Tucked into the east central part of Alberta, the small village of Amisk takes its name directly from the Cree language, where the word amisk (ᐊᒥᐢᐠ) means “beaver.” The Canadian Pacific Railway surveyed the site in 1906, and that same year the community began to take shape as settlers arrived from the United States, Scandinavia, and Great Britain. By 1907, the first general store had opened its doors, and a school followed in 1916. One of the most notable distinctions Amisk holds to this day is being home to the oldest registered public library in rural Alberta, a point of quiet pride for a community of its size.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Amisk had 219 residents living in 86 of its 105 total private dwellings. That figure represents a growth of 7.4% compared to the 2016 population of 204, which itself followed a slight dip from 207 residents recorded in the 2011 census. The village covers a land area of 0.76 km², giving it a population density of approximately 288.2 people per square kilometre. For a small community in rural Alberta, Amisk carries a remarkably rich history and a library legacy that sets it apart from many of its neighbours.