What's New!

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. 

Throughout history poetry has inspired cultures around the world. April is National Poetry Month, celebrating poetry in all of its forms. This diverse art form imaginatively conveys human emotion and experience, captures both epic and quiet moments in concise snapshots, and creates a channel for us to understand the world around us in new and meaningful ways. Songs, poetry epics, haiku, pastoral poems, sonnets, and limericks are just a few poetic forms that you might already be familiar with and enjoy. Discover new poems, poets, and poetic forms while exploring the resources on this page, and don’t miss the special poetry events we have coming up in April!

Programs

Poetry Summit – Sat., April 22, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The 2023 Pikes Peak Poetry Summit theme is: "Art is a Bridge to New Perspectives." This year we are celebrating poetry across Colorado with features from all over the state. Join our summit and open yourself up to new ideas through powerful artistry.     
April is National Poetry Month, and this summit is the perfect way to celebrate whether you are a seasoned poet, exploring the art form, or just a lover of poetry. Get inspired, improve your craft, share your words, and learn more about poetry locally and across the state. Engage with our poetry workshops, share your work on the open mic, and experience amazing poetry and music performances.

Workshops include:

• How to Rhyme?: Songwriting 101 with Dominique Robbins
• Poetry, Pop Culture, and Social Justice with Michael Ferguson
• Building Community, Building a Poem with Poetry Heals
• Becoming Poetry writing workshop.

Shop our art market to support local poets, authors, and artists. The poetic experience in the Pikes Peak Region is phenomenal and we look forward to celebrating with the community. Be curious about the bridge poetry will create for you. All ages are welcome!

The workshops are provided at no cost. All workshops are 45 minutes in duration. Please be aware that you will need coins for the metered parking.   
Registration opens soon for all workshops.

Enjoy celebrating Poetry Month with the Library!

Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony – Sat., April 29, at 10:30 a.m.   
Celebrate the winners of Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest, who wrote on this year's theme: "Be the Hero: Empowered and Impactful." Please RSVP to Christa Funke, cfunke@ppld.org, by Tue., April 25.

For 4th and 5th graders and their families and friends

Sat., April 29, at 10:30 a.m.

Booklists

• Children's Poetry and Novels in Verse
• Poets to Read for National Poetry Month
• Poetry Books for Teens

Resources

• Poetry and Shorty Story Reference Center  
  A full-text database containing thousands of classic and contemporary poems, short stories, and more. It also includes high-quality videos and audio recordings from the Academy of American Poets.
• PPLD Literature LibGuide  
  A starting place for discovering literature resources within our collection at Pikes Peak Library District, including information on poetry and poets!

Recommended Website

• Shell Silverstein website  
  Lots of fun for Shel Silverstein fans, including videos of his poems and activities to try!
• The Children's Poetry Archive  
  Listen to poems read aloud, some by the poets who wrote them. Discover a new favorite poem and learn all about different poets who write for children.
• StoryBlocks  
  Poetry for the very young! Find all sorts of songs and nursery rhymes in multiple languages to share with your child.
• The Poetry Archive  
  The internet’s largest collection of poets reading their work.
• Poetry Foundation  
  The website of Poetry Magazine includes learning resources for multiple age groups, information on poems and poets, and a large variety of podcasts for connecting with poetry. 
• Writer's Digest University's Write Better Poetry  
  Looking for inspiration for your next poem? Writer’s Digest has a variety of challenges, writing prompts and articles to help you get started. 

We are excited to announce that library card holders can now access no-cost passes to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. These two local attractions are the latest to join our Culture Pass program!  

Use your library card to check out passes to visit the museum for an immersive, universally accessible look into the journey of Team USA’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes through interactive exhibits and innovative displays. Or, check out a pass for the training center and take an inspiring guided tour through this elite facility where Team USA athletes train.  

Each attraction offers two daily passes, each for two adults and four children 12-years-old and younger.  

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center rejoins the Culture Pass program after temporarily suspending its participation in 2020 to abide by COVID-19 safety measures to protect Olympic athletes during the pandemic.   
 
These Colorado Springs attractions join current Culture Pass partner organizations, including:

• Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College  
• The Money Museum  
• ProRodeo Museum and Hall of Fame  
• Pikes Peak Children’s Museum  
• Rock Ledge Ranch Historical Site  
• Space Foundation Discovery Center  
• Western Museum of Mining & Industry  
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science  

These passes are available for checkout, similar to how you would check out an eBook or other electronic resource. Log in to the online reservation page and book a pass up to 30 days in advance. Reserve your pass today at ppld.org/culturepass!