Pincher Creek & District Municipal Library's history is long. Before 1900 a reading room was opened, as a place where area residents could go to read their own books, mail, or newspapers. This lasted for a few years, but by 1903 Pincher Creek residents had become interested in library service. A committee was established to begin collecting books and lending them out. This first library collection was housed in the Presbyterian Church Hall. $1.00 was charged for an annual membership. As the library's collection quickly expanded, it needed more storage space, so it was moved to the warehouse in Scott Brothers' Furniture. However, the following years saw library membership decline, and eventually the library was forced to move to a less desirable location, Mitchell's Drug Store.

In 1928, many books were brought from the Litchfield Memorial Library in Boston, Massachusetts. These books were added to the existing collection and the library moved to the Town Hall. At first the library at Town Hall was only open on Saturdays and paid its employees $1.00 per week. Later it was also open on Wednesday evenings. Unfortunately the library was closed in 1940 due to insufficient funds. Throughout World War Two, although there was no public library, a local pharmacist opened a private library and charged five cents per book per week to rent. In 1949 a library was opened under the Provincial Libraries Act, housed in the former high school building. 

In 1963 the Municipal District of Pincher Creek and the Village of Cowley took over some of the funding costs and the library was renamed the Pincher Creek & District Municipal Library. Pincher Creek's centennial project was to build a new library facility, which was completed in 1968. Later the library received a gift of $10,000 to build the Bert Rigall Memorial Alcove. The library stayed in this home until 1999 when it was moved to the Pincher Creek Multi-Purpose Facility, where it remains today. Our library has gone through many stages to go from its simple beginnings as a reading room to becoming a part of our town's modern public services.

Chinook Arch Regional Library System card holders have access to nearly 1,000,000 physical items, over 30,000 downloadable ebooks, audiobooks, and movies, 20,000 digital magazines and newspapers, and online courses.

Items at any library in the system can be delivered to your local library by placing a hold. Items borrowed at one library can be returned at any Chinook Arch member library.

Visit your local library to sign up for a library card, or sign up for an eCard online!

Annual Membership Fees

• Adult - $10
• Student - Free

Lending Periods

• Books, magazines, audio materials and toys: loaned for 3 weeks
• DVDs and videotapes: loaned for 7 days

Renewing Your Membership

Click here for information on renewing your library card.

Chinook Arch Regional Library System serves 33 libraries in 41 member municipalities across Southern Alberta, on traditional Blackfoot territory. 

If you are a resident of a Chinook Arch member municipality and are 18 years of age or older, you can sign up for an eCard. 

If you already have a Library card, you do not need an eCard. Your current library card can be used to access online resources and place holds. If your existing card needs to be renewed, please choose one of the following options:

1. Renew your library card
2. Visit any Chinook Arch member library
3. Email ecard@chinookarch.ca

If you live outside of the Chinook Arch region, review these options to see how you can use the library.

Have questions about signing up? Visit our eCard FAQs page.

Ready to sign up? Complete our eCard Registration Form.