Frequently Asked Questions about the Library and Archives

The Library and Archives remain temporarily closed to the general public. A notice will be posted on our home page when public onsite access is again available.

The library is located on the 2nd and 3rd floor of the Kinnear Centre for Creativity and Innovation (KCCI). Access to the library is via the main library doors on the 2nd foor of KCCI. We are located directly above MacLab Bistro. 

The Library and Archives remain temporarily closed to the general public. A notice will be posted on our home page when public onsite access is again available.

The Archives reading room is located on the 3rd floor of the Kinnear Centre for Creativity and Innovation (second floor of the library). Access to the Archives reading room is via the main library doors on the 2nd floor of the Kinnear Centre. 

 Visitors may use the library without a membership. However, to borrow library materials, a library account is necessary. You can obtain an account  either by presenting a current Banff Centre staff/participant/faculty/practicum card or a valid card from a participating TAL member library.  Access to the archives is by appointment only.

Banff Centre Staff, Artists, Faculty, and Participants use their red Banff Centre cards to check out library materials. Please register for a library account at the circulation desk.

Leadership program participants can present themselves at the library front desk with one piece of photo ID and library staff will create a special membership which lasts for the duration of your stay at Banff Centre.

The Alberta Library (TAL)/Banff Public Library members/Canmore Public Library members can use a valid TAL card to take out items at the library. Please bring one piece of photo ID along with your TAL card when visiting for the first time.  

Library cards are non-transferrable. However, borrowing privileges can be extended to family members, partners, and trusted contacts at the request of the library card holder. 

Renew your books online using My Account.

• Browse to: https://banffcentrelibrary.on.worldcat.org/discovery
• Sign with the barcode from your Banff Centre card or the Barcode on your library card and login with your password (if it's your first time logging in, you will create a password at this time).
• Click on My Account
• Under status, click renew next to the desired items.
• Please contact the library if your items do not renew: library@banffcentre.ca or 403.762.6265.

The library can extend limited borrowing privileges for Alumni residing in Banff and Canmore. For those alumnus who reside in Alberta, but not the Bow Valley, using a TAL card membership is the best way to borrow from our library.

Banff Centre has reciprocal inter-library loan agreements with libraries across Canada. Please contact your local library (public, college, university, government) to request an item.

Banff Public Library members, Canmore Public Library members, and residents of Alberta who have a current TAL card (The Alberta Library) may also apply for an account at Banff Centre library.

Regrettably, onsite access to the Library and Archives remains closed to the general public until further notice.

For these inquiries (or others related to your account or items you have signed out), please contact the library staff for assistance: library@banffcentre.ca or 403.762.6265. 

You can place a request for the book through our online system or at the library circulation desk. 

• Go here: https://banffcentrelibrary.on.worldcat.org/discovery
• Sign in with your barcode and the password you created.
• Once logged in search for the title you are seeking.
• Click Place Hold
• You can review your pending requests in the MY ACCOUNT link located in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
• You will receive an email when you requested item arrives back at the library.
• It is not our policy to recall items that are checked out; however, a library staff member may be able to assist you in getting access to the needed item.

Patrons from TAL member libraries are welcome to borrow from our library. Present your valid TAL card and one piece of photo ID at he circulation desk to create a library account.

Regrettably, onsite access to the Library and Archives remains closed to the general public until further notice.

My Account displays information about your library account, including:

• Primary contact  information (Name, phone number, email)
• Saved searches
• Personal lists
• Items out
• Account blocks
• Hold requests

Return items to the  circulation desk during open hours or in the book drop outside the library main doors when closed. Fragile items, such as LPs and Creative Tool and Object items, must be returned to the circulation desk and not placed in the drop box.  Alternatively, patrons may leave items at the Front Desk of the Professional Development Centre. Do not leave items in studios, guest rooms or with staff or other users. Borrowers will be billed for all missing or incomplete items. 

• The item may on hold for another patron.
• The item may be on a short-term loan (e.g. 3-day loan for residency materials, 5 day loan for audio/visual materials).
• The item may be an inter-library loan with limited renewal options.

For help renewing an item, please  contact library staff for assistance: library@banffcentre.ca or 403.762.6265

For Banff Centre registered users (faculty, staff, participants, and practicums) a maximum of 40 items is allowed. For TAL registered users a maximum of 10 items is allowed. Archival materials, works from Special Collections, and Artists' Books do not circulate.

The library has a public printer on the main level. Please use one of the computer terminals in the library to print. Printing is also available at the Ricoh outlet on campus. 

Unfortunately at this time, Banff Centre Library does not have wireless printing. Please use one of the library computer terminals for printing. Our printer is USB enabled and allows for the printing of image files (e.g. PDFs and JPGs) directly from USBs. It does not allow for printing word documents directly from USB.  Wireless printing is, however, available in the PDC Artists' Lounge.  

There is a Ricoh Copy Centre on-site which offers a full range of printing and photocopying services. Please ask a staff member for directions to Ricoh. 

Wireless access is available throughout Banff Centre. The network name is BanffCentre. No password is required.

The library has a limited number of charging stations and cables on both floors of the library. Please ask library staff for assistance in locating a charger for your device.

InterLibrary Loan (ILL) enables eligible Library patrons to borrow items from other libraries and obtain copies of articles from titles that are not owned or available at Banff Centre Library. The library also lends materials to patrons of other libraries within Canada. When demand is high, the library reserves the right to limit InterLibrary Loan requests.  Be advised there can be delays due to availability, distance, and shipping.

If you navigate to our catalogue: https://banffcentrelibrary.on.worldcat.org/discovery you can search for items not held by this library. When you find an item that you would like to have brought in from another library click on "Request Item Through Interlibrary Loan". Borrowers are limited to ten current interlibrary loans.  If you are having trouble navigating the site, contact the Interlibrary loan (ILL) staff: library@banffcentre.ca or 403.762.6265, or complete an interlibrary loan request form at the front desk. Please keep in mind that inter-library loans genrally arrive between one and two weeks after the date of request and items may not always be available.

Renewals are not always available on ILL. Please contact the library for renewal information: library@banffcentre.ca or 403.762.6265. 

If you are a participant/artist, faculty, or staff member currently working at or participating in a program at Banff Centre, you are eligible to use ILL services. 

Banff Centre library cannot make ILL requests on behalf of TAL members, Banff Public Library members, or community members. Please consult your home library to place a request.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer this service.

Artists' Books are books in the form of art objects or art objects in the form of books.  Artists' Books challenge the traditional conventions of the book format.  Much of our collection came together organically as a by-product of the community that surrounds the Banff Centre. Additions weren’t made from lengthy want-lists, but from recommendations from residents, faculty, staff, visitors, and friends of Banff Centre.  From a donation of approximately 30 artist books in 1985, the Paul D. Fleck Library & Archives Artists’ books collections has grown to a collection of over 5200 items.  Our collection, which spans over 60 years of artists' books and includes a wide array of formats, provides opportunities for research and inspiration. 

Also check our frequently updated Tumblr site: Every Item in the Artists' Books Collection

Our collection is catalogued and searchable via the online catalogue. The majority of our collection is in the closed stacks, but a number of items are available to browse on the library's main floor. To view any items in the closed stacks email library@banffcentre.ca to set up a viewing time.

The library grows and improves with your suggestions, so please let us know if there is an item that you'd like to see added to our collection.  All suggestions are reviewed with consideration given to cost, availability and relevance to collection development policies and programming needs. To send along a suggestion just email us.

If there is something you don't see on our shelves, please ask staff for assistance.  If you are having trouble navigating the catalogue, please contact the library and we can help. 

We value quality donations for the growth of the Library and Archives. 

Donations are subject to the same criteria for addition to the collection as purchased materials. We reserve the right to reject donations and accepted donations must be unconditional. We also reserve the right to retain or dispose of donated material according to the needs of the Library and Archives and Banff Centre. Once offered and accepted, donations become the property of the Library and cannot be returned to the donor.

NOTE:  Due to space limitations, we are currently not accepting donations of LPs. 

For more information on donations please contact the library or the archives.