Communities thrive when libraries thrive.

A library card opens the door. Your gift helps keep it open.

The Edmonton Public Library is a vital part of the city, where people of all ages and backgrounds have access to the knowledge, technology, and services they need to learn, connect, and thrive.

Read on to discover our current funding priorities.

EPL Children’s Enrichment Fund

At Edmonton Public Library, literacy is nurtured through play, connection, and exploration. Children learn by doing, exploring, and even making mistakes, without fear. They can be active, while also having the quiet time they need to reflect. Everything is designed to support children as learners, thinkers, and members of a community.

Research shows that when children enjoy reading and learning early on, they are more likely to succeed academically, build meaningful careers, and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

The newly established Children’s Enrichment Fund provides steady, long-term support for children and youth from birth to age 15, focusing on three key areas.

• Books and Learning Materials – Expanding access to books and early literacy resources
• Programs and Experiences – Offering engaging experiences that build skills and confidence
• Spaces – Creating welcoming environments where families can learn and connect.

Cook Up A Story

Research shows children can lose more than a month of learning over the summer, with the greatest setbacks affecting those already facing academic or socioeconomic barriers. Yet many of these children cannot access quality summer programs because of cost and other obstacles, including transportation and food insecurity.

To help close this gap, EPL partnered BGC Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton & Area (BGCBigs) to launch Cook Up a Story, a free summer camp that combines literacy, cooking, and hands-on learning.

In summer 2025, EPL delivered seven camps for 175 children. Small group sizes allowed staff to build meaningful relationships and tailor support to diverse learning needs. Campers explored the library in new ways, developed cooking and digital skills, and nearly all eligible participants said they wanted to return the following year.

With continued support, EPL aims to expand the program's reach and deepen its curriculum, ensuring more children benefit from engaging, barrier-free summer learning experiences.

Ready. Set. READ!

Every child deserves the chance to grow up surrounded by books, stories, and the joy of reading. That’s why Edmonton Public Library, in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, is proud to offer Ready. Set. Read! a program dedicated to inspiring a lifelong love of reading by gifting FREE books to children from birth to age five. 

Ready. Set. Read! helps children build a strong foundation for literacy by delivering high-quality, age-appropriate books straight to their homes every month. Studies show that children growing up in homes with books receive three years more schooling than those without, regardless of their parents' education or occupation.

In 2025, EPL mailed 56,976 books to 4,917 children.

By giving to Ready. Set. READ!, you help close the literacy gap and open doors to brighter futures for thousands of kids.