By Harriet Halbig
Regularly occurring programs will resume in January. These include:
- Storytime every Tuesday from 10:30 to 11:15 for children ages 3 to 7 and their parents or caregivers.
- Toddler Time every Wednesday from 9:30 to 10 and 10:30 to 11 a.m. for toddlers ages 1 to 2 and their parents or caregivers.
- Socrates Café every Tuesday from 1 to 3. This adult discussion group covers a different subject each week. All are welcome to attend.
- Paws to Read every Tuesday from 4 to 5 p.m. Practice reading aloud and improve fluency by sharing a story with our lovable volunteer Paws to Read therapy dogs.
The Teen Advisory Board will meet from 5 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan 6. This group, open to teens ages 13 to 18, helps to develop leadership skills and earn volunteer hours while giving input on what you would like to see happen at the library. Regular attendance is recommended. You must fill out a volunteer application online to participate.
On Friday, Jan. 9, from 4:30 to 5 p.m., explore the science of light and sound by making your own kaleidoscope. Create and test different designs. This program is open to ages 5 to 12.
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Colorado, teens ages 13 to 18 are invited to learn the art of mosaics by transforming Colorado icons into artworks. This program will be offered from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 12, and registration is required at ppld.org or by calling 719-488-2370.
Do you need help with your laptop, smartphone, tablet, or the library’s new online catalog? Come to the library from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Jan. 15, for Device Drop-in Help. No registration is required. Please bring your device and power cords. We cannot help with installing software, removing viruses, or setting up devices.
The Teen Dungeons and Dragons group will meet from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15. Join your fellow teens on an adventure in the world’s greatest role-playing game. New players and veterans alike are welcome to participate. This group is open to ages 13 to 18, and registration is required. Space is limited to eight participants.
Homeschoolers are welcome to participate in Terrific Tangrams on Wednesday, Jan. 21, from 3 to 4 p.m. Learn about Tangrams (a classic Chinese shape puzzle) through a story about a triangle on a quest where listeners follow along and make geometrical configurations with their own set of polygons. This program combines mathematical concepts with story and art. Ages 5 to 12 are welcome to attend.
Enjoy a book swap on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring your clean, gently used adult fiction and nonfiction books and swap them for new-to-you titles. Please only bring adult titles published within the last five years. No textbooks, manuals, or magazines. Ages 18 and up. This is offered as part of the Winter Adult Reading Program. If you have items to donate that don’t meet the criteria, consider donating to the Friends of the Pikes Peak Library District. All books left after the program will be donated to the Friends for its book sale.
The Monument Fiber Arts Group will meet on Friday, Jan. 30, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Interested in stitching, knitting, crocheting, and more? Bring your project and socialize with other crafters. Fiber Arts groups are open to everyone ages 18-plus and are a great opportunity to learn about new crafts and get to know more about PPLD. No registration is required, and the group is facilitated by PPLD staff.
The Winter Adult Reading Program opens for online registration starting Thursday, Jan. 1, and in person starting Friday, Jan. 2, at all PPLD locations. Anyone ages 18 and up can register for this reading challenge to complete 30 days of reading and activities from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28. Participants will receive a calendar with historic photos from our region when they register (while supplies last) and will receive a limited edition Winter Adult Reading Program mug and coupon for a free dessert at Crumbl when they complete the challenge (both while supplies last). Those who complete the challenge will be entered into a grand prize drawing. Anyone who registers between Jan. 1 and 15 will be entered to win a four-pack of Crumbl desserts every week for a year.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Colorado’s statehood and the 250th anniversary of the United States, PPLD is hosting a series of open houses at different library locations throughout 2026. Library users can also pick up a co150/USA250 Passport and bring it to each library location for a stamp. Collect seven stamps to earn a prize and another prize when you collect all 16. For the first open house, visit Regional History and Genealogy located in the historic 1905 Carnegie Library building attached to Penrose Library in downtown Colorado Springs. Enjoy activities and refreshments and complete a scavenger hunt to win a gift card from Poor Richard’s.
Please note that all Pikes Peak Library District facilities will be closed on Friday, Jan. 16, for a staff training day and on Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Harriet Halbig may be reached at harriethalbig@ocn.me.
Other Pikes Peak Library District articles
- November Library Events – New library software coming; December programs, schedule changes (12/4/2025)
- November Library Events – Programs on crafts, end of life, care for caregivers (10/30/2025)
- October Library Events – Book clubs, escape room, scrap exchange (10/2/2025)
- September Library Events – Book clubs, Art for Older Adults, Palmer Lake concert (9/3/2025)
- August Library Events – Book clubs, Dungeons and Dragons, Palmer Lake Big Band concert (7/31/2025)
- June Library Events – Summer Adventure reading program begins, special programs offered (6/7/2025)
- May Library Events – Craft programs, Dungeons and Dragons, book groups (5/3/2025)
- April Library Events – Monument Library 50th anniversary; programs for all ages (4/5/2025)
- March Library Events – Adult Reading Program continues; special programs; jigsaw puzzle swap (3/1/2025)
- February Library Events – Winter Adult Reading Program (2/1/2025)
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