News

Douglas County Libraries is offering a new series of business programs to complement its BizInfo suite of services. DCL will offer at least three programs each month targeting entrepreneurs and small business owners. Click on Read More below for topics, dates and locations.

The Castle Pines Business Book Club will meet at the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce at 11:30 a.m. the first Thursday of each month. The Highlands Ranch Business Book Club meets the same day at noon at Tattered Cover Book Store in the Highlands Ranch Town Center.

Let Douglas County Libraries be your source for eBooks!

In addition to the thousands of books and other materials available at Douglas County Libraries, patrons can now get downloadable eBooks from the library. Once downloaded, digital eBooks may be read on a personal computer, eReader, PDA, or other compatible portable device.

The citizens’ goal to raise $50,000 this year to support the opening of the Castle Pines Library is now a reality. Robert C. Sullivan M.D., a Castle Pines resident, recently donated $25,000 to the Douglas County Libraries Foundation, with $10,000 dedicated for the new Castle Pines Library. All future donations for the library will go towards operational expenses, equipment, furnishings and/or other materials not included in the opening budget.

Eligible low-income Douglas County households can apply for energy assistance through the Douglas County Human Services Department’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) from Nov. 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010 to help offset the cost of heating their homes during the winter months.

Funded by the Douglas County Libraries Foundation, the Douglas County History Research Center has recently coordinated the reprint of The Perry Park Story. The Perry Park Story presents the history of Perry Park, from John D. Perry's original ranch, through the dreams of subsequent owners of establishing a summer resort, to the current development of more than 700 homes.

The publication includes a reprint of Ardis Webb’s original edition as well as a chapter written by Sally Maguire, a long-time resident of Perry Park, which brings the history of the area up to date. Also included is the documentary Perry Park: In the Shadows of Giants, on DVD produced by the Network DC.

Holiday Gift Idea

The book is on sale now for $12.00 a copy, plus tax, and is available at all library locations. Profits will support the Douglas County History Research Center.

Fundraising efforts by the residents in Castle Pines have paid off

The Board of Douglas County Libraries voted in May to sign a lease for a library to open in early fall at Village Square at Castle Pines.

Owners of the complex offered a three-year rent agreement at a significantly reduced rate. The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce and citizens pledged to raise $50,000 every year to run the library and so far they’ve raised $33,000 in pledges for 2009. An additional $155,000 from the sale of library-owned land in Castle Pines will be used for start-up costs and to equip the new library. It will be less expensive for Douglas County Libraries to have a branch in this popular commercial storefront than running the bookmobile that currently serves the area.

Anyone interested in contributing to this library should contact Douglas County Libraries Foundation Specialist, Margie Woodruff, at 303-688-7638 or mwoodruff@dclibraries.org.

Parker Library Manager Patt Paul retired in May but will not be replaced. Associate Director of Community Services David Farnan says, “We have decided to redistribute the duties and responsibilities of the current branch manager team to cover all of our locations.”

“Libraries of all kinds continue to be engines of learning, literacy, and economic development in communities nationwide.”

This, according to the 2008 State of America’s Libraries report, released by the American Library Association (ALA) as part of National Library Week, (April 13-19). Americans check out more than 2 billion items each year from their public libraries, with the average user taking out more than seven books a year, according to the report.

At Douglas County Libraries, the average user checks out 25 items a year.

Through a variety of outreach programs, the Douglas County Libraries can bring its reference services to your business, club, school, senior center, or childcare center.

Douglas County Libraries is the number one library in the country serving populations of 250,000-499,000 according to the newly released Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR).

Using data from 2006, Douglas County Libraries marked its entry among the libraries serving populations between 250,000 to 499,000 and came out on top in that category.