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.
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.
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.
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
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