Our Learning Commons at Wilma Hansen is an inviting and welcoming space for students to find books and to do independent or group work. We have a diverse selection of fiction and non-fiction books, comfortable reading spaces and (generally) quiet work space in an adaptable learning environment. We are pleased to display student learning through past exemplars; we often have new or relevant books on display; and our Learning Commons Assistant is passionate about student growth and loves to help students find something they want to read.
October 9, 2025
Writing today from a very quiet Learning Commons! (No, that's not me on the couch!) Lots of long overdue (librarian joke) "behind the scenes" work is getting done, but missing the students and the teachers.
Hopefully, everyone is finding reading material. But if not, I want to communicate two options for you:
- Calgary Public Library: every CBE student has an account waiting for them to use at the CPL. Students can access online resources in addition to using the many CPL locations throughout Calgary. If your student wants to access that account, they need to know their CBE email user name, and can email me (ldwiebe@cbe.ab.ca) for the password. Or they/you can just fill in all the information for a regular account--it's free for all Calgarians.
- CBE e-library: this resource has many tools for student learning and reading enjoyment too. Students can go to the Wilma Hansen website and click on "e-library" (icon of a book!) under quick links. If it is their first time on e-library, they can go to "using e-library" on the blue banner at the top and find the tutorials. They do need to know their CBE ID # if they want to see what is on their accounts.
My challenge (encouragement?) is just to go to these websites and spend some time seeing what is available. Don't hesitate because you haven't used them before, they are fairly intuitive, and some great reads are just waiting for you!
Sept. 12, 2025
Sept 3, 2025
Welcome back to September, to routines, to school, to old friends (and yes that includes books!); but also welcome to new things too (routines, classes, friends, and yes, books).
Just a quick note to say we're looking forward to working together and learning together. Our Learning Commons is presently being organized for the school year and students will be able to sign out books next week.
Feel free to scroll down and read the posts from last year, most will still be relevant. And you can always connect with me, your Learning Commons Assistant, Mrs. Wiebe, at ldwiebe@cbe.ab.ca.
Happy September!
May 29, 2025
We are days away from June and most of us are starting to think summer thoughts. But there's still a lot of things to accomplish before the end of June!
First, a big thank you to everyone who supported our Owl's Nest Bookfair. What a lovely selection of books, with friendly and helpful staff at the sale. I hope your students enjoyed it. With this event, we were able to acquire a credit at Owl's Nest for $352. 38. We will use these funds to purchase some new and exciting reads, and replace some favorite books in our collection that have been loved past their bindings.
We have been busy. Presently, and into June, the LC accommodates PAT testing.
We have also decommissioned many books that were either outdated or just not grabbing the students' interest. These books are being given a second life in teacher classroom libraries--leaving room on our LC shelves for our newer, more relevant books. The books that are not going into classrooms will be available in September for families. Yes, for free! So keep your ears tuned for more information about that event in the fall.
Once June is here, we start looking for our books to come "home" to the LC for the summer. It is always an endeavor and an adventure trying to get students to bring all their books back. And it breaks my heart when our dedicated readers have to stop signing books out from our collection. The good news is that they have books in their classrooms to read and that the Calgary Public Library is always available to them. Please encourage your students to visit the CPL both in person and online this summer.
This June, we are planning to do an inventory of our collection. If any parents are able and willing to help out, we will gladly accept your offer. Please contact Laura Wiebe, our LC Assistant.
This week
Our long awaited Owl’s Nest Book Fair has arrived at Wilma Hansen!
Please support our fair by visiting in person, sending money with your student to buy books of their choice, or by placing an order online at Owl’s Nest Books (up until May 9; and don’t forget to use the promo code HANSEN so that your purchases are credited to our fair!).
All purchases help buy new books for our Learning Commons (helps all students), but even more importantly gets a book into your student’s hands that they get to choose.
Where: on the 2nd floor in our Learning Commons
When: Open from 9am-4:15pm Monday – Thursday and 9am-11:30 on Friday, this week only! Students and families are welcome during all theses times. Maybe plan to pick up your student after school one day this week and stay to look around?
How: our cashier will accept cash, debit and credit cards
We're very excited about the selection of books on display, everything including picture books, middle books and teen books, both fiction and non-fiction and lots of graphic novels. So many new and interesting books!
April 22 is Earth Day
Come check out some of our great books on sustainability.
There are also many more on the shelves; the table just wasn't big enough!
And look online: there are many great websites with resources and activities for Earth Day.
April 7, 2025
April is National Poetry Month
Come see the range of books in our Learning Commons and in the display case out front. In addition to both classic and contemporary poetry, we also carry a large selection of "novels in verse". A good explanation of a novel-in-verse is: a story that combines the narrative structure of a novel and the lyricism and white space of poetry. They are usually quite easy to read and many of our reluctant readers enjoy these books. And since most of these have been published recently, they are relevant and relatable.
Bookfair Reminder
This is a hybrid book fair, so you are invited to purchase books for yourself on-line (already open at www.owlsnestbooks.com, please use promo code HANSEN) or come visit the fair at school, April 28 through May 1, for a great selection of middle-school curated books (see details below).
March 18, 2025
3 reminders for this week:
1) Bring Mrs. Wiebe your book fair suggestions and contest entry (see below for more information on the contest and the book fair!).
2) Renew or return your books before Spring Break. Notices will go home for long outstanding books. If you have books signed out over the break, please make good decisions about how you take care of them and track their location. Thank you!
3) Come see the personal book recommendations from staff in the LC, and sign one out!
Happy Spring Break everyone!
March 11, 2025
Our bookfair online link is now active!
Our in-person fair starts on Monday, April 28th, but you don’t have to wait until then!
Go to owlsnestbooks.com to place a book order anytime between now and May 9th. Use the promo code (HANSEN) in order for those purchases to be attributed to our school fair. Owl’s Nest offers free delivery within the city. They process orders as they are submitted, and send them out to people’s homes as they are completed.
What you want to know:
Why do we have book fairs?
We receive a percentage of the sales to help build our school library, which helps all students.
We create interest in reading by showcasing popular and age/interest relevant books for our students.
Our in-person Bookfair will be stocked with the books our students are interested in.
The Bookfair will be open until 4:15 pm, Monday –Thursday to allow parents to come visit the Fair.
By offering online shopping, we vastly increase the variety of books offered. This means families and friends can order books that they want (not just middle school books) and it still helps grow our book collection at the school. Please do promote this sale with your coworkers and friends.
Did you know?
The students have an opportunity to win a free book!
When they submit suggestions that they would like to see at the fair, they can put their name in a draw to win a book. Draw deadline is April 1st.
Thanks in advance for supporting the Bookfair and helping all students have access to books they love in our Learning Commons!
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Incidentally, 2 days before the first day of our Fair, April 26th, is Canadian Independent Bookstore Day, of which Owl's Nest Bookstore is one!
Why Celebrate Indie Bookstores?
Independent booksellers are an integral part of Canadian culture. As professionals, they are deeply passionate about their work, prioritize best-in-class customer service, and provide unmatched value for the book-buying public.
But it’s more than that. Indie bookstores are pillars of the communities in which they reside. Their staff are actively involved in the neighborhood and provide an inclusive space where people can connect over shared interests. Local booksellers also play a vital role in the Canadian literary ecosystem. They are conduits of discovery, championing Canadian creators at all career stages and introducing Canadian readers to a diverse range of voices from across Canada’s rich cultural landscape.
Indie booksellers work hard to serve their customers and communities. CIBD is our opportunity to say thank you.
Click here to enter the CIBD contest (if you buy your books on April 26th).
March 5, 2025
Come see the books on display outside the LC, showcasing amazing women through history! All books are available to be signed out.
February 27, 2025
February is almost over, and our displays for "Black History Month" and "We Go Together Like..." displays will be coming down in a few days.
We had both fiction and non-fiction history books on display, as well as realistic fiction with Black characters or written by Black authors available for our students to browse and check out. Many of these books were made possible for us by a gift from "First Books Canada". This gift has expanded our collection this year, and we are grateful for the opportunity to increase the diversity of books we offer our students. I love to see students picking up a book that they can identify with.
In the spirit of Valentine's Day and all the ways we express love and friendship, we offered pairs of books for pairs of students who choose to read the same book together. The students who participated received bookmarks that went together like... burger and fries, bacon and eggs, etc.
What will be on display in March? If you have a suggestion, see Mrs. Wiebe.
If you haven't heard about our upcoming book fair, please read the post below.
February 6, 2025
Coming Soon to our school: Owl's Nest Book Fair April 28-May 2
We are excited to be partnering with Owl's Nest Books to bring a spring book fair to Wilma Hansen. Keep your eyes open for more details.
They will be setting up popular books for our students to browse and purchase during that week (so send me some suggestions), and they will have a link to place online orders as well. What you can do now is visit their website (owlsnestbooks.com) and make a list of books you might like to buy for yourself or family for when the online portion of the sale begins (you will not be limited to the books your students are interested in--you can order anything on their website). You are welcome to share the link with extended family and friends as well when it becomes available. All purchases help the school buy books for our Learning Commons, which, in turn, helps all students have access to more books. You are free to buy books for the L.C. or teachers as well--we'll have a list to choose from.
We'll also be having a contest for the students: they can enter the draw for a free book when they suggest a book that they'd like to see at the fair and are interested in purchasing or having added to our collection.
January 29, 2025
Just a small sample of some of our newer Non-Fiction books:
January 16, 2025
Happy New Year!
Mrs. Wiebe recommends: The Last Dragon of Mars by Scott Reintgen (author of a number of excellent middle grade and YA novels), first in series, rated for grades 5-9
Official Hype: Keep your eyes down and your feet moving, or this planet will rust you.
That’s what Lunar Jones tells the other kids at the relocation clinic. All of them were born on Mars, a planet that never wanted people in the first place. With resources scarce and hope even scarcer, it’s easy to get distracted looking up. After all, their ancestors descended from the stars.
Martian history always starts with Earth. The first astronauts discovered that space was already occupied. Not by little green men or flying saucers. It was full of dragons. One for every moon, every planet, every star. When humanity discovered that Earth’s dragon had sacrificed herself to make their home planet habitable, they set their sights on Mars. If one dead dragon could breathe life into a world, why not create another one? Mankind won the war that followed, but with one catch. As the dragon died, he whispered a curse over Mars. The first settlers found their crops wouldn’t grow. Animals hunted them. Storms raged endlessly. It took three generations to figure out the truth: Mars was doomed.
Lunar knows all the old stories about dragons and space, but no one up there’s planning to help him or his crew. Instead, he focuses on scrapping valuable gear that the storms uncover in the war zone. Until one day, a salvaging run goes wrong. Desperate to find shelter, Lunar goes underground in a restricted zone. What he finds there, buried in the Martian dust, might just be the only hope left for a dying planet.
Mrs. Wiebe’s comments: easy to read, engaging, great for anyone who loves science fiction or fantasy. Can’t wait for the next one in the series. Until then I’ll read another one of Scott Reintgen’s books!
Dec. 12. 2024
With the Winter Break just around the corner, I'd like to extend my warmest wishes for a lovely break and joy in any celebrations you may participate in. I hope you have time with your families and friends, time for fun and time for relaxing. I might suggest that a book could help you with those last two! As one of my own children would be likely to say, "Go on a book adventure!"
For those of you looking for reading material over the break, do plan a visit to the Calgary Public Library. And if you can't get there in person, they have many free resources online as well.
As far as our school collection goes, please make the time to look around your homes to see if any of our books have made their way to your own shelves. We are missing a number of popular books and are hoping they will return to us in the new year.
Nov. 26, 2024
New Books through First Books Canada
...And where to find book reviews
If you read one book this year, choose this one! This book will appeal to both graphic novel lovers and those who want to understand more about how and why our world works as it does. It is written clearly, easy enough for young readers to understand and full of facts that older readers may not know or may have forgotten (so well-researched and presented). Best of all, it is written with hope and an eye to our future, as we work to re-imagine how these systems can change to become more efficient and equitable. Insightful, challenging AND entertaining. Find more information about this book, click here.
This book was purchased through First Books Canada. Last year our school was able to join the program offered through this amazing organization and the donors that make it happen. Learn more about First Books Canada here: www.firstbookcanada.org . First Books Canada is dedicated to eliminating barriers to education and literacy and to providing Canadian content and encouraging diversity. We have been able to expand our LC collection significantly in the areas of STEM, mental health and diversity--both fiction and non-fiction. We are very grateful for the grant that First Books gifted us.
Stay tuned for more book reviews showcasing some of our new books.
If you're looking for general book reviews, you can also check out the more than 100 books that Mrs. Wiebe has read from our LC on her Goodreads page. Look under her "Teen-YA" shelf after friending her (Laura Wiebe) to see her ratings and other reviews. Goodreads is an excellent source for lists by Genre and Authors and Series, so explore a little while on that website!
Other places to look at book reviews, ratings and age recommendations are common sense media and ULS.
Remember, you can always email Mrs. Wiebe with any questions about our Learning Commons: ldwiebe@cbe.ab.ca
Nov. 6, 2024
What to do next if your student brings home a Scholastic Book Club flyer…
The Scholastic Book Clubs is a little different from the Book Fairs that we hold. Instead, we are supplied with some paper copies of the flyers for students to look through or take home (and which is also available online at https://bookclubs.scholastic.ca/s/cec-ca/en/digital-catalogues). You can find out more details about how Book Club works in the Parent Guide at https://bookclubs.scholastic.ca/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-cec-ca-Library/default/dw1fc317f7/guides/Parent_Guide_EN.pdf
All orders are placed online. In order to help our school earn rewards, could you please use our Class Code: RC159502 (teacher: Mrs. Wiebe). Every order benefits our Learning Commons, helping us earn free books and resources for all students to enjoy.
Oct. 29, 2024
What is a LEARNING COMMONS and what does that mean at Wilma Hansen?
LEARNING = finding out something new, figuring things out, developing your intellect, intelligence, understanding and communicational skills
COMMONS = a meeting place where people gather to work on a common goal or to achieve a common purpose—hearing other people’s learned knowledge or opinions can spark discussion and “thinking outside the box”
LEARNING COMMONS = a “common ground” for people who are looking to learn by working either individually or in a group
There must be a respect and desire for knowledge and learning at the base of everything that is happening in the Learning Commons; and a respect and appreciation for others’ opinions and needs within this environment
What do we see, and see happening, in our Wilma Hansen Learning Commons?
We see a book collection, both fiction and non-fiction—useful for research, inquiry, pleasure, intellectual expansion, emotional growth and self-discovery.
We see computers—access to resource and reference materials. We learn how to exercise “digital citizenship”.
We see workspace. We see presentation technology, tables & chairs.
We see, learn from and celebrate displays of student learning.
We see an adaptable environment. Our furniture can be moved to accommodate multiple needs.
We see students and staff accessing ANY and ALL of these resources for both individual and corporate applications.
We see social interaction; we see respect; we see kindness.
We see accessibility, safety, acceptance and welcome.
Oct. 8, 2024 What’s new in the Learning Commons this year? Non-Fiction books!
Last spring, we spent significant time working through our non-fiction section. It was plugged up with older books that were not appealing to the students and hindering them from finding something that interested them. These books are being stored in the back room and are still accessible to students and staff if needed.
Wanting to bring our collection up to date, we were very fortunate to be granted some moneys from the Parent Council. We were able to purchase some exciting and engaging new reads on a variety of topics including STEM, global issues, diversity and mental health. There are now many new books that tie in to curriculum as well; and, of course, some books just for the joy of reading! These books are now finding their way onto the shelves and into the hands of students.
We’ve seen a renewed interest in non-fiction since the shelves are easier to navigate and have more room to display the new books! A huge thank you from all of us to our Parent Council!
Sept. 2024
What an exciting way to start the school year: a Scholastic Book Fair! We’d like to thank everyone who visited the Fair and who purchased books! With our rewards, we were able to keep $250 worth of new books for the Learning Commons: high interest books like graphic novels, sports, humor and gaming books.
We will be hosting a 2nd book fair in the new year; so there will be another opportunity then for families to purchase great books.
Keep reading if you would like to know more about book fairs, how they work and the rewards system. If you’d like to volunteer (set up, promotions, sales and cashiers) for the next fair, please contact Mrs. Wiebe @ ldwiebe@cbe.ab.ca.
How Scholastic Book Fairs help our school:
1. Students feel the energy and excitement we have about books and get to explore books that might interest them. Scholastic makes it easy for us by curating books at our students’ reading and interest levels. Most books range in the $10-$20 range.
2. When students or families (we try to hold one evening event) purchase books, it helps to build the collection in our Learning Commons—which is good for ALL students. So a book purchased means a book for the student to keep and numerous more for the student to borrow from our LC.
3. This is where it gets interesting: the more books students/families purchase the higher the percentage of rewards we get. For example, if we sell under $2000, we only get 10% in rewards ($200 + a few perks). This percentage goes up when we reach the next level, so if we sold $3500, we would be getting 30% (closer to $1000 worth of books)—which is a significant difference. If we host a second fair, the rewards start at 20%. And if we have two fairs that meet the $2000 level, we are able to host a third fair which is a Buy One Get One for the students. Since we did not meet the $2000 level on our September fair, we will not be able to host the third BOGO this year. However, we will still host the second fair in March.
4. This September, our grade 9 Leadership students helped at the fair and did a fantastic job. But we’d like to have a couple of parent volunteers on the family nights who are more comfortable with running the cashier desk. There are also other aspects of the Fair that we could build on if we had parents taking a more active role.