The Rural Municipality of Cupar has provided financial support to our local libraries.  Parkland Regional Library has a branch in Southey and Cupar.  They are part of the one card, one library system.  Books & material can be picked up in any Saskatchewan library and returned to any Saskatchewan library.  Library cards are free for everyone.  They also have e-book service free of charge. Our library offers lots of choices for every age.  They have a great selection of large print books for those who have some visual impairment.   They also have computer services available for public use.  The hours are:

Cupar Library Hours:

Here are 10 Reasons Why You Should Read More Books:

1. To Develop Your Verbal Abilities

Although it doesn’t always make you a better communicator, those who read tend to have a more varied range of words to express how they feel and to get their point across. This increases exponentially with the more volumes you consume, giving you a higher level of vocabulary to use in everyday life. Why read

2. Improves Your Focus and Concentration

Unlike blog posts and news articles, sitting down with a book takes long periods of focus and concentration, which at first is hard to do. Being fully engaged in a book involves closing off the outside world and immersing yourself into the text, which over time will strengthen your attention span. Why to

3. Readers Enjoy The Arts and Improve The World

A study done by the NEA explains that people who read for pleasure are many times more likely than those who do not to visit museums and attend concerts, and almost three times as likely to perform volunteer and charity work. Readers are active participants in the world around them, and that engagement is critical to individual and social well-being.

4. It Improves Your Imagination

You are only limited by what you can imagine, and the worlds described in books, as well as other peoples views and opinions, will help you expand your understanding of what is possible. By reading a written description of an event or a place, your mind is responsible for creating that image in your head, instead of having the image placed in front of you when you watch television. Why read

5. Reading Makes You Smarter

6. It Makes You Interesting And Attractive

This goes hand in hand with reading to become smarter. Having a library of information that you have picked up from non-fiction reading will come in handy in any academic or scholarly conversation. You will be able to hold your own and add to the conversation instead of having to make your excuses and leave.  You will be able to engage a wider variety of people in conversation and in turn improve your knowledge and conversation skills. Why to read

7. It Reduces Stress

A study by consultancy firm Mindlab International at the University of Sussex showed that reading reduces stress. Subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles. In fact it got subjects to stress levels lower than before they started. For more information, check out the Telegraph article here. Why read

8. It Improves Your Memory

In their book Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Maryanne Wolf explains that “Typically, when you read, you have more time to think. Reading gives you a unique pause button for comprehension and insight. By and large, with oral language—when you watch a film or listen to a tape—you don’t press pause.” The benefits of this increased activity keeps your memory sharp and your learning capacity nimble. Why read

9. To Discover and Create Yourself

In his book How to Read and Why, Harold Bloom says that we should read slowly, with love, openness, and with our inner ear cocked. He explains we should read to increase our wit and imagination, our sense of intimacy–in short, our entire consciousness–and also to heal our pain. “Until you become yourself, what benefit can you be to others.” With the endless amount of perspectives and lives we can read about, books can give us an opportunity to have experiences that we haven’t had the opportunity to, and still allow us to learn the life skills they entail. Books are a fast rack to creating yourself. Why read

10. For Entertainment

All the benefits of reading mentioned so far are a bonus result of the most important benefit of reading; Its entertainment value. If it were not for the entertainment value, reading would be a chore but it needn’t be. Reading is not only fun, but it has all the added benefits that we have discussed so far. Much more enthralling than watching a movie or a TV show (although they have their many benefits as well), a good book can keep us amused while developing our life skills.
Why read

Did you know the Trans Canada Trail runs through our Municipality?

Today Trans Canada Trail announced our new connection statistics via a national news release which celebrates 80 percent connection, viewable by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24EDQi-xkoE  Please enjoy the video which features people from across Canada who volunteer on the Trail, including Saskatchewan.

The Trail across Canada is now at 80% connected, and  here in Saskatchewan we are proud to boast that we are at 71%!  This is a huge jump from our 34% at the same time last year.  Congratulations to all of you on a job well done—100% is just around the corner!

Facts about the Trail

• What is the Trans Canada Trail?  Initiated in 1992 as a project to celebrate Canada’s 125th year, the Trans Canada Trail is one of the world’s longest networks of multi-use recreational trails. Once fully connected, it will stretch nearly 24,000 kilometres from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans, through every province and territory, linking Canadians in nearly 1,000 communities.The Trans Canada Trail is made up of nearly 500 individual trails, each with unique and varied features. This contributes to the diversity and grandeur of Canada’s national Trail. For day trips or multi-day adventures, the Trail offers countless opportunities to explore and discover.

• How much of the Trail has been connected?

  To date, just over 18,000 kilometres of the Trail are operational which is 80 percent of the proposed route. Four out of five Canadians live within 30 minutes of the Trail.

• How can I find the Trail in my area?

  Explore the Trail: Use our interactive map to highlight specific activities or points of interest, mark points or sections of the Trail you have visited and upload your own photos and stories. You’ll also find printable maps and downloadable GPS coordinates for all operational trail sections.

  You can download a map for a specific Trail section, or maps for an entire province or territory.

  Guidebooks and maps: Trans Canada Trail has seven official Trans Canada Trail guidebooks: Nova Scotia, P.E.I., New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. We also offer three stand-alone maps, particularly helpful for planning longer trips on the Trail in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario.

  For more information, contact us, visit our online boutique, or get in touch with your local bookseller or travel supply store.

  Visit the websites of our provincial and territorial partners. They offer a wealth of information about the Trail in every province and territory.

• How does the Trail benefit Canada and Canadians?

  • National Legacy: creating a sustainable gift to future generations.
  • Health: inspiring active living and transportation.
  • Environment: preserving green space and promoting conservation.
  • Education: deepening awareness of Canada’s history, culture and natural heritage.
  • Economic Development: stimulating tourism and creating jobs.

• Who owns, builds and maintains the Trail?

  The Trans Canada Trail is a community-based project. Trail sections are owned, operated and maintained by local organizations, provincial authorities, national agencies and municipalities across Canada. The Trans Canada Trail does not own or operate any trail.

  The Trans Canada Trail is represented by provincial and territorial organizations that are responsible for championing the cause of the Trail in their region. These provincial and territorial partners together with local trail-building organizations are an integral part of the Trans Canada Trail and are the “driving force” behind its development..

• Who funds the Trail?

  The Trans Canada Trail is truly a gift from Canadians to Canadians, and the Trail has the support of Canadians from all regions and walks of life. The Trail is also supported by corporations, foundations and all levels of government. Over the years, the Government of Canada has provided more than $35 million in funding to the Trail, including $15 million from the Department of Canadian Heritage for Trail construction, and $10 million from Parks Canada in October 2010.

  The Government of Canada is also currently matching 50 cents of every dollar donated to the TCT in support of completing the Trail and connecting Canadians coast to coast to coast by the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

  Donate now and help us connect the Trail in time for Canada’s 150th birthday!

• When will the Trail be fully connected?

  Our goal is to connect the Trail as a continuous route from coast to coast to coast by 2017, the 25th anniversary of the Trail and Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation. With just over 5,700 kilometres of Trail to go—many in unpopulated areas with difficult terrain—this is a bold and ambitious goal. With the dedication and support of all Canadians, we can collectively make it happen. Join us today.