What’s a Doula and what does a Doula do? Find out on Saturday April 10^th, at the Central Library.

Join Heather Crossan, Alberta Representative of DONA International, to learn about childbirth options, how to become a doula, and much more! A year ago, I didn’t know what a doula was, and now two of my close friends are well on their way to becoming certified. Find out more about this growing career field!

But…just because it’s a growing field, doesn’t mean it’s a new concept. Assisting in the birth of a child is a magical and profound experience. On a trip to Italy several years ago, I visited a necropolis – a “city of the dead”, as it were – and found that an overwhelming number of tombs were for midwives, and those who helped during childbirth. Indeed, assisting in the birthing of children was considered one of the most important professions to which a woman could dedicate herself. If I may say so, I think the same still holds.

To register for this free program and many others, call 260-2600, drop by your local library branch, or click here.

I love the women in my family! They are educated and hard working, they travel, they are wonderful mothers and aunts, and above all, they have left me a legacy of independence. I was raised knowing that I could do anything I wanted – regardless of my gender – and I still believe it. This year, when I celebrate International Women’s Day, I’ll think about the women in my family who paved the way for me.

Celebrate International Women’s Day at the Calgary Public Library! Join us for a free catered lunch and a panel discussion about women, success and equality. There’s still time to register, so don’t miss this unique event!

For more information, please see the following:

International Women’s Day at Calgary Public Library

I’m addicted to podcasts. I recently listened to one from CBC radio, the topic of which was whether or not Women’s Studies programs ought to be re-named “Gender Studies” or some other name that presumably sounds more inclusive. From the issue of names, the dialogue meandered through women’s history, women’s place in academia and politics, and feminism in general. Conversation morphed into debate, and I was rapt! There are so many interesting aspects of women’s experience!

When I was a university student (and the name was still “Women’s Studies”), I studied how parents treat newborn children. In one experiment, a baby, when dressed in pink, is told how pretty “she” is. When dressed in blue, “he” is told how strong he is. How early our gender roles are entrenched! Indeed, our first question to new parents (Is it a boy or a girl?) betrays that we wouldn’t know how to treat the little bundle of joy, without first knowing the gender. This need to confirm gender prior to interacting with someone is especially evident when we encounter someone about whose gender we are not certain. We often feel incredibly disoriented. We don’t know how to treat others until we know whether they are male or female. Such is life in a gendered society.

And since we do, undeniably, inhabit a gendered society, we need to examine the roles we play. We need to examine notions of strength and beauty, family and love, sex and relationships, work and money. Truly, gender is enmeshed with each one of them.

Join us at the Calgary Public Library, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, on March 5. Attend because you are a woman, or you’ve got a wife, mother, daughter, or girlfriend who happens to be one. Attend and meet other like-minded individuals, or have your mind changed! Attend to network, to be inspired, and to share ideas. Attend to celebrate womanhood!

Register for International Women's Day at the Calgary Public Library. Join us for lunch and a thought-provoking panel discussion with successful, local business women.

Sigmund Freud is one of the most important thinkers of the 20^th century. His ideas are curious, controversial and contested, even as they gradually become outmoded. One cannot graduate from a Humanities or Social Science program without studying at least a few of his ideas, and those ideas have had such enormous influence on Western thought that everyone ought to read at least some of his work. A basic understanding of Freud increases one’s cultural literacy - and as a bonus, you’ll be able to better appreciate reruns of Frasier.

Freud is about so much more than sex and cigars! He gave us new and compelling ways to think about the structure of our minds. His theories encompass speech, jokes, dreams, phobias, gender, families, religion and more.

Learn more about this giant of psychology by checking out these titles:

Freud: A Guide for the Perplexed, by Celine Surprenant

Freud, by Ruth Snowden

Freud, Women, and Morality: The Psychology of Good and Evil, by Eli Sagan

Civilization and its Discontents, by Sigmund Freud

The Interpretation of Dreams, by Sigmund Freud

Is there anything more beautiful than a naked man? Perhaps only a naked woman.

Desmond Morris is an Oxford educated writer and filmmaker who has just published a new book, The Naked Man.

Prior to his latest effort, Morris wrote both The Naked Ape and The Naked Woman.

The Naked Man and The Naked Woman are close examinations of the human body – part by part, literally from head to toe. Along the way, readers discover fascinating information pertaining to both biology and culture. In fact, Morris transitions from an anatomical lens to a cultural one so easily, that these titles read as love songs to the human body, rather than text books. If you’ve got an interest in anatomy, art, body modification, gender or biology, check out these interesting, readable books.

Several years into a relationship, the sublime can give way to the mundane. You easily predict your partner’s actions and reactions; a comfortable pattern can soon become a rut. Why not spice things up with a trip to the library? No, I’m not suggesting a little make-out session behind a bookshelf (although you wouldn’t be the first!). Check out our collection. We’ve got all sorts of materials that are sure to keep things interesting!

• Borrow a romance novel! Theses formulated fantasies are even better when you’re not hiding them from your mother!
• Borrow a book about relationships! Gather advice about how you can be more caring, patient, compassionate, and thoughtful. Maintaining a successful relationship takes work and creativity, so don’t hesitate to refer to these books, if you need guidance.
• Borrow some romantic music! Calgary Public Library has a huge range of music, so whether it’s jazz or heavy metal that sets your heart aflutter, set the mood.
• Borrow a book about sex! Teach the “old dog” in your life a new trick or two!

Want more romance in your life? Visit the Calgary Public Library! We’ve got everything you need, but the candlesticks!