The Drumheller Library Society unveiled a new collection of Canadian themed books at the Drumheller Library on Tuesday, May 30 at 5:30 p.m.
    To commemorate Canada’s 150th year since its confederation in 1867, the library felt it was an appropriate way to show their pride and enthusiasm.
    “I think it’s the opportunity to focus in on Canadian history and authors and small presses in Canada,” said Linda Traquair, Chair of the Library Society. “It’s really a way to recognize them.”
    As well as the new addition to the library, a wall hanging was revealed in celebratory fashion of the 150th birthday.
Traquair’s niece from Beiseker made the outline for the panel that’s in the middle.
Initially, the books were purchased by the Library Society to help aid the library itself with the Canadiana idea. Staff members then sorted through numerous amounts of books to determine which would be displayed.
    “The staff had put some of the books out and then Linda and I went through stacks and pulled as many of the books as we could find that were Canadian and purchased with the money,” said Nielsen.
    Library users were so excited, they rented out the books from the collection before the unveiling had even happened.
    “I came in this afternoon and there were holes in the display,” said Nielsen. “People had been in and they thought that was a great book and they checked it out so I was going back through the stacks to find books to put in the holes.”
    The duo didn’t just find books but also videos like the Alberta filmed TV show Heartland. One of the hardest items to find was a simple Canadian cookbook within the books bought for the collection.
    They felt that Canada also needed a fair representation from all coasts including Nunavut, therefore adding in more of a cultural side. One of the reasons behind the problem was the leaking wall in the library in 2015.
    “We got reimbursed for it but it was an opportunity to further enhance our collection,” said Traquair.
     “We hope people will come out and see the new book collection and read about Canada as it celebrates the 150th birthday of confederation,” said Nielsen.

As part of DVSS’s Canada 150 celebration, keynote speaker Walter McDonald Whitebear spoke to a full gymnasium about cultural diversity and leadership.
Students in the connections options course were challenged to go on a week long connections trip to Kamp Kiwanis and listen to different keynote speakers, participate in leadership activities and group discussions alongside 70 other members.
“It’s students from all these different schools across Alberta so each group will have different students so we get to meet each other and we discuss things like diversity,” said Arland Zatania, one of the spearheads for the celebration.
“It was a pretty diverse crowd too so there was a couple schools like big city schools, little town schools, like a pretty diverse group of people,” added Max Gruner.
Once they come back, they must do some work to broaden other student’s horizons.
Max Gruner and Arland Zatania were the driving forces behind Whitebear’s visit to the school as they had heard him speak during the trip.
Another project the class is working on is a heart outline that will be filled with student’s thumbprints in the near future.
“One of the speakers said that each person is like a thumbprint so we wanted to take that idea and make each student take their thumbprint and put it in an anatomically correct heart,” said Zatania.
So far, the boys are enjoying the course and are happy to learn how to pursue positive change.
“It gives you opportunity to make changes in your school so all-in-all I’d recommend it to anybody I know,” said Gruner.
Along with the presentation and performance by Whitebear, students were able to get into the sunshine and try out the blow-up obstacle courses or line up for the food truck.