What's New!

Historic newspapers tell the stories of our collective past. Local papers show our regional history, while national and world-wide papers tell more widespread stories of the day. Whether you’re curious to know what happened on a given day in history or need resources for research projects, Pikes Peak Library District connects you with a variety of historic newspaper databases to get you connected with these stories. You can also find current and recent news in our newspaper database offerings.

For historic news, check the following databases:

• America’s News: This comprehensive news collection includes print and online-only newspapers, blogs, newswires, journals, and broadcast transcripts and videos from nine news sources, including three with a Colorado news focus.
• 19th Century U.S. Newspapers: Access over 28 million articles from nineteenth century newspapers, including rural and urban papers throughout the U.S.
• Newspaper Archive: As the largest online historical newspaper database, this database contains millions of newspapers from 1607 to present. Search by location (including Colorado), subject, date, or publication to find the stories you’re looking for.
• Newspaper Source: Search hundreds of U.S. newspapers by subject to find historic and recent articles.

For recent and current news, try:

• America’s News: In addition to historic newspaper and video clips, you can find papers from as resent as yesterday to get caught up on more timely events, including The Denver Post, The Gazette, USA Colorada, and other news outlets.
• New York Times: Our subscription to the New York Times is going digital! Discover a world of current news, games, cooking tips, and more.  
• Newspaper Source: If you know what subject you want to find news on, use this database to search for articles published as recently as yesterday from hundreds of U.S. newspapers.  
• Regional Business News: Looking for business news? Use this database to find business news from around the world over the past 10 years.

Looking for local news articles not found in our online newspaper databases? Try our Regional History & Genealogy department’s physical archive of historic microfilm.  

Outdoor concerts return to Pikes Peak Library District this summer with three no-cost concerts! Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and join us at the Palmer Lake Village Green (66 Lower Glenway Street, next to Palmer Lake Library) for sunshine and music at the end of the summer. You’ll hear a variety of music, from big band to folk, and beyond. Everyone is welcome to attend these no-cost concerts. 

The concerts are from 6 – 7 p.m. In the event of adverse weather, the concerts may be relocated to the Town Hall building adjacent to the Village Green or may be cancelled.

• The first concert on Fri., Aug. 23 features jazz and big band music by Academy Jazz Ensemble.  
• The next concert will take place on Fri., Aug. 30 and feature folk music by Tender Foot Bluegrass. 
• This year’s series will conclude on Fri., Sept. 6 with a performance by two-time Kerrville New Folk Finalist and Posi Award Winner Jeremy Facknitz (with David Siegel). 

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) wants to help you connect with your community. We are better together, and with summer in full swing, now's the perfect time to make it happen! Whether you're hanging out on your block or exploring your neighborhood, there are countless opportunities to connect. 

Explore the Better Together Booklist

Interested in hosting a potluck or organizing a fun community event? Or maybe you just want to have a cozy chat with your neighbors? We've handpicked a selection of books for all ages covering a wide range of topics to help you make connections. Explore the innate need for human interaction, how interaction can combat loneliness and isolation, and the ways it can improve your health and quality of life. Each of us plays a role in building our community, and these reads offer some great ways to get involved.

This reading list offers lots of inspiration to get you started. You can access eBooks and eAudiobooks for many of the titles through the Libby app or find physical copies at your favorite Library location.
 

Download the accessible version of the booklist here

Items to Support Your Next Outstanding Gathering

Because our communities are better together, we are sharing some unique ways PPLD can help you connect with your neighbors and friends!

Games anyone?

No outdoor social gathering with neighbors is complete without lawn games like cornhole, horseshoes, or badminton. Instead of buying a game that will take up space in your storage area, consider borrowing a lawn game from our collection, located at Library 21c. Find them on the lower level, near the center staircase. Lawn games check out for a week.

We also have a collection of board games at multiple Library locations.

Ready to read?

Take a chance and organize a book club with a few of your neighbors or arrange a more relaxed gathering with friends. Our Book Club Kits have everything you need to form your own book club. Select from more than 200 titles and check out a kit with 12 copies of your chosen title so everyone can dive right in without having to hunt for or purchase the book.

Not ready to start a book club? You can join one of ours! Find a listing of book clubs at your nearest Library location and find out how to get started on our Book Clubs page.

Need a place to gather?

Finding a spacious place to gather with your neighbors can be challenging. Look no further than your local Library. You can reserve a meeting room or event space to host all sorts of gatherings. Whether you're brushing up on a new language, kicking off a knitting circle, enjoying some card or board games, or finally starting that book club you've been dreaming of since reading the above section, we have space that suits your needs. We also have event spaces you can reserve for larger events and productions. 

Ready to explore together?

Engaging with others can happen anywhere, including during events at the Library. PPLD has classes and programming for all ages and interests where you can spend time exploring and learning alongside your community. Whether you want to experience new forms of creativity in one of our makerspaces, join a yoga class, brush up on your computer skills, or just get out of the house, we have something for everyone. Check out our program calendar to see offerings at each of our Library locations.

Hosting a gathering this summer?

Join your fellow neighbors throughout the community who are hosting neighborhood gatherings this summer as part of the City of Colorado Springs’ 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings initiative. For more information and resources, or to add your gathering to the map, visit 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings.