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Tarikh Brown, PPLD's Maker in Residence for November/December 2019, specializes in comics and sequential art. Tarikh Brown is a local artist with a BA in Graphic Design. He is currently seeking an MA in Computer Science: Digital Media Technology, which will be used for developing video games and virtual reality. Tarikh is especially passionate about sequential art, such as comics and story boarding, and loves to share his craft with others!
Visit PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence page for more information about this program.
Gaming programs are designed to provide teens and tweens with a fun, safe program where they can socialize with their peers!
Live Action Clue!
Imagine the board game clue – but live! The rules will likely be a little bit different, but we’ll play a version of the board game but with real people. The murder, however, will still be fake.
Find your Live Action Clue game here.
Escape Room
Time Warp escape Room: You're lost in time and the secret to getting back to 2019 is locked in a box! Can you break in, or will you be stuck in ancient Egypt, the Wild West or the Incan Empire forever? Ages 12-18.
- When: Sat., Nov. 16, from 3 - 5 p.m. Registration Required.
- Where: East Library Teen Center
- Click here to register.
- When: Fri., Nov. 29, from 4 - 5:30 p.m.
- Where: Cheyenne Mountain Library Meeting Room
- Click here for more.
Retro Games
Join other gamers to explore the world of classic video games on the Nintendo and Super Nintendo Classic Consoles.
Click here for Retro Game events!
BINGO
Please join us right after school for a quick hour of B-I-N-G-O! There will be snacks AND prizes. No registration necessary, just drop-in and bring your friends!
Tabletop Gaming
Love playing board games? Want to try out new games each month and meet other teens interested in board games? Come to the Teen TableTop Gaming! We will learn and play a different game (and sometimes get out old favorites as well!). Drop by and maybe you'll discover your new favorite game! (See specific event for details.)
Click here for tabletop games!
Dungeons & Dragons Club
Join teens who are passionate about Dungeons and Dragons!
TEDx COS 2019 speaker and former El Paso County Sheriff John Wesley Anderson presents "What has TED Done?"
This one hour talk is designed for an audience of teens to adults to seniors who are interested in learning what TED is, how TED has radically changed the communication process, and how they can use this enhanced communication process to improve their future public speaking or writing.
- When: Tue., Aug. 27, from 7 - 8 p.m.
- Where: East Library Community Meeting Room, 5550 N. Union Blvd.
Click here for more information.
John Wesley Anderson, MBA, is a published author, storyteller and TEDx speaker. He was selected from over 300 applicants to be one of only 13 speakers for the TEDx Colorado Springs event held at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Ent Center for the Arts on Mother's Day, May 12, 2019. (Bio attached)
The Penrose Playgroup welcomes newborns- 24 month olds and their parents or caregivers.
This time together includes books, songs, music, play time, and more!
- When: Mondays from 9:30 - 10:20 a.m.
- Where: Penrose Library Children's Room, 20 N. Cascade Ave.
Knowledge is power. Unlock your potential!
All Colorado Springs School District 11 students have access to the PowerPass, giving students access to research and homework help, academic databases, college application and job search assistance, makerspaces, and more!
The PowerPass gives students access to PPLD’s digital resources, like databases, eBooks, and song and movie downloads, all available at ppld.org. Each PowerPass holder can also check out five physical items at a time from any of the 15 PPLD locations or mobile library services!
High school and middle school students can use their PowerPass for online access to live tutors and online foreign language courses. They can also get help with projects and prepare for the future with practice driving and SAT tests.
Elementary students and their parents will benefit from kid-friendly eBook and audiobook access, digital education resources, and in-person classes at PPLD to learn how to write, draw, code, or use makerspace equipment.
PowerPass Fast Facts:
- The student has an e-card (i.e. not a physical card)
- The student card # is the first five letters of their last name (fewer if the last name has less than five letters) followed by the initials of their first and middle names (if they have a middle name) and then the last four number of their student ID. Ex (John Jacob Jingleheimer student ID 12345678 – id would beJINGLJJ5678)
- Student PINs are the two-digit month and day of their birthdate (ex, 0731)
- Student cards have the profile of STUDENT
- Students are allowed to check out five items and have five holds at a time. However, Interlibrary Loans are not permitted on these accounts.
- Student accounts can access CyberShelf and Research resources as well as PCs in the libraries.
- Student accounts are blocked at $10 which prevents further checkouts of physical materials and use of OverDrive.
- Students can use the self-checkouts’ on-screen keyboard to enter their account IDs and PINs. The onscreen keyboard now displays letters and numbers.
If a parent does not wish for their child to use PowerPass, they may opt out at the child's school.
Is math homework getting you down? Are finals freaking you out? Do you need to brush up before the ACT, SAT, GRE, or GED?
Our in-person math tutoring service is suspended at this time. Until we are back, please use our resource guide for Homework Help. There you will find, BrainFuse HelpNow. This is free, live, online math tutoring by experts. They are available from 2-11 p.m. everyday.
Struggling with your laptop, tablet, or smartphone? Bring your device and a staff member can assist you in troubleshooting the device! Please remember to bring your device!
- When: 2nd and 4th Tue. of each month from 10 - 11:30 a.m.
- Where: Library 21c, 1175 Chapel Hills Dr.
Click here to find a Help Lab and to register.
You must register for one of the five slots available. Program may be cancelled if there are no registrations.
Questions about using the Internet, email, social networks, a Smartphone, tablet, eBooks, or something else? Get help at Pikes Peak Library District and learn to use technology more effectively. Bring your laptop or device or use one of of ours. This is intended for patrons wanting help beyond PPLD computer classes.
Drop-in Help
- Penrose Library Bay Area, 20 N. Cascade Ave.
Tue., 2 - 3 p.m.; Wed., 1 - 2 p.m.; Fri., - 11 a.m.
- Library 21c, Study Room A1, 1175 Chapel Hills Dr.
2nd and 4th Tue., 10 - 11:30 a.m.
- Old Colorado City Library, 2418 West Pikes Peak Ave.
Thu., 9 - 10 a.m.
- Ruth Holley Library, 685 North Murray Blvd.
Starting Fall 2019!
1-on-1 Help
Contact location to register for 1-on-1 assistance!
- East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd.
3rd Wed., 2 - 4 p.m.
Call: (719) 531-6333
- Cheyenne Mountain Library, 1785 South 8th St., Suite 100
Call: (719) 633-6278
- Monument Library, 1706 Lake Woodmoor Dr.
Call: (719) 488-2370
- Old Colorado City Library, 2418 West Pikes Peak Ave.
Call: (719) 634-1698
- Manitou Springs Library, 701 Manitou Ave.
Call: (719) 685-5206
- Ute Pass Library, 8010 Severy Rd.
Call: (719) 684-9342
For information on computer resources at your library, please visit https://ppld.org/computers
SUPPLIES:
- Tin foil
- Bowl
- Scissors
- Pennies
- Water
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut a piece of tin foil 5 x 6 inches.
- Fold up the sides of the boat so it will not sink and hold a cargo of pennies. Get creative and see if you can develop fancy boats.
- Place the boat in the bowl of water. Begin adding pennies for the boat's cargo.
- See how many pennies your boat can carry before it sinks.
- Have some friends over and try this experiment with them. See which one of you can create the boat that will carry the greatest amount of cargo.
- Be sure to dry the pennies before you begin adding them as cargo because remember water has weight!
- Have the person who created the boat begin adding pennies to their boat while another person counts the number of pennies as they are added to the boat.
- Try different ways to distribute the weight of the pennies on your barge so you can carry the maximum number.
Young Adult Services Specialist Philip Krogmeier has been with Pikes Peak Library District for almost 10 years. But he's not just a staff member, he's a library supporter is who is happy to share his time and treasure to help make PPLD an amazing place for our community. We put him on the hot chair to ask him questions about why PPLD is so important to him.
Tell us your name and what you do at PPLD.
My name is Philip Krogmeier, and I am a Young Adult Services Specialist at Library 21c. I assist in preparing and presenting programs for our teen patrons, and I help at all of the public service desks.
What is your favorite part of your job/the patrons you work with?
I love to help my teen patrons find books that speak to them.
What is your favorite thing about PPLD?
My favorite thing about PPLD is the sheer variety of services it provides. PPLD is so much more than a traditional library system.
Why do you choose to give back and support PPLD?
I choose to support PPLD because PPLD has supported me since the first day I walked through the doors of the East Library. I immediately felt welcomed, and that feeling hasn't faded in almost 10 years.
Why do you think it’s important for the community to support PPLD?
Without community support, PPLD wouldn't be able to provide the level of assistance that it does. PPLD serves as an anchor for the Colorado Springs community, allowing everyone to gain access to materials and services.
What is the most memorable question you’ve been asked by a patron?
A patron once asked me if she could take a photo of me so that she could use it as a reference for a painting of Jesus.
Where/when can people come by and say hi to you?
I can usually be found most weekdays at the 21c Teen Desk or upstairs in the Makerspace.
August 4th is National Friendship Day and August 15 is Best Friend Day. Have you made a new friend lately? Click the link below for a list of great stories about friends.
Reuse your old biodegradable packing peanuts and make a craft! You can tell they are biodegradable because the texture will be somewhat “cheeto” like and if you put water on 2 pieces they will stick together.
Make a fun pattern out of your packing peanuts and then dab a little water on the pieces you want to stick together. Hold for a few seconds while they dry.
You won’t be able to paint them because any liquid will cause them to melt.
Have fun finding out what you can make.
PPLD.org has received a facelift! Don't be nervous – all the content you know and love is still the same. We’ve made some minor updates to the homepage and header, and refreshed the colors. Take a look and familiarize yourself with the changes. We’ll be going live with the new version soon!
Here is a list of what has changed:
- Colors used on the website now follow the PPLD brand.
- Our homepage message is now at the top of the page. It will only be active if there is a message to report.
- Catalog and My Account links are now on the right side of the header.
- The main menu is now below the header.
- The search bar is now in the center of the page.
- The quicklinks have been removed.
- Hours/Locations and Library Locator are now below the slideshow.
- The Give and Make buttons are now called Donate and Create.
- The Research link has been removed. You can still access Research from the main menu.
- Teens, Seniors and Homeschool Hub have all been updated to reflect the new site format.
How to enter the contest, visit: https://www.education.com/contests/
When you love learning, there's no limit to what you can achieve! Apply to the Limitless Learners Contest to win money for college, plus a donation for your elementary school or local library.
Win $500 for college plus $1000 for a school or library!
Spend an hour with the El Paso County Department of Human Services learning the new Colorado PEAK online benefits application process. This is a classroom-style opportunity to learn about how to create an account, navigate the site, and finalize an application for benefits.
Sat., July 20, from 10 - 11 a.m. Sand Creek Library, 1821 South Academy Blvd.
Mon., July 22, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Sand Creek Library, 1821 South Academy Blvd.
When Shauna Gerritsen was handed a breast cancer diagnosis, she took a look at her life and decided there were still some things she wanted to do.
Breast cancer was going to have to get out of her way.
“When I came in to meet with PPLD [Pikes Peak Library District] about a Career Online High School scholarship, I still had drain tubes and bandages from my surgery,” Gerritsen said. “When they asked me why I wanted the scholarship, I showed them my drain tubes and told them I was going to show my kids that, no matter what you’re going through in life, it’s about finishing the goals you set.”
Gerritsen is a driven individual with a laser focus on realizing her aspirations. After her diagnosis, she created a list of ambitions, and one of them was to receive her high school diploma.
The reason she couldn’t graduate the first time around? Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“I was very much against having hospice come in for my mom, because I always felt like once hospice comes in, that’s the end,” Gerritsen said. “I switched from a traditional school to homeschooling and got so wrapped up in taking care of my mom. Before I knew it, my senior year was there, and I didn’t have enough credits to graduate.”
This time around was going to be different. Gerritsen was determined to make it so.
“I realized now I’m in my mom’s shoes in my journey, and I had to do this to show my daughter that it can be done.”
In February of 2018, Gerritsen underwent her first surgery. What should have taken just one procedure turned into five because of an infection. Regardless, she began her first prerequisites for COHS in April, just two months later, and was admitted to PPLD’s COHS program on May 8, 2018.
COHS is a program that allows participants to earn an accredited high school diploma, an alternative to taking the GED. PPLD provides the program, which costs about $2,000 per student, at no charge to participants like Gerritsen who qualify for scholarships from the PPLD Foundation. The stipulations to receive a scholarship include completing the program in eighteen months.
As Gerritsen underwent multiple surgeries at the beginning of her COHS journey, the coursework timeline became even more difficult: she found out her family was moving nearly 600 miles away.
“Through all of this, through all of my surgeries, school, everything, my husband came down on orders.”
Gerritsen’s husband was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colo., and got reassigned to Fort Sill in Lawton, Okla. The family had to sell their home and move just a month after Gerritsen’s final surgery.
“His date got pushed back, because I ended up having surgery in June, and the doctor wouldn’t release me to travel with drain tubes.”
So, among all of the family’s challenges, they relocated in July of 2018. Nevertheless, Gerritsen pushed on.
“My husband watched me cry through nights of not feeling good, but knowing I had classes to do,” Gerritsen said. “But I had to finish it, because I set goals. I gave myself exactly one year to graduate.”
And, of course, Gerritsen beat her goal.
She finished her COHS courses on May 1, 2019. She finished her eighteen months of coursework in less than a year. And, she’s in remission. Her body is clear of cancer.
Her husband was so proud of her accomplishment that he insisted the family attend Shauna’s graduation at Library 21c. Though both of them had to work the next day, the Gerritsens—Shauna, her husband, and their two children ages 7 and 4—drove through the night for PPLD’s Celebrate Literacy graduation ceremony on May 30, 2019.
“He told me that I couldn’t miss this, that I worked so hard for it, and that if we had to drive all day and night, we would be here for it,” Gerritsen said.
Gerritsen’s family sat proudly in the audience, snapping photos and loudly cheering, as she walked across the stage to receive her high school diploma. Just a few hours later, they’d head back out on the road to their new life in Oklahoma.
Now that she’s received her diploma, Gerritsen is determined to pursue her master’s degree and become a physician’s assistant. Pity the fool that dares to get in her way.
Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 9, 2019) – Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs announced a partnership with Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) to support the Summer Adventure reading program serving more than 37,000 kids each summer. Additionally, the new hospital will provide free health-related resources, educational opportunities and family programming as part of their partnership with PPLD.
“As parents, one of our primary focuses is on stimulating our kids’ imaginative, creative cognitive abilities,” said Margaret Sabin, president of Children’s Colorado’s Southern Region. “This program provides families and kids with fun summer activities that are healthier and more engaging alternatives to watching Netflix for the rest of the summer. Our partnership with PPLD allows us to support families in creating summer fun that encourages mental and physical wellness and connects kids to their local community.”
The Summer Adventure reading program invites kids ages 0-18 to complete a series of activities listed on age-specific game cards, such as reading a book, camping, crafting, making a new food dish, or visiting a local museum. Once completed, kids are eligible to win prizes through July 31.
Established in 1903, PPLD is a nationally recognized system of public libraries and it is the second largest library district in the state with a service area covering 2,070 square miles. More than 185,000 children live within the District, and 2.7 million items for children and teens are checked out of PPLD each year. The service area includes Calhan, Colorado Springs, Monument, Falcon, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Ute Pass, Palmer Lake, the United States Air Force Academy, Fort Carson and many other municipalities and military installations.
“Partnering with Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs is a natural fit for our organization,” said Lance James, Chief Development Officer and Foundation Executive Director for the Pikes Peak Library District Foundation. “Our mission is to connect our patrons with the resources they need to achieve their goals. Providing additional access to state-of-the-art healthcare resources through this partnership, in addition to the health information resources already provided in our Family Place Libraries, is just one more way for us to achieve that goal.”
Find more information about the Summer Adventure program here: Summer Adventure
About Children’s Hospital Colorado
Children’s Hospital Colorado is one of the nation’s leading and most expansive pediatric healthcare systems with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and recognized as a top children’s hospital by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Children’s Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Colorado, including its location on the Anschutz Medical Campus, and across the region. Scheduled to open in mid-2019, the new Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, will be the first pediatric-only hospital in southern Colorado. For more information, visit Children's Colorado, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
Children’s Hospital Colorado complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-720-777-9800.
CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-720-777-9800.
http://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557
About Pikes Peak Library District
Pikes Peak Library District seeks to engage and transform people’s lives by providing free and equitable access to information via 15 facilities, online resources, and mobile library services. It is a nationally recognized system of public libraries serving a population of more than 650,000 across 2,070 square miles in El Paso County, Colo.”
Stay tuned for the 2020 selections and theme! To get caught up, check out last year's selections:
All Pikes Peak Reads is Pikes Peak Library District's annual program geared towards improving literacy and fostering dialogue across social, cultural, and generational lines. Each year, we select APPR titles that focus on a variety of timely topics and coincide with our planned community-wide programming. In 2019, our titles explored themes of crossings, peace, multiculturalism, identity, friendship, and memory.
Our selected adult title for 2019 was TransAtlantic by Colum McCann.
Summary: A tale spanning 150 years and two continents re-imagines the peace efforts of democracy champion Frederick Douglass, Senator George Mitchell and World War I airmen John Alcock and Teddy Brown through the experiences of four generations of women from a matriarchal clan.
About the author: Colum McCann is the author of six novels and three collections of stories. Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, he has been the recipient of many international honours, including the National Book Award, the International Dublin Impac Prize, a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French government, election to the Irish arts academy, several European awards, the 2010 Best Foreign Novel Award in China, and an Oscar nomination. In 2017 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts. His work has been published in over 40 languages. He is the co-founder of the non-profit global story exchange organisation, Narrative 4, and he teaches at the MFA program in Hunter College. He lives in New York with his wife, Allison, and their three children.
We also selected a book of poetry, Citizen Illegal by Jose Olivarez.
Summary: Citizen Illegal is right on time, bringing both empathy and searing critique to the fore as a nation debates the very humanity of the people who built it." —Eve Ewing, author of Electric ArchesIn this stunning debut, poet José Olivarez explores the stories, contradictions, joys, and sorrows that embody life in the spaces between Mexico and America. He paints vivid portraits of good kids, bad kids, families clinging to hope, life after the steel mills, gentrifying barrios, and everything in between. Drawing on the rich traditions of Latinx and Chicago writers like Sandra Cisneros and Gwendolyn Brooks, Olivarez creates a home out of life in the in-between. Combining wry humor with potent emotional force, Olivarez takes on complex issues of race, ethnicity, gender, class, and immigration using an everyday language that invites the reader in.
About the author: José Olivarez is the son of Mexican immigrants. His debut book of poems, Citizen Illegal, was a finalist for the PEN/ Jean Stein Award and a winner of the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Poetry Prize. It was named a top book of 2018 by NPR and the New York Public Library. Along with Felicia Chavez and Willie Perdomo, he is co-editing the forthcoming anthology, The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNEXT. He is the co-host of the poetry podcast, The Poetry Gods and a recipient of fellowships from CantoMundo, Poets House, the Bronx Council on the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, & the Conversation Literary Festival. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Paris Review, and elsewhere. In 2018, he was awarded the first annual Author and Artist in Justice Award from the Phillips Brooks House Association and named a Debut Poet of 2018 by Poets & Writers.
Our young adult and children’s title for 2019 was Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh.
Summary: Fourteen-year-old Ahmed, a Syrian refugee, and thirteen-year-old Max, an American boy, are bound by a secret that sets them on the adventure of a lifetime.
About the author: Katherine Marsh is an author of books for children and young adults including Nowhere Boy, which is being published in over a dozen languages; The Night Tourist, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery; Jepp, Who Defied the Stars, a New York Times Notable; and The Door By The Staircase, a Junior Library Guild selection. A former journalist and managing editor of The New Republic, Katherine spent three years in Brussels, Belgium with her family and flock of chickens. She now lives in Washington, DC with her husband, two children, two cats and three chickens.
Every fall we will present a variety of programs to the community including author visits, film screenings, community discussions and panel presentations, theater productions, workshops, music programs, and more. We will be undertaking many of these with our community partners.
Summer is a wonderful time to look at the stars in the sky! Check the link below for star book recommendations.
Have a box? Why not create something for your child? A train station? Oven? Castle? The sky's the limit!
Roxanne Lingle, The Maker in Residence for September/October 2019, is a mixed media artist and teacher. She has been teaching for many years and loves to inspire her students and see them “come alive” when they realize they can do something they never thought possible. She loves mixed media art and all its variety of color, texture, and amazing avenues for creativity. Roxanne has taught many types of mixed media classes in the Pikes Peak region as well as across the United States.
Visit PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence page for more information about this program.
Celebrate our 2019 Summer Adventure theme, A Universe of Stories, with these stellar offerings about outer space. Scroll down for picture books to share together, chapter books for independent readers, and nonfiction titles to satisfy curious minds. Click on the link below for booklist.
Supplies:
- Round-ish rocks
- Feathers or paper cut in the shape of wings and tail
- Googly eyes or paper and markers
- Glue
- Yellow or orange paper (or use markers to color white paper.)
- Scissors
How to:
- Wash your rocks if you’ve gathered them from the roadside like we did and allow to dry.
- Glue on feathers for wings and tail.
- Glue on googly eyes.
- Fold a scrap of orange or yellow paper in half, snip a triangle out from the fold, and glue on for a beak.
Need a fast Mother’s Day card? Make one with what you have at home!
Supplies:
- White paper (or paper bags)
- Colored paper (or magazine pages)
- Pencil with eraser
- Markers or crayons
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
Fold a piece of colored paper in half. Draw a bubble shaped M. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. You can turn it over and hide the lines. Cut 2 Ms at once on the folded paper.
Trace your hand in the middle of your white paper to make a sun. Color it with markers or crayons and add eyes and mouth. Write your special message underneath. Glue or tape your Ms onto each side of the sun.
Mom will love it!
Enjoy these titles with photo illustrations! Compare them. This will help your child see the world in many different ways:close up and far away; in nature and in the home; of people, animals or things. For fun, have your child create a story from photos that you take together. Click on the link below to see booklist.