Manitou Springs Library (MA)

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) is excited to bring you Virtual Author Visits in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. Join us and hear from bestselling authors and thought leaders on a range of topics, from puzzling science to epic fantasy to decluttering your home. Whether you are an avid or occasional reader, there is nothing quite like listening to insightful talks by authors you have read or new ones you are just discovering. You never know what will catch your interest. Attend these events at no cost from the comfort of home. 

In November, join us on Thu., Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. for a discussion with Navajo Ranger Stanley Milford, Jr. as he chats about the chilling and clear-eyed memoir of his investigations into bizarre cases of the paranormal and the unexplained in Navajoland. In The Paranormal Ranger, Milford recounts the stories of these cases from a law enforcement officer’s clinical and deductive perspective. Register for the access link. 

Next, tune in on Sat., Nov. 9 at noon (en Español) or Thu., Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. (English) to hear from New York Times bestselling author Javier Zamora as he chats with us about his riveting tale of survival and perseverance as told in his award-winning memoir Solito. The book provides an immediate and intimate account of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, as well as the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. Register for the access link (above). 

For the last Virtual Author Visit in November, you’re invited to join us on Wed., Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. as Mona Susan Power chats about her newest novel, A Council of Dolls. This conversation highlights how her work explores Native Rights and Native American culture, using an important symbol that anchors comfort and companionship in Native life: dolls. Mona Susan Power weaves a spell of love and healing that comes alive on the page. Register for the access link. 

Learn more and see upcoming authors on our Virtual Author Visits page or check out past Virtual Author Visits here!

More Upcoming Virtual Author Visits 

• Wed., Dec. 4 at noon: Unearthed: Exploring the Smithsonian National Gem Collection with Dr. Jeffrey Post
• Wed., Dec. 11 at noon: On Pulse-Pounding, Family Driven Mysteries: A Conversation with Laura Dave

Homeschoolers, get ready to tell the world about your favorite book! Prepare a creative book report at home and present it informally to other families in a science fair-style format. What you create to represent your book is up to you. Build a diorama, design a game based on the plot and characters, or make a poster for the movie version. Or you might create a book in a bag project, make a clothes hanger mobile, or draw the story in a comic book format. The possibilities are endless! For homeschool students in grades K – 8. 

Registration opens on Fri., Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. Register here to be a book presenter. Please make sure that each participating student registers separately.

If you aren’t ready to present a book report yourself, drop by to support other homeschoolers by browsing the projects and discover your next favorite book!

When: Fri., Dec. 13 from 1 - 2 p.m.
Where: East Library

Need ideas to help you get started? Take a look at our idea file. 

Published on Fri., Oct. 18, 2024

In preparation for its early 2025 move back to its original location, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) will close Manitou Springs Library on Fri., Nov. 1.

Manitou Springs Library moved to its current location in March 2021, after vacating the Carnegie Library building it inhabited due to ADA compliance issues with the historic building. Since then, the Library has been colocated with the Manitou Art Center (MAC).  

Over the last three years the City of Manitou Springs and a dedicated local task force have worked diligently to raise the money needed to update the Carnegie Library to comply with today’s accessibility requirements. Funding included support from the Library District and led to the city breaking ground on the renovation project in January 2024. The project is currently expected to be completed in November 2024. 

• Library users with items checked out at Manitou Springs Library can check for extended due dates through My Account or by calling (719) 531-6333 and selecting 0 for staff assistance.
• The book drop will be closed at 5 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 1 and Library users will not be able to return materials to Manitou Springs Library during the closure. 
• All holds designated for pickup at Manitou Springs Library will be suspended beginning Wed., Oct. 23 and will remain suspended until the Library reopens. Library users can select a different pick-up location and unsuspend holds through My Account or by calling (719) 531-6333 and selecting 0 for staff assistance. 
• Makerspace equipment will no longer be available at Manitou Springs Library after Thu., Oct. 31. Equipment is available for reservation at our three makerspace locations. 
• Library users will have access to the Manitou Art Center with their PPLD library card until Fri., Nov. 15.
  Please contact the Manitou Art Center for information on membership opportunities.

PPLD will vacate the shared space with the MAC in mid-November. While the Library District’s partnership with the MAC is ending, PPLD is grateful the partnership allowed us to continue to serve the community while the Carnegie building was being renovated to be accessible to all.  

The Library District and the City of Manitou Springs are working closely together to organize grand opening activities in January 2025 to celebrate its return to the Library’s historic home in the community. 

Library users are encouraged to use this opportunity to visit and explore other Library locations while this relocation is completed. 

Manitou Springs Library has Relocated

Published on Sun., Feb. 21, 2021

Uniting Manitou Springs’ library and art center to enrich community

The community of Manitou Springs now can find art, literature, creative studios, meeting spaces, and the vast resources and services of the public library all one place! Thanks to a new co-location partnership, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) has relocated Manitou Springs Library to the Manitou Art Center (MAC). Building upon a decade of trust and cooperation, PPLD and the MAC transformed the historic building at 515 Manitou Avenue to become a shared space that extends more benefits to local artists, Library cardholders, and the greater community. PPLD can offer more than traditional library resources and services – and in a way that’s accessible – to all in Manitou Springs. The MAC will join us in welcoming more residents to learn, connect, create, and tinker with their already extensive offering of equipment and creative spaces. Manitou Springs Library officially opened inside of the MAC on Fri., March 5, 2021. Patrons can now safely browse the collection, speak with a librarian, book a computer session, or use the fax, scan, and copier machine. Curbside services are also available at the new co-location.

Get your limited-edition library card while supplies last!

Congratulations to artist Susan Odiam of Manitou Springs! Her original creation will be featured on our limited-edition card to celebrate the relocation of Manitou Springs Library to the MAC.

“We’re thrilled to pair our physical collection and other library services with an organization so focused on serving residents of Manitou Springs,” said PPLD Chief Librarian and CEO John Spears. “Their facilities will immeasurably enhance what we can provide to the local community.” 
As the shared spaces expand in the future, Manitou Springs Library and the MAC will offer broader access to on-site meeting rooms, computer labs, makerspaces, art studios, and workforce development opportunities. The new co-location partners look forward to a future with more synergy, right in the heart of Manitou Springs, to support people’s aspirations, foster creativity and innovation, and boost prosperity. 
“We’re excited to see what other long-term benefits arise from this venture, like increasing access to the MAC and expanding PPLD opportunities in Manitou Springs,” said MAC Executive Director Natalie Johnson. “We will leverage each other’s strengths of service.” 
PPLD’s departure from the historic Carnegie building provides the City of Manitou Springs with necessary time to plan for its future, while still allowing the Library to adequately serve the public right now. PPLD’s leadership welcomes the opportunity to work with the City and return to the historic Carnegie building – if an expansion or facility improvements allow the Library to serve residents of all abilities, and everyone also has the opportunity to take advantage of other common services across El Paso County like access to meeting and study rooms, makerspaces, and more. 
In the meantime, PPLD and the MAC looks forward to a strong co-location partnership so both can best serve the community now and into the foreseeable future. It’s beneficial for PPLD cardholders, MAC members, local artists, community partners, taxpayers, and the local economy. 
“This is what can happen when we unite to find ways to better serve our community regardless of the circumstances,” shared Andy Vick, Executive Director for the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region. “I applaud Pikes Peak Library District and the Manitou Art Center for their collaboration, and I hope other organizations are inspired to move beyond traditional community partnerships and consider embracing the shared-space model that capitalizes on existing resources and plays to each other’s strengths.” 
“Such alliances can lead to more people and businesses flourishing, which is what we need to strengthen the fabric of our communities for years to come.”