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Educator Resources

This guide outlines services and resources for the teachers and educators in the community

Did You Know?

There are no overdue fines on most PPLD items. Books, audiobooks, movies, games, and music no longer accrue daily overdue fines. Items such as Hotspots, eReaders, and Laptops do still accrue overdue fines, however.

Items more than 21 days overdue are automatically billed to your account as lost materials.

For more information CLICK HERE.

Welcome

Are you a teacher, program provider, or educator? This guide outlines some of the resources and services Pikes Peak Library District offers to the educators in our community. Click on the blue boxes on the left side of the page for in-depth information.

If you would like to speak to a librarian about PPLD's resources and services for educators, please contact either of the following librarians depending on the age of your students:

Elementary Schools:

Middle Schools, High Schools, & Colleges:

Melody Alvarez

Mikaela Fortune

Director of Programming

Young Adult Services Outreach Librarian

malvarez@ppld.org

mfortune@ppld.org

How Do I...

Pikes Peak Library District understands that it not always easy to get to the library.  We offer a Library Card Application for Schools that allows K-12 students to get library cards without having to visit the library.

Here's the Process:

  1. Print out the library card application for each student. It is available HERE in English and HERE en Espanol.
  2. If the students are 15 or younger, the application goes home to the parent to sign OR if the student is 16 or over they can fill it out and sign it.
  3. The teacher or librarian looks at each application and signs it to make sure that all the information is on the application and that it is legible (to folks who don’t read students' handwriting for a living!).
  4. Drop off the applications at a library location with "Attention: Children's Services - East Library" for grades K-5 or “Attention: Young Adult Services- East Library" for grades 6-12. It is helpful to have the applications in packets by class.
  5. We will enter in the applications and issue or update cards.
  6. When they are ready for pick up we will transfer them to a library that is convenient for you to pick them up. OR, we could bring them when we come if we have scheduled a visit to your classroom.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact Betty McDonald (bmcdonald@ppld.org) for grades K-5 or Mikaela Fortune (mfortune@ppld.org) for grades 6-12.

A field trip to a Pikes Peak Library District is a great way to show your students all of the wonderful resources PPLD has to offer to support their educational, social, and entertainment needs.

Tours are often combined with other activities, such as classes on how to use the PPLD catalog and research resources or Makerspace demonstrations (East, Sand Creek, and 21c Libraries only).

If you would like to schedule a tour, please contact Betty McDonald or Mikaela Fortune to discuss your needs for a tour.

Does your assignment require your students to use PPLD? Please contact us with information about the assignment and the resources your students require. Or, fill out a Book Bundle form: Request a PPLD Bundle | Pikes Peak Library District

For elementary schools, please contact Betty McDonald (bmcdonald@ppld.org)

For middle schools, high schools, and colleges please contact Mikaela Fortune (mfortune@ppld.org)

School Visits

Young Adult staff offer PPLD Online resource classes for secondary classrooms and booktalking sessions. Contact Mikaela Fortune at mfortune@ppld.org to schedule.

Family & Children's Services staff offer Lightning Lessons which are short, fun lessons for elementary classrooms. The Lightning Lesson menu changes each semester depending on availability. Staff will also attend your school event or instruct students, teachers, and parents on how to use PPLD's resources for grades K-5. Contact Betty McDonald, School Engagement Librarian, bmcdonald@ppld.org, to schedule