What's New!

We need your help to create art for Panorama Park! The tile art project will include over 7,000 individual tiles made by the community that will come together to create a beautiful statement piece that celebrates the diversity and unity of Southeast Colorado Springs. Please attend a FREE tile art workshop to put your personal touch on the park through the tile art project.

This project is being paid for by the Trust for Public Land and facilitated by Sand Creek Library and local artist Jere Rose (aka Rizzo). Tile-making workshops will be happening throughout 2021 and tiles will be fired at Sand Creek Library. The mural will be installed in Panorama Park once the renovation is finished (goal of late Spring 2022).

The Knob Hill neighborhood is home to an extraordinary amount of street art. Tour the neighborhood and see the murals at the street level with the street artists who created the art. Learn about the community focused organization, Knob Hill Urban Art District, that creates the murals. Talk with the artists. Experience the art up close. Snake your way through the alleys of the district to find hidden gems. Don't forget your walking shoes!

• Where: Knob Hill, meet at 2331 E. Platte Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80918
• When:
  • Fri., July 23 at 3 p.m.
  • Fri., Aug 6 at 3 p.m.
  • Fri., Aug. 20 at 3 p.m.
  • Fri., Sept. 10 at 3 p.m.

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area libraries beginning Friday, June 25, 2021.

Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/ZZNhvJJAAdo?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu

Supplies and Directions:

Provided in your Take and Make bag: a paper plate, four craft sticks, sequins
Supplies from home: glue, markers, other decorative materials

1. Cut your paper plate in half; you now have two halves to make two fans.
2. Take your first half and two craft sticks, cross the craft sticks like an X, and glue/tape them to the back of the plate. This will be your handle.
3. Using sequins, markers, crayons, paint, whatever you like, decorate your fans for summer! Keep one with you on hot days to stay cool!

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, June 18, 2021.

Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/dQVo4jP7a_c?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu

Supplies and Directions:

Materials provided in Take and Make kit: container for boat, plastic straw, rubber band, balloon
Materials you provide: sharp pencil to poke hole, container of water.

1. Poke a hole in one of the short sides of the boat using a sharp pencil. It should be nearer to the top.
2. Slide the balloon onto one end of the straw. (Pro tip: Blow the balloon up a couple times to ease expansion when on the straw.)
3. Rubber band the balloon into place. Blow the balloon up through the straw to test if it’s secured.
4. Stick the straw through the hole in the boat with the balloon on the inside. Having the balloon inside the boat allows it to move forward through the water.
5. Test your boat by blowing the balloon up through the straw. Pinch the straw to keep the balloon inflated until it can be released in water such as the bathtub or pool.
6. Watch your boat zoom off. How does air power move your boat across the water?
7. Bend the straw in the back of the boat to make it turn.

Take & Makes for Harry Potter Bookmarks, for ages 9-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries starting Fri., Jun. 11, 2021.

Supplies and Directions:

Supplies Provided: 2 pieces of Origami paper & 2 Harry Potter themed stickers

Optional Supplies Needed (from home): Markers or other items to decorate the bookmarks if desired

See pdf instructions below for more pictures to go along with each step, or watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTBlwPG3Q6s

1. Place the paper on the desk with the side that has the pattern or color you want to show facing down. Fold it in half from bottom to top and crease. You should now have a triangle.
2. Take the bottom right corner, fold it up to the tip of the triangle, and crease. Repeat this with the bottom left corner and crease. Now unfold both corners. You should see lines from creasing it where the dotted lines are in the picture to the right.
3. Now grab the tip of the triangle. There are 2 layers of paper there from where we folded it in half. Grab just the top layer and fold it down so that the tip of the triangle is touching the bottom point where the two creases meet. This will expose the other side of the paper. It should now look like this, with a little pocket in the middle of the triangle:
4. Now take the bottom left corner and fold it up to cover the left half of the triangle. Crease, then tuck the top part of it into the pocket you formed in step 3.
5. Repeat this with the bottom right corner, covering the right side of the triangle and tucking it into the flap.
6. You have a bookmark! Just stick the page into the pocket you’ve formed to mark where you are in a book. You can decorate your bookmark using markers, pens, or colored pencils or by using the provided stickers.

The Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s sole mission is to raise and manage funds to assure excellence in the Pikes Peak Library District by funding the expansion of programs, services, and facilities beyond what is directly supported by the residents of the District. PPLD received a grant from NextFifty to increase capacity of the Mobile Library Services to better serve our aging population. The Pikes Peak Library District’s Lobby Stop service provides library access to older adults living in Independent, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory care throughout El Paso county. NextFifty Initiative’s grant for a new lift gate on the Lobby Stop will allow the Lobby Stop staff to continue to provide patrons with access to book carts filled with materials to browse. Many patrons describe how browsing materials allows them freedom of choice which can lessen in care facilities, provides a shopping experience, and offers resources they would not otherwise have access to as most no longer drive.

Granted funds will be used for:

• A new lift gate for the Lobby Stop vehicle
• Storage cupboards and desk, installation, electrical for desk lighting: The storage provided by proposed cupboards affords the Lobby Stop staff space for more materials that patrons can access during each stop.
• Williams Sound FM ADA Compliance Kit seed money: FM systems amplify sound in smaller meeting and study room spaces. Up to four patrons who are hard of hearing can use the receiver and headphones included in this kit, or can have sound transmitted directly to their hearing aids via a receiver and neck loop. A lapel microphone is included as well as a table mic. Currently, PPLD is equipped with only one kit to use throughout the entire district. With an additional kit for the district, the Lobby Stop staff will be enabled to bring a kit to the assisted living facilities it serves to use during programs. Furthermore, the library district will have more kits available to offer patrons to use in the Pikes Peak Library District’s meeting room spaces.
• Large print book club collection seed money: Medical research shows that social interaction allows people to enjoy healthier lives. Social isolation increases dementia and cognitive decline after retirement. The Pikes Peak Library District’s Mobile Library Department, which includes the Lobby Stop Van Service, gathers books for thirteen book clubs every month. Most of the patrons participating in these book clubs require large print to participate. Currently, staff comb the catalog to find large print titles with enough copies, place holds on all the copies and monitor the holds which become available at different times. With a book club collection that is strategically developed with large print books already collated into a set that can be checked out all at once (along with book club discussion questions, DVDs, Playaways and/or CD book), wait times are decreased and the library district’s capacity to meet the demand (currently a long wait list) for large print book club collections increases, ultimately increasing number of patrons who benefit from the service.

In a hurry? Need lots of books for your kids? Looking for something new or unexpected to read? Try a PPLD Bundle! PPLD Bundles consist of a mix of titles chosen by staff from the shelves of your local branch based on your selections in the form below. After you submit the form, you will be notified via your current hold notification method (email, text, or phone call) when your PPLD Bundle is ready for pickup.

Learn more and request a bundle today!

June is Pride Month! Celebrate with these exciting books for ages 0-12! Click on the pdf link below to see the list.

Come and enjoy a Math Stroll at your local library! Families will enjoy doing interactive math activities outdoors during this engaging program.

For ages 3 - 10. Available in English and Spanish!

Window Strolls:

• Cheyenne Mountain Library
• High Prairie Library
• Fountain Library
• Library 21c
• Penrose Library
• Rockrimmon Library

Outdoor Strolls:

• East Library
• Old Colorado City Library
• Mobile Libraries in July

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, May 28, 2021.

Spring is a great time to learn more about the birds that live in Colorado Springs! Look at the photos on the bookmark in your Take and Make and check off the birds that you can find (or click on the birds bookmark below to print). There may be some hidden in plain sight at your library location! Or head outdoors to see how many species you can spy. With your Take and Make laminated copy, erase your checkmarks with a damp cloth and use the bookmark again and again. See the bird identification chart below for bird species names.

Checkout the Birds Resources pdf below also. There are websites and books to check out.

Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning this Friday, May 21, 2021.

Supplies and Directions:

Step 1.
Gather your supplies.
Provided in your bag: art paper, assorted tissue paper colors, paint brush
From home: water

Step 2.
Pre-wet your art paper using your paint brush and water.

Step 3.
Put your colorful tissue paper squares on your art paper however you like. This is process art which means you get to decide what to do and have fun doing it!

Step 4.
Using your paintbrush, brush water all over your tissue paper. Make sure you are soaking it pretty well; the colors will be more vibrant.

Step 5.
Once it is dry, peel your tissue paper pieces off and display your colorful creation!

Celebrate creativity with us for National Week of Making! From Mon., May 17 - Sun., May 23, we’ll be shining a light on ways to get involved with making in El Paso County. Share your creations with us with the hashtag #WeekofMaking2021. To read more about National Week of Making, visit Nation of Makers.

To kick off the week, we’ll be offering Watercolor Take and Makes at all Makerspace locations (Sand Creek Library, East Library, Library 21C, and Manitou Springs Library). Kits will include simple watercolor supplies and a written and video tutorial to get you started (available while supplies last).

While you’re there, check out our Makerspaces! We offer a wide range of tools and technology, from laser cutters to sewing machines to 3D printers to conversion machines. East Library and Sand Creek Library also offer a recording studio. You can take a tour, book time to use the space, and stop by our Creation Station to take a selfie!

Check out some of the resources below to learn more about what the library has to offer for makers!

• Learn more about the makerspaces, studios, and how to reserve equipment. (For ages 9+)
• Want to use the laser cutter? You can now take a virtual badging course. (For ages 9+.)
• We are now offering 3D printing through drop offs. (For ages 9+.)
• Looking for ways to make from home? Visit our curated resources. (For all ages.)
• Creative Services YouTube playlist. (For ages 9+.)
• Explore a new topic with Discovery Kits. (For all ages.)
• Looking for cool things to make at home? Check out our Teens Make and Teens STEM playlists for fun, easy projects. (For ages 12 - 18)

Take and Makes for this STEM project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Fri., May 14.

Supplies and Directions

Materials Provided: 12 drinking straws, duct tape


Materials You Provide: Scissors, ruler, drinking glass filled with water, level surface that can get wet (or if not, something to protect it), sturdy chair to stand on.


While sipping a drink through your straw seems fairly simple, it’s actually a complicated process. As you sip, you are lowering the air pressure inside your mouth and the liquid is pushed up into your mouth.
In this activity, you’ll experiment with the length of your straw. Are you able to create a long straw that actually works? What is the longest straw you can create and drink out of?


Let’s get started and find out.

1. Cut 2 lengthwise slits in one end of each plastic straw. The slits should be about ½" long. An adult can help with this is necessary.
2. Slip the cut straw end over the uncut end of another straw.
3. Cut the strip of duct tape into short 3/4” strips.
4. Wrap tape around your joint so there is an airtight seal. (Why do you think it’s necessary to have an airtight seal?)
5. Test your straw by placing the end of the straw into your glass of water. The glass of water should be on a level surface that can get wet. Try taking a drink. It’s best to hold your straw vertically.
6. If you’re able to drink, try adding more straws one at a time. Test after each addition.
7. If you’re unable to drink, then check each connection to see if it’s airtight. All holes will need sealed with your tape.
8. As your straw gets longer, you may need to stand on a chair to drink. You can also test your straw with different angles.
9. What is the longest straw that you created that worked?

May is National Foster Care Month. Learn more with PPLD!

All-Ages Booklist

About Foster Care

An average of 10 children and youth entered foster care each day in Colorado in 2020. In 2019, the Colorado Department of Human Services child abuse and neglect hotline received 219,478 calls. Foster care is always a last resort for kids and families. In El Paso County alone, the Department of Human Services receives approximately 16,000 Child Abuse Hotline calls per year. Of those calls, only about 400 results in the removal of the child.

This means, the children placed in foster care are the most severely abused and neglected and their removal was either an emergency or a last measure after their parents failed to remedy the problems in their home. – Hope & Home

ReMoved Video:

Hope & Home
Hope & Home is a local foster care agency. At Hope & Home, we believe that foster parenting is a calling. We believe that every single child who walks through our doors is precious and deserving of safety and love. We believe that reunification with a child’s biological parents when possible is best. We believe that adoption when necessary is beautiful.

Hope & Home is a licensed child placement agency, serving children and families across Colorado. We recruit, train, license, and support families to care for children in foster care.

Hope & Home is a community-based foster care agency on a mission to reinvent foster care across Colorado.

Abused and neglected children who have been removed from their birth homes get a stable and nurturing family to live with until it’s safe to go home again, or — when that safety isn’t possible — a family to give them a forever home through adoption.

Watch one family’s incredible foster care story.

Learn More About Foster Parenting:

• Myths About Foster Care
• The Truth About Being a Foster Parent
• The Other Side of the Door

References:

• Colorado Foster Care in 2020
• Child Abuse & Covid-19

Kids Crossing

• About Kids Crossing:
  Kids Crossing is an agency founded BY foster parents, FOR foster parents. Our mission is to strengthen families so they may provide the best care to those children entrusted to them.
• Monthly Informational Meetings:
  Learn more about how you can become involved with Kids Crossing! Attend one of our informational meetings to meet staff and learn how Kids Crossing is different from other child placement agencies.
• Support:
  As a Kids Crossing Foster Parent, YOU ARE NOT ALONE…Becoming a foster parent is a life changing decision, and being a foster parent is a tough job! Foster care is not for everyone, but if you are ready to commit to foster youth in need, Kids Crossing is here to support you every step of the way.

Special Kids Special Families

• About Special Kids Special Families:
  SKSF’s Foster Care & Adoption program places children with special needs, including mental, emotional and physical disabilities into loving and caring homes. We serve children of all ethnicities, ages and situations. It is uniquely positioned as the “go-to” agency supporting foster children with disabilities due to its integration and access to the full range of SKSF programs and services.
• Become a foster parent:
  Our foster care program encourages the achievement of every child’s full potential by providing a stable and nurturing alternative family environment. At the same time, we implement specific treatment plans for foster children and their families while working towards the best permanent outcome for everyone involved. To Become a Foster Parent with SKSF can be one of the most rewarding experiences.
• Zoom Info Meetings:
  Special Kids Special Families is offering a FREE informational meeting about becoming a foster parent/family. This is the perfect opportunity to learn about the need for more foster families, what it takes to become a foster parent, and have all your questions answered. This meeting also serves as our orientation to those who have decided to begin the process of becoming foster parents. This meeting is offered remotely via Zoom.
• Foster Family Stories

Bethany Christian Services

• About Bethany Christian Services:
  Family Changes Everything: We believe every child deserves to be safe, loved, and connected through family. Bethany is a global nonprofit that supports children and families with world-class social services, all designed to help families thrive.
• Of all the ways you can show love, foster care is one of the greatest. When you welcome a child or teen into your home, you show them bold love while their family works toward reunification. If you're interested in playing this important role, Bethany can help you be the answer for a child in need. You provide a loving home, and we'll provide the support you need.
• Unaccompanied minors at the border:
  What’s happening and how you can help. Thousands of unaccompanied children crossing the border need safe and loving foster homes now.
• Dismantling the Myths of Foster Care
• Bobbi, a mom reunited with her kids after foster care.

Adoption & Genealogy Resources from Regional History & Genealogy

Laws governing access to birth records vary depending on the state where you were born. If you are adopted, you may or may not be able to request an original birth certificate, or certain information on your certificate may not be available. Use the resources below to learn more about the research process and record availability.

Online Resources
Child Welfare Information Gateway (A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

• Access to Adoption Records
• Adoption (see Search & Reunion)

FamilySearch (Nonprofit genealogy database)

• Guide to United States Adoption Research

Special Collections Reference Books:

• Carangelo, Lori. The Adoption and Donor Conception Factbook. The Only Comprehensive Source of U.S. & Global Data on the Invisible Families of Adoption, Foster Care & Donor Conception (Special Collections Reference at Penrose Library)
• Carangelo, Lori. THE ULTIMATE SEARCH BOOK: Worldwide Adoption, Genealogy & Other Search Secrets (Special Collections Reference at Penrose Library)
• Klunder, Virgil L. Lifeline: The Action Guide to Adoption Search (Special Collections Reference at Penrose Library)

On average, 10 children and youth enter foster care each day in Colorado because their parents need time to learn new skills and address safety concerns. This all-ages booklist is filled with captivating and engaging stories about children and teens experiencing foster care, click on pdf to view booklist. Source: CO4K.org

Take and Makes for Paint Pouring, for ages 9-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries starting Friday, May 7, 2021.

Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/sdIewTwn6lo?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu

Supplies:

Included in kit: 1 canvas, 1 container of Floetrol (stabilizer), 2 containers of acrylic paint, wooden craft sticks for stirring, small cups for mixing

Needed from home: Newspaper, plastic, or foil (to cover your workspace)

Directions:

1. Cover your workspace with newspaper, plastic, or foil to contain the mess from the paint. Consider wearing an old shirt or apron and push your sleeves out of the way of the paint.
2. Pour the stabilizer (the Floetrol) into three plastic cups. Add a separate paint color to each plastic cup and mix with wooden stirrers. For best results, keep a 1:1 ratio of stabilizer to paint in the disposable cups. You can combine the two paints in one cup to make three colors.
3. Decide which technique you want to use and follow those instructions for prepping the paint. (See “techniques” below).
4. Pour the paint onto the canvas until it covers the whole thing.
5. If you are not happy with the design, while the paint is still wet you can tilt the canvas in any direction and the paint will change before your eyes!
6. As an optional step you can flick or drip rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer onto the canvas and watch the awesome things it does to your creation. A little goes a long way.
7. One you are done pouring put in a dry place and wait 10 hours for it to dry fully.

Techniques:

• Dirty Pour: After mixing the medium into each color, layer each color into a single cup. The first color you pour into the cup will be the last to appear on your surface and likely the most prominent. Pour straight on your surface or place surface face down over cup and flip the entire thing over. The paint will pour out of the cup and onto the surface of your canvas.
• Direct Pour: Keeping your color mixtures separate, alternate pouring directly onto the surface. Tilt surface to create a marbleized pattern.

Many adults and kids in the Pikes Peak Library District have voted for their favorite children's book! Thank you. Below, you will find the Children's Book Week booklist with the voting results. Pilkey's Dog Man is the most popular book!
Nationally, Reading is a Superpower is the theme of Children's Book Week this year.

Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May! See two booklist links below, one for picture books and the other for kids' chapter books:

Take and Makes for this project, for ages 3-5, will be available at area PPLD libraries starting Friday, April 30, 2021.

Mix and match straw "beads" to create a colorful bracelet. For ages 3-5.

Directions and Supplies included in kit:

• Pipe cleaner
• Straw “beads”

Directions:

1. Bend one end of the pipe cleaner, so that the beads do not fall off.
2. String beads on pipe cleaner. Note: Leave about 1” of pipe cleaner on both ends so that you can connect the bracelet at the end.
3. When your child is finished stringing beads, twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together to close the bracelet and then tuck them inside the beads.
4. Enjoy your beaded bracelet!

Beading is a fun activity for children of all ages. As children are placing beads on the pipe cleaner, they are developing their pincer grasp and eye hand coordination. Beading also provides an opportunity to work on patterning, naming colors, and counting!

Patterns are arrangements of things that repeat in logical way (color, size, shape, etc.). Patterns help children learn how to make predictions. As they learn more about patterns, children begin to understand what comes next, how to make logical connections, and how to use reasoning skills. These skills are important in learning to read and in math.

Try out these beading ideas:

• Thread Cheerios onto pipe cleaners.
• Thread egg cartons onto pipe cleaners. (Cut egg carton into 12 pieces and use a hole punch to punch holes on two sides of each piece.)
• Cut shapes out of heavier paper or cardboard. Thread the shapes onto pipe cleaners, ribbon, or a shoe string. Tip: When threading on ribbon or a shoe string, tape one end to a table so the beads don’t slide off.

Have fun making patterns:

• With toys, such as blocks and cars. (Block – Car – Block – Car – Block - Car)
• By doing something. (Jump – Clap – Clap – Jump – Clap – Clap - Jump)
• With stickers. (Animal Sticker – Shape Sticker – Animal Sticker – Shape Sticker)
• With items you find on a nature walk. (Rock – Stick – Leaf - Rock – Stick - Leaf)

What other items can you make patterns with? Vary the patterns, making them harder as your child has more experience doing this.

Take and Makes for this project for ages 5-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, April 23, 2021.

Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/u08_xD4-Ok4?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu

Supplies and Directions:

Step 1.
Gather your supplies.
Provided in your bag: clothespin, coffee filter, pipe cleaner
From home: you will need glue, scissors, washable markers, other coloring materials (optional), water (a spray bottle makes this easier), and something to lay your butterfly on while it dries.

Step 2.
Decorate your coffee filter with colorful designs using washable markers. Once complete, place the coffee filter on a cookie sheet or plastic bag to protect your work surface. Mist the coffee filter with the spray bottle filled with water. Watch the colors blend! Set aside to dry.

Step 3.
Decorate clothespin with markers or other coloring materials. Make any design! Set aside to dry.

Step 4.
Once the coffee filter is dry, fold it in half. Take your scissors, cut the filter into a football shape starting at the crease and cut out to the edge (you may need a grownup’s help with this). Unfold coffee filter. Cut-outs should be on the sides of the filter when lying flat on your work surface. Pinch the top and bottom of the filter to meet in the center. Open the clothespin and place the coffee filter inside.

Step 5.
Curl your pipe cleaner into antennas and put inside the clothespin. Use glue to secure it all. Take your completed butterfly and enjoy it outside, in your room, and share it with your friends!

Discovery Kits are a collection of interactive items that patrons can check out to explore new topics, hobbies, and interests at home. There are Discovery Kits for all ages, from toddlers to adults. Learn more about the different kits here.

Kits:

• Round Looms
• Electronic Playground
• Lego Mindstorms EV3
• Bee Bots
• Survive the Quake Engineering Kit
• Remote Control Gear Bot
• Ultimate Fort Builder
• Cubelets Discovery Set
• Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set
• MAGNA-TILES Building Set

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning this Friday, April 16, 2021.

The video instructions are available at: https://tinyurl.com/PPLDVirtualSTEM

Supplies and Directions:

Materials included: Cork, two 12 inch bamboo skewers, toothpick, modeling clay, googly eyes
Materials needed: glue, paint or markers (optional)

1. Push the pointy end of a skewer into one side of the cork at a 45 degree angle; repeat on the other side just opposite the first skewer.
2. Push the toothpick in the center of the bottom of the cork. (*The skewers should be pointing down.)
3. Roll two equal-sized balls of clay and press them onto the bottom ends of the skewers.
4. Glue the two googly eyes on the cork. You’ll need to allow time for glue to dry. If you want, you can use paint or a marker to add more details to the face.
5. Place the tip of the toothpick on your finger and see if it balances. If it leans too much to one side, adjust the angle of the skewers one at a time until the cork stands upright when balanced on the tip of your finger.

Now, have some fun! See if you can gently spin your Balancing Buddy on the tip of your finger. Try walking around the house while keeping the Balancing Buddy in place. Can you balance Balancing Buddy on your elbow? Your knee? What other experiments can you do with your Balancing Buddy?

The science behind the project:

Everything has a center of gravity, which is the point at which its mass is evenly distributed. The clay balls are heavier than the cork, so they bring the center of gravity to the bottom of the toothpick. That’s why the bottom of the toothpick will balance on your fingertip!

Welcome to the 15^th Annual Pikes Peak Library District Mountain of Authors!

Keynote: Lt. Joe Kenda (Ret.)

Check out the 2021 Mountain of Authors keynote address by author and retired homicide detective Lt. Joe Kenda. Joe spoke for approximately 45 minutes, and then opened it up to a question and answer session.

Get your signed book from PPLD Friends HERE!

Lt. Joe Kenda, a twenty-three-year veteran of the Colorado Springs Police Department, spent twenty-one years chasing killers as a homicide detective and commander of the major crimes unit. Kenda and his team solved 356 of his 387 homicide cases, getting a 92 percent solve rate—one of the highest in the country. After retiring from law enforcement, he starred in Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda, an American true-crime documentary series that ran for nine seasons on the Investigation Discovery network and was aired in sixty-nine countries and territories worldwide. At its peak, Homicide Hunter averaged 1.9 million viewers in the US. See Lt. Kenda on his new crime series, American Detective, available to stream now on discovery+.

Live Panel

Please join us for this year's live, in-person panel, "Case File Conversations: Crime and the People that Chronicle It." This hour long presentation will complement the virtual keynote address by Joe Kenda on Sat., May 1, 2021, and recorded local author Book Buzz presentations. The panelists will discuss their respective careers, how they became involved in the field of crime writing/solving/reporting, and their experiences with it in the Colorado Springs community.

Recording coming soon

This year's panelists include:

• 2020 Colorado Book Award finalist (Thriller Category) for Black Pearl and author of police procedural and psychological suspense fiction Donnell Ann Bell
• Retired Colorado Springs Police Officer and compiler of the Homicides of the Colorado Springs Area, 1872 to Present index in Pikes Peak Library District Special Collections, Dwight Haverkorn.
• Hosts of the Colorado Springs Gazette podcast Colorado Cold Case, Olivia Prentzel and Lance Benzel.

Book Buzz

Pike Peak Library District's annual Mountain of Authors program, including the Local Author Showcase, has gone virtual! For our virtual event, local authors have created fun and exciting Book Buzzes (short videos) to share their new books with you. Join us to discover new authors and great books for the fall. View all the videos here and see what the buzz is all about!

Videos premiered Sat., May 1 on PPLDTV YouTube.

Self-Publishing Workshop
Want to publish your own book? Learn more about self-publishing opportunities with the Library, such as Biblioboard and the Indie Author Project. This class is an overview about the self-publishing process, including creating an eBook, distribution channels, and marketing.

Video premieres Sat., May 1 on PPLDTV YouTube.

Take and Makes for origami fun, for ages 9-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, April 9, 2021.

Supplies:

Take and Makes will supply assorted Origami paper
Optional supplies needed needed from home: Scissors and a pen, pencil, or marker

Directions:

Star Wars X-wing Starfighter
Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/GyOw1JMO4hI and see pdf below for pictures.

1. Fold Paper in half.
2. Fold paper in half again to create a small square.
3. Fold the square into a triangle.
4. Unfold paper completely. Fold sides into each other to create a large triangle. You may want to watch the video for this step.
5. Fold bottom corner of top side down to the crease. Repeat on the other side.
6. Flip paper over and follow step 5.
7. Fold bottom corner of one side up so that it creates a new triangle with a flat side on top. Repeat on other side. Flip paper and repeat.
8. Fold the bottom edge to top of new triangle edge. Repeat on 3 other sides. This will complete the wings.
9. Fold wing tips down to create guns on the wings.
10. Enjoy your finished X-wing fighter!

See directions below for a cool Tortoise project also!

Take and Makes for this project, for ages 2-5, are available starting April 2, 2021 at area PPLD libraries.

Brighten up a wintry day with a tissue paper "stained glass" decoration. Hold your finished project up to a window or a light and let the colors shine through! For ages 2-5.

Supplies:

Included in kit:

• 2 pieces wax paper
• 4 strips construction paper (for frame)
• 2 pieces of tissue paper

Supplies you provide:

• Glue stick or tape
• Child-safe scissors, Optional

Directions:

1. Cut or tear the tissue paper into smaller pieces.
2. Glue tissue paper to one of the pieces of wax paper until the wax paper is filled, or the design is complete. Don’t worry about the tissue paper being over the edge. It will be trimmed later. NOTE: It is easier to spread the glue on the wax paper and then lay the tissue paper on the glue.
3. Take the 4 strips of construction paper and glue them to the edges to create a frame.
4. Trim the frame.
5. Glue the 2nd piece of wax paper onto the tissue paper and frame.
6. Find a window to display your “stained glass"!

Your child can use child-safe scissors to cut the tissue paper. However, when a child tears pieces of paper, they improve hand strength in the small muscles in their hands. These small muscles are important in many fine motor skills – coloring, handwriting, buttoning buttons, building puzzles, and more! Tearing paper also improves hand-eye coordination and the ability of hands to work together. Both skills are needed to write and to use scissors.

What other works of art can you and your child create with torn paper?