The top 10 of 2019 are here! Learn more about what the Pikes Peak Region read in 2019 and add any you missed to your 2020 reading list!
Adult Books
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- The Reckoning by John Grisham
- Educated: a Memoir by Tara Westover
- Wolf Pack by C.J. Box
- TransAtlantic: a Novel by Colum McCann
- Redemption by David Baldacci
- Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
- Unsolved by James Patterson
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Teen Books
- Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
- To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
- Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
Children's Books
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
- Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
- Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney
- The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
- A Long Walk to Water: a Novel by Linda Sue Park
- Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
- Warriors in Winter by Mary Pope Osborne
- The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen
eBooks
- A Dangerous Act of Kindness by LP Fergusson
- Redemption: Amos Decker Series, Book 5 by David Baldacci
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
- Wolf Pack by C.J. Box
- After the Flood: A Novel by Kassandra Montag
- An Anonymous Girl: A Novel by Greer Hendricks
- Run Away by Harlan Coben
- Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
- The 18th Abduction by James Patterson
- Neon Prey by John Sandford
eAudio
- The Silent Patient (unabridged) by Alex Michaelide
- Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals (unabridged) by Rachel Hollis
- Redemption: Amos Decker Series, Book 5 (unabridged) by David Baldacci
- The Giver of Stars: A Novel (unabridged) by Jojo Moyes
- City of Girls: A Novel (unabridged) by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Dutch House: A Novel (unabridged) by Ann Patchett
- The Institute: A Novel (unabridged) by Stephen King
- Daisy Jones & the Six: A Novel (unabridged) by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Turn of the Key (unabridged) by Ruth Ware
- The Guardians: A Novel (unabridged) by John Grisham
The natural environment is one of our treasures in Colorado. Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) sought proposals for an interactive, 3D, freestanding art piece to draw attention to this resource and its conservation. The call was answered by several artists and, after a jury process, Virage was selected. It is eye catching, conversation evoking, appropriate for all ages, safe for public spaces, and movable among Library locations. Throughout the year this sculpture will travel to four PPLD locations: Penrose Library, Sand Creek Library, East Library, and Library 21c.
With a focus on the beauty of our natural environment and conservation, PPLD hopes to evoke conversation and interaction among patrons. A variety of programming will be offered throughout the District that relates to this topic.
Click Here to learn about related programs.
Post your photos of and with #PPLDSustainaball on social media!
Artist Narrative:
The current political atmosphere has created an unsettling time with the lifting of protections to the environment, denial of scientific knowledge and climate change, and inclusiveness and access to education. Virage subtly, yet critically speaks to the impacts of humans on the environment and the consequences ahead. The beauty of the barks’ texture together with the perfect form of the sphere is meant to give a sense of hope and promise that humankind will take responsibility, humankind will find a respectful and healthy balance with the natural world and ecosystems. Human beings have the incredible ability to be innovative and creative, when presented the opportunity solve insolvable puzzles. The artwork invites the viewer to consider and reconsider the current choices and actions as a consumer. There is an intended charge to the viewer to make our natural world the highest priority - to practice conservation.
Artist Biography:
Nikki Pike grew up in Black Forest, Colorado, where she learned to ride bikes and climb trees in between flashlight tag, midnight soccer, and competitive sledding. The adopted daughter of a nurse and an engineer, and sister to four brothers and a sister, Nikki learned to work in groups and negotiate at an early age. Fighting over the measuring cups in the bathtub and wooden spoons in the garden, the Pike family children grew wild imaginations.
The earliest sign that Nikki may later become a sculptor was in her sixteenth year in being grounded for a month. Rather than moping around and feeling sorry for her new life in confinement, Nikki raided her father’s toolbox and undertook the accidental but artistic resurfacing of her very first vehicle, an AMC gremlin. Otherwise, realizing her interest and making a commitment to art came much later after her surrender to finally join the quest to attend college and explore communications design. Her exposure to materials and objects fed her need to make and build and fulfilled the physical gap that once was spent playing soccer.
Now, Nikki Pike is an artist and activist committed to serving the community through her art practice and role as an educator. Through the use of universally positive human experiences such as curiosity, music, surprise, and gifting, along with the influence of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, she spreads values of empowerment, vulnerability and connection in the form of experience as opposed to product. Nikki sees herself as a cultural agent working together with local communities promoting activity and creativity. With her an expansive practice, Nikki straddles public arts, social sculpture, service srt and is exploring ideas of relief art intended to aide communities responding to disaster. Her methods start from the ideals of democracy and her work has been featured at the Denver Art Museum, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, and Art Basel Miami to name a few. Currently Nikki resides in Denver, Colorado, and holds a professorship at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.
Publishers are Putting Libraries and Patrons in a Bind
New lending and purchasing models place financial burdens and time limitations on libraries.
Recent moves by book publishers to limit library access to eBooks and eAudiobooks will create increased financial burdens for libraries and wait times for patrons.
The eBook collection at Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) is so popular that the system’s digital circulation now ranks within the top twenty in the nation. PPLD cardholders have already surpassed one million checkouts on OverDrive, one of several eBook services offered by the Library District.
Hachette, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Blackstone Publishing, and Macmillian Publishers, among others, are changing their lending models for eBooks and eAudiobooks. While these changed lending models vary slightly from publisher to publisher, each change limits library access to digital books and will increase wait times for new releases and other titles.
“Unfortunately, these drastic steps by book publishers are putting Pikes Peak Library District in an extraordinarily difficult position,” said John Spears, Chief Librarian and CEO of PPLD. “Our digital circulation is incredibly high, and we know these new measures are going to increase wait times for our patrons.”
Most of the changes include new purchasing models, so that instead of libraries having perpetual access to each book they purchase, they have to re-purchase the books after two years.
As of Nov. 1, Macmillan Publishers imposed an eight-week embargo on public libraries for the purchase of new eBook titles. Libraries may only purchase a single copy of new eBook titles during the first eight weeks of its release, during which time the titles will be available through marketplace vendors.
“This is an equal access issue for our patrons,” Spears says. “We know that not everyone with a library card will be able to bypass these increased wait times by simply purchasing the digital book somewhere else, and they shouldn’t have to. We urge publishers to reverse or modify these changes, and encourage our patrons to speak out if they agree.”
To learn more about eBook restrictions and how to take action, go to ebooksforall.org.