Categories
From the PPLD Board of Trustees:
Published on Fri., Nov. 8, 2024
As we quickly approach the closing of Rockrimmon Library we, the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) Board of Trustees (Board), want to reach out to the Rockrimmon community.
The decision not to renew the Rockrimmon Library lease was not made lightly. After months of reviewing all the information, struggling to fully staff the District, and discussing the options it was evident that tough decisions needed to be made to keep our District strong. A library provides access to resources and materials to everyone in the community, so considering a closure goes against the grain of our hopes for PPLD. However, our District provides access to nearly 700,000 people across El Paso County. We must make decisions that sustain the entire District. The Facilities Master Plan was brought to us to ensure a strategic plan was in place for the longevity of the District.
The Board and the Library’s Leadership Team and staff value the support of the Rockrimmon community. Your passion for and dedication to finding ways to keep its doors open is both honorable and inspiring.
As the decision not to renew the lease is final, thoughtful consideration has already been given to other ways we can service the community such as possibly adding a stop to the PPLD Mobile Library Services’ schedule or placing book drops and/or kiosks throughout Rockrimmon. Additionally, our librarians at other locations are eager to meet and help each of you.
We invite you all to stay engaged in the Library District to help ensure we are here for years to come. Your support as volunteers, through donations to the PPLD Foundation, or as patrons help keep the District viable.
– PPLD Board of Trustees
Rockrimmon Library closing on Sun., Dec. 1
Published on Fri., Nov. 1, 2024
At their October meeting, the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) Board of Trustees voted to not renew the Rockrimmon Library lease when it expires on Dec. 31, 2024.
PPLD will close Rockrimmon Library on Sun., Dec. 1 in preparation for the end of the lease.
- Items checked out at Rockrimmon Library can be returned at any PPLD location.
- All unavailable holds designated for pickup at Rockrimmon Library will be suspended beginning Sat., Nov. 16. These holds will remain suspended until Library users unsuspend them and select a different pick-up location through My Account or by calling (719) 531-6333 and selecting 0 for staff assistance.
- Holds that are available and on the hold shelf at Rockrimmon Library as of Sat., Nov. 16 will remain through their hold expiration dates. This includes Interlibrary Loan (ILL) items.
- ILL users with the preferred library of Rockrimmon Library will have their preferred library automatically changed to Library 21c after Rockrimmon Library closes. Users can change their preferred library through their Request It account or by calling (719) 531-5333, x2317 for ILL staff assistance.
Library 21c and East Library are within approximately 6 driving miles from the Rockrimmon Library location.
PPLD and its staff looks forward to welcoming and serving Rockrimmon Library users at any of our Library locations.
PPLD Board of Trustees Votes to Not Renew Rockrimmon Library Lease
Published on Thu., Oct. 17, 2024
After months of contemplation and examination, it was with great difficulty that the PPLD Board of Trustees came to the decision at our monthly board meeting on Wed., Oct. 16, to close Rockrimmon Library.
In June 2024, the board received a preliminary Facilities Master Plan report (FMP) and was presented with the final report in late September during the Board’s annual retreat. Since June, the trustees have been thoroughly reviewing and considering the report’s findings and recommendations and realized they needed to make some hard decisions about how Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) should proceed.
The sustainability of the Library District is the Board’s number one priority. We want to ensure the District is available and capable of serving the nearly 700,000 residents within its service area in El Paso County.
We were faced with some difficult realities, to include:
- The District has $1.2 million per year in deferred maintenance ($20.7 million for 10 years – see page 68 of the Facilities Master Plan), that we need to address to keep our facilities operational and safe for the public. There is no room in the tight budget that fuels the Library each year for these projects.
- Like many businesses across the country post-COVID-19, PPLD is still suffering from staffing shortages due to retirements, new working options, and the cost of living.
- Leasing space is not as financially sustainable as owning, but it takes money to buy locations or build them.
- PPLD is the second largest library district in Colorado but receives 30 percent less funding than the state average for a library district; compare $51 per capita vs. the state average of $74.
- The amount of money needed to sustain the District is far more than any fundraising could ever solve, as the funds would be needed each year. This is not about balancing a single year’s budget; it is about sustaining the District’s operations for years to come.
- Seeking additional funding cannot be implemented overnight. It would take a few years to come to fruition; we need to start making changes now. We need to find savings and funding now.
As we reviewed the recommendations for sustainable operations without additional funding (Scenario 1 in the FMP), the Board analyzed the impact of the suggested Library closures. It considered all the Library locations and the communities they serve.
Rockrimmon Library, which opened in 1989, was one of the suggested closures. Research into this option revealed that this is not the first time this Library was flagged for closure. In 2014 the then Board of Trustees considered closing this location. However, the departure of the Chief Librarian and the following 18-month search for a replacement put any actions toward that end on hold.
As the trustees further examined Rockrimmon Library they realized:
- There are multiple libraries within approximately 6 driving miles from the Rockrimmon Library location – Library 21c and East Library.
- The lease on the Rockrimmon location is roughly $242,000 per year, the most expensive lease in the Library District.
- There have been problems with flooding during heavy rains; PPLD has had to bear the cost of repairing any damage.
- There was a sinkhole behind the building where the book drop is located.
- While the property owner has recently offered to lower the rent and take care of any future costs due to flooding or sinkholes, this effort does not begin to erase any of the financial issues the Library District is facing.
Closing Rockrimmon Library would allow the following:
- An immediate savings of $242,000, which could help support numerous capital improvements that are needed across the District in 2025.
- A savings of $25,000 in utilities and interior maintenance.
- The staff of 10 employees would be retained and relocated to other Library locations, which would begin to solve the issues of overworked staff and increase staff morale.
- The Library’s resources would be rehoused between Library 21c and East Library.
- A beginning toward sustainability for the District as it considers ways to serve its growing community in the north-, central- and southeast of the county.
The trustees were faced with a hard decision that they did not want to make. But when viewed through eyes that are responsible for the fate of the Library District and its ability to serve all the communities in El Paso County, they must make tough decisions in the District’s long-term best interests. Therefore, the lease for Rockrimmon Library will not be renewed when it expires on Dec. 31, 2024. The Library will close its doors on Sun., Dec. 1, to allow the District to vacate the building by the end of the lease.
This is just one – albeit an important one - of several decisions the Board must make over the next few months as it works to sustain Pikes Peak Library District so that it can continue to serve this community for decades in the future.
– Dora Gonzales, PPLD Board of Trustees President
Interested in getting involved as a leader in your community? Pikes Peak Library District’s Board of Trustees seeks applications due to an upcoming vacancy beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
Members of PPLD’s Board of Trustees are appointed by a joint committee of the Colorado Springs City Council and the El Paso County Board of Commissioners. It is a governing board as opposed to an advisory board. Trustees serve without remuneration and must live within the Library District’s service area. They are limited to two five-year terms.
Responsibilities include attending regular board and committee meetings, following bylaws, serving as a community liaison, appointing and evaluating the performance of the Library’s Chief Librarian and CEO, setting policy, performing strategic planning duties, reviewing and approving the annual budget, and more.
Applications for the vacancy close at 10 p.m. MST on Mon., Nov 18, 2024. Applications must be completed and submitted online. Learn more and apply at ppld.org/BOT
Learn about heritage and culture this November with Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD). Discover resources, web links, and booklists nationally recognized holidays and heritage months on this page. In November, Explore Native American & Alaska Native Heritage Month and Veteran’s Day.
Native American & Alaska Native Heritage Month
Native American & Alaska Native Heritage Month in November recognizes the vibrant and diverse tapestry of American Indian and Alaska Native heritage, history, and culture. Experience a world of traditions, stories, and knowledge through the array of resources on this page.
Booklists
Library Resources
Gale eBooks
Search this database using key words like “Native American” for further reading and information. (Must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside of a Library location)
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
Our Digital Collections contain historic photos by Horace S. Poley, many of which are photographs 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.
PPLD Digital Collections
Search our Digital Collections for more photographs! We recommend using search terms like, “Native American,” “American Indian,” “Indian,” and “Ute.”
Reference and Special Collections Materials (Catalog)
Explore American Indian heritage in reference and historical texts found in our physical and digital collections.
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.
Native American Heritage Month
Find information from The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum discussing Native American & Alaska Native Heritage.
Veterans Day
Veterans Day recognizes veterans from all branches of the U.S. armed forces and their families. Below are veteran resources, booklists, and websites you can explore.
Booklists
Library Resources
Freegal
- Veterans Day Collection: 50 Patriotic Songs
- Veterans Day (radio broadcast)
Gale Ebooks
Search this database using the keyword “Veterans” for further reading and information. (Must have a library card that starts with a 4 to access outside of a Library location)
PPLD Digital Collections
Discover historic photos, postcards, news articles, and other Pikes Peak region history items. Use key search terms like ‘veteran,’ ‘military,’ ‘air force,’ and ‘war.’ Look up ‘Chappie’ to find information about the first African American to be promoted to four-star General rank in the U.S. military, or ‘Little Zeb’ to learn about a unique publicity stunt that happened right here in the Pikes Peak region.
Websites
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Learn more about VA resources, the PACT Act, healthcare for veterans, life insurance, memorials, and other crucial information for veterans.
Veterans Day 2024
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
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 that has access to the internet.