Kick off your New Year’s resolutions with the Library! Whether you want to save more money, learn a new language, get fit, enjoy more family time, or any other resolution for a new you in 2024, PPLD has you covered. To help you stick to your resolution, download the PPLD habit tracker and year-long calendar. They will help you get started on your new habits and track your progress. Use your library card to access PPLD resources and meet your goals head on!

Save Money

Your library card is your ticket to saving money throughout the year. Here are a few ways you can start saving today! 

• Get your library card for access to no-cost services and resources
• Ditch expensive subscriptions, stream TV shows and movies on Hoopla at no cost
• Skip costly recording studio fees by using PPLD’s studios for video and audio production
• Learn new skills at no cost by taking video courses on LinkedIn Learning

Enjoy More Family Time

Your family deserves to spend quality time together doing things everyone loves. Here are a few ways that the Library can support your bonding time!

• Connect by reading picture books together (or use eBook picture books on Tumblebooks)
• Settle in for family movie nights with movies downloaded from Kanopy
• Spark friendly family competition with board games, lawn games, and video games
• Come to PPLD programs and events for all ages each month

Get Fit

Building new health and fitness habits can be tough at first, but you’re not alone. Here are a few ideas to help you get started on your fitness goals! 

• Get in touch with your body during PPLD’s yoga classes at Library 21C, and online
• Develop healthy eating habits with nutrition books
• Get in shape with dance and fitness videos on Hoopla and Kanopy
• Level up your workout with no-cost music streaming on Freegal

Learn a New Language

¡Hola! Hallo! Bonjour! Learning a new language is a great way to prepare for a trip, connect with friends and family, or keep your mind sharp. Here are a few resources at the Library to support your learning this year!

• Plan or join language meetups in PPLD’s meeting and study rooms
• Complete engaging lessons on the Mango Languages app
• Explore a variety of language learning books
• Learn cultural information through CultureGrams Online (requires a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside of Library locations)

Whatever your New Year’s resolutions involve this year, your Library is here to support your efforts. Learn more about what your library card can do for you! 

Pikes Peak Library District subscribes to a variety of useful databases that serve as valuable resources to our community. We regularly evaluate our subscriptions to ensure that we are good stewards of the funding we put behind each one. After a recent review of databases taking into consideration usage, cost effectiveness, and availability of information through other sources, we decided to discontinue some of our current database subscriptions in 2024. You will still have access to similar information through other databases that we offer.

The following databases will not be renewed upon their 2024 expiration, and we have included suggestions for databases you can use in their place:  

December is packed with festive celebrations, including Hannukah, winter solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and others. It’s a busy time when you may find yourself decorating, planning or prepping meals and treats, making or shopping for gifts, visiting friends and family, and attending community celebrations. Pikes Peak Library District has all the programs, tools, and resources you need to make the best of the holiday season, including cookbooks and classes, DIY gifts, holiday book lists, and more!

Resources

• New recipes from a vast array of new-to-you cookbooks for all occasions 
• Movies, music, books, and even a collection of Hallmark movies on Hoopla
• Audio and video studio equipment for DIY memories 
• CultureGrams to learn about holiday celebrations from around the world (must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside the Library) 
• Reviews, shopping guides, and more for your holiday shopping experience with Consumer Reports (must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside the Library)
• A wide assortment of holiday films and documentaries on Kanopy
• Christmas music on Freegal

DIY Gifts

• Don’t miss our Makerspace Holiday Open Houses at East Library, Sand Creek Library, and Library 21c this month to learn how you can use makerspace equipment to create DIY gifts and decorations.
• Find craft inspiration or delve into new hobbies with the Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center. (Must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside the Library)
• Join us for makerspace classes and use your new knowledge to make custom gifts for your loved ones.
• Discover DIY gift ideas with our array of creative books.

Websites

• December 2024 Holidays
  Explore national, religious, and just for fun holidays that take place in December. 
• National Geographic: Winter Celebrations
  Fill your December with festive fun facts, folklore, and holiday information. 
   

Friends of PPLD Bookstore

Get gifts for your family while supporting your Library! The Friends of PPLD sponsors and supports numerous programs and events to further the enjoyment of reading and love for books by all individuals. They 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 two Big Book Sales each year. 

Stop by the Friends store at the Library and find books, CDs, movies, magazines, and more from $0.25 to $3. Or shop for specialty items online! Purchases made through the Friends of PPLD support library programming and materials. 

Do you love books, reading, and libraries? Have you considered becoming involved in your community? One easy step covers it all! Get involved with the Friends and support your community, one book at a time. 

During their monthly meeting in October, the PPLD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to discontinue public use of The Hall at PPLD located adjacent to Penrose Library. Service at the event hall will be phased out over the next six months so that existing reservations can be honored. New reservations can still be made at this time for events that occur before May 1, 2024. Availability is limited.  

Pikes Peak Library District’s Special Collections Department, which is located in the historic Carnegie Library building connected to Penrose Library, is changing its name. As of Nov. 1, 2023, this department has been renamed to Regional History & Genealogy.

This section was initially called Special Collections due to the number and variety of “special collections” the department curated – the photo archives, newspaper archives and collections, digital collections, manuscripts, city directories, and genealogy collections, to name just a few. As the genealogy collection and databases grew in number and popularity, the area became more commonly known as Regional History & Genealogy, prompting the name change.

Regional History & Genealogy’s most substantial resource is its knowledgeable, helpful staff who curate the collection and help patrons with their research. The section also houses books, maps, manuscripts and archives, photographs, oral histories, films and videos, government documents, pamphlets, periodicals, a digitized collection of historic regional photographs, and other materials related to the history of the Pikes Peak region. Additionally, it offers extensive family history research materials, covering the entire United States from Colonial times to the present, including books, periodicals, and access to major genealogical databases. Every month, Regional History & Genealogy hosts Virtual Genealogy Basics classes to help anyone interested in compiling their family genealogy to implement successful research strategies and gain familiarity with available research databases and resources.

The official hours of Regional History & Genealogy were recently expanded to better accommodate the needs of our community. Its hours are now:

Tuesday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday and Monday: Closed

Click here for more information about PPLD’s Regional History & Genealogy department and its programs and activities.

In November, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) joins with people and organizations across the nation to draw attention to hunger and homelessness through education, programs, and events.

Pikes Peak Library District Collects to Share is once again putting out the call to collect hand-crafted items for our community shelters. Starting in November, as part of Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week, we will be accepting donations every month for a year. If you have knitted items such as hats, scarves, socks, and blankets that you would like to donate, please bring them to the public desk at any Library location and let staff know that they are for PPLD Collects to Share. Through your hard work and creative generosity, we donated over 120 hand-crafted items to those in need in our community since November 2022. Thank you!

Programs

• Community Conversation: Hunger and Homelessness Awareness
  Thu/. Nov. 16, 6 - 8 p.m. at the East Library Community Meeting Room, click here for more information on panelists

Resources

• Helping Hands Community Resource 
  The Helping Hands El Paso County Community Resources guide is a list of services available in El Paso County.  
• PPLD Community Resource Officers
  Pikes Peak Library District offers community resources across the District. Our Community Resources Specialists are here to help you navigate and connect with services by providing referrals and information to get the help you need for your specific situation.

Website Links

• Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week
  Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness.

Few institutions are charged with serving people of all ages and walks of life with relevant and entertaining programs, community spaces, and materials as is your public library. We are a lifeline to technology, entertainment, online resources for employment, enrichment for all ages, and continuing education for everyone in the Pikes Peak region. Throughout November, make a difference in our community by donating to the PPLD Foundation during the 2023 Give! Campaign. Your contributions will help us continue to serve the unique needs of our growing community in 2024. 

The PPLD Foundation has supported Pikes Peak Library District since 2003, helping to fund programs, projects, equipment, and materials for our community through charitable donations. As they participate in this campaign for the 4th consecutive year, the foundation is honored to be among the 63 worthy organizations in this year’s campaign. The PPLD Foundation invites you to show your continued support of the Library and thank you for your kind donation.

Donate

To make a charitable contribution through the 2023 Give! Campaign, please visit the Foundation’s Give! Campaign page. 

Embrace a journey of discovery as we invite you to join us in honoring the vibrant and diverse tapestry of American Indian and Alaska Native heritage, history, and culture. Experience a world of traditions, stories, and knowledge through an array of engaging programs and valuable resources thoughtfully curated for you at PPLD!

Programs

Why She Writes – An Afternoon Chat with Joy Harjo, Internationally Renowned Performer, Writer, and Poet of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation

United States Poet Laureate and winner of the 2022 Academy of American Poets Leadership Award, Joy Harjo, joins us virtually for a chat about her most recent memoir, Catching the Light, and to discuss her rewarding lifetime as a writer and poet. In Catching the Light, Harjo examines the power of words and how poetry summons us toward justice and healing. In this lyrical meditation about the why of writing poetry, Harjo reflects on significant points of illumination, experience, and questioning from her 50 years as a poet. Learn more and register here. Registration is required to receive the link for the event.  

• Thu., Nov. 16 from 2 – 3 p.m., 2023 – Online

Heritage Recipe Post Cards

Stop by your favorite Library location and pick up heritage recipe postcards that highlight American Indian and Native Alaskan recipes and culture. These recipes come from Library staff and cookbooks.  

Booklists

• Picture booklist
• Chapter booklist
• Don’t miss book collections available through the Libby and Hoopla apps this month!

Resources

• Gale eBooks
  (you will need a library card that starts with a 4 to access this resource) - Native Americans
• Hoopla
  Find eBooks, eAudiobooks, music, videos, and more by searching “Native American” on the Hoopla app.
• Kanopy
  Discover videos and documentaries diving deeper into Native American culture and exploring the lives of individuals throughout history.
• The Horace S. Poley Photographs Collection
  This is a major collection of photographic images of American Indians 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.
• Digital Collections
  Search our Digital Collections for more photographs! We recommend using search terms like, “Native American,” “American Indian,” “Indian,” and “Ute.”
   

Website Links

• American Indians in Children's Literature
  Dr. Debbie Reese of Nambé Pueblo, American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) provides critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books.
• American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
• Library of Congress (All Ages)
• Nationational American Indian Heritage Month - National Parks Service (All Ages) 

Join Pikes Peak Library District this Veterans Day in celebrating our veterans and their families.

Programs

Veterans Day Storytime

Meet some of the veterans in our community as they make Storytime guest appearances in the days leading up to Veterans Day. For ages 3 – 7 and their families and guardians.  

• Fri., Nov. 3, 2023 at 10:30 a.m – Cheyenne Mountain Library
• Tue., Nov. 7, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. – Monument Library
• Tue., Nov. 7, 2023 at 9 a.m. – Rockrimmon Library
• Tue., Nov. 7, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. – Ruth Holley Library
• Thu., Nov. 9, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. – East Library
• Thu., Nov. 9, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. – High Prairie Library
• Fri., Nov. 10, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. – Library 21c
• Fri., Nov. 10, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. – Palmer Lake Library 

Patriotism in America Past and Present 

Will America ever have another "Greatest Generation?" In her book Unintended Hero, local author Becky Van Vleet explores the question of whether America will have another “Greatest Generation.” Her book delves into her father's up-close and personal battles on the USS Denver in World War II in the Pacific Theater. Join Becky for an interactive book talk about patriotism from the Greatest Generation in World War II to present day.  Ages 16 and up. Registration recommended. 

• Sat., Nov. 11, 2023 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Rockrimmon Library 

Veterans Day Poppy Painting 

Learn more about the palette knife painting technique and try it for yourself by creating beautiful poppy designs in honor of Veterans Day. Registration required.

• Thu., Nov. 2, 2023 from 4:30 – 6 p.m. – Fountain Library
• Sat., Nov. 4, 2023 from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – East Library
• Mon., Nov. 6, 2023 from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. – Monument Library
• Tue., Nov. 7, 2023 from 4 – 5:30 p.m. – Sand Creek Library
• Wed., Nov. 8, 2023 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. – Calhan Library
• Sat., Nov. 11, 2023 from 1 – 2:30 p.m. – Manitou Springs Library
• Mon., Nov. 20, 2023 from 10:30 a.m. - noon – Cheyenne Mountain Library 

Patrons of Influence: Military Veterans in El Paso County

Celebrate local veterans and hear from a panel of military veterans who are providing positive influences in culture, leadership, and business in the Pikes Peak region. Panelists will discuss their shared interest and experience on how diversity strengthens organizations and communities. There will be a Livestream option for anyone who wishes to attend virtually. A Question-and-Answer session will follow the discussion. Registration is recommended to attend in-person, and required for the Livestream. 

• Wed., Nov. 15, 2023 from 10 – 11 a.m. East Library  

Booklists

• Resources for Veterans (Overdrive)

Resources

• Military & Veterans LibGuide
  • This guide offers local information and general resources for Colorado-based military and veterans.
• Freegal
  • This guide offers local information and general resources for Colorado-based military and veterans.
• Freegal
  • Veterans Day Collection: 50 Patriotic Songs
  • Veterans Day (radio broadcast)
• Gale Ebooks
  • Search this database using the key word “Veterans” for further reading and information. (Note that this resource is available at the Library or you can access it remotely with a library card that starts with a 4 and your PIN.)

Websites

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  Learn more about VA resources, the PACT Act, healthcare for veterans, life insurance, memorials, and other crucial information for veterans. 
• Veterans Day 2023
  Familiarize yourself with Veterans Day history, including why Veterans Day moved from October to November, what Armistice Day was, and why schools close in recognition of this federal holiday. 
• Veterans Day 2023
  Includes information on the importance, history, and the traditions of Veterans Day
• Veterans Day
  Read about the history and traditions of Veterans Day.

Family websites for active military and veterans 

• Sesame Street for Military Families
  Find bilingual (Spanish and English) information and multimedia resources on the topics of military deployments, multiple deployments, homecomings, injuries, grief, and self-expression.
• Babies on the Homefront
  Military and veteran parents will find ideas for enhancing everyday moments with their baby or toddler.
• Parenting for Veterans
  Discover parenting help when you need it, on any device with access to the internet.

In recognition of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, join Pikes Peak Library District for Community Conversation: Hunger and Homelessness Awareness as we welcome local experts and community leaders to discuss homelessness and housing insecurity in the Pikes Peak region. Community Conversations invite the public to discuss current events and issues impacting the Pikes Peak region with the goal of promoting civil dialogue and a greater understanding of different perspectives. After a facilitated discussion session with the panelists, there will be time for questions from the audience.

Thu., Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. — East Library

Click here for the Conversation Guide and panelist questions.

Panelists Include:

Angela Roberts (Pikes Peak Community Health Partnership (CHP)

Roberts holds an undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of North Texas and a master’s in public administration with a certificate in grant writing, grant management, and program evaluation from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She served as a Housing Navigator Specialist with CHP prior to accepting her current role of Transformation Manager. In this role, she leads efforts to expand and improve cross-sector partnerships to reduce the number of youth and veterans at-risk of or currently experiencing homelessness in our community. Roberts has volunteered and held internship roles at various nonprofits in the Colorado Springs area since 2010 and has a passion for serving members of the community in need of housing support and assistance.

Beth Hall Roalstad (Homeward Pikes Peak), MSW

Roalstad is the Executive Director of Homeward Pikes Peak. Prior to taking this role in January 2017, Roalstad worked as the Senior Vice President of Engagement at Pikes Peak United Way. She has also been the Executive Director for the Innovations in Aging Collaborative and the Women’s Resource Agency. Roalstad received her master’s in social work from the University of Denver in 2000 and a Bachelor of Science in political science from State University of New York College at Oneonta in 1991. She is a graduate of the Colorado Springs Leadership Institute in 2014 and the Denver Community Leadership Forum in 2005.

Since joining Homeward Pikes Peak, Roalstad has expanded programs to serve women and families experiencing homelessness by building community-based services that provide substance abuse treatment and transitional housing. She has also spearheaded the creation of several new programs such as Street Outreach, The Commons, a new permanent supportive housing apartment building complex, and The Bloom House Residential Treatment Center, a new program for pregnant and parenting women with addictions. Under her leadership, Homeward Pikes Peak has grown from serving 150 clients in 2016 to over 1,000 in 2022 and has more than tripled its budget through contracts, earned income, and philanthropy.

In addition, Roalstad serves on numerous community boards and has an extensive list of volunteer work with local non-profit organizations. She combines her passion for legislative advocacy, social work, and community building in all the work she undertakes. For fun, Roalstad hikes, runs, and travels as much as possible.

Crystal Karr (City of Colorado Springs)

Crystal Karr is the Homeless Prevention and Response Coordinator for the City of Colorado Springs. She brings the experience of frontline work with homelessness, domestic violence, and families experiencing housing instability and homelessness to the City of Colorado Springs. Karr is committed to collaboration and community-based solutions to make Colorado Springs a safe and beautiful home for all of its citizens.

Joel Siebersma (Springs Rescue Mission), MA. LPC

Siebersma has worked in the fields of addiction and homelessness for 15 years. After graduating from Colorado Christian University with a master’s degree in counseling, he began working at the Springs Rescue Mission. Siebersma has led teams of substance use disorder counselors, case managers, and behavioral health staff toward the goal of person-centered treatment resulting in housing, health, and work. Most recently, as Sr. Director of Transformation and Research, he focuses on identifying innovative trends in homelessness alleviation from around the country and adapting those cutting-edge programs for local application.

Sgt. Olav Chaney (Colorado Springs Police Department)

Sgt. Olav Chaney has been with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) since 1991, working in many different divisions and roles.  Sgt. Chaney now leads the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) for CSPD and has been in that role since March 2020.  As the Sergeant for HOT, he focuses on providing outreach and resources to the homeless community, addresses and enforces all camping ordinances as appropriate, works closely with Homeless Outreach Team partners, and coordinates clean-ups with the Neighborhood Services Quality of Life Team and Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful.