General

What’s better than cheering on your local soccer team? Cheering them on with Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD), of course!

The Library will be with the Switchbacks at Weidner Field on  Sat., June 1.

Start your summer reading adventure! Sign up for Summer Adventure presented by Children’s Hospital Colorado and get a free book! Stop by our booth in the Fan Zone just outside of Weidner Field from 5 - 7 p.m. or in the Kids Zone upstairs on the west side of the field from 7 - 9 p.m. 

Library cardholders may purchase up to four discounted tickets at a special price of $15 tickets each for the June 1st game at the gate in advance or that night (Act fast! Limited quantities available).   

PPLD library cardholders may also purchase up to four discounted tickets at $15 each for the July 28, Aug. 3, and Sept. 14 games by showing your PPLD library card at the box office. (Quantities are limited, so get your tickets today!)

Weidner Field: Sat., June 1. The fun begins at 5 p.m. in the Fan Zone! 

PPLD Night with the Switchbacks

The fun continues with Ziggy and the Colorado Springs Switchbacks with PPLD Night with the Switchbacks on Sat., Sept. 14.  Don't miss the fun as the Switchbacks take on the Charleston Battery at 6 p.m.! Join PPLD in our very own cheering section. Show your PPLD library card (or card number) to purchase up to four discounted tickets at $15 each for the Sept. 14 game. (Act fast! Limited quantities available.) We hope to see you at the game! 

Short stories and poems contain layers of depth and meaning. Casual readers may enjoy the emotions and concepts explored, while literary scholars and enthusiasts can take deeper dives into themes, academic interpretations, and even examinations of writers’ bodies of work. No matter which type of reader you are, there is a lot to explore in the Literary Reference Center and the Poetry & Short Story Reference Center. Use your PPLD library card to access these databases to explore full text poems and stories, articles, and author information for thousands of classic and contemporary writers. Students will also find these databases useful.  

The Literary Reference Center offers thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals, and author biographies covering work from all genres and time periods. For high school and college students, the Research Guide tab on the Literary Reference Center home page is a useful tool where you can find handouts and guides to assist with research steps, essay organization, developing thesis statements, and more. You will also find full-text classical novels, short stories, and poems that you can read.  

In the Poetry & Short Story Reference Center, you will find thousands of full-text classic and contemporary poems and short stories. Each poem or short story includes information such as author details, poetic form, themes, techniques used, literary genre and movement, subject, and other key information. Essays, reviews, analyses, and author biographies in this database allow you to explore these and other works more in-depth. Additionally, you can discover high-quality videos and audio recordings from the Academy of American Poets. For educators, there is an extensive selection of lesson plans to help bring these literary works into your classroom.  

Access these databases at any Pikes Peak Library District location, or El Paso County residents can access remotely from anywhere (must have a resident library card, which starts with a 4).  

Free Comic Book Day on Sat., May 4 wasn’t the only way for you to enjoy comics at no cost. Use your library card to access hundreds of comics, graphic novels, and manga on Hoopla! From superheroes and literary adaptations to kid favorites, both new and long-time comic and manga readers can find something to enjoy in this digital collection. Check out what’s available from anywhere using the Hoopla app or by visiting Hoopla using your internet browser. 

Hoopla’s digital comics collection is always growing. They added manga in 2023 and continue to add new content each month. The collection offers comic issues, comic volumes, graphic novels, manga, and audiobook adaptations of some graphic novels.  

Hoopla’s digital comics collection is always growing. They added manga in 2023 and continue to add new content each month. The collection offers comic issues, comic volumes, graphic novels, manga, and audiobook adaptations of some graphic novels.

Whether you’re new to comics or a longtime fan, Hoopla’s comics section is easy to navigate. You can search for a comic by title or enjoy browsing a wide variety of categories to help you find what you like to read. If you aren’t sure what you want to read, browse through categories like Popular Comics, Featured, Media Tie-In, Fantasy, Historical, and other categories. There’s something for everyone.  

Help celebrate the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Team USA with a limited-edition U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum (USOPM) library card! This beautiful commemorative card will be available starting Fri., May 31 just in time for Pikes Peak Library District’s (PPLD) 2024 Summer Adventure presented by Children’s Hospital Colorado reading program.

The card features artwork by LeRoy Neiman, the official painter for five Olympic Games, and now PPLD cardholders can enjoy his artwork on their library card.

As a special bonus, the limited-edition library card can be used this summer for free children’s admissions at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. From May 31 – July 31, Library cardholders may present the limited-edition card upon entry at the museum for free admission for a child 12 years of age and younger with a paying adult. The card will be available on a first-come basis, while supplies last.

Don't miss this special library card that will help get you in the spirit of the games this summer! 

The Shivers Concert Series has been raising funds to support local culture and arts for 31 years. These concerts benefit the Shivers Fund started by Peggy and Clarence Shivers, which contributes to the African-American collection at Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD), awards grants and scholarships to students, and encourages young people to pursue their interests in the arts. 

The Spring Concert, the first of three concerts this year, features baritone Shyheim Hinnant, mezzo soprano Stephanie Brink, and violist Solomon Leonard, as well as a Tuskegee Airman reenactment by John Thomas. Join us for this celebration of the arts and support the Shivers Fund in providing opportunities for our community to celebrate diversity in history, culture, and the arts. This concert takes place on Fri., May 17 at 6 p.m. at the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. 

Durthy Washington will be selling and signing her books at the event. 

Thank you to the Fine Arts Center at Colorado College for hosting this event. Also, at the Fine Arts Center right now is the Clarence Shivers: Experiments with Form exhibit, showcasing more than 30 works of paintings, prints, and sculpture that offer an expansive view of Clarence Shivers’ prolific career. 

Purchase your tickets today!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month – a time to learn more about and recognize the importance of taking care of our mental health and well-being. With so much focus on physical health, it’s easy to forget that our minds require love and attention, too. This month also serves as an important reminder for everyone to check in with friends and family who may need additional support. 

Booklists

• Mental Health Awareness Adult Nonfiction Titles
• Mental Health books on Overdrive and Libby 

PPLD Resources

• Tough Topics guide for teens: Mental Health and Suicide
  The resources in the Tough Topics guide are organized into a page for youth seeking support, as well as parents and caregivers.
• Tough Topics Bookmark
  A printed resource for teens available at Library locations. These bookmarks have book call numbers that can help anyone find books on the shelves dealing with mental health-related topics. Phone numbers for local resources are also listed. 
• Community Resources at PPLD
  We have all found ourselves in a difficult situation and we aren’t always sure where to turn. Pikes Peak Library District offers community resources information across the District. Our Community Resources Specialists are here to help you navigate and connect with services by providing referrals and information to get the help you need for your specific situation. Please note that these are not mental health services.
• Helping Hands El Paso County Community Resources 
  Discover mental and behavioral health resources available in El Paso County.
• Psychology & Behavioral Sciences database 
  This database contains full text information from more than 560 journals. It covers topics on emotional and behavioral characteristics, psychiatry and psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational and experimental methods. (Must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside of a Library location.)

Websites

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
  The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
• Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention
  The mission of Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership is to unite the community in addressing suicide in the Pikes Peak region through education, intervention, and postvention.
• Colorado Crisis Services
  Colorado Crisis Services provides free, confidential, and immediate support from trained professionals and peer specialists, available 24/7/364 by calling 844-493-8255 or texting TALK to 38255.
• May is Mental Health Awareness Month (American Hospital Association)
  As Mental Health Awareness Month, May is a time to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding behavioral health issues, as well as highlighting the ways that mental illness and addiction can affect all of us – patients, providers, families, and our society at large. 
• National Alliance on Mental Health 
  The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
• Mental Health America 
  Mental Health America is the nation’s leading national nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of mental health, well-being, and illness prevention. Visit their Taking Good Care of Yourself page for tools to aid you in your mental health journey.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation.
• National Institute of Mental Health
  The National Institute of Mental Health is dedicated to transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. Visit their Caring for your Mental Health page for helpful tips and tools for caring for your mental health. 

In 1890 and 1891, prospectors in the Pikes Peak region discovered the rich gold ore that touched off the legendary Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Rush. With the modern comforts we enjoy today, it can be difficult to imagine what the gold rush was like for people living it. For an authentic gold rush experience of your own, visit our Pikes Peak Culture Pass partner Victor Thomas Lowell Museum in Victor, Colorado. Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) cardholders can check out a no-cost entry pass to this piece of regional history through the Culture Pass program.

Located in the heart of the town of Victor, the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum features displays exploring the historic gold mining days, as well as the miners and pioneers, some of them millionaires, who made the town famous. Victor’s history is one of exploration, ranching, gold mining, and railroading. The museum showcases two floors of artifacts, books, exhibits, and photographs depicting life in Victor from its beginnings to the heyday of gold mining. Among the exhibits you will find a diamond dust mirror, a large collection of mining artifacts, themed-rooms, and an old-fashioned doctor's office!  

The 1899 building the museum calls home is a historic experience of its own, boasting its original wood floors, tin ceilings, and many fixtures dating back to the gold rush era.

While you are there, be sure to check out the newly renovated Lowell Thomas room. The exhibit is dedicated to sharing the life of famous journalist, author, and world traveler Lowell Thomas after whom the museum was named.

Victor Thomas Lowell Museum joined our Culture Pass program in June 2023 to increase awareness about the museum, the Town of Victor, and life in the gold rush era among PPLD patrons. What a great opportunity for library cardholders to experience a taste of the gold rush while enjoying a short drive out west!

Patrons can check out a Culture Pass to the Victor Museum in the summer months, and some weekends in the fall, weather permitting. Victor Thomas Lowell Museum will celebrate its 65th anniversary on June 26, 2024. Learn more about the celebration and the museum on their website. 

Announcing an upcoming gallery exhibit at the Library! The exhibit will be at Penrose Library for the month of May, starting on Fri., May 3. 

On the day that the gallery opens, join us for a workshop with Asay from 4 – 5 p.m. at Library 21c. During the workshop, Asay will explore his inspiration, his career as a cartoonist, and the pieces featured in the gallery. Asay, who worked at the Taos News, the Colorado Springs Sun, and briefly for The Denver Post, was the featured political cartoonist for The Gazette for more than 20 years, from 1986 to 2007. He retired from The Gazette in March of 2007.

After his retirement, Asay’s art and commentary lived on in syndication for six more years, reaching audiences worldwide through hundreds of newspapers. In 2013 Asay put aside his pens, pencil, and paper after drawing a final cartoon in his lauded style announcing his full retirement in June of that year. 

Colorado Springs entrepreneur Jon Medved and the Medved Family Charitable Fund approached the Library about bringing Asay’s art to the Pikes Peak region. The exhibit highlights his work, applauds his talent, and fosters discussion about the artist’s commentary as a retrospective on the time nearly 40 years ago.

The exhibit will feature more than 30 of Asay’s cartoons through the end of March in the galleries at both Library 21c and East Library. It will be on display at Penrose Library later in 2024.

Stop by to browse the exhibit, and view much of Asay’s work online in our Digital Collections. Over the last few years, Pikes Peak Library District has worked with The Gazette to digitize more than 10,000 cartoons that Asay drew for the paper, archiving them in our digital photo archive housed by our Regional History & Genealogy department. 

Experience interesting research and knowledge about our local history at the 20th Annual Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium. This year’s theme is “Turning Points in Pikes Peak Regional History.” Presenters, selected from proposals submitted by academics, researchers, and the general public, will explore the narratives that have shaped our region. This unique event serves as a platform for history enthusiasts and newcomers alike, providing a welcoming space to discover the story that created the Pikes Peak region we know today.

Launched in 2004 as a day-long celebration of local history, the Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium is a pivotal event that explores history in the Pikes Peak region. The Symposium has evolved over time to match shifting resources and community needs, and now showcases local history through a compelling three-part series over three days. It starts with engaging short documentaries, followed by traditional in-person presentations, and concludes with a "virtual symposium," which was introduced during the 2020 pandemic lockdown.

The Symposium is sponsored by the Helen and James McCaffrey Fund for Regional History, the Friends of PPLD, and the PPLD Foundation. 

Film Festival and Symposium 

Featuring short films by acclaimed local filmmakers Jim Sawatzki and Steve Antonuccio, the festival showcases documentaries from High School History Day competition winners. It concludes with the world premiere of 4K footage of the iconic Cologne tank battle from World War II.   

• Sat., June 1 from 2 – 4 p.m. — East Library (registration required)

In-person Symposium 

The Pikes Peak region, with its rich tapestry of people, institutions, and landscapes, offers compelling stories of triumph, trouble, and transformation. Come discover the watershed moments that made us who we are today during the in-person portion of the History Symposium featuring engaging presentations exploring this history. 

• Sat., June 8 from 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. — East Library (registration recommended) 

Virtual Symposium 

The virtual portion of this year’s History Symposium will feature presentations exploring turbulent moments in Colorado’s pre-territorial past, the many names of our regions throughout the years, and the evolution of the labor and socialist movements in the Pikes Peak region.    

This part of the History Symposium will be over Zoom. Click here to join.

• Mon., June 10 from 7 – 9 p.m. — Online 

Throughout May, the Library is celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, recognizing the cultures, experiences, and contributions of the AAPI community. Join us in celebrating with the booklists and resources on this page. 

Booklists

• Asian Pacific chapter books
• Asian Pacific picture books

Resources

• Kanopy 
  Enjoy films and documentaries by or celebrating AAPI people.
• Hoopla 
  Explore Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with movies and TV shows on Hoopla.
• CultureGrams 
  Experience the world through cultural information on more than 200 countries with CultureGrams and other resources in our Countries & Cultures Guide. In CultureGrams, explore all the U.S. states in colorful, engaging reports.
• Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute 
  Learn about opportunities to connect with Chinese culture here in Colorado Springs with the Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute.
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resources for Teachers 
  This collection of lessons and resources for grades K – 12 social studies, literature, and the arts will help educators explore AAPI heritage with their students.
• National Park Service 
  Planning a vacation? Take in some of these historical sites from the National Park Service.
• Asian Art Museum 
  Find activities for kids and families and explore AAPI heritage in creative ways.
• Hmong flute/qeej 
  Learn about Asian and Pacific Island Instruments in this video.
• Japanese taiko drumming 
  Watch professional Japanese taiko drummers perform.
• Traditional Korean music 
  Jump into the world of traditional Korean music with this video from the Musical Instrument Museum of Brussels.  
   

Regional History & Genealogy Resources:

• Books from the Carnegie Library - Special Collections (Some titles are available for checkout from other library locations)
  • Voices from Colorado: perspectives of Asian Pacific Americans by Nestor J. Mercado
  • Asian American genealogical sourcebook by Paula K. Byers
  • Asians in Colorado: a history of persecution and perseverance in the Centennial State by William Wei
  • Chinaman's chance: the Chinese on the Rocky Mountain mining frontier by Liping Zhu
  • The road to Chinese exclusion: the Denver riot, 1880 election, and rise of the West by Liping Zhu
  • Chin Lin Sou: Chinese-American leader by Janet L. Taggart