What's New at PPLD!

Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys, recounts his first launch in a small West Virginia coal town.

Building Rockets from PPLD TV on Vimeo.

Come participate in National Gaming Day with PPLD. On Saturday, November 14 at East Library (5550 N. Union Blvd.) between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., there will be tween and teen video gaming in the East Teen Center, as well as board gaming and chess in Conference Rooms I and II.

From 2 – 4 p.m. in the East Library Community Meeting Room, there will be senior/teen Wii gaming. Seniors can learn how to play Wii sports with the youth of the community. Invite your teen age family members to join you and learn from the best. All seniors are encouraged to attend, but teens must be accompanied by a senior to attend this gaming session.

Also from 2 – 4 p.m., there will be board games and Rock Band playing in the Carnegie Reading Room at Penrose Library (20 N. Cascade Ave.).

A ground breaking ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 12 will begin the construction process for the High Prairie Branch Library, a facility that will provide Library service to eastern El Paso County. Non-perishable food items for Care and Share will be collected at this event. The ground breaking will occur at 7035 Old Meridian Road in Falcon, site of the soon-to-be newest branch in Pikes Peak Library District. Construction should be completed by mid-2010.

Funds are still being raised to help pay for this project. Interested donors should contact the Pikes Peak Library District Foundation (531-6333, x2205 or ppld.org/foundation).

William B. Scott, author of All Pikes Peak Reads 2009 selection Space Wars: The First Three Hours of World War III, will give presentation entitled The Power of Fiction to Shape Perception. Scott is a full-time author and consultant. He retired as the Rocky Mountain Bureau Chief for Aviation Week & Space Technology, following a 22-year career with the international magazine. He also served as Senior National Editor in Washington, and as Avionics and Senior Engineering Editors in Los Angeles.

Refreshments will be served and admission is free.

When: Thursday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: University of the Rockies, Harvey House Auditorium, 555 E. Pikes Peak Ave.

The first 150 teens who show up with a PPLD library card at this party will skate for free, not including skate rental ($1.50 for regular skates, $3.50 for inline skates). Don’t have a card? Don’t worry! You can sign up for one at the party.

Skate City will provide bus transportation from the Fountain and Old Colorado City library branches. If you are interested in taking a bus to this event, contact Mary Gapko (Fountain Branch, 382-5347) or Tiffany Paisley (Old Colorado City Branch, 634-1698).

And be sure to dress up for the costume contest!

• When: Friday, October 30, 6 – 10 p.m.
• Where: Skate City, 4575 Austin Bluffs Parkway

If you are interested in drama and acting, or just like performing, the Improv Club is for you. The group is for teens in 6th grade and up, or ages 11 – 18. No experience or registration is required. For additional information, contact akrupicka@ppld.org or khoke@ppld.org.

• When: Wed., Oct. 14 and Wed., Nov. 11 from 4 – 5 p.m.
• Where: East Teen Center at East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd.

Learn how to identify foundation and corporate giving programs for nonprofit organizations using free online databases accessible through Pikes Peak Library District. Search the Foundation Directory Online, the Colorado Grants Guide, and other online databases. Call 531-6333, x2335 to register.

• When: Thursday, October 15 at 8 a.m.
• Where: Penrose Library, 20 N. Cascade Ave.

PLEASE NOTE: This presentation has been cancelled.
Bob Fish, author of Hornet Plus Three: The Story of the Apollo 11 Recovery, will discuss his book at Colorado College. The book details the naval recovery of astronauts that splashed down in the ocean upon returning to Earth and how that process evolved during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. It culminates with the story of the USS Hornet’s recovery of the Apollo 11 crew that famously became the first to reach the surface of the moon. Fish, a former Marine, has been Apollo Curator and Board of Trustees member at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, California. This free event is part of All Pikes Peak Reads 2009.

• When: Monday, October 26 at 7 p.m.
• Where: Colorado College, Gaylord Hall, 902 N. Cascade Ave.

Vieux Farka Touré performed his modern take on the music of Mali at Colorado College’s Armstrong Hall on September 21 for PPLD’s World Music Series 2009. The show was presented by KRCC Concerts.

Below, watch Touré and his band play Diaraby Magni, alternating from mellow, funky grooves to blistering, bluesy guitar solos all over percussion that melds traditional African rhythms with rock and jazz drumming. The video was produced by PPLD’s Video Production Center. Other Library productions – including additional World Music Series shows, features on local visual artists, and presentations by prominent authors – can be seen at PPLD.TV.

There will be photo exhibits on loan from NASA on display at the East and Penrose Libraries for the month of October as part of All Pikes Peak Reads 2009.

At East Library, Special Effects from Space contains dazzling views of the ever-changing surface of the Earth and its atmosphere. Penrose Library’s Art Gallery is housing America from Space, spectacular shots of this country from the unique perspective of outer space. Both collections contain captions to shed further light on these startling images. Be sure to check out both exhibits this month and experience a truly out-of-this-world visual journey.