsipogtog First Nation. This event marks a unique transmission of traditional culture from one First Nation to another.
November 29 | The Road Forward The Road Forward, a musical documentary by Marie Clements, is a new release available as of November 2017. It connects a pivotal moment in Canada’s civil rights history—the beginnings of Indian Nationalism in the 1930s—with the powerful momentum of First Nations activism today. Clements paints an electrifying picture of how a tiny movement, the Native Brotherhood and Native Sisterhood, became a powerful voice for social, political and legal advocacy, eventually effecting profound change at the national level.
Second Thursday of the month | September through June | Main Floor Meeting Room Afternoon Club | 3:00 – 4:30 Evening Club | 7:00 – 8:30
Kelowna Branch is continuing our popular book club for adults. We invite you to read the suggested titles and join us once a month for a lively, facilitated discussion of the featured title. The book club is open to all interested adults, and pre-registration is not required.
September 14 | Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese October 12 | Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman November 9 | Being Mortal by Atul Gawande December 14 | High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel January 11 | Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien February 8 | Before the Fall by Noah Hawley March 8 | When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi April 12 | Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis May 10 | Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson June 14 | A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
Every Tuesday | 1:00 to 2:30 pm | Main Floor Meeting Room Registration required, call 250-762-2800 to register.
An all-inclusive book club, welcoming everyone regardless of reading ability and encouraging adults with diverse abilities to take part in discussions about new as well as classic titles. Books will be read together in a group setting with all participants invited to read aloud. Assistance with echo reading will be provided for those who wish to use it.
Current Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Fridays | 2:30 pm | Classroom 1
Join Library staff for a series of classes to help you feel knowledgable and confident about assessing information quality and protecting your security online.
Information Literacy September 22, October 6, November 3 | 2:30 - 3:30 pm Information Literacy teaches users to evaluate the information and resources presented on the web. Topics include authority, timeliness, and accuracy
CyberSecurity September 29, October 13, November 10 | 2:30 - 3:30 pm CyberSecurity teaches people to protect their information and their devices when using the web.
Fake News October 20 | 2:30 - 3:30 pm With the spread of misleading news, how do you determine what is true? Join us for a session to help you spot fake news.
Information Literacy + CyberSecurity December 8 | 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays | 2:30 - 3:30 pm | Classroom 2
Want to get the most out of your smart devices? Bring your phone or tablet to Mobile Meet-Ups, a 3-class course that will improve your understanding of and confidence with your device.
Register online or call 250-762-2800
Session 1: Tuesdays September 5 Navigating your Device September 12 Device Settings September 19 Introdution to Apps
Session 2: Thursdays November 9 Navigating your Device November 16 Device Settings November 23 Introduction to Apps
Session 1: Thursdays September 7 Navigating your Device September 14 Device Settings September 21 Introduction to Apps
Session 2: Tuesdays November 7 Navigating your Device November14 Device Settings November 21 Introduction to Apps
Wednesdays | 10:30 - 11:30 am | Classroom 2
Register online or call 250-762-2800.
Level 1: Introduction to Computers and the Internet Bring your own laptop, or use one of our teaching laptops.
October 4 | Computer Basics Begin at the beginning. We cover how to turn the computer on and off, basic navigation in Windows 10, and introduce using the keyboard and mouse.
October 11 | Introduction to the Internet For internet newbies. A very basic introduction of what the internet is, and how to navigate it. Prerequisite: Computer Basics, or basic keyboard and mouse skills.
Octpber 18 | Computer Basics – review Come in to review what you have learned so far, practice and ask questions. Prerequisite: Computer Basics and Introduction to the Internet, or some basic computer and internet experience.
Level 2: Beyond the Basics Bring your own laptop, or use one of our teaching laptops.
December 6 | Computers Beyond the Basics Delve deeper into what your computer can do.
December 13 | Internet Beyond the Basics Improve your skills for internet navigation.
December 20 | Beyond the Basics – review Come in to review what you have learned so far, practice and ask questions. Prerequisite: Computer Beyond the Basics and Internet Beyond the Basics, or some computer and internet experience.
Thursdays | Starting September 14 | 5:30 - 7:30 pm
A 2-hour self-directed session to practice Ancestry. Experienced users will be available for assistance.
Come to the Library to chat with genealogists from the Kelowna and District Genealogical Society. Learn how to find more on your family tree, or ask about your next steps if you've hit a wall in your research.
Tuesdays | 1:00 - 3:00 pm Wednesdays| 1:00 - 3:00 pm Thursdays | 5:00 - 7:00 pm Saturdays | 1:00 - 3:00 pm (April - September) Sundays | 1:00 - 3:00 pm (October - March)
Fourth Monday of the month | October, November and January through June | 7:00 - 8:30 pm.
Family History Forums are hosted by the Kelowna & District Genealogical Society and the Okanagan Regional Library.
They are free to everyone with an interest in tracing their Family History!
Watch this space for topics.
Tuesdays | 5:00 - 9:00 pm
Join our great group of board gamers for our weekly board game night. Our friendly and welcoming group plays all kinds of games from light social games to in-depth strategy games. Euros, Cataan, FFG games, card games, you name it we play it. People are welcome to bring their own games as we're always looking to try new things. Our group is mostly adults but we almost always have some supervised kids come and they are welcome. We hope to see you there!
Tuesdays | 7:00 - 9:00 pm
A drop-in English-Spanish language exchange. It is casual, all ages and levels are welcome.
Wednesdays | 6:30 - 8:00 pm
A conversational English group for people with beginner to intermediate English language skills. Everyone welcome. Meet others, and improve your English with engaging conversation.
Tuesdays | 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Join Maximus Canada in the Kelowna Branch for a series of job preparation workshops to perfect your job search game. Each series includes 3 weekly sessions:
Requirements: Basic working knowledge of Microsoft Word. Email account or memory stick to take documents home.
Session 1: September 5, 7, 12
Session 2: September 19, 21, 26
Session 3: October 3, 5, 10
Session 4: October 17, 19, 24
Session 5: November 7, 9, 14
Session 6: November 21, 23, 28
Session 7: Dece,ber 5, 7, 12
by NIDUS Personal Planning Resource Centre and Registry
Monday October 2 | 1:00 pm What are the key legal documents in BC to plan for incapacity, end-of-life and after death? This presentation will provide an overview of Representation Agreements, Enduring Powers of Attorney, and Wills. Discuss how Personal Planning is different from Estate Planning? Registration Required: Call 250-762-2800 or register online.
Tuesday October 10 | 1:00 pm Ready for action? Get your legal document in place BEFORE a health crisis! Learn how to complete a Representation Agreement form as provided on the Nidus website. Who can be your witnesses? Who else has to sign? Watch the steps for registering the completed document with the Nidus Personal Planning Registry. Registration Required: Call 250-762-2800 or register online.
Monday October 16 | 1:00 pm A number of different documents and issues come to mind when planning for end-of-life. Learn what each covers and how they may or may not apply. This webinar will discuss: Representation Agreements, Medical Assistance in Dying, Wishes that Don’t Backfire, Physicians Orders (DNR and the MOST form), Hospice/Palliative Care, Organ or Body Donation, Burial or Cremation wishes. Registration Required: Call 250-762-2800 or register online.
Monday October 23 | 1:00 pm Are you named as a representative or a monitor in a Representation Agreement? Are you an attorney named in an Enduring Power of Attorney? What are your primary duties? What authority do you have? This webinar is for individuals – spouses, family members and friends – acting in these roles. (It is not for professionals or institutions who may be appointed.) Registration Required: Call 250-762-2800 or register online.
Thursday October 26 | 1:00 pm This presentation will be based on common questions and concerns about making a Will and settling an Estate. It will include tips. This webinar is for the public. (It is not a training session for legal professionals on drafting Wills or for financial institutions or corporations who act as executors.) Individuals are welcome to send questions in advance. To email your question, put ‘FAQ Wills & Estates’ in the subject line and send to info@nidus.ca Registration Required: Call 250-762-2800 or register online.
We have a variety of bookable and rental spaces in the Kelowna Library. All meeting spaces have free wifi. Some have presentation equipment available.
Please download and read Kelowna Library Rental Spaces Information Document for complete information, or call the library, 250-762-2800 with any questions.
Small Meeting Rooms Available during branch open hours only.
We currently have three small meeting room available to book. These rooms are free, hold up to 10 people, and can be booked up to 3 months in advance.
Classrooms Available during branch open hours only. There are two classrooms available for rent on the second floor. They can be rented individually, or together to form one large meeting space. The classrooms have glass walls which can be opened or closed to change the configuration of the space.
Classroom 1 Capacity: 55 Technology: Ceiling Mounted Projector and Screen / Sound Rates: $50 base rate (2 hours), $25 per additional hour, $150 per day (>6 to 8 hours). Hourly rate for hours more than 8.
Classroom 2 Capacity: 40 Technology: HDMI portable TV screen available on request Rates: $40 base rate (2 hours), $20 per additional hour, $125 per day(>6 to 8 hours). Hourly rate for hours more than 8.
Main Floor Meeting Room Available from 8am to 1 hour after the library closes. Contact staff for details on before/after hours use. Whole Meeting Room Capacity: 100 Technology: Ceiling Mounted Projector and Screen / Sound Rates: $80 base rate (2 hours), $40 per additional hour, $250 per day (>6 to 8 hours). Hourly rate for hours more than 8.
Half Meeting Room Capacity: 40 Technology: Ceiling Mounted Projector and Screen / Sound Rates: $40 base rate (2 hours), $20 per additional hour, $125 per day (>6 to 8 hours). Hourly rate for hours more than 8.
Great Room The library features a large event space on the second floor comprising the two classrooms and the additional reading lounge. The furniture is flexible in this space and it can be rearranged to accommodate a variety of functions. Please inquire for more details about this space.
Capacity: 300 Technology: Ceiling Mounted Projector and Screen / Sound Rates: $300 base rate (4 hours), $50 per additional hour, $550 per day (>6 to 8 hours). Hourly rate for hours more than 8.
Please contact the branch at 250-762-2800 for further information or to book a room.
We can provide an introduction to the library or tailor the visit around a project/assignment.
Contact us today to see how we can help your class.
Daycares/Preschools must register if they wish to attend a storytime.
To book a free tour for kids contact Kelowna Youth Services Department 250-762-2800 or klysreference@orl.bc.ca.
Groups of adults can enjoy a tour at the library too!
ESL classes, retirement homes, book clubs and more can contact Kelowna Reference for further information.
To book a free tour for adults contact the Kelowna Reference Department 250-762-2800 or klreference@orl.bc.ca.
The Kelowna Friends of the Library, a non-profit organization formed in 1988, is registered under the Society Act of British Columbia and the Canada Income Tax Act. Persons interested in libraries are encouraged to volunteer with Friends as we support the downtown Kelowna, Mission & Rutland branches through our fundraising book sales and joint activities.
Funds raised significantly support Summer Reading Club and year-round programming for babes to toddlers to teens plus guest speakers & events for adults; and enhanced facilities at the three branches. Towards their various year-round book sales, Kelowna Friends accept donations of gently used books to their sorting house at 1898 Barlee Road, Kelowna. Volunteers are on duty to review and accept items at the house on Fridays, 9am to noon.
Kelowna Friends major fundraiser, the Great Okanagan Book Sale, takes place in October each year. The Kelowna Friends sponsor an endowment fund with the Central Okanagan Foundation.
For volunteer and donation information, please visit www.kelownafol.ca, or email Friends at fol4k@hotmail.com.
Follow Kelowna Friends on Facebook to keep updated on their latest activities and read posts on ORL, libraries, reading & literacy
Directors of Kelowna Friends of the Library hold meetings rotated between the three branch libraries, at 5:30 pm on the second Monday of each month. No board meetings are held in July & August. The society's AGM is held on a Saturday in late November.
For further information, please email fol4k@hotmail.com.
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