In 2013, the Edmonton Public Library became the official home for Edmonton’s City of Learners Initiative, transitioning from the leadership of Edmonton Mayor (then Councillor) Don Iveson. Given our strategic focus to “act as a catalyst for learning, discovery, and creating,” EPL is a natural home for the City of Learners.

In 2010, Edmonton City Council issued a Declaration naming Edmonton as a City of Learners, “a city where people of all ages embrace learning as a fundamental component of their personal, social and work lives.” The Declaration defined the aim of the Learning City Initiative as the stimulation of “the creation of conditions in which Edmontonians at all stages of life can access meaningful opportunities to: learn to know, learn to live together, learn to do, and learn to be.”

This Edmonton City of Learners initiative exemplifies the learning cities movement, a global undertaking of community-based initiatives to foster lifelong learning. Incorporating social innovation theory and our Community Led Service Philosophy, EPL’s leadership of the City of Learners will stimulate the creation of conditions in which every citizen of Edmonton has the opportunity to be engaged with meaningful lifelong learning that enhances both personal and community lives.

With support from a Community Steering Committee and internal leadership, EPL is fostering Edmonton’s City of Learners through innovation, collaboration, and connection with community.

This session will provide an overview of the global learning cities movement, the natural connections between learning cities and libraries, and EPL’s steps to further Edmonton as a City of Learners.