Marigold Library System

Marigold Library System is a partnership between south-central Alberta libraries and has its headquarters in Strathmore. They work under the mission, “Marigold cultivates a collaborative library community to support a range of responsive, quality library services.” Their vision is to be leaders in library service and innovation.

Established in March 1981 and with 320,000 Albertans in its service area, Marigold is the third largest library system in Alberta based on population (after Calgary and Edmonton). It serves forty-four municipalities, Stoney Nakoda and Siksika Nations, the Townsite of Redwood Meadows, and thirty-seven member library boards.

Marigold’s founding members — Gaye Ross (Drumheller), Lucille Dougherty (High River) and Edith Helton (Three Hills) — were three visionary women who travelled across south-central Alberta to promote the idea of greater public library access through collaboration. The name “Marigold Library System” was inspired by the marigold flower, which Gaye considered to be bright, lively and resilient. Premier Peter Lougheed said of Marigold, “I am sure that this, the first public library-based cooperative library system in Alberta, will serve as a positive model for other areas within our province.”

This system is part of TRAC (The Regional Automation Consortium), which is a partnership of Marigold Library System, Northern Lights Library System, Peace Library System, Yellowhead Regional Library, and their member libraries. Using TRACpac, library members can search a combined catalogue of over 170 libraries with holdings of nearly three million books, DVDs and other material.