We don't tell you

what to read

A flying paper crane

just where to find it

Intellectual freedom is your right

to read, watch, listen and explore ideas without barriers. Every book, every film, every voice—yours to discover.

Imagine a world without it

Your access to information and ideas is denied.

Your right to have difficult conversations is silenced.

Your favourite film, song or video game is banned.

Now picture a place where...

All questions are encouraged.

Every perspective has room to grow.

All books, movies, music, video games, programs and forms of expression are welcome.

Shelf of books at the Edmonton Public Library
The Stanley Milner Library on a sunny day
Sunlight shining across a tall shelf of books at the library

That’s your public library.

The inside of Stanley Milner Library
Rows of bookshelves at the library

EPL stands up for your right to explore every topic, every belief and every opinion—without censorship.

Without choice there is no freedom.

Like a paper bird, our opinions and ideas become something powerful when given the freedom to take shape. At the Edmonton Public Library (EPL), we believe every idea deserves to be explored.

We don’t care what you think, we care that you can.

We share! That’s our mission and our promise. Whether you’re into K-pop playlists or true crime podcasts, vintage vinyl or viral TikToks, video games or documentaries, we don’t have to agree with your taste. We simply ensure that a spectrum of ideas is yours to discover.

Your right to free thought is nothing without free access.

We champion the right for all thoughts to be heard and promote intellectual freedom by encouraging you to take responsibility for your own ideas and values, while respecting the rights of others to hold different opinions and make their own choices.

But intellectual freedom doesn’t mean anything goes. We protect access, but draw the line at hate speech, illegal content and pornography.

Step inside any of our 21 branches and you’ll find:

And if you don’t like what you see? Speak up. Freedom isn’t just about access. It’s about having a say. Talk to our staff at any branch, connect with us online, suggest new titles (note: you need to be logged into your account), or request a review of an item in our collection that concerns you. And because transparency matters, we publish a list of challenged materials and our responses on our website.