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It's Colorado Springs 150th birthday this month! 150 years is a sesquicentennial birthday. To celebrate, PPLD children's staff gathered some great historical fiction for kids. The books touch on several different times and places in the history of our country. Click on the pdf link below to see the booklist.
Starting on Thu., July 1, 3D printers will be available for use during Open Hours through walk-ins and reservations at East Library, Library 21c, Sand Creek Library, and Manitou Springs Library! Learn about all equipment available here.
PPLD Makerspace Equipment is also available now at Manitou Springs Library. Learn more about what's available here.
Visit our 3D Printing LibGuide for more information.
PPLD is proud to announce the return of the Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Program! We will be accepting applications for the position from Thu., July 15 to Sun., Aug. 15.
The Poet Laureate builds a literary arts community through poetry by developing an appreciation of written and performance poetry and inspiring and celebrating poetry and poets in the Pikes Peak Region with dynamic programs of engagement, advocacy, and education.
Click here to apply!
Printed applications can be submitted at any PPLD Location.
Take and Makes for this project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning this Friday, July 9, 2021. Watch this project at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_g0THNq4WI
Film Canister Rockets propel with a strong force. Please provide adult supervision and stand back about 6 feet as the canister flies. Personal safety goggles are recommended. This project is best done outside as the rocket may fly over 20 feet into the air! In addition, the “Alka-Seltzer” used for propulsion could be harmful if ingested.
Supplies and Directions:
Materials provided: film canister, Alka-Seltzer tablets
Materials you provide: water
Procedure:
- Put on your safety goggles and head outside with your materials. (If you must do this inside, do not turn the canister upside down in step 5.)
- Break an Alka-Seltzer tablet in thirds.
- Fill your canister a third full of water.
- Quickly drop an Alka-Seltzer piece into your water and snap on the lid.
- Continuing to work quickly, turn the film canister upside down and place it on the ground. Step back 6 feet.
- In about 10 seconds, you will hear a pop and watch your canister fly!
- If the canister hasn’t launched in about a minute, you may have a leak. Look around your area for evidence of a leak. Pick up the canister while aiming it away from you to empty it and try again.
- If your canister doesn’t launch or doesn’t fly far, try some of the experiments listed below.
The science behind this:
When you combine the Alka-Seltzer tablet and the water, they produce carbon dioxide. Pressure builds up inside the canister as the gas is released. The gas builds until the lid is blasted down and the canister is propelled upwards. Real rockets use rocket fuel to produce thrust in a similar way. If you’d like, you can create fins and a cone out of paper to control your rocket’s path.
Extensions: Experiment with the following:
- Does water temperature affect either timing or height of the propulsion?
- How does the size of the tablet piece affect the time it takes for the rocket to launch?
- How do your paper fins & cone affect the rocket’s path?
- What amount of water gives your rocket its highest flight?
- What amount of water gives your rocket tis quickest launch?
Submit a drawing depicting what you love about your community/neighborhood (a place, a person, an idea, etc.)!
All through August, drawing supplies will be available for checkout from Rockrimmon Library. You can check out our drawing supplies and submit a drawing when returning them, submit a picture online below, submit something from one of our classes, or just bring the finished drawing to the library!
Submit your drawing online here!
)The gallery will open the first week of September!
It will also be available to patrons virtually here.
Open House
Please join us to celebrate and appreciate the works of local artists from our Draw Your Community program. Light refreshments provided.
- When: Thu., Sept. 30 from 5 to 6 p.m.
- Where: Rockrimmon Library
- Click here for more information.
Need some help getting started? Check out How to Draw - Great Courses series on Kanopy!
Drawing with Deb Ross
This month, we're celebrating our community through drawings! Join instructors Deb Ross and Pat Fierro to learn the basics of drawing with pencils. Participants are encouraged to submit a sketch to the community gallery.
Pikes Peak Library District is excited to announce the call for submissions for All Pikes Peak Writes 2021! 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’s contest will have three categories for Middle School and High School (ages 12 - 18), Young Adult (ages 19 - 24), and Adult (ages 25+). Please see the guidelines, rules for entry, and submission form for each category below. Submissions will be accepted Sat., May 15 through 9 p.m. on Thu., July 15.
Eligibility: All Pikes Peak Writes is open to El Paso County residents ages 12+. Judging: Entries will be judged on quality of writing, use of language, plot development and resolution, believable characters, and correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling. Awards: Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place entries in each category. An award ceremony will be held in mid-August to announce the winners.
Categories & Submissions:
Click on age group for submission information. Ages 12 - 18 Ages 19 - 24 Ages 25+
Please contact hbuljung@ppld.org or criesenberger@ppld.org for questions or more information.
Lemonade slushies are a great way to beat the summer heat! There's little to no mess. They're fun for all ages and you get slushy goodness.
Take and Makes for this family project will be available at area PPLD libraries beginning Friday, July 2, 2021.
Supplies and Directions:
Materials provided in the Take and Make kit: 1-gallon Ziploc, 1-quart Ziploc, 2 lemonade packets.
Materials you provide at home: water, salt, ice, spoon, cup (optional), towel (optional)
- Place ice cubes and salt in the gallon sized Ziploc bag. Start with 15-20 ice cubes and 1-2 tablespoons salt.
- Mix HALF of a lemonade powder packet and 8-10 ounces of water in the quart-sized Ziploc. Remove as much excess air as possible and seal the bag.
- Place the bag with lemonade into the bag of ice and salt. Seal the large Ziploc.
- Shake or knead the bags for about 5 minutes until your lemonade has become a slushy. If the bags get too cold, wrap them in a towel.
- Carefully remove the lemonade bag from the larger bag. You don't want to get salt in your lemonade. Pour it into a cup to eat it or eat it right out of the bag.
Tips:
If it seems to be taking too long, add more salt and ice.
Other beverages also work, so experiment to find your favorite.
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:
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
- Cut your paper plate in half; you now have two halves to make two fans.
- 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.
- 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.
- Poke a hole in one of the short sides of the boat using a sharp pencil. It should be nearer to the top.
- 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.)
- Rubber band the balloon into place. Blow the balloon up through the straw to test if it’s secured.
- 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.
- 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.
- Watch your boat zoom off. How does air power move your boat across the water?
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- Repeat this with the bottom right corner, covering the right side of the triangle and tucking it into the flap.
- 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.
Celebrate Pride Month with PPLD!
Storytime
Join us for a special Pride Month storytime! Children’s Staff from around the district will invite you to join in a virtual sing-along and then read a children’s book. Videos are not live, so you can always view the videos whenever it’s convenient for you.
Teen Fandom: RuPaul's Paper Dolls
- When: Fri., June 18, all day
- Where: All locations.
Don't sashay away from this Pride Month paper doll craft inspired by RuPaul's Drag Race!
Virtual Teen Programs
- Teen Fandom: Ziggy Stardust Painting Calling all David Bowie fans! Create your own painting of the iconic Ziggy Stardust in this step-by-step guide.
- Teen Tech: Ziggy Stardust 3D Designed Earrings Learn basic 3D modeling and celebrate bisexual icon David Bowie with a 3D-modeled Ziggy Stardust earring.
- Teens Read: Books for PRIDE
Booklists
Regional History and Genealogy Resources
- The Pikes Peak Lavender Film Festival Records (archival collection MSS 0342) The city of Colorado Springs has a fascinating and often tumultuous history with the LGBTQ+ community. When the Lavender Film Festival began in 2000, it was the only LGBTQ+ film festival in the state of Colorado. The material in this collection provides valuable insight into this groundbreaking event. The collection includes VHS tapes and DVDs of the films shown at the festival. Newspaper clippings provide a glimpse at how the event was promoted, and in turn viewed, by the local community. The opening remarks of the event give us an understanding about why the organizers felt the festival would help bring awareness and educate people about LGBTQ+ issues and filmmaking. Various budgets and meeting minutes provide a detailed look into the work involved in bringing this innovative event to the community.
- Colorado Springs Pride Center Records (archival collection MSS 0461) The Colorado Springs Pride Center was one of the oldest LGBTQ+ community centers in the United States. Founded in 1978, the Center offered assistance and support programs to people across the Pikes Peak region. In 2014 alone, more than 8,400 people contacted the Center for help. Topics covered in this collection include – but are not limited to – Amendment 2, marriage, hate crimes, local news, and legal cases. News releases, newspaper clippings, and scrapbooks show the highs and lows of what was happening in the community. This nonprofit organization served as a much-needed medium for marginalized voices in the Pikes Peak region, and the material in this collection shows why.
- Citizens Project Collection (archival collection MSS 0307) Citizens Project’s mission statement is to “spotlight issues in the Pikes Peak region and mobilize people to strengthen the traditional values of our nation: equal rights, individual freedoms, separation of Church and State, civic engagement, and respect for diversity.” The Organizational Records provide a look at the inner workings of this watchdog group, including correspondence, meeting minutes, information on news coverage, and material from their workshops and diversity forums. The LGBTQ+ series includes a large amount of Amendment 2 material as well as documents on same-sex health benefits, the military, and marriage. The group distributes their own newsletter, Freedom Watch, highlighting many of the issues occurring in the local community. Researchers can also find VHS tapes on Amendment 2, photographs of Citizens Project events, and research on LGBTQ+ topics.
Take and Makes for this project, for ages 5-12, will be available at area PPLD libraries Friday, June 4, 2021.
Secret Decoder Assembly
- Cut out both wheels from the template. Click on the pdf file below to find the template.
- Place the smaller wheel on top of the larger wheel, lining up the dots in the middle of each wheel.
- Poke a paper fastener (brad) through both wheels and fasten on the bottom. You can use a pencil to poke a small hole to make it easier to push the brad through.
Decode a Secret Message
- Spin the smaller, inside wheel around until the outer and inner letters match the key on the secret message. For example, the key AZ would mean that the letter “Z” on the inner wheel would line up with the letter “A” on the outer wheel.
- Decode the message by finding the letters on the outer wheel and writing the corresponding letter found on the inner wheel down on a piece of paper.
Write a Secret Message
- Write out your message on a piece of paper.
- Decide on your secret code. Chose any two letters and spin the inner wheel around until your chosen letters line up on the outer and inner wheel.
- Find the letters for your secret message on the inner wheel. Write down the corresponding letter on the outer wheel.
- Write the secret code on a new sheet of paper so no one can see your original message!
- Give the secret code and the decoder to a friend. Tell them the key (the two letters you chose) and see if they can figure out your secret message!
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:
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.
- 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.
- Slip the cut straw end over the uncut end of another straw.
- Cut the strip of duct tape into short 3/4” strips.
- Wrap tape around your joint so there is an airtight seal. (Why do you think it’s necessary to have an airtight seal?)
- 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.
- If you’re able to drink, try adding more straws one at a time. Test after each addition.
- If you’re unable to drink, then check each connection to see if it’s airtight. All holes will need sealed with your tape.
- As your straw gets longer, you may need to stand on a chair to drink. You can also test your straw with different angles.
- What is the longest straw that you created that worked?
May is National Foster Care Month. Learn more with PPLD!
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:
References:
- 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.
- 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
- 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)
FamilySearch (Nonprofit genealogy database)
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Decide which technique you want to use and follow those instructions for prepping the paint. (See “techniques” below).
- Pour the paint onto the canvas until it covers the whole thing.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.