ANIMAL TALES AT THE LIBRARY It’s a mini-zoo out there

How do you decide what activities to include in Summer Adventure?

Joanna: We think about the summer slide and helping kids keep their brain active. It’s very much about reading and learning, but also sharing and creating. Christa: With younger kids, we really want to encourage creativity, imagination, and free play. Britt: Libraries are known for books, but we’re more than just books. We make the program more reflective of all the cool stuff you can do at our libraries.

What’s it like picking out prizes for the community?

Christa: We brainstorm different ideas and we get samples, because we’re also looking at the quality of items. Melody: When we receive all of the prizes, it’s like Christmas morning. You open up the boxes and get to see everything. Joanna: And have to count it all. Christa: It’s fun until you realize that you’re going through 8,000 items.

Britt: Choosing book prizes is challenging, because you are trying to be a people pleaser while also including titles that represent a diversity of life experiences. Becca: It’s a very elaborate puzzle.

How do you find your performers and presenters?

Melody: A lot of performers will know what the theme is and plan a program around it. We also have a presenters’ database and hear about performers from other libraries. Becca: There’s almost like a children’s presenter industry, and that doesn’t really exist for teens. So we have to do a bit more groundwork to find some presenters for teens. Joanna: The pandemic made us move our programs online, and that will continue. We will have virtual and in-person programs. We want to reach people where they are and when they can be available.

Why is Summer Adventure important?

Christa: It encourages kids and teens to keep reading and learning over the summer.

Melody: It gives parents something fun with their own children over the summer, including teachers, because they’re not working in schools.

Britt: Participants can develop a reading habit, or a habit of carving out time in their day to do something creative or move their bodies. Starting a new habit like that can be life changing. Joy: There’s a sense of accomplishment and meeting a goal. It’s really important for kids to choose to take on something, then complete it and feel proud about it.

Christa Funke, Tween Senior Librarian for Family & Children’s Services Hometown: Colorado Favorite YA/Children’s Hobbies: Board games, Springs, CO Author: Rick Riordan, Mo coloring College: Cedarville University Willems Pineapple on Pizza? No Top Summer Jam: “Only Hope” Favorite Summer by Switchfoot Adventure: Traveling

Becca Philipsen, Senior LIbrarian for Young Adult Services

Hometown: Sanborn, IA

College: University of Northern Iowa (BA), University of WisconsinMilwaukee (MLIS) Favorite YA Author: Tamora Pierce, Elizabeth Acevedo

Top Summer Jam: “Home” by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Hobbies: Reading, puzzles Pineapple on Pizza? Yes

Favorite Summer Adventure:

Hiking, bike rides, finding new parks

Joanna Nelson Rendón, Director of Young Adult Services Hometown: The Humid “Land Top Summer Jam: Jazz, Favorite Summer of 10,000 Lakes,” Minnesota especially René Marie Adventure: College: University of Denver Favorite YA Author: Stacey Lee, Tamora Pierce Hobbies: Salsa dancing, scrapbooking Pineapple on Pizza? Yes Hiking to water (river, lake, waterfall, etc.)

Ask Andrew Hart, manager at Monument Library, what makes his northern location unique from others of Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) and his first response is the duck pond behind the building. Formed from a runoff of Woodmoor Lake, the pond is home to ducks and geese who have become so much like family that staff provide cracked corn feed at the front desk for patrons who want to wander outside. But the ducks aren’t the only critters to be found at the Monument Library, or at other PPLD locations across El Paso County. As you make your way around town, keep an eye out for the following fine feathered, furred, and scaled library friends. Do you have a PPLD animal story or photos from an encounter at one of our libraries? Share it with us at discovery@ppld.org!

Backyard Birds

High Prairie and Fountain libraries are two great locations for amateur birdwatchers. The feeders at High Prairie Library were donated by the community and the facility has been recognized as a Habitat Hero by Audubon Rockies, the regional branch of the National Audubon Society, thanks to its birdfriendly gardens with native plants. Fountain Library’s play area looks out over a patio at the edge of Adams Open Space. The feeders here, placed just outside the windows, attract downy woodpeckers, spotted towhees, and American and lesser goldfinches, among another species. Also not-uncommon feathered Fountain

visitors? Wild turkeys, who like to peck their presence known on the glass windows.

Ruby the Madagascar Giant Gecko

Quite possibly the most unusual critter across the District, Ruby, a bright-green giant gecko with some red mottling and spots on her head and back, also calls Monument Library home. Her native land is Madagascar, but she’s a permanent resident of Colorado. Last year during quarantine — while being cared for by one of the library’s staff members at their home — Ruby finally learned to lounge in a miniature hammock.

Surprise Guests

It’s always worth keeping your eyes open when you visit any PPLD location because we’ve heard tales, and seen photographic proof, of unusual visitors all year long. Rockrimmon Library has been visited by two different hermit crabs. Calhan Library has a neighborhood cat who prowls the area. Deer saunter by Palmer Lake and Manitou Springs libraries on the regular. And goats have shown up in the High Prairie Library drive-through (though perhaps they were just being COVID-19 safe).

Boo Boo the Storytime Bear

OK, we admit this is a stretch, but we’ve got one more critter to mention: Calhan Library’s black bear Boo Boo. Boo Boo may be a hand-puppet bear, but, unlike our other animal friends, he’s been a guest in PPLD’s Toddler Time videos, which can be found on their YouTube channel, and he has his own pen pal program. Write Boo Boo a letter, or draw him a picture, and send it to P.O. Box 104, Calhan, CO 80808; include your name and mailing address, and Boo Boo will write you back.