The dedicated staff and volunteers are in-tune with the community and always eager to help find what you are looking for! Visit our ‘vault’ for a quiet place to read.
La Crete Library has been in operation since at least 1962. (Committee minutes are on file at the library dating back to January 30, 1962.) We were first housed in a small building across the road from La Crete Public School. Mrs. Martha Nafziger spearheaded the birth of the La Crete Community Library.
La Crete Community Library fostered a strong partnership with the Fort Vermilion School Division during their years of being located within the La Crete Public School between 1967 and 2015 — During the extensive school renovations the library was temporarily moved. From May 2001 to April 2002, the library was squeezed into a small, cramped portable while waiting for construction to be completed. Then in April of 2002, the library was moved back into the newly renovated school where the La Crete Community Library shared it’s space with the Public School Library.
Library services in the Community were enhanced in 2015 through the hard work and dedication of the local La Crete Library Society and the Mackenzie County Library Board in partnerships with Mackenzie County and the Alberta Treasury Branch… the dream of a stand alone library was one step closer! ATB built a new facility in the community and the original branch building was sold for $1 to Mackenzie County for the purpose of a new Library location… then the hard work began! The La Crete Library Society pulled together… took the challenge of turning the old bank on a prominent corner of Main Street into a Library! They fund-raised, applied for grants, brainstormed, planned, tore apart, built up, and put together a beautiful space, including keeping the original ‘vault’! On October 4, 2016 the Grand Opening of the newly redesigned La Crete Library took place!
The following information was gathered by Sara Lehn Harder’s in her book: Ever into New Horizon’s.
“In 1956 there was a severe crop failure and so there was a scarcity of everything including clothes. The Nafzigers wrote to their church in the South about it and I wrote to mine. We were overwhelmed by the number of boxes with useful clothes that arrived. The Bishop [Wiebe] did not want us to make beggars of his people.
La Crete Library 1952
So, big clothing sales were set up in the various schools and people were helped by the cheap garments. The proceeds of the sale were used to establish a Christian library in La Crete. Martha Nafziger ordered fine Christian books and served as the first librarian.”
— pages 97-98
Our Programs
Open over 35 hours per week providing in-house and online services. Offering exciting programming through many partnerships throughout the community. The dedicated staff and volunteers are in-tune with the community and are always eager to help you find what you are looking for! Celebrating local authors by featuring their works and inviting them to the Library is also a popular event!
Joy Friesen, Local Author
Senior’s Tea
The Annual Senior’s Tea is held in June celebrating our seniors in conjunction with Alberta Senior’s Week. The evening consists of local talent, presentations and light refreshments.
Partnership Programs
The library is currently partnering with Parent Link to bring pre-school programs to the library every Friday morning. These programs have included ‘Mystery Reader’ sessions and ‘Rhymes that Bind’.
Annual Salmon Grill
Ready to Serve 2017 Salmon Grill
The Salmon Grill is held every year in October at the Heritage Centre. This event is always sold out and is the library’s major yearly fundraiser! It is always a great time and the volunteer time and hours that go into the planning and execution of such an event is incredible! If you haven’t attended yet, you may wish to put this on your calendar for next October!
Outreach Program
For over 20 years the La Crete Library has excelled in Senior Services. They offer a exemplary level of service to our Seniors. They get to know the Senior patrons and visit the Lodge and Long-term care facilities with individually selected materials. Once a week delivery of materials, visit and even reading to some of the patrons. The Library also takes referrals from other agencies who have patrons that would like to access this service.
In addition to the outreach program, the library also operates the following:
Senior’s Book Mobile – serving seniors and shut-ins by providing them with a variety of reading material as well as craft/special interest magazines etc.
art shows, children’s reading programs and much more…
The new Blue Hills Library Extension Branch is also under the jurisdiction and management of the La Crete Library.
The La Crete Library has a great photo album that showcases some of the events and the renovations of the new space! Visit their website here: La Crete Library Photo Gallery
Fees
Free to visit and utilize in house materials. Fees apply for some services as outlined below.
Yearly Membership: Family $20; Adults $10; Under 18 $5; Seniors 65+ Free!
Services
Over 33,000 items in house:
Books
Journals
Magazines
Newspapers
Movies
Audio Books
Senior home delivery
Large collection of Christian books
Computer and internet access
Printing & Photocopying
Disc cleaning & repair
Search our collection (and the whole MCLC collection) online!
Inter-library loans between our Libraries – Zama City, Fort Vermilion, La Crete
In addition to the outreach program, the library also operates the following:
Mackenzie County Libraries 