From a small reading room established 136 years ago, PPLD continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our sprawling community. Our service area covers 2,070 square miles of El Paso County with a population of nearly 700,000 – people of all ages and backgrounds with varying views and interests.

Thanks to taxpayer funding, we can continue to provide residents with access to 15 facilities, three mobile libraries, and a large online hub of resources and services, all of which are inclusive and welcoming to everyone. The Library team strives to make its physical and digital spaces safe and respectful for diverse voices, perspectives, and pursuits; to foster community dialogue and connections; and to help people achieve their goals and dreams in life.

Overview and Process

In the winter and spring of 2022, our Board of Trustees and staff revisited PPLD’s mission statement and developed a vision statement and organizational values that best reflect our public library system and growing community in El Paso County.

This became our starting point to develop our new strategic plan for 2023 - 2025. After months of input from the public through surveys and in-person meetings, PPLD staff, Library patrons, and other community members and government officials, PPLD used the rich qualitative data it received from more than 1,600 responses to develop a new strategic plan for 2023 - 2025.

This plan was publicly released on Dec. 6, 2022. In December 2025, the Board of Trustees voted to extend the plan through 2026 with minor revisions.

Below are the plan's six areas of focus and related strategies.

Access 

PPLD is an access point for everyone to engage with resources, services, and spaces as they choose. 

• Protect the right of all Library patrons to exercise intellectual freedom.
• Protect the right of individuals to create and consume content without censorship.
• Offer services and resources that meet the needs and wants of the community.
• Provide spaces and hours of operation that meet the needs and wants of the community. 

Accountability

PPLD is accountable to all stakeholders through fiscal responsibility, continuous evaluation, and by sharing findings with the public.

• Evaluate and share the impact of Library resources, services, and spaces.
• Evaluate and share the internal and external impacts within each area of focus.
• Gather, evaluate, and share public input.
• Maintain, track, and share practices of fiscal responsibility.
• Conduct evaluations of what is offered in the community, where and when, to ensure the Library is not duplicating efforts. 

Communications

PPLD invests in and elevates community awareness of its resources, services, and spaces. 

• Improve the digital experience and interface for Library patrons, including functionality, usability, and accessibility.
• Enhance the in-person patron experience at Library locations and through community outreach.
• Support staff in serving as Library ambassadors.
• Develop and implement a public relations and marketing plan that demonstrates the Library’s value and showcases what is offered in its physical and digital spaces.  
• Enhance internal communications to ensure all staff are aware, knowledgeable, and using provided 
  tools about the Library’s value and what is offered to the community.
• Provide patrons with a consistent brand experience across all PPLD channels, including brand identity and messaging. 

Community Connections

PPLD builds community through relationships and partnerships to connect people to relevant resources, services, and spaces.

• Build, maintain, and strengthen community-based relationships that benefit local and regional communities. 
• Build, maintain, and strengthen strategic partnerships to maximize areas of alignment that benefit local and regional communities.
• Expand existing partnerships and explore new opportunities for innovation.
• Maintain an ongoing presence in the community.
• Be responsive to current events and multi-cultural celebrations within our communities, serving as a hub and connector for residents and community groups.
• Participate and engage with local, regional, national, and international entities with staff serving as PPLD representatives.

Physical and Virtual Spaces

PPLD provides equal access to physical and virtual spaces in safe and inclusive environments. 

• Identify and address current and future facility, safety, and accessibility needs across the District.
• Update the technology and equipment master plan to identify and address current and future information technology needs across the Library District. 

Staff

PPLD values, trusts, and invests in staff.

• Support staff in their educational goals and growth.
• Build digital literacy skills among staff to best support the community’s needs.
• Train staff to provide awareness of Library and community resources.
• Provide excellence in internal and external customer service.
• Align individual staff talents to meet the community’s needs.
• Apply current Human Resources (HR) best practices in hiring and retention.
• Strengthen relationships within and among PPLD staff.
• Offer salary and benefits that are on par with local, state, and national standards and in compliance with legal requirements to recruit and retain an excellent workforce.
• Increase the skills, capabilities, and confidence of PPLD’s direct supervisors and managers. 

Pikes Peak Library District’s annual Jean Ciavonne Poetry Contest engages 4th and 5th grade writers in El Paso County.  

Poetry creates opportunities for children to explore a variety of topics and emotions through writing. The 2026 contest theme is Remembering Our Past to Inform Our Future. Students in 4th and 5th grade can write a poem and submit it for a chance to win a prize.

This contest continues local educator Jean Ciavonne’s legacy of connecting children with poetry and writing.  

Submissions for the 2026 contest are currently closed. Please check back soon for our winner announcement! 

Congratulations to our 2026 winners!

• Violet Avenarius, 4th Grade, School in the Woods - “Neighborhood Friends"
• Eliana Bellairs, 5th Grade, Ranch Creek Elementary School - “My Beachside Place”
• Dabi Chang, 4th Grade, Woodmen Roberts Elementary School - “These Places, These People”
• Danika Harms, 4th Grade, Howbert Elementary School - “Where I'm From”
• Keri Wouden, 5th Grade, Ranch Creek Elementary School - “Me"
• Aspen Yager, 5th Grade, Homeschool - “Where do I come from?”
   
• Audrey Benson, 5th grade, The da Vinci Academy - "I Hear Colorado"
• Jax Harris, 4th grade, Patriot Elementary School - "The Gold Rush! And why it's important."
• Lily Joseph, 5th grade, Chinook Trail Elementary School - "The Olympic City"
• Pippa Lawrence, 4th grade, Homeschool - "Eleanor and Me"
• Penny Skarda, 4th grade, Ranch Creek Elementary School - "The Legend of the Miners" 
• Summer Wells, 4th grade, Martinez Elementary School - "Colorado Columbine"

Jean Ciavonne Remembered from PPLD TV on Vimeo.

Libraries are a vital lifeline for the whole community. The PPLD Foundation’s End of Year Giving Campaign is back to raise funds to support the essential resources Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) provides to people throughout the Pikes Peak region. 

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, learning programs for homeschoolers, 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, reliable 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.

What all of those amazing services and programs have in common are the need for physical spaces. In 2025, the Pikes Peak Library District Foundation stepped up in a huge way to ensure these programs will have a home. In August, the Foundation Board agreed to fulfill a request from the District to commit $1 million to help purchase Ruth Holley Library. The purchase helps ensure this location will be available for years to come.

Donations are a vital part of Library funding and help in sustainability and vitality. We invite you to make a difference in your community with a meaningful contribution through the PPLD Foundation during the Year-End-Giving Campaign. We thank you for your support and generosity!

Donate today

Celebrate all of the reading, creating, exploring, and learning you did during Summer Adventure with three outdoor Summer Adventure Celebrations! Get outside with us and have a blast at these family fun events.

• Fri., July 11 from 10 a.m. - noon in Aga Park (Fountain) – Step into Wishing Star Farm’s petting zoo, see community helper vehicles like fire trucks, build with large foam blocks and magnetic tiles, enjoy a sweet treat from Culver's, discover vendor booths like Bricks & Minifigs, and more.
• Fri., July 18 from 10 a.m. - noon in George Fellows Park (behind East Library) – Discover activities and booths for kids of all ages, dive into a FOAM-TASTIC party, explore Wishing Star Farm’s petting zoo, see a real helicopter from Children’s Hospital Colorado, slip down a giant inflatable waterslide, meet Switchbacks mascot Ziggy, visit vendor booths like Raisin' Cain's Chicken Fingers, enjoy free frozen treats from Shake Shack, wind through a children’s obstacle course, and more.
• Thu., July 31 from 6 – 7 p.m. in Limbach Park (Monument) – Enjoy an interactive concert full of humor, dancing, and games with national family music performer Steve Weeks.

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) is getting ready to launch updated Personal Belongings and Food and Drink policies. Our Code of Conduct Policy is also being updated to help us continue to provide high quality, safe Library experiences for everyone who uses our Libraries. We strive to create a welcoming, clean, and comfortable environment that meets the needs of everyone in the Library by requiring users to respect other patrons and staff, respect library property, obey the law, and comply with requests from staff.

The updated policies will go into effect on Mon., May 12, 2025.

To keep walkways clear and free of trip hazards, we are updating our Personal Belongings Policy. Patrons of the Library will be expected to always keep their belongings with them and refrain from disrupting walkways, doorways, or restricting access to Library resources such as computers or seating. Belongings should not be larger than 22” L x 14” W x 10” H. (about the size of a carry-on bag at the airport).

Wheeled carts, strollers, or wagons being used for transporting children, meeting supplies, or Library materials, as well as mobility and medical devices, are exempt from these size requirements. 

Updates to our Food and Drink Policy will require all drinks to be covered while visiting the Library. Food will not be permitted, with the exception of prepackaged pouches and dry snacks allowed in the Children’s areas. Certain areas of the Library will be designated as, “No Drink Zones,” such as makerspaces, where drinks will be prohibited.

In areas such as computer labs, drinks with secured lids may be kept on the floor, not on the table or desk. These changes do not apply to PPLD’s event, meeting, and study rooms, which will follow the food and drink guidelines outlined in the Event, Meeting, and Study Room Policy.

Updates to our Code of Conduct Policy require patrons to wear appropriate clothing when visiting the Library. Patrons must wear shirts, dresses/skirts/pants, and shoes while at the Library.

The updated policies are available on our website, and the updated Code of Conduct signs will be posted in Library locations.  

Announcing the Library Card Design Contest Unveiling Ceremony! Join us in kicking off National Library Week with a ceremony to unveil the winning designs at East Library on Sat., April 5 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Refreshments will be provided, and new library cards will be available at the end of the ceremony. If you already have a library card, switching your existing card will cost $1 and you will exchange your existing number for a new one. The new library cards will officially be available at all Library locations starting on Mon., April 7.

The contest in January had tremendous participation from our community. We received 814 entries, including paintings, collages, photographs, pen and marker illustrations, colored pencil art, digital art, mixed media, and other art forms. Our Communications team loved receiving your submissions and seeing the outstanding creativity of the people living in El Paso County. Narrowing it down to select winners proved to be a difficult task, and we expanded our target from four to six new cards. The six winners were notified in February.

Centennial Elementary School submitted 53 of the designs after running the Design Contest as a school-wide contest (which received over 300 submissions not included in the 814 received by the Library). The school's student body voted on their top favorites to send to the Library. People of all ages living in El Paso County (except for Security-Widefield, which has a different library system) submitted designs inspired by the Library, the community, or the Pikes Peak region. 

The Winning Library Card Designs

Explore the Library Card Design Contest Gallery

Thank you to HR Meininger Company  for sponsoring gift cards for each winner! 

Thanks to you, our amazing community, 2024 was another excellent year for Library use across the District. Libraries are a vital lifeline for the whole community. We offer resources for education at all ages, financial planning, regional history, homeschooling, genealogy, small business, hobbies, homework help, early literacy, and so much more. Thank you for being Library users!

Our community made outstanding use of our eLibrary resources across the board. For the second year in a row, we reached over 3 million checkouts in a single year on OverDrive and Libby. You also checked out 52,944 items on Hoopla. 

Registration increased for many of our annual programs this year as well. We had 5,070 people register for our Winter Adult Reading Program (a 25% increase from 2023). Our 2024 Summer Adventure, presented by Children’s Hospital Colorado, opened to adults for the first time and had 18,302 people register (a 27% increase from 2023). 

In July, we started reading Go As a River with our community and had the pleasure of hearing from its Colorado-local author, Shelley Read during our All Pikes Peak Reads author presentation. Due to the high interest, we had to add a second author presentation! 
We welcomed 28,308 new library cardholders in 2024, and every month nearly 60 thousand people in our community used their PPLD library card. We had 1,905,097 people visit PPLD locations to check out 2,175,331 physical materials, use our meeting and study rooms (32,630 reservations), and use computers (224,751 users). More than 132,912 people attended our 4,120 programs, and 3,588 people checked out Culture Passes to visit nearby museums and attractions. We also answered 98,861 of your burning questions. We look forward to seeing how our community continues to use the Library in 2025! 

Here are the top book checkouts of 2024: 

Top 10 Juvenile checkouts

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
2. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling 
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix by J.K. Rowling
5. City of Spies by James Ponti
6. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer by Jeff Kinney
9. The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
10. Time of the Turtle King by Mary Pope Osborne

Top 10 Young Adult checkouts

1. The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan 
2. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
3. Eragon by Christopher Paolini 
4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
5. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
6. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
8. The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry

Top 10 Adult checkouts

1. The Women by Kristin Hannah
2. Go As a River by Shelley Read (our 2024 All Pikes Peak Reads title)
3. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
4. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
5. Tom Lake: A Novel by Ann Patchett
6. The Secret by Lee Child
7. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
8. Think Twice by Harlan Coben
9. The Murder Inn by James Patterson
10. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Published on Mon., Jan. 13, 2025

The much-anticipated Grand Reopening for Manitou Springs Library will take place on Fri., Feb. 7 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) staff have been hard at work preparing to move back into the historic Carnegie Library building that had been their original PPLD home since January 2013. Thanks to a colocation agreement, for the past three years the Library resided in the Manitou Arts Center due to accessibility limitations at its original location. A recent renovation project made the building more accessible and ADA compliant so now everyone can visit and enjoy the Library.

Join us for opening remarks starting at 4:30 p.m. followed by an open house with live music, refreshments, and activities from 5 – 6:30 p.m. where you can come in and see the updates.  

Manitou Springs Library temporarily closing to prepare for move to newly renovated Carnegie Library building

Published on Fri., Oct. 18, 2024

In preparation for its early 2025 move back to its original location, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) will close Manitou Springs Library on Fri., Nov. 1.

Manitou Springs Library moved to its current location in March 2021, after vacating the Carnegie Library building it inhabited due to ADA compliance issues with the historic building. Since then, the Library has been colocated with the Manitou Art Center (MAC).  

Over the last three years the City of Manitou Springs and a dedicated local task force have worked diligently to raise the money needed to update the Carnegie Library to comply with today’s accessibility requirements. Funding included support from the Library District and led to the city breaking ground on the renovation project in January 2024. The project is currently expected to be completed in November 2024. 

• Library users with items checked out at Manitou Springs Library can check for extended due dates through My Account or by calling (719) 531-6333 and selecting 0 for staff assistance.
• The book drop will be closed at 5 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 1 and Library users will not be able to return materials to Manitou Springs Library during the closure. 
• All holds designated for pickup at Manitou Springs Library will be suspended beginning Wed., Oct. 23 and will remain suspended until the Library reopens. Library users can select a different pick-up location and unsuspend holds through My Account or by calling (719) 531-6333 and selecting 0 for staff assistance. 
• Makerspace equipment will no longer be available at Manitou Springs Library after Thu., Oct. 31. Equipment is available for reservation at our three makerspace locations. 
• Library users will have access to the Manitou Art Center with their PPLD library card until Fri., Nov. 15.  

PPLD will vacate the shared space with the MAC in mid-November. While the Library District’s partnership with the MAC is ending, PPLD is grateful the partnership allowed us to continue to serve the community while the Carnegie building was being renovated to be accessible to all.  

The Library District and the City of Manitou Springs are working closely together to organize grand opening activities in early 2025 to celebrate its return to the Library’s historic home in the community. 

Library users are encouraged to use this opportunity to visit and explore other Library locations while this relocation is completed. 

Manitou Springs Library has Relocated

Published on Sun., Feb. 21, 2021

Uniting Manitou Springs’ library and art center to enrich community

The community of Manitou Springs now can find art, literature, creative studios, meeting spaces, and the vast resources and services of the public library all one place! Thanks to a new co-location partnership, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) has relocated Manitou Springs Library to the Manitou Art Center (MAC). Building upon a decade of trust and cooperation, PPLD and the MAC transformed the historic building at 515 Manitou Avenue to become a shared space that extends more benefits to local artists, Library cardholders, and the greater community. PPLD can offer more than traditional library resources and services – and in a way that’s accessible – to all in Manitou Springs. The MAC will join us in welcoming more residents to learn, connect, create, and tinker with their already extensive offering of equipment and creative spaces. Manitou Springs Library officially opened inside of the MAC on Fri., March 5, 2021. Patrons can now safely browse the collection, speak with a librarian, book a computer session, or use the fax, scan, and copier machine. Curbside services are also available at the new co-location.

Get your limited-edition library card while supplies last!

Congratulations to artist Susan Odiam of Manitou Springs! Her original creation will be featured on our limited-edition card to celebrate the relocation of Manitou Springs Library to the MAC.

“We’re thrilled to pair our physical collection and other library services with an organization so focused on serving residents of Manitou Springs,” said PPLD Chief Librarian and CEO John Spears. “Their facilities will immeasurably enhance what we can provide to the local community.” 
As the shared spaces expand in the future, Manitou Springs Library and the MAC will offer broader access to on-site meeting rooms, computer labs, makerspaces, art studios, and workforce development opportunities. The new co-location partners look forward to a future with more synergy, right in the heart of Manitou Springs, to support people’s aspirations, foster creativity and innovation, and boost prosperity. 
“We’re excited to see what other long-term benefits arise from this venture, like increasing access to the MAC and expanding PPLD opportunities in Manitou Springs,” said MAC Executive Director Natalie Johnson. “We will leverage each other’s strengths of service.” 
PPLD’s departure from the historic Carnegie building provides the City of Manitou Springs with necessary time to plan for its future, while still allowing the Library to adequately serve the public right now. PPLD’s leadership welcomes the opportunity to work with the City and return to the historic Carnegie building – if an expansion or facility improvements allow the Library to serve residents of all abilities, and everyone also has the opportunity to take advantage of other common services across El Paso County like access to meeting and study rooms, makerspaces, and more. 
In the meantime, PPLD and the MAC looks forward to a strong co-location partnership so both can best serve the community now and into the foreseeable future. It’s beneficial for PPLD cardholders, MAC members, local artists, community partners, taxpayers, and the local economy. 
“This is what can happen when we unite to find ways to better serve our community regardless of the circumstances,” shared Andy Vick, Executive Director for the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region. “I applaud Pikes Peak Library District and the Manitou Art Center for their collaboration, and I hope other organizations are inspired to move beyond traditional community partnerships and consider embracing the shared-space model that capitalizes on existing resources and plays to each other’s strengths.” 
“Such alliances can lead to more people and businesses flourishing, which is what we need to strengthen the fabric of our communities for years to come.”

Your library card gives you access to a world of possibilities at Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD). In addition to a wide selection of physical and digital items you can check out, you also have access to a variety of online resources and databases. This month, take a closer look at CultureGrams and Peterson’s Test Prep.  

You will need a library card that starts with a 4 to access some of the resources on this page outside of a Library location.

CultureGrams Online

What holidays do people celebrate in Nigeria? What recipes are very Colorado? What famous person came from Saskatchewan? Satisfy your cultural curiosity or explore the world from home with CultureGrams Online. This colorful database includes in-depth information about states, provinces, and countries. The database is user-friendly and laid out in a way that makes it easy to enjoy on your own or with any curious young people in your life.

On the map, click the place you want to learn about, and off you go! Each entry includes basic information such as climate, wildlife, geography, and economics, or you can read up on famous people, significant history, and other interesting cultural notes.  

Country pages include infographics and audio clips of national anthems or other cultural sounds. You will also find helpful information on cultural gestures, basic greetings (which you can listen to), and other details. 

As a fun bonus, U.S. state and Canadian province entries include recipes! 

Did we mention that there is a kids’ section? Kids will enjoy additional information about schools, holidays, what games and sports people play, what life is like for children, and other details they can relate to. 

Peterson’s Test Prep

You might be aware that Peterson’s Test Prep supports students, but do you know about its uses outside of academics? This resource helps you achieve both your academic and career goals.

Learn key skills in bookkeeping and cosmetology, or find the study guides you need for vocational tests in postal work, teaching, real estate, the food industry, emergency services, law enforcement, and other careers. Additionally, there are courses where you can brush up on your foundational computer, science, math, reading, and writing skills for work. If your employer uses ACT Workkeys tests, you can also find study guides for those here.

English language learners and people preparing for the U.S. Citizenship test will also find helpful study guides.

If you are on a job hunt, check out the career advice, online resume, and job searching tools

For students, Peterson’s Test Prep offers study guides for a variety of school subjects (including Advanced Placement), college test prep guides, and graduate school test guides (GRE, LSAT, GMAT, and others). Other handy tools include school search, scholarship search, and financial aid information. 

Where can you see world-class athletes train for their sport? At the Colorado Springs Olympic & Paralympic Training Center (CSOPTC), of course! The center, located right here in El Paso County, is the flagship training center for over 10,000 Team USA athletes each year. The center provides elite facilities for multiple sports, housing, dining, and cutting-edge sports medicine and sports science facilities.

Pikes Peak Library District offers library cardholders an inside look into this exceptional facility. Check out a Pikes Peak Culture Pass and get a first-hand look at where Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls in various sports train to be selected to represent the United States as a part of Team USA. Take a guided tour of the facility, where you will see the strength and conditioning gym, aquatics center, wrestling gym, multi-purpose sport centers, and more. You may even catch some resident athletes training during your visit! 

The center trains athletes in cycling, figure skating, swimming, shooting, track and field, boxing, wrestling, basketball, volleyball, and other competitive sports. With so many Team USA athletes living, training, and working in Colorado Springs, the training center’s participation in the Culture Pass program offers a great opportunity to see elite-level training facilities filled with athletes preparing for the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.  

It is exciting to know that some of the world’s greatest have trained at the CSOPTC. From Michael Phelps to one Team USA’s newest gold medalists, Freestyle Wrestler Amit Elor, the OPTC is your front row seat to the Olympic & Paralympic Movement.

Visit ppld.org/culturepass to get your no-cost pass to witness our nation’s best athletes aspire to take the world stage. For more information about visiting the CSOPTC visit teamusa.com.