Categories
Short stories and poems contain layers of depth and meaning. Casual readers may enjoy the emotions and concepts explored, while literary scholars and enthusiasts can take deeper dives into themes, academic interpretations, and even examinations of writers’ bodies of work. No matter which type of reader you are, there is a lot to explore in the Literary Reference Center and the Poetry & Short Story Reference Center. Use your PPLD library card to access these databases to explore full text poems and stories, articles, and author information for thousands of classic and contemporary writers. Students will also find these databases useful.
The Literary Reference Center offers thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals, and author biographies covering work from all genres and time periods. For high school and college students, the Research Guide tab on the Literary Reference Center home page is a useful tool where you can find handouts and guides to assist with research steps, essay organization, developing thesis statements, and more. You will also find full-text classical novels, short stories, and poems that you can read.
In the Poetry & Short Story Reference Center, you will find thousands of full-text classic and contemporary poems and short stories. Each poem or short story includes information such as author details, poetic form, themes, techniques used, literary genre and movement, subject, and other key information. Essays, reviews, analyses, and author biographies in this database allow you to explore these and other works more in-depth. Additionally, you can discover high-quality videos and audio recordings from the Academy of American Poets. For educators, there is an extensive selection of lesson plans to help bring these literary works into your classroom.
Access these databases at any Pikes Peak Library District location, or El Paso County residents can access remotely from anywhere (must have a resident library card, which starts with a 4).
Kids and teens can enjoy lunch (and books) at no cost this summer!
School District 11 will bring their mobile unit to East Library every weekday beginning Wed., May 29 through Fri., Aug. 2 (except for Thu., July 4). Meal service will be available 11 a.m. - noon, Monday - Friday, along with a basket of age-appropriate books that kids and teens can take with them. Lunches are provided at no-cost to kids and teens. Adult lunches are $5.25.
Outside of East Library
5550 N. Union Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
May 29 – Aug. 2 (every weekday except Thu., July 4)
11 a.m. - noon
The Summer Food Service Program, funded by USDA, provides nutritious meals to all children and teenagers ages 0 - 18. There are no income or registration requirements for participation.
To find other nearby summer meal sites, visit D11's Summer Food Service Program page or find other participating school districts at KidsFoodFinder.org.
Memorial Day is a day to remember those who have fallen in service to our country. It was originally called Decoration Day from the tradition of decorating graves of the fallen with flowers, wreaths, and flags. While it was first widely observed on May 30, 1868 to commemorate the service of Civil War soldiers, after World War I it was expanded to honor those who had died serving the U.S. in any war. Congress designated the last Monday of May as Memorial Day as part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act passed in 1971.
Booklists
PPLD Resources
Books
Books about the military can be found in our nonfiction and juvenile nonfiction sections. Look for these call numbers to find where these books are located:
- 355 – Military Science
- 623 – Military Engineering
- 973 – U.S. History
- Gale In Context: Elementary: Memorial Day
Explore facts and history about Memorial Day with the kids in your life. (Must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside of a Library location.) - Gale In Context: U.S. History: Memorial Day
Experience Memorial Day in new ways through videos, articles, biographies, images, and more in this history database. (Must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside of a Library location.)
Websites
- Memorial Day (Visit Colorado Springs)
Find out about Memorial Day events and activities coming up in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area. - 9 Things You May Not Know About Memorial Day (History Channel)
What do modern Memorial Day celebrations have in common with ancient traditions? Who organized one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations? What town was the real birthplace of Memorial Day? Read this article to learn more! - Celebrating America’s Freedoms (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Explore the origins of Memorial Day and find out how different states celebrate. - The History of Memorial Day (PBS)
Learn about the origins of Memorial Day, and visit the Wall of Remembrance to share memories about service members in your life or view memories left by others. - Memorial Day: A Commemoration (National Archives)
View videos, articles and blogs, and more about Memorial Day from the National Archives. - The WWI Origins of the Poppy as a Remembrance Symbol (History Channel)
The poppy hasn’t always been a symbol of remembrance. Learn the WWI origins of this well-recognized symbol.