After a unanimous vote during a special public board session on Tuesday afternoon, April 4, Pikes Peak Library District’s (PPLD) Board of Trustees appointed Chief Librarian and CEO Teona Shainidze-Krebs as the permanent head of the Library District. Shainidze-Krebs officially assumes the role of chief librarian and CEO on Mon., April 24.
Since April 1, 2022, Shainidze-Krebs has operated as the chief librarian and chief executive officer for the Library District after the departure of John Spears, who held the title for six years. Prior to her appointment, Shainidze-Krebs was the deputy chief librarian and chief public services officer where she led library services before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. She started her career with PPLD in 2007 in the adult education department as a part-time ESL (English as a Second Language) instructor. Years later, she became the director of adult education where she expanded public services for those seeking education and job opportunities to improve their lives.
“Teona Shainidze-Krebs has been a staunch leader over the past year while serving as the Chief Librarian,” said Aaron Salt, president of PPLD’s Board of Trustees. “She has upheld our core values and gone beyond previous administrations to promote neutrality, while ensuring all patrons are welcome. Mrs. Shainidze-Krebs has worked diligently to build community partnerships and engage our civic leaders. The PPLD Board of Trustees is excited to appoint Teona to lead our organization for years to come.”
“The Library gives me a profound sense of pride in this country. Not every community in the world has the same tools and resources to help people better their lives and adjust to the circumstances thrown their way,” said Shainidze-Krebs. “However, our local libraries are that space where people can choose resources and tools to connect them to opportunities that allow them to thrive. I am honored to lead the PPLD staff toward the betterment of our community.”
Shainidze-Krebs is currently pursuing her master's degree in library science from Emporia State University and is expected to graduate later this year. She already holds a B.A. in foreign language (English), along with two master’s degrees – one in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and another in communication. Shainidze-Krebs speaks Georgian, Russian, and English.
Since the end of April 2023, the OverDrive company has discontinued their OverDrive app and has transitioned to the Libby app. Everyone who uses the OverDrive app on mobile devices will need to transition to Libby in order to continue accessing eBooks, eMagazines, and eAudiobooks. Don't worry, switching is easy (and you'll even be able to keep your book wish lists from OverDrive)!
Click here to learn more about the transition to Libby
What will be the same:
- The OverDrive website will still be available
- Most of the content in Libby is the same as in OverDrive
- Your loans and holds will transfer to Libby
- Your wish list can be imported to Libby
- Loan periods are the same in Libby as in OverDrive
- You will still get hold notifications in Libby
What to be aware of:
- Your reading history from the OverDrive app will not transfer to Libby
- Reading progress for your current loans will not transfer to Libby
- You can search for titles not yet in PPLD's collection and indicate your interest using the Notify Me feature.
- At the end of April, OverDrive discontinued the "Recommend to Library" feature. This was the method that allowed users one purchase request to the library each month.
This feature has been replaced with Notify Me tags in Libby. Users may tag any items of interest, to be notified if the library purchases the title. When notified, users may place a hold on the item.
Libby for Kindle
Download Libby App
Announcing the launch of our new Toy Library! This collection opens opportunities for young children to explore toys that help develop their motor skills.
Pikes Peak Library District’s six Family Place Libraries (Cheyenne, East, Fountain, Penrose, and Sand Creek libraries, as well as Library 21c), will begin checking out toys beginning in April. Family Place Libraries promote the importance of play through their library play spaces and playgroups, and this new collection allows us to continue to grow in this area. This is an opportunity to expand our services and emphasize the importance of play while accommodating our library patrons in their homes.
The Toy Library offers large motor skill toys available for families with children ages 0 - 5 to check out with their library card. Large motor skills toys support child development and are important because they help young children learn how to coordinate and control their body movements. These motor skills help lay the foundation for the development of fine motor skills such as writing.
We recognize that young children need to practice their large motor skills daily, and through the Toy Library, families will have access to these types of toys for three weeks at a time. Children grow rapidly in the first few years of life, so the ability to swap out toys by borrowing them through the Toy Library will help children practice their large motor skills at various stages of development.
Check out information and procedures
Toy Library items:
- Check out for 3 weeks (21 days)
- Not available for holds or renewals
- Only available at these libraries:
- Cheyenne Mountain Library
- East Library
- Fountain Library
- Penrose Library
- Sand Creek Library
- Library 21c
- Must be returned to the location where they were checked out
Checkout information
- One item at a time from the Toy Library may be checked out to patrons who:
- Are age 18+
- Have a valid Library account in good standing – user privileges are not blocked or expired (ACCESS cards and PowerPass are not eligible)
- Have a completed and signed Toy Library Waiver on file
Learn more about checking out toys from the Toy Library here.