What does a region’s history look like through the lens of people who are often left out of a community’s archived history? Come find out with We Have a Story: Homelessness in Colorado Springs. This powerful documentary project showcases in a gallery the unique perspectives of three young adults experiencing homelessness and a caseworker who serves them through photography that captures this complex and diverse community. Join us at East Library for the reception of the gallery on Sat., Jan. 20 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. Light refreshments will be provided.

Over the course of one month in the Summer of 2023, participants took photos from their perspectives. They learned digital photography skills from a professional photographer and came together to critique and evaluate their photographs. They also met with a historian to conduct oral interviews capturing their experiences.

Each participant selected their four best photographs for the gallery, which will be on display at different PPLD locations each month. A written artist story accompanies each photo to delve more deeply into each individual’s perspectives.

The We Have a Story traveling exhibit will continue traveling in 2024, starting at East Library in January, Rockrimmon Library in February, and finishing at the Manitou Arts Center (MAC) in March. 

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, Rockrimmon Library, 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! 

Our theme for this year's Teen Art Contest is Balance.

Balance can be a physical skill or how we approach all the demands of our life. Can you balance on a tight rope or balance beam? Maybe you balance on a skateboard or ski board. Balance could be how you handle all the different responsibilities in your life - including your own needs and wants with school, family, and friends. Create a piece inspired by the theme that shares your thoughts on Balance or expresses what Balance means to you and enter it to win a prize!

Entries are judged by other teens, along with one award that is judged by Library staff. 

Important Dates

• Sign up online between Thu., Dec. 1 – Tues., Feb. 13
• Drop off your artwork from Fri., Feb. 9 – Tue., Feb. 13
• Awards Ceremony on Tues., March 19th, at 6 p.m. at East Library Community Room
• Art on display throughout April
• Art pick up the first week of May

How to enter

Make sure you qualify:

• Must be ages 12 - 19 at time of submission.
• Must be an El Paso County resident.

Create your art following these guidelines:

• Create something that is a 2D form of art!
  • Artwork can be any type of two-dimensional art form, as long as we can safely hang it on the wall.
    • Including but not limited to: Photography, Digital Art, Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media/Collage, prints, crochet, etc.
    • There are no formal size requirements, but it needs to be something we can hang on the wall and also transport in a regular passenger car.

Prepare your art:

• We highly recommend mattes or foamboard for artwork on paper. This helps protect it during transportation and helps with hanging.
  • Submitting art plain or in a frame is fine, just not preferred.
  • Pieces on canvas don’t need additional protection.
• Your submission should be able to support being hung in our galley hanging wire system.
  • Ideally this means there is a hanging wire or a spot we can attach a hanging wire to.
  • There are several free or low-cost ways to attach a hook or D-Ring.
  • PPLD will supply hanging wire and attach hooks upon receiving submissions if needed.

Complete the entry forms:

• Fill out the art agreement form.
• All entries must have the following securely taped (NOT paper clipped) OR written on the back:
  • Name:
  • Grade:
  • Artwork Title (Make sure this matches the online entry you fill out below):
  • Display/Pick-up Location (choose East Library, Penrose Library, or Library 21c):
• Fill this online form out if you are a teen entering yourself
• Fill this online form out if you are a teacher entering for your student(s)
  • Download the excel spreadsheet here

Drop off your submission:

• Bring in your art and the art agreement form.
• Between Fri., Feb. 9 - Tue., Feb. 13., bring your submission to a drop-off location.
  • Drop-off locations:
    • East Library
    • Library 21c
    • Monument Library 
    • Fountain Library
    • High Prairie Library 
    • Manitou Springs Library
    • Ruth Holley Library
    • Cheyenne Mountain Library

Other Entry guidelines:

• Only one entry per person
• Library Staff reserve the right to decline inappropriate entries

Award Categories

Award categories include: 

• One overall Best in Show
• Middle School Division: First Place, Second Place, and Coordinator's Choice
• High School Division: First Place, Second Place, and Coordinator's Choice for High School

Winning participants will be notified via letter in mid-March, with specific awards announced at the awards ceremony on Tues., March 19th, at 6 p.m. at East Library. All entries accepted into the show will be on display in April at East Library, Penrose Library, or Library 21c.

FAQs

• Can I submit a photograph/digital art/other type of 2D art?
  Any type of 2D art piece is accepted as long as we can hang it on the wall and it can be transported between libraries. We’ve had digital pieces, photography, crochet, painting, drawing, photographs of sculptures, collage, charcoal, and more!
   
• Do you have size requirements for pieces?
  Nothing formal – we have to be able to transport pieces between libraries, so the upper limit on size is something that will fit in a vehicle and will be able to be hung up on a wall.
   
• When will I know if I have won?
  We will notify award winners by mid-March. All participants and their friends and family are invited to the Awards Ceremony on Tue., March 19 at 6 p.m. in the East Library Community Room regardless of winning an award.
   
• Will my artwork be displayed?
  Yes! You can choose from one of three locations to have your artwork displayed during the month of April. Locations are Penrose Library, East Library, or Library 21c.
   
• When and where can I pick up my artwork?
  The first week of May at the library you selected to have it displayed. An email will be sent in April with specific details.
   
• What are the prizes?
  We award prizes for Coordinator’s Choice, First place, and Second place for the high school and middle school age groups. We also award a prize for Best in Show, which is the piece that received the highest score out of both the middle and high school categories. In the past, winners received a drawing mannequin and gift card to Meininger’s Art Supply store.
   
• What can I do to improve my chances of winning?
  Work with the theme—It doesn’t have to be a literal interpretation, but we do look for pieces that have been inspired by the theme in some way. Your paragraph describing your piece can have a big impact on this.
  
  Stand out! Whether through subject matter or having an unusual take on the theme, we notice unique entries more. For example, we tend to get a lot of close-ups on eyes, so they tend to not stand out as much.
  
  Have fun! Don’t view it as an assignment or chore. We can tell when someone submits a piece they are passionate about – so do something that you love!
   
• Do I have to have a matte?
  No, but we highly encourage it. Pieces are not judged on having a matte or not, but mattes help protect your artwork during storage and transportation and make it easier to hang your piece. Frames are also accepted, but mattes are preferred.
   
• I'm a teacher with an amazing class, can I enter them?
  Yes! If you are a teacher who would like to enter a class of students, you can fill out the Excel Spreadsheet linked here to complete one entry form for all of your students. You will be responsible for communicating with participants about the award ceremony and art pick-up.
   
• My question wasn’t answered here.
  Email Becca at rphilipsen@ppld.org
   

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. 

All you need is your Library. But your Library needs you, too! 

Libraries are a vital lifeline for the whole community. Job seekers can find resume writing and interview preparation help, career search navigation, and educational opportunities for job skills. Parents and caregivers of young children can find early literacy and education opportunities, hands-on programs, a Toy Library with toys for motor skill development, homework help, homeschool resources programs, and a wide range of other resources to support their children’s growth and development. Teenagers can enjoy resources and services like safe spaces to hang out with friends, gaming consoles, research resources, test and college prep help, and tutoring. And anyone can enjoy our vast collection of books and other media, genealogy resources, no-cost passes to local attractions, classes and community activities, and other services and resources we provide.

In 2023, Pikes Peak Library District enjoyed hosting a wide range of programs to enrich the lives of our community. We took on reading and activity challenges with you during the Winter Adult Reading Program and with local youth during Summer Adventure. We had the honor of hosting the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibit and a variety of programs centering on this history. In July we started reading The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line with our community, and had the pleasure of hearing from the author, Mari K. Edder, during All Pikes Peak Reads. Local teens submitted outstanding works of art to the annual Teen Art Contest, local 4th and 5th graders submitted thoughtful poems to the Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest, and local writers of all ages sent us a wide range of creative stories for All Pikes Peak Writes. We also hosted art classes, games, book clubs, author talks, and many other programs.

Donations are a vital part of Library funding that allows us to purchase materials and plan programs for our community. We invite you to make a difference in your community with a kind contribution through the PPLD Foundation during the Year End Giving Campaign. We thank you for your support and generosity!  

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.