What's New!

Homeschoolers, get ready to tell the world about your favorite book! Prepare a creative book report at home and present it informally to other families in a science fair-style format. What you create to represent your book is up to you. Build a diorama, design a game based on the plot and characters, or make a poster for the movie version. Or you might create a book in a bag project, make a clothes hanger mobile, or draw the story in a comic book format. The possibilities are endless! For homeschool students in grades K – 8. 

Registration opens on Fri., Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. Register here to be a book presenter. Please make sure that each participating student registers separately.

If you aren’t ready to present a book report yourself, drop by to support other homeschoolers by browsing the projects and discover your next favorite book!

When: Fri., Dec. 13 from 1 - 2 p.m.
Where: East Library

Need ideas to help you get started? Take a look at our idea file. 

Dive into the many free online resources that PPLD offers homeschoolers, including a curated guide presenting basic homeschool information and local organizations, online homework help, curriculum-supporting databases, and the eLibrary. Discover an array of valuable resources appropriate for students in Pre-K - high school (and beyond).

Homeschooling: Where to Begin

Are you considering homeschooling your students? Have you decided to homeschool and need some tips for getting started? Join Theresa Klinitski, Homeschool Consultant, to find out about the basics and learn from a panel of current homeschool parents about different styles of homeschooling. In addition, find out about the numerous tools and resources PPLD has to offer.

Homeschool Curriculum Swap!

Published on Fri., Oct. 18, 2024

In preparation for its early 2025 move back to its original location, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) will close Manitou Springs Library on Fri., Nov. 1.

Manitou Springs Library moved to its current location in March 2021, after vacating the Carnegie Library building it inhabited due to ADA compliance issues with the historic building. Since then, the Library has been colocated with the Manitou Art Center (MAC).  

Over the last three years the City of Manitou Springs and a dedicated local task force have worked diligently to raise the money needed to update the Carnegie Library to comply with today’s accessibility requirements. Funding included support from the Library District and led to the city breaking ground on the renovation project in January 2024. The project is currently expected to be completed in November 2024. 

• Library users with items checked out at Manitou Springs Library can check for extended due dates through My Account or by calling (719) 531-6333 and selecting 0 for staff assistance.
• The book drop will be closed at 5 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 1 and Library users will not be able to return materials to Manitou Springs Library during the closure. 
• All holds designated for pickup at Manitou Springs Library will be suspended beginning Wed., Oct. 23 and will remain suspended until the Library reopens. Library users can select a different pick-up location and unsuspend holds through My Account or by calling (719) 531-6333 and selecting 0 for staff assistance. 
• Makerspace equipment will no longer be available at Manitou Springs Library after Thu., Oct. 31. Equipment is available for reservation at our three makerspace locations. 
• Library users will have access to the Manitou Art Center with their PPLD library card until Fri., Nov. 15.
  Please contact the Manitou Art Center for information on membership opportunities.

PPLD will vacate the shared space with the MAC in mid-November. While the Library District’s partnership with the MAC is ending, PPLD is grateful the partnership allowed us to continue to serve the community while the Carnegie building was being renovated to be accessible to all.  

The Library District and the City of Manitou Springs are working closely together to organize grand opening activities in early 2025 to celebrate its return to the Library’s historic home in the community. 

Library users are encouraged to use this opportunity to visit and explore other Library locations while this relocation is completed. 

Manitou Springs Library has Relocated

Published on Sun., Feb. 21, 2021

Uniting Manitou Springs’ library and art center to enrich community

The community of Manitou Springs now can find art, literature, creative studios, meeting spaces, and the vast resources and services of the public library all one place! Thanks to a new co-location partnership, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) has relocated Manitou Springs Library to the Manitou Art Center (MAC). Building upon a decade of trust and cooperation, PPLD and the MAC transformed the historic building at 515 Manitou Avenue to become a shared space that extends more benefits to local artists, Library cardholders, and the greater community. PPLD can offer more than traditional library resources and services – and in a way that’s accessible – to all in Manitou Springs. The MAC will join us in welcoming more residents to learn, connect, create, and tinker with their already extensive offering of equipment and creative spaces. Manitou Springs Library officially opened inside of the MAC on Fri., March 5, 2021. Patrons can now safely browse the collection, speak with a librarian, book a computer session, or use the fax, scan, and copier machine. Curbside services are also available at the new co-location.

Get your limited-edition library card while supplies last!

Congratulations to artist Susan Odiam of Manitou Springs! Her original creation will be featured on our limited-edition card to celebrate the relocation of Manitou Springs Library to the MAC.

“We’re thrilled to pair our physical collection and other library services with an organization so focused on serving residents of Manitou Springs,” said PPLD Chief Librarian and CEO John Spears. “Their facilities will immeasurably enhance what we can provide to the local community.” 
As the shared spaces expand in the future, Manitou Springs Library and the MAC will offer broader access to on-site meeting rooms, computer labs, makerspaces, art studios, and workforce development opportunities. The new co-location partners look forward to a future with more synergy, right in the heart of Manitou Springs, to support people’s aspirations, foster creativity and innovation, and boost prosperity. 
“We’re excited to see what other long-term benefits arise from this venture, like increasing access to the MAC and expanding PPLD opportunities in Manitou Springs,” said MAC Executive Director Natalie Johnson. “We will leverage each other’s strengths of service.” 
PPLD’s departure from the historic Carnegie building provides the City of Manitou Springs with necessary time to plan for its future, while still allowing the Library to adequately serve the public right now. PPLD’s leadership welcomes the opportunity to work with the City and return to the historic Carnegie building – if an expansion or facility improvements allow the Library to serve residents of all abilities, and everyone also has the opportunity to take advantage of other common services across El Paso County like access to meeting and study rooms, makerspaces, and more. 
In the meantime, PPLD and the MAC looks forward to a strong co-location partnership so both can best serve the community now and into the foreseeable future. It’s beneficial for PPLD cardholders, MAC members, local artists, community partners, taxpayers, and the local economy. 
“This is what can happen when we unite to find ways to better serve our community regardless of the circumstances,” shared Andy Vick, Executive Director for the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region. “I applaud Pikes Peak Library District and the Manitou Art Center for their collaboration, and I hope other organizations are inspired to move beyond traditional community partnerships and consider embracing the shared-space model that capitalizes on existing resources and plays to each other’s strengths.” 
“Such alliances can lead to more people and businesses flourishing, which is what we need to strengthen the fabric of our communities for years to come.”