Teachers

You can come to us or we can come to you! We invite you to bring your class to your school's local branch to learn more about the library. These tours are available for all grade levels and can range from a general introduction to the library, to an in-depth exploration of a topic of your choice.

Book a tour online

If you would like a library staff member to visit your class, please contact staff at your local library. Library staff would be happy to come to your school to promote reading or to make research presentations.

Reading Buddies

Do you know a student who needs extra help with reading? Do you know a student who would make a good reading mentor? This program partners students aged 13 – 17 with "buddies" in grades 1 – 4 for one-on-one reading and interactive games. Click here for details of when these two programs are offered.

Read-In

Read-In Week is October 3 - 7 2011. More information is available at www.epl.ca/readin.

Even More

Sign up for an EPL newsletter written especially for teachers.

Check out our databases for incredible content.

Or search for book lists, reviews and more in our catalogue.

Did you know that your students can get EPL cards right in the classroom? That's right – we'll deliver it to them through your school.

This project is in partnership with the Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord, Edmonton Catholic Schools and Edmonton Public Schools.

For further information about this project, please contact Elaine Jones via email or by phoning 780-495-9875.

Library Card Order Form - English PDF - Colour

Library Card Order Form - English PDF - Black and White

Library Card Order Form - French PDF - Colour

Library Card Order Form - French PDF - Black and White

The goal of SRC is to keep kids reading over the summer so they don’t lose their reading skills. EPL staff will come out to your school in May or June to promote this program. Contact your local library to request a class visit.

Summer Reading Club Fact Sheet PDF
Summer Reading Club Programs

Reading Lists

Click here to visit the main SRC page on epl.ca

Click here to visit the TD Summer Reading Club Official Page.

The University of Alberta's Philosophy Department, in collaboration with EPL, proudly presents 100 Great Books to Discuss Together, both a celebration of great books as well as a collection of tools that you can use to discuss books with the child in your life.

This program is based on the Philosophy for Children (P4C) curriculum developed in the 1970's by Matthew Lipman (Montclair State College), and is very similar to the program that Tom Wartenberg (Mount Holyoke College) supports with his website teachingchildrenphilosophy.com. Lipman's version of P4C is used in over 60 languages, in schools all across the world; the 'picture book' approach is used in schools in the U.S. as well as some schools right here in Edmonton.

Since it's inception, the P4C program has helped children with
1. Evaluating reasons and arguments
2. Reading comprehension
3. Finding examples and counter examples
4. Seeing broader perspectives
5. Treating others' views with respect
6. Confident self expression¹

The materials you find in these pages are meant to help you capitalize on a very simple fact about children: they can be incredibly inquisitive and creative if you give them the chance. Using picture books to spark these capacities is a great way for you to engage with your child about issues that both you and your child can find interesting. Here we provide you with simple outlines and corresponding sets of questions that might help you see a way to explore the questions about which your child can't help but ask 'Why?'.

Perhaps one of the most important shifts with the Philosophy for Children approach is your role in the discussion. While you can use these books to help explain to your child the important beliefs you want him or her to come to hold, the program is initially intended to help your child develop his or her own beliefs through critically and creatively engaging with the issues within the story. Thus, as the program was initially conceived, you do not need to know much (or anything) about the philosophical issues surrounding the topics in question in order to discuss these issues with your child. Instead, you need only ask your child to provide the reasons for what he or she believes.

Guide for using I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean in a philosophical discussion.

Find I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean in EPL's Catalogue now.

Guide for using An Extraordinary Egg in a philosophical discussion.

Find An Extraordinary Egg in EPL's Catalogue now.

Guide for using Millions of Cats in a philosophical discussion.

Find Millions of Cats in EPL's Catalogue Now

Guide for using The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! in a philosophical discussion.

Find The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! in EPL's Catalogue Now

¹ See http://www.ualberta.ca/~phil4c/ for further advantages.

All content is produced by Philosophy for Children Alberta (P4CA). If you have any questions or concerns about the materials please contact the team at P4CA by email: phil4c@ualberta.ca.

For more information about P4C, please see our website: www.ualberta.ca/~phil4c/

Teachers