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All Pikes Peak Writes Winners Announced

Announcing the 2021 Winners of All Pikes Peak Writes!

All Pikes Peak Writes is PPLD’s annual fiction writing contest for ages 12+, and seeks to highlight writers in our community through one contest.This year the challenge was to write a story, up to 2,500 words, set in Colorado Springs to mark the city’s 150th birthday in 2021. Stories can be set in the past, present, or future.

Download the Anthology here.

  • Ages 25+
    • 1st Place: Aurora, by Robert Boumis (story not included at author’s request)
    • 2nd Place: Lost Paradise, by Sierra Hess
    • 2nd Place: The Fifth Marathon, by Tatiana Rudolphi
    • 3rd Place: The Capemaker of Comeuppance Alley, by Leigh Gaddy
    • 3rd Place: Harlan’s Holes, by Benjamin Wretlind
  • Young Adult (ages 19-24)
    • Honorable Mention: Yesterday’s Forest, by Kimmie Mason
    • Honorable Mention: Saying Goodbye, by Rebekah Hire
  • High School
    • 1st Place: A Dying Demise, by Emerald Cordova
    • 2nd Place: The Cost of Old Dreams, by Audrey Brooks
    • 3rd Place: Tell Me the Problem, by Melony Lomeli

Please contact hbuljung@ppld.org or criesenberger@ppld.org for questions or more information.

origamienvelope

Origami Envelopes

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

Supplies & Directions:

Step 1
Gather your supplies.
Provided in your bag: 2 blank sheets of paper to make 2 envelopes, stickers
From home: colored pencils/crayons/markers

Step 2
Cut your blank sheet of paper into a square (just fold over and trim part of the bottom off; you
might need a grownup’s help with this).

Step 3
Fold your square of paper into an envelope following the steps seen in the pdf link below.

Step 4
After your envelope is folded, decorate your envelope with stickers and whatever else you like! And send it to someone
special!

Manitou Springs Winter Stroll a Story blog 2021

Stroll-a-Story

Walk together and enjoy the benefits of a wonderful children’s book and some physical activity.
Tag us on Facebook @PPLDKids and let us know what you think! Are you ready? Let’s go!

 

Manitou Springs Winter Strolls

Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner, pictures by Mark Buehner

 

Knock Knock by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Guy Francis

Star projector

Star Projector

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Dec. 10, 2021

Supplies and Directions:

Supplies in Take and Make:

  • Cup
  • Toothpick
  • Sticker
  • Flashlight
  • Big Dipper template

Supplies you provide:

  • Scissors
  • Blank paper and crayons or markers, optional

Directions:

  1. Cut your Big Dipper template out on the dotted line.
  2. Turn your cup upside down and use the sticker to attach the template to the bottom of the cup.
  3. Use the toothpick to poke a hole in each “star”.
  4. Get your flashlight. Turn off the room lights and cover the windows.
  5. Shine the light through the cup and onto the table or flat surface. Experiment to find the spot where you see the Big Dipper.

Think about it:
What could you do if you had a second flashlight? Could you make the Big Dipper disappear without turning off your flashlight?
Try this with a friend:
Get a flashlight for each of you. Have one of you be the Starmaker and one the Sunshine.
The Starmaker should project the Big Dipper onto your surface.
While the Starmaker has the Big Dipper projected, the Sunshine should use their flashlight to mimic the rising sun. What do you see?
What about when the Sunshine mimics the setting sun?
Think about it:
Why do stars only come out at night?
Is the sun the only light source that keeps us from seeing stars?
Is it harder to see stars in the city or country?
Follow up:
Can you make other constellations?
Can you find the Big Dipper outside in the night sky? Why or why not?
Can you draw a backdrop on which to project your constellation?
Based on https://mysteryscience.com/sky/mystery-5/stars-daily-patterns/128

Jean Ciavonne 2022 Unexpected Garden blog

The Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest

Unexpected Gardens: Poems on Everyday Bravery

Plants look for ways to survive beyond any given odds and it takes bravery to bloom where we’re not expected. How do we create habitats in which we can blossom and grow? Looking back at the last couple of years, how do you describe survival and thriving? What does everyday bravery look like to you?

For more information, contact Christa Funke: cfunke@ppld.org

Congratulations to our 2022 winners!

tweenbracelet

Teen & Tween: Binary Code Bracelets/Keychains

Take and Makes for this project, for ages 9-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Dec 3, 2021. Watch this project at: https://youtu.be/7UU9Yarq59Y?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFebLULGu2RriY_RSSZgaH-X

Supplies & Directions:

Supplies provided in kit: cord, beads, keychain ring
Supplies from home: scissors

  1. Write down the initials of your name and decode them using the binary code key provided. (Or see pdf below for the code key.)
  2. Use blue and green beads to represent 0 and 1 - one color will represent the number zero, and the other color will represent the number one.
  3. Tie a double knot at the end of your cord.
  4. Put the beads for your first initial on the cord.
  5. Tie another double knot to separate the initials.
  6. Put the beads for your second initial on the cord.
  7. Tie a double knot.
  8. Use the remaining cord to either tie the beads around your wrist as a bracelet, or affix the cord to the keychain ring. Cut off any access cord. Enjoy your binary bracelet or keychain!

*This project was created in honor of Hour of Code. Learn more about Hour of Code at code.org!

journal

Homeschool Giving Thanks Project: Gratitude Journal

Take and Makes for this project (ages 7 and up) are currently available at PPLD area libraries.

Watch the Giving Thanks video tutorial on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6oRb42V4l-E?list=PLMEg2Dd0dSFctLfDQxsL5SmuE8zkwQFmu

Supplies and Directions:

Supplies Included: Gratitude Journal (cover and pages—pages are already in the correct order); stickers for decorating; ribbon for securing pages and decoration

Supplies from Home: Crayons, markers, and/or pens; stapler or hole punch; scissors; glue stick or Elmer’s glue; old magazines or photos to cut for a collage. (A collage is a visual art form that uses photographs or paper/fabric images that are glued onto a backing.)
You can find all the instructions with explanatory photos in the video!

Step 1: Prepare Your Gratitude Journal

  1. The pages of your Gratitude Journal should already be in order. Make sure the Rainbow Journal page is on top. (This page is a full spread, so it needs to be in the middle of your journal.) The cardstock Cover should be on the bottom of the stack (it will form a front and back cover after folding in half).
  2. Carefully arrange your pages and cover making sure that all edges are even. Fold the cover and pages in half with a sharp crease using your thumb or the side of a pen.
  3. Stapler Method: Secure pages to the Cover using a stapler. Staple as close to the center crease as you can (without stapling over the crease). Staple the top and bottom of your journal.
  4. Hole Puncher Method: Hole punch on the crease at the top and the bottom. Use the ribbon included or any yarn, string, or twine you like to thread through the holes. Secure ribbon with a knot or bow on the cover (outside) of your journal.

Step 2: Be Creative (or Not) in Designing the Cover

  1. Write your name on the line provided. Be creative: use a fancy pen or marker; use a fancy writing style.
  2. Add stickers to decorate
  3. OR draw or collage to decorate
  4. OR just leave it as is. It’s up to you!

Step 3: Find a Comfortable Place, Choose a Page, and Begin Journaling
There are many ways to journal. You can free write on the topic of gratitude and thankfulness. Also, you can use various art forms. Try our acrostic poem page. Or create collage pages with copies of photos or old magazine images. Drawing is another way to express yourself in your journal. Most of all, make your Gratitude Journal meaningful to you.

Why a Gratitude Journal?
Studies show that practicing gratitude makes us happier. Focusing on people and things that you are thankful for can help you feel joyful.
When we express appreciation, it is good for friendships. When we tell people thank you and what you like about them, it helps us focus on the positive things about a person, and then we feel better about our friendships. Telling someone what you like about them or acknowledging a person’s kindness helps them to feel good, too.

Share Classes 2020 blog

Share Classes

Don't miss the opportunity to come together as a community for "share-worthy" recipes, tips and more in these fun, interactive virtual classes from the kitchen presented by Elayne Prechtel, award winning author, photographer, and creator of the soul-filled mission, Sharing Life, Love and Food.

Holiday Classes

Download the recipes below!

Click here for more Share Classes

Follow Elayne on Social Media

Celebrate the Holidays with PPLD 2021 Blog

Celebrate the Holidays with PPLD

From cookbooks and classes, DIY gifts, holiday playlists, and winter strolls and more! PPLD has all the programs, tools, and resources to help you make the best of the holiday season!

Resources

December 2021 National, Public, Religious, Weird Holidays

PPLD Friends Bookstore

Get gifts for your family while supporting your Library! The Friends sponsors and supports numerous programs and events to further the enjoyment of reading and love for books for all individuals. The Friends of PPLD are best known for their volunteerism, their bookstores in each library (you never know what you will find in the ever-changing inventory of previously-read books and magazines) and, of course, the bi-annual Friends Book Sales.

Books, CDs, Movies, Magazines, and more from $.25 to $3 Or shop for specialty items online!

Do you love books, reading and libraries? Have you considered becoming involved in your community? One easy step covers it all! JOIN THE FRIENDS NOW!

Programs

Take and Makes

  • Finger-Knit Winter Garland

    Decorate your home for the winter season with this easy finger-knit garland.

  • Binary Code Bracelets

    Celebrate Hour of Code by using beads to create a bracelet or keychain with your initials in binary, the language of computers. For ages 9+.

  • STEM Star Projector

    Create a star maker to make a model of the Big Dipper or other constellation to shine onto a dark wall! For ages 5-12. Available while supplies last.

  • Origami Envelopes

    Get creative and craft a fun origami envelope! For ages 5-12. Available while supplies last.

Support your library with a charitable gift today! Click here to make your donation. Thank you!

Teona - People of the Pikes Peak Region

From Eastern Europe to Pikes Peak Library District; Teona Shainidze-Krebs

Teona Shainidze-Krebs is the interim Chief Librarian and CEO of Pikes Peak Library District.

I was born and grew up in the country of Georgia. This was during a time of much political uncertainty and turmoil in the country. As a teenager, my family was forced to flee my home country, and we moved to Russia.

As you can imagine, this was a scary and uncertain time for my family, not just because of the circumstances of our move, but because we also found ourselves in a new country where we didn’t speak the language. Many people might not know this, but to Georgians, Russian is a foreign language. It is a foreign language similar to how we consider Spanish or Chinese to be a foreign language in America.

In Russia, there is no support for new residents to learn the language and acclimate to society. My mom and dad were truly on their own in acclimating to a new country and trying to help their kids adjust to a new way of life.

Years later, I made the big decision to move to America. Once I landed, I discovered that the resources and opportunities for new families to learn the language and find their place in our communities were seemingly around every corner.

The local library was one of the best resources, with everything from English as a Second Language (ESL) courses to job training and even citizenship courses so immigrants can earn their citizenship. There was nothing like this in Russia to help families adapt to a new life, but the library was central to me finding my way in America.

Teona Shainidze-Krebs Family

When I started as a part-time ESL instructor in Pikes Peak Library District's Adult Education program, it inspired my passion for adult education. Eventually, it led to my own career serving our community through our Library. My proudest moment came years later when, as the Director of Adult Education for PPLD, I was able to watch my mom and dad go through their own naturalization ceremony and earn their American citizenship at one of our libraries.

However, this story didn’t come full circle for me until I was introduced to a family from Afghanistan who found themselves here in very similar circumstances, struggling to integrate into a new culture in the same way my family struggled to find our way in Russian society. The husband was an interpreter for the U.S. military, and his bravery put himself and his family in direct danger from the Taliban.

He knew one of the first things he would need to do was earn a GED, and his wife needed to get into ESL courses so she could learn English. Through the Library, he was able to take classes and earn his GED while his wife participated in ESL courses and learned English. They both utilized these programs in our Library to adjust to their new life and become valuable members of our community.

It meant so much to them to be welcomed to America and to know there was so much support and help in acclimating to a new life.

The Library gives me a great sense of pride in this country. Not every community in the world has the same tools and resources to help people better their lives and adjust to the circumstances thrown their way. However, our local libraries ARE that space where people can find the resources and tools to connect them to opportunities and a better way of life.

It means so much to me that my own personal story was influenced by the Library, and today I am able to help share that gift with so many other people in our community!

Click here for more People of the Pikes Peak Region stories!

All you need is your library. But your library needs you, too! Support Pikes Peak Library District by making a charitable gift to the PPLD Foundation. Click here to make your donation today. Thank you!

dinorama

Dinorama

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Nov. 12, 2021.

Supplies and Directions:

Step 1
Gather your supplies.
Provided in your bag: cardstock, clay, moss, dinosaur
From home: colored pencils/crayons/markers, scissors, tape
Step 2
Cut your cardstock strip so that you have a strip to make the ground of your dinosaur habitat and a strip to make a background (you might need a grownup’s help with this).
Step 3
Decorate both strips of cardstock with your markers. Maybe there are a bunch of leafy plants in the background or a big sun; maybe the ground has a river running through it.
Step 4
Secure your strips with tape so the background stands up.
Step 5
Now add the 3D things! Use the clay to mold rocks, mountains, dino eggs - whatever you like!
Add the moss to give your habitat some extra plant life. Finally, name your dino and put them in
their new home!

Olympic book blog

Winter Games Reading List

Celebrate the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 with a special booklist. Books penned by Olympians, Paralympians, and about the journey to success!

Young Adult

Adult

Children

About the Olympics/Paralympics/Athletes

tattoo

Dry Erase Tattoos

Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Nov. 5, 2021.

Supplies and Directions:

Materials we provide: Dry Erase Marker
Materials you provide: Glass or ceramic surface (Pyrex pans, plates, bathtubs, etc.), Water

  1. Draw a picture on your smooth glass/ceramic surface with a dry erase marker.
  2. Cover the drawing with some water (the warmer the better).
  3. Watch while your drawing lifts off the surface and floats around on the water!
  4. You can push the drawing around to your heart’s content.
  5. After you have watched your drawings come to life in the water, stick your hand into the swirling color and it will stick to your skin like a tattoo!

TIPS:

  • You will be more successful if you draw a solid picture (e.g. a solid shape).
  • When the drawing lifts off the surface, it will not maintain its shape.
  • The skin tattoo will wash off very easily.

This works because dry erase markers are mostly made up of alcohol and a release agent made of silicon oils. When you write on the plate or Pyrex dish, the alcohol evaporates and just leaves behind the ink and release agent. We all know that oil and water don’t mix, so the ink with the oils in the release agent just float to the top!

Experimental Music Summit at KCH 2021

Experimental Music Summit at KCH

Join us for an evening of experimental musical performances by local artists. These artists will perform original works with a conceptual approach to tonality, structure, and performance.

Artists

  • Ricky Sweum and Sean Schafer Hennessy

    These composers share their representation of Knights of Columbus Hall through time; an original performance of sound, music and imagery.

  • Michael Doherty

    Steeped in the traditional repertoire and techniques of a shakuhachi lineage that reaches into the Edo Period of Japan (1603-1867), Michael’s lineage also includes radical innovators like the controversial Zen Priest, Watazumi Doso Roshi. In this performance of traditional and new solo ritual pieces called honkyoku, micro-tonality (traditional tuning) and Japanese aesthetics like ma and wabi-sabi will be explored- at times taken to extremes. Space and silence will be investigated in a similar sense ad that germane to the Wandelweiser group of composers and performers where rather than durations of notes being mapped, music becomes a space to occupy.

  • Zandrew

    Zandrew, an anomaly in space and time, delivers an intricate array of realtime unheard sounds and binaural interferences. Presenting in an auditory and visual bath of new existence with the assistance of Megacorp.

animal crossing keychain

Tween Twist: Animal Crossing DIY Recipe Keychains

Take and Makes for this project for ages 9-12 will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Oct 29, 2021.

Supplies and Directions:

Supplies Included: Mini glass bottle, jump ring, metal eye hook, keyring, mini recipe card
Supplies Needed (from home): scissors, pliers, clear glue.

  1. Cut out the DIY mini recipe card (there’s an extra just in case). Remove the tape from the cork and discard. Take the cork out of the bottle and remove the metal eye hook and the jump ring. Place the recipe card in the bottle.
  2. Screw the metal eye hook into the center of the top of the cork by hand.
  3. Take the jump ring and loop it through the metal eye hook and the end of the key ring to connect the cork to the keyring.
  4. Use pliers to close the jump ring.
  5. Apply glue to the edges of the cork, and place in the bottle. Put the cork back in the bottle, pressing down to help seal the glue. Be careful since the bottle is made of glass!
vanishingghosts2

STEM Experiment: Vanishing Ghosts!

Materials Needed:

  • Biodegradable Packing Peanuts
  • Black Permanent Marker
  • Small Bowl
  • Water

Directions:

  1. Use a black permanent marker to draw a ghost face on each packing peanut. Remember, they MUST be biodegradable packing peanuts. (That means they are made of starch, not polystyrene.)
  2. Fill a small bowl with room temperature water.
  3. Place one ghost on top of the water and watch what happens.

You will start to see small bubbles appearing on the sides of the packing peanut ghost. And then the ghost will disappear right before your eyes! Your results may depend on the type of Biodegradable Packing Peanuts you use. (about 5 – 10 min.)
If the melting packing peanuts are taking too long to disappear, try using hot water to help speed up the process.

 

Why Do Biodegradable Packing Peanuts Melt?
These new packing peanuts are made out of biodegradable corn starch, which means they break down easily instead of just sitting in the garbage dump for years and years like the older style ones. The water helps break them down even faster whether water temperature will affect the speed they dissolve.

  • How fast do the ghosts dissolve in different temperatures of water? Get a stopwatch and time it.
  • Make a chart to record your results.
characterbooks

Kids' Books with Great Character Traits

Where can you find kids' books that display positive character traits? Click on the pdf link below to see our new staff recommendations for books with character.

Catalog Update Coming Soon Oct. 2021

Check Out PPLD's New Catalog!

Where Is It?

We recently finished a remodel of PPLD’s online Catalog, designed with you, our patrons, in mind. The Catalog will now separate out eBook/eAudio items (OverDrive items) into a tab called eBook/eAudio and physical materials will have a separate tab called Physical Materials. The eBook/eAudio items will no longer appear on the top of the search results The new Catalog will go live Mon., Oct. 25.

There are also two new tabs that will be added to the Catalog:

Additional Information

cerealism

Homeschool Take and Make: Cerealism Collage

TAKE AND MAKES for this homeschool project (Ages 7 Up) will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Oct. 22, 2021.
Watch the Cerealism: Out-of-the-Box-Art video tutorial on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kHjyAqjtMUst

Supplies Included in Take and Make and Needed from Home

In Take and Make:

  • Cereal box or other consumer brand box (if your Take and Make does not include one, you can use one from home)
  • Book jacket / scrapbooking paper
  • Examples of Cerealism Collage sheet

From Home:

  • Scissors
  • Clear Elmer’s glue

Directions: You can find all the instructions with explanatory photos in the video and pdf link below.

Step 1: Prepare Your Box

  1. Open your cereal (or other consumer brand) box at both ends.
  2. Open the cereal box along the glued side seam so that it lays flat.
  3. Cut the front cover away from the back, along the side panel connected to the back.
  4. Cut off all top and bottom flaps. *Save the flaps
  5. Cut away the side panel from the front cover.
  6. Cut away the narrow strip from the outside of the back cover.

The front box cover will be your collage material. The back cover with side panel will serve as the foundation/background for gluing your collage to.

Step 2: Decide How You Will Cut Your Front Cover into Collage Pieces
Choose one of these four ways to cut your box cover (but wait until Step 4 to cut).

  1. Cut down the long side of your box front, making strips about ¼ inch wide. Cut each strip into 3 to 5 pieces. Arrange them “boardwalk” style, placing the pieces out of order.
  2. OR cut your box front horizontally, into 4 thick strips. Cut each strip into 3 squares. Cut each square into smaller squares and rectangles.
  3. OR cut your box front in half horizontally. Cut each half into 4 squares. Cut each square into random angles (e.g., triangles and trapezoids).
  4. OR you can combine all cutting techniques … strips, squares and rectangles, and random angles. (*WARNING: This choice is very challenging to collage!)

Step 3: Decide How You Will Sign Your Artwork (just like Michael Albert, Cerealism Artist)
Three ways to find/make your initials for “signing” your collage:

  1. Using the flaps from your box, look for the first letter of both your first and last name. If you find letters that are the size and style you like, cut around them in a square or rectangle and save them to add to your collage later.
  2. OR make your initials in block letters on the back of one of the box flaps and cut out around the shape of the letters. When you turn them over, they’ll look just like the cereal box and will be very tricky to find in your collage.
  3. OR you can search for your initials on the book jacket in your Take and Make, cut out around them in a square or rectangle, and place them in your collage later on.

Step 4: Create Your Cerealism Masterpiece
*TIP: Work from bottom to top OR top to bottom.

  1. It helps to cut about an inch wide strip off the top of your box front.
  2. Next, cut your box into sections using one of the cutting techniques above (Step 2).
  3. Each time you cut up a smaller section, practice arranging the pieces on your background. NO GLUE YET!
  4. As you arrange, decide on how much space you’ll leave between pieces.
  5. Cut larger pieces into smaller pieces when you need to. You’ll need all sizes to fit your spaces. You can also cut small pieces from your leftover box flaps and panels.
  6. When you’re ready to glue a section down, do it one piece at a time. Place a small dot of glue on the back of your piece, smooth it over the back surface, place your piece, and press firmly.
  7. When you have glued the first section down, continue to cut, arrange and glue one section at a time.
  8. Remember to add your initials into your collage somewhere in a bottom section!
  9. When your collage is complete, you can frame it by cutting the book jacket and/or the decorative paper into mosaic-like pieces, gluing them down to make an interesting border OR … you can just trim the background to fit the finished collage!
  10. Challenge your masterpiece admirers to find your “signature”!

PPLD Surpasses Two Million Digital Check-Outs for 2021!

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) announced today that it reached a record-breaking two million digital book checkouts in October 2021. This accomplishment illustrates the continued growth and importance of library digital lending of eBooks and audiobooks. PPLD is one of 54 public library systems worldwide that has surpassed one million checkouts at this point in the year.

PPLD provides readers 24/7 access to eBooks and audiobooks through OverDrive and its award-winning Libby reading app. Reader interest and usage has grown constantly over the years; 2020 ended with 2,430,575 digital checkouts.

The highest-circulating digital title borrowed by PPLD readers thus far in 2021 has been The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, checked out as an eBook or audiobook more than 2,600 times. The top-circulating genres include fiction with more than one million circulations, nonfiction at over 450,000 circulations, and literature nearing almost 450,000 circulations.

The top 5 eBook titles borrowed through PPLD’s digital collection in 2021:

  1. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
  2. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
  3. A Time for Mercy by John Grisham
  4. Nomadland by Jessica Bruder
  5. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

The top 5 eAudiobook titles borrowed through the Library’s digital collection in 2021:

  1. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
  2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  3. The Duke and I by July Quinn
  4. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
  5. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Readers in El Paso County only need a valid library card to access digital books from PPLD’s OverDrive-powered digital collection. Readers can use any major device, including Apple(R), Android™, Chromebook™ and Kindle(R) (US only). Visit ppld.org/eLibrary or download the Libby app to get started and borrow eBooks and audiobooks anytime, anywhere.

Native American Heritage Month 2021 blog

Native American Heritage Month

Celebrate Native American Heritage and learn more about Native American culture and history with programs and resources at PPLD!

Childrens

Virtual Author Visit with Traci Sorell, co-author of Indian No More

Register your classroom or homeschool family for a live Zoom visit with our APPR Children’s Author Traci Sorell, co-author of Indian No More. A recording of the program will be available for a limited time. Only one registration needed per group for this 60 min. program.

Book Description: Regina Petit's family is forced from their homeland by the government and relocated to Los Angeles in 1957. Regina experiences a completely different life in a big city and learns about struggles, strength, and heritage. 211 pages. For grades 3 - 6.

Contact bhuff@ppld.org to register your classroom or child for a live Zoom visit.

Adults

Untold Stories of Native America

Join Native American storyteller Sebrena Forrest to learn more about Native American culture. She will perform tales from indigenous cultures to educate and entertain as part of National Native American Heritage Month. This program is intended for patrons ages 18 and up. 

Women Warriors: Mitchelene BigMan SFC US Army (ret.) and founder of Native American Women Warriors

PPLD welcomes Mitchelene BigMan as she speaks and performs traditional dances.

Born in 1966 on the Crow Reservation in Montana, Mitchelene BigMan enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1986 after working as a firefighter and dockworker. She served two tours in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and received a Combat Action Badge for surviving a mortar attack in 2005. Mrs.BigMan served as an engineer, EEO advisor, and platoon sergeant before retiring as at Sergeant First Class in 2009.

Mitchelene BigMan went on to found the Native American Women Warriors (NAWW) organization, a color guard of female Native American Veterans which brings attention to and honors the contributions of Native American women’s military service. Her advocacy has earned her the Society of American Indian Government Employees award, service on the advisory committee for the Smithsonian National Native American Veterans Memorial, and performances at notable events including President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.

Resources

  • Adult OverDrive Booklist
  • The Horace S. Poley Photographs Collection:
    This a major collection of photographic images of Native Americans in the southwestern United States. Included are images of the Fiesta of San Geronimo at Taos, the Snake Dance of the Hopi, Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico and the Dedication of the Ute Pass Indian Trail in 1912.
  • Additional Photographs:
    Search our Digital Collections for more photographs! We recommend using search terms like, “Native American,” “Indian,” and “Ute.”
  • "Sioux Indian Dance to the 'Shrine of the Sun,'" archival manuscript. (CU 22.9)

Selected Reference Books

leaf sprites

Leaf Sprites

Take and Makes for this Make project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, Oct. 15, 2021.

Supplies and Directions:

Step 1.
Gather your supplies.
Provided in your bag: cardstock leaves to color and cut out, pipe cleaners
From home: colored pencils/crayons/markers, scissors, tape or glue
Step 2.
Color in your leaves (or find some real leaves outside!). Try mixing colors to get your perfect fall leaf. Using a marker or pen, draw faces on your leaves.
Step 3.
Cut out each leaf carefully (you might need a grownup’s help with this).
Step 4.
For each leaf: cut a pipe cleaner in half. Tape or glue both halves to the back for the arms and legs. Bend them however you like to make your leaf unique!
Step 5.
Have fun with your little leaf sprite friends!

static electricity ghosts

STEM: Static Electricity Ghosts

Take and Makes for this project are available starting today, Oct. 8, 2021, at area PPLD libraries.

Supplies and Directions:

Materials Provided: White Tissue Paper, Balloon
Materials you Provide: Scissors, Head of Hair, Marker, Spooky Music (optional), tape (optional)

Directions:
Cut several ghosts out of your tissue paper. Each ghost should be about 1.5 inches long. Draw eyes on each ghost with your marker.
Place your ghosts on a flat surface.
Blow up your balloon and tie the end. Rub it through your hair really fast for about 10 seconds to add a static charge.
Move the balloon near your ghosts. They should begin to rise toward the balloon. See if you can get them to rise, move, and dance around. You should be able to get the ghost to move from several inches away.
If you want the ghost to rise without sticking to the balloon, try taping just the tip to your surface.

The Science behind it:
As you rub the balloon through your hair, you are building up negatively charged electrons on the surface of the balloon. They are then able to pull light positively charged items toward them.

Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Celebration

Welcome the Pikes Peak Region's new Poet Laureate!

Please join us in welcoming the Pikes Peak Region's new Poet Laureate! This hour long event will feature poetry readings from a variety of local poets, including past Pikes Peak Poet Laureates.

The evenings activities will be emceed by former Pikes Peak Poet Laureate, Susan Peiffer.

The program will feature:

  • Opening remarks by Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) Chief Librarian & CEO, John Spears
  • Performances by local poets (TBD)
  • Past Poet Laureate Performances by Price Strobridge, Aaron Anstett (invited), and Susan Peiffer
  • Installation Ceremony, and performance by Poet Laureate, Ashley Cornelius
Disability Awareness Month Blog

Disability Awareness Month

PPLD is co-sponsoring the Employer Disability Awareness Forum Webinar with speakers from Amazon, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Inclusively, and Skillful.

Hiring Abilities Virtual Career Fair
Connecting job seekers with disabilities with employers ready to hire individuals with your skillsets.

PPLD Programs

Once Upon a Sign: Virtual ASL Storytime
Come and join us for a fun virtual Storytime featuring early literacy activities and stories signed in American Sign Language (ASL) by a Deaf role model and spoken aloud in English!

Virtual Library Explorers: Celebration of Autumn Stories & Rhythms
Library Explorers programs are designed for adults of all abilities. Helen Trencher, the Percussion Lady, will share seasonal stories, songs, and movements to get us in the mood for fall. Zoom link will be emailed to participants prior to the program.

Resources

  • OverDrive Booklist
  • Disability Resources Subject Guide
    A compilation of national, state, and local resources for individuals with disabilities, their families, and friends. Topics include advocacy, assistive technology, caregiver resources, emergency preparedness, employment & housing, recreation, and more.
  • Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
    DVR provides services which can include vocational guidance and counseling, short- or long-term training, job seeking skills, job development and job coaching, assistive technology, and needed accommodations to participate with DVR and on the job.
  • The Independence Center

    • The Independence Center provides information, resources, and support to help people with disabilities live, learn, work, play, and participate in civic life as equals.

  • Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
    The Job Accommodation Network is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on job accommodations and disability employment issues.
  • Pikes Peak Workforce Center – Accessibility to Services
    The Pikes Peak Workforce Center connects businesses with work-ready job seekers and employer-driven services. We help residents of El Paso & Teller Counties with career transition, whether they are unemployed, underemployed, or employed.
  • Rocky Mountain ADA Center

    • The Rocky Mountain ADA Center provides information, guidance, and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) tailored to meet the needs of individuals and organizations in our region.

  • Special Kids Special Families
    SKSF was founded in 1998 to provide respite and care for children and adults with disabilities. Programs offer community support services to families that are designed to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities throughout their life span.