What's New!

Materials for this Take and Make project, for ages 5-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, August, 11, 2023.

Materials and Directions:

Materials we provide:

Paper strips and circles

Glue Dots

Skewer

Materials you provide:

Scissors

Glue Stick

Glue gun, optional (for adult use)

Pin, optional

Pencil, optional

Directions: click on the file link below to see more information.
1. Cover the back side of a circle with glue and attach 2 of the strips directly across from each other. Add more glue and 2 more strips. Continue until you have all 8 strips evenly spaced.
Put glue on the back of another circle and use it to cover your strips to secure them in place.

2. Do the same with your remaining circles and the other ends of your strips.

3. Poke a hole through the center of each hole. Use a pin to start your hole, if desired. You can also use your pencil to make the bottom hole a little bigger than the skewer.

4. Push the skewer through the bottom hole, up through the center of the spinner, through one of your glue dots, and slightly out the top hole. Secure the point with an additional glue dot. An adult could also secure these using the glue gun.

5. After the glue has dried a few minutes, spin it by rubbing the end of the skewer between your hands.

Interested in getting involved as a leader in your community? Pikes Peak Library District’s Board of Trustees seeks applications due to an upcoming vacancy beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

Members of PPLD’s Board of Trustees are appointed by a joint committee of the Colorado Springs City Council and the El Paso County Board of Commissioners. It is a governing board as opposed to an advisory board. Trustees serve without remuneration and must live within the Library District’s service area. They are limited to two five-year terms.

Responsibilities include attending regular board and committee meetings, following bylaws, serving as a community liaison, appointing and evaluating the performance of the Library’s Chief Librarian and CEO, setting policy, performing strategic planning duties, reviewing and approving the annual budget, and more. 

Applications for the vacancy close at 11:59 p.m. MST on Sunday, Sept. 10. Applications must be completed and submitted online. Learn more and apply at ppld.org/BOT

All applicants are requested to attend the PPLD Board of Trustees meeting on Wed., Sept. 20, 2023, at  
5 p.m. at Library 21c in the Venue, 1175 Chapel Hills Drive. A reception will follow the meeting so that applicants may introduce themselves, meet the current Trustees, and learn more about the position.    

Please RSVP for the Sept. 20, 2023, Board of Trustees meeting to Laura Foster at lfoster@ppld.org or  719-531-6333, x6009.  

Celebrate Colorado Day Mon., Aug. 1 and enjoy other events throughout the month of August.

Colorado Day: Ed Dwight

Join us as we celebrate Colorado through the life of Ed Dwight, the first African American considered for the NASA astronaut program! The two-hour event includes:

• Mark Dickerson, Col. USAF (Ret), on the confluence of African American and Aviation History
• Rachel English, the Director of the Space Foundation, on the importance of space to Colorado's history
• A screening of the 13-minute documentary The Lost Astronaut, a short film about Ed Dwight.
• Light refreshments will be provided. Registration required.

Register Now

Genealogy Basics (Colorado Edition)

Are you interested in researching your genealogy, but aren't sure where to start? Join us for an introduction to basic genealogy research strategies including getting started, organizing research, and selecting and searching for records.

In celebration of Colorado Day, this month's Genealogy Basics classes will focus on researching your Colorado ancestors!

• Saturday, Aug. 19 from 2 - 3 p.m. - Virtual - Registration is required.
• Tuesday, Aug. 22 from 7 - 8 p.m. - Virtual - Registration is required.
• Saturday, Aug. 26 from 1 - 4 p.m. - Virtual - Registration is required.

Resources:

Adult

Have you checked out our digital archive? PPLD's Digital Collections features historic photographs, pamphlets, manuscripts, maps, oral histories, films and more that highlight the rich history of the Pikes Peak region. The materials come from the Special Collections of Pikes Peak Library District, housed in the 1905 Carnegie Library in downtown Colorado Springs.

Pikes Peak NewsFinder is our local historical newspaper index. This index contains citations to and scanned images of local news articles and obituaries from the Colorado Springs Gazette and other local newspapers from as early as the 1870s!

Children/Families

Need homework help? Check out our Colorado Homework Help page to get started with biographies, databases, and recommended websites.

Check some kids books about Colorado history, learn more.

Website Links:

Adult

Visit PPLD’s Regional History & Genealogy page to learn how you can research our local history. We have historic photos, manuscripts, books, and more!