What's New!

Just as every person is unique…every book has a unique story to tell. You may like it – or you may not… but in America, the author is free to tell his or her story for all to enjoy. Our public library proudly includes them in the collection. We invite you to read these picture books with your child, and encourage you to have a discussion. You may be surprised to discover some old favorites…and may actually make some new “book friends”.
Here is a list of Banned and Challenged Picture Books. Some are non-fiction, while others are on the picture book shelves. Ask your friendly librarian for help. Click link below for list:

In 2018, over 70 young authors submitted original stories to PPLD's Teen Fiction Writing Contest. Each story began with the sentence "The letter could not have come at a worse time", which was chosen by New York Times best-selling author Sandya Menon. The young authors in our community took this common beginning and crafted a huge variety of stories that tackled big topics, such as: grief and loss, growing up, building a better world, and the weight of responsibility.

Winners were chosen through anonymous scoring by a group of dedicated PPLD staff members. The three top stories in both the middle school and high school categories were announced at the awards ceremony on July 29, 2018, and will be published in a digital anthology in September.

Middle School Winners:

  • 1st Place: "A Girl, A Thousand Shirtwaists, and a Fire" by Molly Heinold
  • 2nd Place: "Dear Louella" by Emma Reeves
  • 3rd Place: "Elenora" Claire Deeds

High School Winners:

  • 1st Place: "The Apiary" by Alexandra Wollinka
  • 2nd Place: "An Impossible Choice" by Sophia Mayhugh
  • 3rd Place: "A Work-Ruled Vacation" by Shanleigh Glide

Congratulations to all the winners and entrants! Thank you to all the young authors who entered and to those who encouraged them to put their ideas on paper. If you were unable to attend the awards ceremony, your judge's feedback sheet and participation certificate have been mailed to the address listed on your submission form.

IN RESPONSE TO KOAA ARTICLE DATED 8/27/2018:

While many libraries across the U.S. do offer “Drag Queen Storytime,” Pikes Peak Library District does not provide it as a library-sponsored program. If ever offered or sponsored, the program would be part of a larger exploration of diversity as well as contextualized for children and families in a broad frame of respect for individuality and difference.

The “Drag Queen Story Hour” by Sarah Bellum, which is taking place at Penrose Library on September 1, is sponsored by Club Q. This program is offered by a member of the community under the auspices of another organization and is not sponsored by the library.

We make our meeting rooms available to the public, and all community members are allowed to use them for any purpose as long as it does not violate our Meeting Room Policy. This use does not violate our policy in any way.

Click here for PPLD's offical statement.