Community-led library set to open in Rockrimmon as PPLD raises concerns
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A new community-led library is opening in the Rockrimmon neighborhood, just months after the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) closed its longtime branch in the area.
The new space is not affiliated with PPLD and the District wants to make sure the public knows it.
The grassroots effort, led by the nonprofit COS Reads, is behind the new “Reading at the Rock” library.
Volunteers say the project began after the original Rockrimmon branch shut down last year, leaving a void in the community.
In a letter sent to cardholders, PPLD clarified that the new facility is “entirely independent” and is not part of the District’s official system, which includes 14 branches and mobile services across El Paso County.
The District also outlined several concerns related to the COS Library’s operations.
Among those concerns:
- Confusion over similar program names, such as "Toddler Time" and "Paws to Read," which PPLD says could lead the public to mistakenly associate the new library with the District.
- Books being returned to the wrong locations, causing logistical issues.
- Uncertainty about compliance with state library laws, including staff training standards and patron privacy protections.
PPLD sent the following statement to KRDO13, "PPLD previously raised concerns about some actions by COS Reads, and we’re pleased that steps are now being taken to address those concerns. As we said, our intent is not to discourage new library initiatives, but PPLD has a responsibility to ensure that the public is not confused as to the source of those library services. We welcome the opportunity to move forward, and we remain committed to serving the Rockrimmon community."
Karla Powers, the director of COS Reads, told KRDO13 she reached out to PPLD before launching the new library, hoping to collaborate.
"I actually started that conversation and asked them, ‘What should we do? Let’s see if we can work together on this,’" Powers said. "Instead, I got silence until we received the letter that everyone has seen."
Powers says the motivation behind Reading at the Rock is simple: to fill a gap left behind when the original branch closed.
Despite the tension, PPLD says it hopes to move forward and remains committed to serving Rockrimmon residents.
The grand opening of Reading at the Rock is scheduled for Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at 950 Vindicator Drive inside Christ the King Lutheran Church, right across from the former PPLD Rockrimmon Library location.
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