Party in the Stacks

Andrea Bellemare of CBC-KW, Sam Allen from the band Run Coyote, and our amazing MC, Craig Norris of CBC-KW

This fall, we held a fundraising kick-off party for our new digital media studio, Studio Central, and we’re overwhelmed with the support we saw from this community. Party in the Stacks was a big success, thanks to so many of you. See the photos below.

It was a sold-out event, with more than 300 people in attendance. We had 14 generous sponsors, 12 companies that supported the event with their time, talent and equipment, and the Downtown Kitchener BIA and local restaurants provided the food.

Craig Norris from CBC-KW acted as our incredible MC. Our amazing speakers included keynote speaker Gerry Remers, past president of Christie Digital. Steven Woods from Google, City of Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, and Hive Waterloo Region founder Stephanie Rozek.

Performers included the band Run Coyote, magician Scott Hammell, and dancers from Star Performance Academy.

Our volunteers and staff helped the event run smoothly: Karrie Zettler, Veronica Naas, Pam Gruetzmacher, Kim Cluthe, Elaine Tustin-Smith, Sara Faulhafer, Nancy Duncan, Claudia Naas, Sherry Erb, Shelley Zettler, Brandon Abram, Kristin Johnson-Perlock, Robyn Zondervan, Meg Harder, Laura Reed, Janice Colussi,Berkeley Wall, and Jim Tomeo.

To all of you, we can’t thank you enough. Your support and enthusiasm for Studio Central , and will mean so much in this community as we all work together to provide opportunities for digital literacy to everyone. The transformation has already begun, with the installation of a virtual reality system.

Stay tuned as Studio Central continues to develop. We can’t wait to see what you create, record, edit, and share with the world!

Getting ready!

Is it time to open the doors?

MC Craig Norris and KPL’s Dale Dyce

Keynote speaker Gerry Remers

3D printing by Inksmith

Great food from B @TheMuseum

Bryn Ossington and Andre Furlong

With love from the DTK BIA: Christine, Stef, Lori, Breanna, and Bethany

Edwin Outwater, music director of the KW Symphony

MC Craig Norris and guests

KPL staff Chris Schnarr and Megan Clare

Matt Hortobagyi of Astrodog Media and Andrea Bellemare of CBC-KW

Police chief Bryan Larkin and a guest

Great food from Grand Trunk Saloon

Descendants happy bar staff!

The crowd explores lots of fun digital activities in the atrium

Jessica Armstrong and Ellen Gao

Great food from Gilt

Architect David Warne and KPL staff Penny-Lynn Fielding

Police chief Bryan Larkin and his 3D-printed doppelganger

KPL staffer Caitlin Laycox with Mark Feenstra

Former mayor Carl Zehr

Action! David Yoon tries out virtual reality

Time for another drink

Kayleigh Platz of Communitech and writer Donna Litt

Keehan Teixeira and Sam Jamal

Liana Kreamer and artist Meg Harder

Joe Pavia, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, Trudy Pavia, and Craig Norris

KPL board member Jessica Kropf and guests

Jeanie MacFarlane and Stephen Brunt

Performance by New Vibes Jazz Quintet

Loretta Notten, John Shewchuk, and Shelley Wood of WCDSB

Linda Jutzi, executive director of the DTK BIA, with Peter Scharman (L) and Merv Schwantz (R)

Sponsors Library Services Centre and their guests: green screen fun

Cynthia McConnell and Jude Doble

Karen Schulman Dupuis, Stephanie Rozek, and KPL CEO Mary Chevreau

KPL CEO Mary Chevreau with journalist and library volunteer Joe Pavia

Michael Monahan, CEO of sponsor Library Services Centre, with KPL staff member Maureen Plomske

Great food from Rhapsody Barrel Bar

Having drinks in the lounge

EBSCO’s Neil Block with KPL CEO Mary Chevreau and keynote speaker Gerry Remers

Guest librarian and Hive Waterloo Region founder Stephanie Rozek

Board member Stephanie Soulis with Harold Soulis

More food!

CBC-KW columnist Tenille Bonoguore with Alex Kinsella and Anthony Reinhart of Communitech

Author Tasneem Jamal and Craig Daniels of Communitech

Speaker Steven Woods, Google Senior Engineering Director

Rock ‘n’ roll library: a great performance by Run Coyote

Magician Scott Hammell has everyone flummoxed

Mike Farwell of 106.7 and Rangers fame, Chief Bryan Larkin, and Paul Scott of Conestoga College

Volunteer Nancy Duncan

Great food from TWH Social

Taking a virtual reality walk through our plans for Studio Central

New Vibes

Are we having fun yet?

Gotta tweet about this awesome party…

READ: making out-of-this-world postcards using a green screen