Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Fri., Sept. 15 - Sun., Oct. 15, recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. The Library offers several opportunities to learn and celebrate. Scroll down to explore resources celebrating Hispanic heritage.
Hispanic Heritage Month Recipe Cards
Learn about favorite foods and make recipes from some of the cultures celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month. Available at all locations starting Fri., Sept. 15.
Resources
- Adults:
- Hoopla
- Kanopy films
- Colorado Experience
Justicia Y Libertad (27 min., NR) 1968 was a pivotal year in American history: The Vietnam War hit its peak, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, and riots shook the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. At home in Colorado, it marked the birth of the Chicano Movement. These pivotal times brought political activist Corky Gonzalez to the forefront as an early pioneer of equal rights for Mexican Americans.
- Regional History & Genealogy
- Archival Collections
- Heidi Vazquez Guy Records (MSS 0408)
The Heidi Vazquez Guy Records consist of two series: Biographical Files and VHS Tapes. Biographical information provided in each file includes: birthdate, parents names, names and number of children, education, careers, and Colorado memories. Most files also include a photograph. The VHS tapes contain oral history interviews of people in the Biographical Files conducted by Heidi Vazquez Guy. See staff in Regional History & Genealogy if you want to find out more about this collection. - De Donde Eres oral histories
Conducted between the years 2003 -2005, ¿De Donde Eres? was an oral history project organized by Pikes Peak Library District’s Special Collections in an effort to document and promote understanding of the region’s Hispanic community and their many contributions to Colorado Springs. The collection is comprised of 25 individual videotaped interviews which have been digitized into audio-only format. A complete listing of the project interviews is available at the Regional History & Genealogy reference desk and transcripts are available for a few of the oral histories.
- Heidi Vazquez Guy Records (MSS 0408)
- Young Adults:
- Families and Children:
- Enjoy some incredibly colorful costumes and dance from Ballet Folklórico México Danza to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! The music is so energetic you might want to get up and dance with your family! Click here to view the video.
- Children's Materials in Spanish at PPLD
- Color in Colorado Children's Booklist
- PBS Children's Booklist
- eBooks from Libby/Overdrive
- Children’s Booklist from ¡Colorín Colorado!
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- Who's who among Hispanic Americans, by Gale Research Inc.
- Early Hispanic Colorado, 1678-1900, by Joseph P. Sánchez
- On the edge of purgatory: an archaeology of place in Hispanic Colorado, by Bonnie J. Clark
- Hispanics in the U.S. Civil War: a compiled list of men who fought for the Confederacy and the Union, compiled and edited by Ricardo J. Rodríguez
- Hispanic pioneers in Colorado and New Mexico, by Colorado Society of Hispanic Genealogy
- National Society of Hispanic Genealogy Newsletter, by NSHG
- Colorado Hispanic Genealogist, by Colorado Society of Hispanic Genealogy
- Colorado Hispanic Leadership Profiles: Who’s Who among Colorado’s Outstanding Leaders by Doug McNair
For more titles and information, visit Special Collections or search our catalog! Books are from the Carnegie Library - Special Collections. (Some titles are available for checkout from other library locations.)
- Websites
- HispanicHeritageMonth.gov Hosted by the Library of Congress, this site provides access to curated arts exhibits and collections, audio and video collections, and resources for Hispanic Heritage Month.
- La Fiesta Bonita Read about a historic local heritage celebration from right here in El Paso County posted by our friends at the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum.
- National Archives – Hispanic Heritage Month
- National Today – Hispanic Heritage Month
- History.com Provides an overview of Hispanic Heritage Month.
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and it’s a perfect time to sign up for your Pikes Peak Library District library card! Throughout September, anyone who signs up for a new library card will be entered to win a $200 SCHEELS gift card (PPLD employees and their immediate family are not eligible). A library card unlocks a world of potential, giving you access to resources for entertainment, learning, research, productivity, and more. Your toolkit isn’t complete without a library card if you’re thinking about starting a podcast, looking for meeting spaces for your small business, interested in 3D printing pieces for your games, testing out video games before adding them to your collection, or just feeding your reading habit.
Now is also the perfect time to share the joy of a child’s first library card. Having a library card gives children a sense of pride and responsibility and fosters their curiosity for learning and reading. A library card also unlocks access to books, homework help resources, live tutoring, research databases for schoolwork, learning kits and activities like robotics, and more! As an added bonus, anyone under age 18 signing up for a new library card in September will be entered to win a $200 SCHEELS gift card and will receive a commemorative pin and a gift certificate for a free children’s ice cream cone and Ferris wheel ride at SCHEELS.
To sign up for a library card, bring your photo ID with current address, or bring photo ID and proof of address (such as a utility bill) if your address on your ID is not current. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian having the above listed information. You can also sign up on our website.
Library Card Sign-up Month New Cardholder Bonus
Adults age 18 and older signing up for a new library card in September will be automatically entered to win a $200 SCHEELS gift card.
Children and teens under 18 signing up for a new library card will:
- Receive a coupon for a free children’s ice cream cone and Ferris wheel rides for the whole family at SCHEELS (while supplies last)
- Receive a commemorative pin celebrating their new library card (while supplies last)
- Be automatically entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $200 SCHEEELS gift card
There will be drawings for two separate $200 SCHEELS gift cards, one drawing for adults age 18 and older, and a second drawing for children and teens under age 18.
Public WiFi is about to get a boost at four Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) locations. We are working with Comcast to bring Comcast Lift Zones to Library 21c, as well as Penrose, East, and Ruth Holley libraries. Comcast Lift Zones are a second Wi-Fi network that library users can access at those locations, increasing the number of internet users that the public WiFi can support at one time. This means that users will have faster, more reliable internet that will make it easier to stream, complete projects, get work done, participate in remote classes and meetings, work on job applications and resumes, game, and more.
Comcast selected these libraries as four of only seven libraries in Colorado to have Comcast Lift Zones in order to increase digital equity. Internet access is becoming more and more essential for the social and working worlds. Ensuring that everyone has access to the internet and other digital resources, known as digital equity, aligns with PPLD’s value of providing access for all to pursue their interests, needs, and goals.
To access the Comcast Lift Zone at these four Library locations, users will need to open their device’s WiFi settings and select PPLD Lift Zone. After that, they will need to accept the terms and conditions when prompted, and they will connect to the network.
The installation of these Lift Zones is one of several digital equity projects PPLD is currently working on. Two other projects in the works involve expanding access to digital resources outside of operating hours. The Library plans to expand the existing WiFi network a short distance outside of the building at Cheyenne Mountain, Ruth Holley, Penrose, and Sand Creek libraries, which will provide 24/7 access to Wi-Fi resources. We also plan to install holds lockers at these same four locations to allow patrons to pick up items they put on hold outside of operating hours. Both projects are made possible with funds awarded to PPLD through the City of Colorado Springs Digital Equity Grant Program. We are also working on a project to make a selection of Chromebooks available for patrons to check out and use outside of the library. There is no release date set for these digital equity projects.