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With a determined posture and a set look on her face, Kim Seaborn takes a deep breath to begin another take.

After singing a few lines, she stops, looking satisfied.

“I think we got it,” says Keagan Kellogg, sound engineer for Studio916.

Seaborn relaxes her shoulders and smiles before stepping away from the microphone to celebrate with the rest of the team. Her full-length album: officially a wrap.

Seaborn worked for weeks alongside Kellogg and Studio916 producer TerryJosiah Sharpe to record her second full-length album without incurring any expenses, inside a facility of Pikes Peak Library District.

“Here, I got to work with professionals,” Seaborn says. “I found the team here was so easy to work with and just really let me be myself, and they helped me flourish creatively.”

Seaborn started performing in front of her church’s congregation when she was just a sixth grader, and remembers the intensely overwhelming feeling of impacting the crowd.

“I saw people crying,” Seaborn remembers. “Seeing that emotion from the crowd… that was something I liked. If I can get a person to be transformed with my singing, that’s what makes it worthwhile to me.”

But standing up in front of large groups wasn’t something that came naturally to her.

“I’m a very shy person,” Seaborn says. “When I was growing up, I tried to do things that would take me out of that shyness. I felt singing was one of the things I could do to get me out of my shell.”

Her first album, His Glory, was completed in 2014. She was ready to record another one soon after but wanted to break away from the traditional feel of her first full-length album.

Plus, the sheer cost of recording an album was another hurdle.

“These hours in the recording studio can cost thousands of dollars,” Seaborn remembers.

But then she learned of a studio she could use at no cost at Sand Creek Library: Studio916. She attended a studio orientation to learn more about using the space. Then, she checked every day for open studio sessions because they were so frequently booked.

As she got into the studio more and more, Seaborn found that she had a team of experts at her disposal in Kellogg and Sharpe. “It helped me break out of my shell,” she remembers. “When you have people who know what they’re doing, it just gels.”

Now, Seaborn has a vision for her future as a musician, hoping to record more music as well as further market herself as a singer/songwriter and get her music out into the world.

She hopes other aspiring artists in the Pikes Peak region will take advantage of Studio916.

“To these young people with a dream, I say go for it,” Seaborn says. “If music is something that is a part of your purpose and you’re willing to put in some work, do it. It is thousands of dollars to do elsewhere what you can do at the Library for free.”

Click here for more news from around your Library district!

Make and indoor or outdoor obstacle course with stuff you have around the house.
Time yourself to see how long it takes to get through.
The winner gets to create a new obstacle course!
Safety first when creating your challenges for each other!

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
  1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  2. Becoming by Michelle Obama
  3. The Reckoning by John Grisham
  4. Educated: a Memoir by Tara Westover
  5. Wolf Pack by C.J. Box
  6. TransAtlantic: a Novel by Colum McCann
  7. Redemption by David Baldacci
  8. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
  9. Unsolved by James Patterson
  10. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Teen Books
  1. Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
  2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling
  3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
  4. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  5. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
  6. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
  7. The Giver by Lois Lowry
  8. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
  9. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
  10. Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

Children's Books
  1. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
  2. Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
  3. Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
  4. Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
  5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney
  6. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
  7. A Long Walk to Water: a Novel by Linda Sue Park
  8. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
  9. Warriors in Winter by Mary Pope Osborne
  10. The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

eBooks
  1. A Dangerous Act of Kindness by LP Fergusson
  2. Redemption: Amos Decker Series, Book 5 by David Baldacci
  3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
  4. Wolf Pack by C.J. Box
  5. After the Flood: A Novel by Kassandra Montag
  6. An Anonymous Girl: A Novel by Greer Hendricks
  7. Run Away by Harlan Coben
  8. Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
  9. The 18th Abduction by James Patterson
  10. Neon Prey by John Sandford

eAudio
  1. The Silent Patient (unabridged) by Alex Michaelide
  2. Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals (unabridged) by Rachel Hollis
  3. Redemption: Amos Decker Series, Book 5 (unabridged) by David Baldacci
  4. The Giver of Stars: A Novel (unabridged) by Jojo Moyes
  5. City of Girls: A Novel (unabridged) by Elizabeth Gilbert
  6. The Dutch House: A Novel (unabridged) by Ann Patchett
  7. The Institute: A Novel (unabridged) by Stephen King
  8. Daisy Jones & the Six: A Novel (unabridged) by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  9. The Turn of the Key (unabridged) by Ruth Ware
  10. The Guardians: A Novel (unabridged) by John Grisham

Is there a favorite thing you enjoy doing…either by yourself or with your friends? January is a time to celebrate your hobbies. Whether it is sports or crafting or music or magic, the Library is the perfect place to learn more about your hobby. Enjoy these picture books, click on the pdf link below:

Name of the Sculpture: Virage

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!

Virage 1Virage 2Virage 3Virage 4Virage 5

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.

When you are looking for the perfect gift…look no further than your library for great inspiration. You’ll find books, CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray, magazines and so much more within the walls of your local library branch. Find a gift your child will treasure for years to come. Opening a book from the library is like unwrapping a gift every day! Click on the pdf link below to see some of our favorite picture books:

Make ornaments or book marks for gifts this season.
Be creative! You can make animals, people or fantasy creatures!

Materials:

  • Colored paper or magazines
  • Markers
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Craft Sticks or pieces of heavy paper
  • Yarn, string or ribbon for hanging

Read these stories together. Then spend time with Mom, Dad or a grandparent and share your own family stories. Tell stories about what you or your ancestors have done. Imagine what you may do in the future. Click on the pdf link below to see the reading list.

Supplies:

  • white printer paper
  • black construction paper
  • crayons or markers
  • pencil
  • scissors
  • glue stick
  • hole punch (optional)

Directions

  1. Holding your white paper vertically (tall), fold the paper in half.
  2. Draw half of a skull (see first photo below).
  3. Keeping the paper folded, cut out your skull. Eyes can be difficult to cut out but you can help make it easier by poking holes first. (A hole punch makes easy holes).
  4. After your skull is cut out, keep it folded and cut more decoratively by cutting slits, triangles, etc.(see photo below.)
  5. Unfold your skull.
  6. Glue the skull onto black paper.
  7. Color your skull.

skull 1skull 2skull 3

skull 4skull 5skull 6

Supplies:

  • White Paper
  • White Crayons
  • Water color paints and paintbrushes
  • Water

Make your own secret message by writing with white crayon on a white piece of paper. Write a secret message to your friend. Place your message in an envelope and give it to your friend or family member. Instruct them to use water color paints to reveal the message.
You can create clues for a scavenger hunt this way or just leave fun messages around during a special birthday or holiday week.

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.

Supplies:

Green Pipe Cleaners
Popcicle sticks (plain or dyed ones)
Green marker or highlighter
Googly eyes or white construction paper circles with marker eyes
White paper to make teeth
White glue

Color your popcicle stick with a green marker or crayon.
Wrap 2 pipe cleaners tightly around the stick to make a body and legs. (You can add a drop or two of glue on the bottom of the stick to make it stay on better.)
Glue on eyes and teeth. Don’t forget the nostrils!

October is the perfect time, as leaves fall off the trees, to cuddle up and snuggle up with a book of poetry. Click on the pdf below to see a great reading list of autumn books.

Go on a scavenger hunt in your house and find hats, shirts, vests, furry things, silky things and anything else you can use for a costume. Old Halloween costumes are also fun to mix and match!
Create mustaches, crowns, crazy eyes or lips out of paper and tape straws on one side of them.
Use a sheet or curtain for a backdrop.
Put on costumes and pose together using a parent’s phone to take pictures. If kids are old enough, have everyone take a turn being the photographer.
See how many different costumes you can make from stuff at home.

Tarikh Brown, PPLD's Maker in Residence for November/December 2019, specializes in comics and sequential art. Tarikh Brown is a local artist with a BA in Graphic Design. He is currently seeking an MA in Computer Science: Digital Media Technology, which will be used for developing video games and virtual reality. Tarikh is especially passionate about sequential art, such as comics and story boarding, and loves to share his craft with others!

Visit PPLD's Maker/Artist in Residence page for more information about this program.

The Penrose Playgroup welcomes newborns- 24 month olds and their parents or caregivers.
This time together includes books, songs, music, play time, and more!

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Free Math Help

Is math homework getting you down? Are finals freaking you out? Do you need to brush up before the ACT, SAT, or GED? Our experienced math tutors can help you improve your grades and take the stress out of math. Take advantage of math tutoring for all levels!


Check out our resource guide for Homework Help. There you will find, BrainFuse HelpNow. This is free, live, online math tutoring by experts. They are available from 2 - 11 p.m. everyday.

 

SUPPLIES:

  • Tin foil
  • Bowl
  • Scissors
  • Pennies
  • Water

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Cut a piece of tin foil 5 x 6 inches.
  2. Fold up the sides of the boat so it will not sink and hold a cargo of pennies. Get creative and see if you can develop fancy boats.
  3. Place the boat in the bowl of water. Begin adding pennies for the boat's cargo.
  4. See how many pennies your boat can carry before it sinks.
  5. Have some friends over and try this experiment with them. See which one of you can create the boat that will carry the greatest amount of cargo.
  6. Be sure to dry the pennies before you begin adding them as cargo because remember water has weight!
  7. Have the person who created the boat begin adding pennies to their boat while another person counts the number of pennies as they are added to the boat.
  8. Try different ways to distribute the weight of the pennies on your barge so you can carry the maximum number.

Young Adult Services Specialist Philip Krogmeier has been with Pikes Peak Library District for almost 10 years. But he's not just a staff member, he's a library supporter is who is happy to share his time and treasure to help make PPLD an amazing place for our community. We put him on the hot chair to ask him questions about why PPLD is so important to him.

Tell us your name and what you do at PPLD.
My name is Philip Krogmeier, and I am a Young Adult Services Specialist at Library 21c. I assist in preparing and presenting programs for our teen patrons, and I help at all of the public service desks.

What is your favorite part of your job/the patrons you work with?
I love to help my teen patrons find books that speak to them.

What is your favorite thing about PPLD?
My favorite thing about PPLD is the sheer variety of services it provides. PPLD is so much more than a traditional library system.

Why do you choose to give back and support PPLD?
I choose to support PPLD because PPLD has supported me since the first day I walked through the doors of the East Library. I immediately felt welcomed, and that feeling hasn't faded in almost 10 years.

Why do you think it’s important for the community to support PPLD?
Without community support, PPLD wouldn't be able to provide the level of assistance that it does. PPLD serves as an anchor for the Colorado Springs community, allowing everyone to gain access to materials and services.

What is the most memorable question you’ve been asked by a patron?
A patron once asked me if she could take a photo of me so that she could use it as a reference for a painting of Jesus.

Where/when can people come by and say hi to you?
I can usually be found most weekdays at the 21c Teen Desk or upstairs in the Makerspace.

August 4th is National Friendship Day and August 15 is Best Friend Day. Have you made a new friend lately? Click the link below for a list of great stories about friends.

Reuse your old biodegradable packing peanuts and make a craft! You can tell they are biodegradable because the texture will be somewhat “cheeto” like and if you put water on 2 pieces they will stick together.

Make a fun pattern out of your packing peanuts and then dab a little water on the pieces you want to stick together. Hold for a few seconds while they dry.

You won’t be able to paint them because any liquid will cause them to melt.

Have fun finding out what you can make.

How to enter the contest, visit: https://www.education.com/contests/

When you love learning, there's no limit to what you can achieve! Apply to the Limitless Learners Contest to win money for college, plus a donation for your elementary school or local library.

Win $500 for college plus $1000 for a school or library!

Pikes Peak Library District is celebrating babies and new parents the month of September with our 3rd Annual Bumps 'n Babies Resource Fair!

Babies ages 0-12 months can get a free board book during the month of September, while supplies last. Visit your favorite Library to get yours!


Live Programs

*All live programs require registration.

In-Person Baby Time is Back!

Click here to find your local library’s calendar for dates and times.

  • Baby & Me Yoga*

    A gentle class taught by a registered yoga teacher for caregivers and infants they love (4 weeks to crawling).

  • Q&A Session: Get Ready For Baby Care, Development, and Sibling Prep*

    • When: Thu., Sept. 9 from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
    • Where: Virtual.
    • Click here to register. Registration opens Sun., Aug. 1.

    Do you have questions about how to care for your baby, how they will grow and change, or how to prepare siblings graduating to “Big” Sister or Brother status? Ask our local community experts in this Zoom program!

  • Q&A Session: Busy Babies: What Can You Do?*

    • When: Thu., Sept. 23 from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
    • Where: Virtual.
    • Click here to register. Registration opens Sun., Aug. 1.

    Are you looking for some fun activities to help your baby learn and grow? Join us for a virtual Zoom Meet ‘n Greet with a variety of local organizations, classes, and groups.


Virtual Programs

Check out our Bumps 'n Babies programs on PPLDTV! Videos are available for viewing anytime after they premiere.

Tummy Time
Fridays at 10:30 a.m.

  • Tummy Time Basics for Babies
    Fri., Sept. 10
    Why is tummy time important for babies, and how can you get started, even if your baby doesn’t seem to like it?
  • Tummy Time: Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play!
    Fri., Sept. 17
    What is early literacy for babies, and how can you do it during tummy time? Watch the practices in action!
  • Tummy Time in Action!
    Fri., Sept. 24
    Watch a full tummy time demonstration session with a baby!



DIY Craft for Babies
Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.
DIY toys for your baby! Join us each Wednesday in September to learn how you can make a simple educational toy for your baby using items you have around the house.

  • Sept. 1: Touch & Feel Box
  • Sept. 8: Ball Drop
  • Sept. 15: Baby Sensory Play with Ice
  • Sept. 22: Tug & Pull Toy
  • Sept. 29: Sensory Bottle/Bags



Best Books & Toys
Fri., Sept. 3 at 10:30 a.m.
Want to know about some awesome books and toys you can use with your baby? Watch a presentation from librarians SarahEllen and Alanna. They also give tips on how to share books and toys to get your baby off to the start in life!


Learn more about our LENA Start program.

Summer is a wonderful time to look at the stars in the sky! Check the link below for star book recommendations.

Have a box? Why not create something for your child? A train station? Oven? Castle? The sky's the limit!