Today I’m blogging about my love for the Denver Public Library. It. Is. Awesome.
The central library is a 540,000 square foot monstrosity of “public happiness.” Designed by world-renowned architect Michael Graves, the library opened its doors in 1995. The building is a work of art, but nothing compared to the beauty it houses. Just for fun, here’s the Lego version, which we’ve seen in person. Click on the picture to visit the page where the creator posted detailed pictures:
My children and I love spending lazy afternoons perusing the shelves for our next treasured book, and reading in the pavilion. Even though the children’s wing is on the first floor, we always visit the upper floors so they can ride on the escalators. Visiting the library has been a regular occurrence since they were born, but as they grow into independent readers, our library trips have taken on a whole new dimension of fun. They love having their own library cards and checking out their own books. What do I love?
- They have almost everything I want to read, and if they don’t, they will order it from another library for me.
- The staff is always friendly and helpful.
- Their online catalog system makes it easy to put items on hold and pick up at my convenience.
- They email me a few days before my books are due back so I can avoid overdue fines, and they have a grace period of about a week before assessing fines, which I would never need. Ahem. 😉
- They have a huge selection of audio and e-books.
- They have a great summer reading program for my kids. Last summer over 31,000 Denver area children and teens participated in the summer reading program. That doesn’t include the other library districts in the metro area.
- Their kid’s site offers everything from homework help to book reviews on the latest new titles.
And so much more…
My library card is the key to a vault of treasure, my passport to free adventures, and one of many tools I’m using to shape the young minds in my care. The Denver Public Library partners with me to pull it off, and for that I am so grateful!
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oh I love love love the library. It is my fantasy dream job. Organization + books = 😀
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I wish I could say this inspired me, but the truth is that I’ve carried a library card since I was old enough to spell “library card”. I remember one time, I was at the library and picked up a copy of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. I saw the shadowy figures on the front, and coupled with the title, I thought it was about aliens, so I checked it out – it was one of the best books I’ve ever accidentally read. 🙂
As far as the DPL goes though, I completely agree. Absolutely beautiful building, and several stories (get it?) of literary goodness. Not a bad way to waste the day. Plus their used book sales are fantastic places to find books by accident. 😀
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Does anyone remember what the old library looked like? What was it like inside? I’m researching for a novel – and happened across your blog entry…dated – today! Great coincidence.
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Hi Adrienne!
If you google “Denver Public Library” and click on images, it will give you several pictures of the old library – inside and out. There’s a little information on the library website as well. I’m curious to know more about your novel…good luck with the research. 🙂
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I don’t know what’s going on with photobucket, but I want my daisies back!!!
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I found a few photos but they were so institutional-looking I couldn’t believe they were establishing shots. Very unsexy! No indoors shots yet.
I dug around Denver history all yesterday. Guess what, it really is a Cow Town! The whole history is of natural resource barons building nice houses and trying to “civilize” the place. Lots of racism – and there were lots and lots of nameless poor people there during the Old West days. Cheseman Park used to be a potter’s field! A succession of carpetbaggers came to town and promised to exhume the bodies and put them in caskets but didn’t really do it, just left a big dug-up mess to fester in the sun for a few months!
My book is titled, “Mothership” and I hope to have it online published in the next few weeks. It is a sci-fi/consciousness novel, and the part I was researching yesterday involved a young man who lives in Denver’s punk scene but is really an “Immortal” from another world!
Thanks for writing back!
Adrienne
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You’re welcome. Your book sounds interesting. I love Sci-fi and have several friends who do too. Can you send me more info. after it’s published?
Yes, Denver has an interesting history for sure! I did a little research when I was teaching my kids about our city, but left out some of the more gruesome stuff until their a little older. We visited the Colorado History Museum right before it closed down for 2 years, but they had most of the exhibits already packed up and stored. 😦
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