What is cultural literacy?

Cultural literacy means being able to understand the traditions, regular activities and history of a group of people from a given culture.
 
It also means being able to engage with these traditions, activities and history in cultural spaces like museums, galleries and performances.
 
Culture is how a group of people lives. It includes their language, arts, science, beliefs and practices, and their understanding of their environment.
 
Being culturally literate can help you understand, relate to and interact with people from diverse backgrounds that may be very different from your own. It can be especially important to be culturally literate if you are part of the dominant culture. Seeing, hearing and learning about how other people live can make you more culturally sensitive and aware. Learning about different cultures can open your mind to different ways of life.
https://abclifeliteracy.ca/cultural-literacy/
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Ontario Parks Parking Passes now available!

Exciting news! Ontario Provincial Park Day-Use Parking Passes now available! These are first come, first serve and can be checked out for 7 days with your library card! No holds or renewals at this time and overdue fines are $5 a day. This week is going to be a little chilly but next week is supposed to warm up again so give us a call when you’re heading to a provincial park to see if a pass is available (we have 3) and receive it at curbside pickup!

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Access Ancestry from home… here’s how!

Did you know that you can access Ancestry from home for free? All you need is an active library card! Remote access has been extended to at least the end of March so if you are interested in doing genealogy research now is the time to do it!

To access Ancestry Library Edition:

Click on ‘Online Catalogue at the top of the page

You will need to login to your account to access the Ancestry database so either click on Login at the top of the page or click on the Ancestry button that is currently showing login to activate

Enter your Library Card Number and PIN. Your Library Card Number can be found below the barcode on the back of your library card. It is 14 digits long and starts with 22837. Enter all numbers with no spaces. Your default PIN is books (all lowercase) unless you have changed it at some point.

Once you have logged into your account, the Ancestry button will have changed to Ancestry Library Edition. Click on this button to access the Ancestry database.

Now you have reached the Ancestry Library Edition main page and can start researching your family History!

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What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy is having the knowledge, skills and confidence to keep up with changes in technology.
 
Computers are increasingly part of everyday life. They’ve changed how we do things, and they’re going to keep changing how we do things.
 
To keep up, we need to keep learning so that we can continue to thrive at home, at work and in the community.
 
Being digitally literate means being able to adapt to the changes brought about by computers in ways that make sense to your life.
https://abclifeliteracy.ca/digital-literacy/
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What is Life Literacy?

Life literacy signals the importance of lifelong and life-wide literacy and learning. It’s the literacy skills you need to live your life full and the new skills you need to acquire throughout your life.
 
Workplace, family and community are important areas in your life where developing your essential skills can result in a more productive and more successful life experience.
 
Having adequate literacy skills means being able to understand, evaluate, use and engage with written texts. It also means being able to participate in society, achieve your goals, and develop your knowledge and potential.
 
Research shows that adults who have inadequate literacy skills are more likely to have poorer overall health, lower salaries, and lower levels of participation in their community.
https://abclifeliteracy.ca/literacy-at-a-glance/
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Interested in local history?

If you’re interested in learning about Stirling-Rawdon’s history, check out our local history database, Stirling-Rawdon Past & Present, and follow us on our library Facebook page for Throwback Thursday posts every Thursday for fun little tidbits about Stirling’s history, like the following…

 

After nearly 100 years Train No. 93 made its last run from Belleville to Toronto via Stirling and Peterborough in 1962. At the height of the railway’s popularity in Stirling in the 1930s there were 4 passenger trains arriving each day, operating between Belleville and Lindsay. ~Stirling News Argus, February 6, 1962

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What is Family Literacy?

Family literacy focusses on parents, grandparents and other family members to improve the reading and writing skills of the whole family.
By reading to children and engaging in fun literacy activities regularly, adults actively keep their own skills sharp and also help children improve their skills.
Family literacy activities strengthen the relationship between family members which, in turn, encourages lifelong learning.
Without adult support and a strong foundation at home, a child is less likely to be successful and engaged in school.
https://abclifeliteracy.ca/family-literacy/

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