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Years at the “Great Equalizer”

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Annaclaire Crumpton in Library Blog, Library Programs, Library Services, Local Happenings, Meet Your Librarian Series

Meet Your Librarian Series: Adult Librarian, Meg Schiel

adult librarian meg schiel outside old town library
Adult Information Services Librarian, Meg Schiel

From traveling across the country with New Belgium’s national Tour de Fat crew to teaching English in Zambia to managing the reference desk at Poudre Libraries, Meg Schiel has been fostering a passion for community her entire life.  

Originally from Lakewood, Colorado, Meg arrived in Fort Collins 20 years ago in 2002 to study at Colorado State University. “I didn’t think that Fort Collins would be my permanent home but it kind of makes sense because Lakewood is right along the Rockies. One of my favorite places to be is at the base of the mountains.” 

Throughout her time in school, Meg fostered a passion for traveling. She took a semester off to stay with a friend in Australia and hitchhike across the land down under. “Don’t tell my mom,” Meg said cheekily, recounting her travels. Another trip she took in the early 2000s was a bike and barge tour of Northern France.  

Tour de Nation 

Between her travels, Meg always returned to Fort Collins. In 2007, she met her husband and had her first child. Raising her son and working part-time around town, she began to form connections with different facets of the community. “I loved being in the service industry. People will still stop me around town and ask, ‘didn’t you work at Lucille’s?’”  

Her husband’s volunteer-run bookstore, Wolverine Farm, which began as a small shop in Bean Cycle Coffee Roasters, fostered even more community connections. Wolverine Farm eventually became the literary arm of the traveling Tour de Fat crew and is now a standalone non-profit bookstore in Fort Collins. 

Exterior of Wolverine Farm

“We had a yurt we would set up for each event that had literary carnival games. We also sold books and just went around with them on Tour de Fat. We had a lot of fun doing that,” Meg explains. Her son, Leo, visited over 20 states with them during their Tour de Fat days.  

Meg had her second child in 2009 at which time she returned to school, earning a general Associate’s degree at Front Range Community College and finishing her bachelor’s in Liberal Arts at Colorado State University in 2013. 

Liberal Arts at the Library 

Meg ties her education to her everyday work at Poudre Libraries. “With that diverse Liberal Arts background, I graduated and applied for a job at Council Tree Library in 2014. I had the history with storytimes and bookstores, and I’ve been with the District ever since.”  

Meg worked as a library assistant at both Council Tree Library and Old Town Library over the course of eight years and last October was promoted to her current position of Adult Information Services Librarian. 

“At the end of the day, it’s about that work you get to do with people and coordinating services for those who need them. I think about the free legal clinic we have once a month or Outreach Fort Collins coming to the Library to provide services. They’re very quiet things that the Library does that people don’t know about, but those are life-changing services that we as a Library can offer for free.” 

group of people at a natural area
One of Meg’s other programs, Out and About with Natural Areas

Among Meg’s other favorite programs include our Know Your City program. “There’s a lot of highly engaged people in Fort Collins who want to know more about their city or government, so I connected with nine different city departments to highlight their services. On YouTube, some of those programs now have over 300 views.”  

She also created an Old Town Book Club on Zoom after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. This book club became a strong group of about 20 regulars. “I’ve seen people make connections that way and especially during COVID it was a special thing to see.”  

Challenges Beget Rewards 

Meg also had a pivotal life-changing experience when she took time off while working at the Library to teach English in Zambia in 2019 with one of her favorite college professors. “It made me a lot tougher. You’re walking into a classroom of 50 nine-year-olds who already know two or three languages. We’re coming in as American teachers who can only speak English and trying to hold their attention is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done.” 

At the time, Meg was applying for a job at Old Town Library in the center of Downtown Fort Collins. She connected her experience in Zambia to the hardships she witnesses people going through at Old Town Library. “Drawing on that experience prepared me to face some of the harder situations and finding the beauty in that – whether they’re in crisis or going through a hard time, you can help them and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of the job.” 

Just Five Minutes 

Beyond programs are the everyday moments and interactions Meg has with library customers. A recent interaction featured an older gentleman who came in with an irregular request. Meg could tell he was somewhat shy and uncomfortable asking for help writing an anniversary card to his daughter and his son-in-law.

He admitted he had terrible handwriting and asked Meg if she could write the card for him.

“I asked, are you sure you want me to write this? And he replied that he wanted her to be able to read it. He had written it out in English and Spanish and I was writing out a copy of it. It turns out, his wife had always written the cards and she had recently passed away. He had asked multiple people in coffee shops and been turned down and it was just this five-minute instance in the Library.

Although that’s not usually my job, at the same time it is. Just from five minutes you get a glimpse of someone’s life story.”

adult librarian meg schiel in costume for halloween
Meg at the Library in costume for Halloween
meg at a halloween themed storytime
Meg conducting a Tiny Tots storytime at Old Town Square
Meg and a colleague playing with the newly installed Everbright wall

Meg also drew upon her seven and a half years doing storytimes and seeing storytime families around town. “Storytimes are probably one of the fundamental joys of librarianship.” 

A common theme throughout all of our Meet Your Librarian interviews, is the strength of the Library staff community. “I love my co-workers. When we’re trading off desks there’s a five-minute window where you talk about what’s happened throughout the day or a program you’re planning together and it’s the most fun.” 

The Great Equalizer 

One of the cornerstones of librarianship is of course, literature. Meg is currently reading How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu. “This book was so brilliant and short and every chapter features different characters but there’s a little thread that’s moves through them that references other characters.”  

Library staff outside with the book bike
Meg and Children’s Librarian Karla Cribari with the book bike at the program Toddler Tracks

Beyond her ongoing reads, one special snapshot she painted in our interview was a moment indicative of everyday at the Library.  

A father and his children were searching for clues in a Library scavenger hunt, a business man was exiting one of our meeting rooms, and a regular customer who is currently experiencing homelessness were all crossing paths in front of the upstairs reference desk.  

“This is the joy of the Library. It’s an equalizer. They’re all here for something whether it’s a safe place to be, an interaction, or for free resources. I have a snapshot in my brain of that moment. There are so much more than books here and while that is one of the deep joys and the draws to the Library, it goes beyond that into a human experience.” 

Fort Collins, Library Services, Poudre River Public Library District No Comments Read More

Fort Collins Comic Con Returns August 27 & 28

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Katie Auman in Library Blog, Local Happenings, News

Calling all Grogus and baby Groots, Lady Thors and Wanda Maximoffs!

It’s time for Fort Collins Comic Con. The family-friendly Con returns to the Aztlan Community Center on Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 for two days filled with special guests, panel discussions, geeky gaming, the always-amazing Vendor Hall, and the coolest cosplay in NoCo!

Badge Sales Benefit the Library

After two years without an in-person Con, we’re anticipating a big crowd, so grab your badges early (and save some money). FoCo Comic Con donates proceeds from the badge sales to the Library to support children’s literacy and geek-friendly programs. Purchase your badge(s) online at www.FoCoComicCon.com.

Early Bird Prices

Ages 13+                              $20

Ages 6-12                             $10

Ages 5 and under             Free, but they still need a badge.

Badges (aka your ticket, admission) are good for the entire weekend and also includes TWO games of laser tag at Chipper’s Lanes!

Confirmed Special Guests

As of mid-July, the following special guests were confirmed for the Con. More guests are added every week, so check www.FoCoComicCon.com for updates and announcements.

John Rosengrant

Legacy Effects, Former Co-Owner

Legacy Effects is the visual effects house that’s worked on everything from Avatar to Ironman to Mandalorian. John created and puppeted Grogu (aka “Baby Yoda”) in Mandalorian and played three characters in The Mandalorian, Book of Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Pieter Kallemeyn

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Design and Operations Engineer

Pieter Kallemeyn is the leader of the InSight Spacecraft Team, which operates the lander from Lockheed Martin’s Mission Support Area in Denver. A graduate of the University of Colorado, Pieter has been involved in the operation of interplanetary missions for 30 years. Past missions include Galileo (1989), Mars Pathfinder lander (1997), Mars Odyssey orbiter (2001), and Mars Phoenix Lander (2018). The InSight mission is the fourth Mars mission that Pieter has been involved with during his career.

Dr. Ben Cromey

Ball Aerospace, Optical Engineer

Ben Cromey is an optical engineer at Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado, where he designs imaging systems and sensors for NASA missions. He received his PhD in optical sciences and engineering from The University of Arizona (not Starfleet Academy unfortunately; they’re not accepting applications for a few years). He has presented about the cool science of optics to all ages for many years and loves to make science concepts accessible to the public.

Carolyn Collins Petersen

Loch Ness Productions, Science Writer

Carolyn is a local science writer and producer of science educational content for museums, science centers, and planetarium facilities. She writes her own blog and is a contributor to UniverseToday.com. You can read more about her at TheSpacewriter.com and LochNessProductions.com.

The 2022 Fort Collins Comic Con is sponsored by City of Fort Collins Fort Fund, Poudre River Public Library , District, WTF Marketing, Ward Orthodontics, Hanning Law LTD, Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, and ColorPro Printing. Full info about the Con is available online, www.FoCoComicCon.com. See you there!


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Tools for Your Great Resignation (or Your Ongoing Career)

Posted on July 27, 2022 by Annaclaire Crumpton in Business, Job and Career, Library Blog
busy train station

Last year, over 47 million people left their jobs.  

Social scientists have coined this mass exit from the workplace, “The Great Resignation.” Whether spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic or a collective workforce change of heart, more and more professionals are treading new career paths. 

At the Library, we don’t buy into the old saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Any professional (and any dog’s human) can carve their new path or add new tricks to their work arsenal with their library card.  

Whether you’re looking to sharpen existing professional skills or simply learn a new one for fun, we have you covered!  

Link In to Free Professional Development Classes 

LinkedIn Learning (previously known as Lynda) offers thousands of professional skill classes online with your library card. From graphic design basics, to managing diverse work teams, to earning a Google certification, LinkedIn Learning has a class for your profession.  

linked in learning banner

Here’s a short list of LinkedIn Learning categories of classes from a variety of different industries: 

Business Strategy 

Cryptocurrency 

Career Development 

Customer Service Management 

Data Visualization 

Instructional Design 

Personal Branding 

Project Management 

3D Modeling 

One library card holder recently took a LinkedIn Learning class that earned them a Certificate in Business Analysis with Essentials Tools and Techniques. They said on social media, “Fort Collins friends: Did you know that the Poudre River Public Library District allows you to access LinkedIn Learning with just your library card? You can add certificates to your LinkedIn profile after you complete the course training. I finished this course today…and was able to also download many helpful tools for current projects. Yay libraries!!” 

Looking to get started? Access to LinkedIn Learning on the Library website’s Research Page. Simply scroll down in the alphabetical list to find the link! 

Beyond LinkedIn 

Did you know that Business Librarians exist specifically to help you get ahead with your business or career? Our Business Librarian is a walking, breathing, dictionary of professional development, business, and investment resources.  

harmony-lirbary-teen-events

Make an appointment to chat one-on-one or start exploring the Library’s Career Center and Business Center website pages to get a taste for the wide range of resources we offer. In true Librarian fashion, you can also find recommended reads on the Business Center website page.  

Online Job & Career Center 

From writing grants, to sharpening up your resume, to learning a new skill, to the intricacies of an industry you haven’t worked in before, the Library’s Job & Career Center online can connect you to dozens of resources and even help you network into the best position for your dream job.  

Most jobs today require some element of working with computers. Another resource accessible with your library card is Northstar Digital Literacy Training. Ever feel like you’re not good enough behind a computer screen? Northstar classes range from essential software skills like Microsoft Excel to the technology you encounter in daily life like social media, all with certificates of completion at the end of the courses.  

Already comfortable in your career and looking to invest? Find resources for making the best possible decision with your precious funds.  

In-Person Classes 

Besides the abundance of resources and lists developed by our librarians and within the Career Center, we also offer regular in-person classes for resume sharpening, job search strategies, and even starting your own business. See our online events calendar for upcoming sessions.  

If you don’t have a company that supports your ongoing learning and professional development, just know that you have a Library, bursting at the seams with ways to carve out your ideal career path.  

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The Community in Focus

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Annaclaire Crumpton in Library Blog, Library Programs, Library Services, Meet Your Librarian Series

Meet Your Librarian Series: África García-Fariña

Africa Garcia-Farina

The Library’s Community Outreach Department is like the valiant rhinoceros beetle, a unique animal that can carry up to eight-hundred-fifty times its own weight. For perspective, that’s the equivalent of a human carrying 65 giraffes. This remarkable beetle is not unlike our small but mighty Outreach team who works tirelessly to connect underserved populations in Northern Colorado to the Library’s resources and services.

Though some Outreach activities are open to the general public, like our annual Día de Muertos celebrations, many are more focused to maximize enrichment for segments of the Fort Collins community that may not have the opportunity to come to Library buildings or access Library resources. Making up an integral piece of the Outreach department is our Adult Services Outreach Librarian, África García-Fariña.

From Ceuta to Colorado

África grew up in Ceuta, Spain, one of the two autonomous Spanish cities situated on the tip of Morocco looking over the strait of Gibraltar. Ceuta is a small town of about 85,000 people, nestled snuggly on the tip of Northern Africa. It was first established as a Spanish territory five centuries ago.

She later attended the University of Málaga on the coast of mainland Spain. During her senior year in 2013, she packed up her things for a semester abroad in Wisconsin and has been in the United States ever since. “It’s not like I had a plan and it wasn’t established. I usually let life do its thing and see what happens,” África says.

port of ceuta, spain
Image of Ceuta, Spain taken by ctrlaltdileep (flickr, liscensed under CC 2.0)

A semester abroad turned into nearly a decade in the U.S. Most people can name a formative teacher who touched their lives. Among those in África’s life are a few college professors in Wisconsin who went the extra mile to keep her in the U.S.

“There were multiple times when I was here when it was like this is it, I’m moving back, but after my study abroad year my professors there encouraged me to stay and get my Master’s here. They helped me look at universities and assistance so I could pay for it and that’s how I moved to Fort Collins and attended CSU for my Master’s.”

Love: The Interrupter

After completing her dual Master’s Degree in teaching English as a second language and Spanish literature, África made her second plan to return home, nearly five years after she had first come to the U.S. Fortunately, love got in the way. África met her husband Nick on the dating app Bumble shortly after graduating which kept her in Fort Collins.

Following school, África’s visa expired making it impossible for her to continue teaching classes at CSU post-graduation. She reapplied for her visa and with the eight to nine months it took to renew it, she spent much of her time volunteering.

colorado state university oval
Colorado State University’s Oval

“It was an opportunity to start from scratch in thinking about what I what to do next. Teaching at CSU was draining and I was ready for a change…the way I approached that time between jobs was not asking myself what do you want to do, but what is a place you’d like to see yourself at? That’s when I thought of libraries in general.”

Quelling the Pandemic Storm

After surfing the Library’s website, she applied and was hired for a Bilingual Library Assistant job focused on children’s programming in the Outreach department. África began her new role with the Library on March 20, 2020, during a time of pre-pandemic paradise just as the clouds of COVID-19 were beginning to roll in.

“I had five days in the office before the Library closed its buildings and we were sent home. As a team, it didn’t matter anymore who was doing what (children’s/adults) so I was never just fully focused on children’s programming and  instead focused on what needed to be done.”

During the pandemic, the Outreach team restructured and África became a full-time Outreach Librarian dedicating most of her time to adult services.

“In Outreach, we have very specific target audiences. We serve everyone, though we’re very intentional in focusing on those communities that are underserved and people who don’t have access to the libraries in person. That’s what I always try to keep in mind when I’m designing programs. Thinking about what we can do is not always about what I’d like to do but what the people we serve need from us.”

Community Crowdsourcing

Conversations that África has with community members are inspiring a new frontier in Outreach programming. África’s focus for the future is on older adults and adults with disabilities. In early 2023, we will debut our new Outreach van, an electric vehicle designed to provide services to underserved communities. The van will spend approximately twenty percent of its time on the road serving the needs of older adults.

To build trust with the communities that África focuses on, she’s spent the last two years forming connections with other nonprofit groups, networking within specific communities, and promoting the rich resources of the Library. Now with two years of trust under her belt, África gets questions about a range of topics in and out of the Library’s wheelhouse.

África and members of the non-profits Fuerza Latina, Alianza Norco, and ISAAC at a community outreach event

“In a lot of cases, these questions are very personal and they deal with very sensitive topics like an immigration form or something for the courts, and they’re trusting you with that very personal private information. You’ve earned their trust to a point that they’re ok with you knowing that.”

Impact to Last a Lifetime

África leads U.S. citizenship classes for the Library in partnership with Alianza NORCO, a local nonprofit focused on immigration rights in the Northern Colorado community. These classes are one of the most rewarding parts of her job.

“After some of our classes, I get an email or text from a participant that they applied and got approved and are now a citizen. The fact that these people take the time to let you know and thank you is amazing. It’s one of our programs that touches lives and has a huge impact. It’s a huge deal to become a citizen and it’s beautiful to see.”

Citizenship classes are just one piece of the massive puzzle when it comes to our Outreach department and libraries in general. Our resources extend far beyond books.

Breaking the Librarian Mold

“The biggest stereotype is that all we do is put books on shelves and ask people to ‘shhhh!’ Honestly, in movies and TV shows that’s what you see librarians doing. That’s definitely not it and especially not with Outreach. We’re a hub for the community for resources and knowledge and education, and I love trying to find the balance between giving people what they need and what they want.”

Last Thanksgiving, África’s nail tech asked her what she does for a living to which she replied that she was a librarian. The nail tech responded that África’s new nail design will make it appear as if she’s not a boring librarian.

Her job, the communities she serves, and the programs she organizes are far from boring. Beyond providing resources that someone may need to complete their citizenship process (one that requires monumental time and effort), she also finds space to lead programs that bring people together through fun activities.

A participant with her cartoneria from África’s program
Another carotneria from África’s program
Cartoneria from África’s program

Among her virtual programs created in 2021 was a multi-session art class for Día de Muertos creating cartonerías (a traditional Mexican paper mâché medium) and a series of virtual baking classes called Panes del Mundo with Mexican baker Eliceo Lara. Both were offered in Spanish and English, bringing together members of the community that may not cross paths otherwise.

Community Centering

Recently, África has been staying caught up with the television shows Stranger Things and The Boys. She’s also reading the picks for her two upcoming book clubs this month including El olvido que seremos by Héctor Abad Faciolince (for her book club, Café de Olla) and The Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I Get Old by Steven Petrow (for her book club with the Health District of Larimer County, Book Club and More for Mortals).

Outside of the Outreach department and her excellent taste in television, África loves spending time with her two dogs, Lou and Mika. She also volunteers with a local animal shelter. The communities of the animal shelter and the Library often overlap.

África’s dog Mika for the Library’s Chonky Book Week
África’s dog Lou for the Library’s Chonky Book Week

“I got a call once from someone on my work phone – one of the things I do (at the animal shelter) is help with Spanish-speaking clients who need to make an appointment for a vaccine or neuter. The person was confused about what my actual job was…they were looking for a veterinarian named África. I relayed that I’m not a veterinarian but I can get you that number.”

Whether she’s volunteering her time at a local animal shelter or providing services to underserved groups with our Outreach Department, África serves the community with grace, grit, and style.

Library Services, Meet Your Librarian, Outreach, Poudre River Public Library District Read More

The Right to the Story 

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Annaclaire Crumpton in Library Blog, Meet Your Librarian Series

Meet Your Librarian Series: Children’s Librarian, Amy Holzworth 

Childrens Librarian Amy Holzworth at Council Tree Library

Love in the library comes in many forms; from the love of the written word to the love of friends at storytime to crossing paths with the love of your life. Our very own Children’s Librarian Amy Holzworth first met her husband 30 years ago while working in circulation at Old Town Library.  

Though she adores the title of Children’s Librarian, her favorite title is Mom. Her two sons, Ben and Nathan, now in their twenties, grew up enjoying the same spaces of Poudre Libraries that have been a part of Amy’s life since she first arrived in Fort Collins in the late 1970s at age 12.  

Her love for learning stretches back even further. “The need for creativity, research, information, and curiosity has always been something that’s been woven into my every day,” she said when we sat down to review more than a decade of public service at Poudre Libraries.  

From the Foothills to Farm Fields to the Fjords 

After graduating from Poudre High School, Amy moved on to Luther College in Iowa where she majored in English, studied in Norway during her senior year of college, and fostered a great passion for the power of words by writing for her school newspaper.  

“I love words…the good and the bad they can do. How words are wielded changes the world. Who has access to words and who doesn’t also changes the world. Who can read and who can’t is a huge deal.” 

Amy’s affinity for words began in the study of etymology (or the research of words), and librarianship seemed like a wonderful fit because it paired words with her love of working with people. Over her career, she has worked in nearly every department in the Library including circulation, reference, management, and programming.  

For Every Learner 

Having discovered her passions, Amy went on to receive her master’s degree in Library Science from Denver University while working at Poudre Libraries, commuting to Denver for three years for school, and raising her two young children. Her master’s degree provided even more foundation for her librarianship and the importance of early literacy.  

Children's Librarian Amy Holzworth
Children's Librarian Amy Holzworth reading at storytime
Children's Librarian Amy Holzworth with a bouquet of flowers

“I feel so strongly that everybody has the right to the story. There are so many marks against who is a good reader and who isn’t, so I do my very best to break those down.” 

In schools and other learning environments, there are strict boundaries that define a great reader, whereas, in libraries, reading is celebrated in all forms independent of standardized testing. Having struggled with reading and building her own reading confidence over time, the selling point of books for Amy personally and professionally is the story.  

“What makes me a good librarian is that I advocate for every reader. That might differentiate me from other librarians – I’ve learned to celebrate and give that message of confidence.” 

Books Build Boys 

Children's Librarian Amy Holzworth awarding prize to boy and his father
Amy awarding the moneywise prize to a young boy accompanied by his father
Children's Librarian Amy Holzworth and her son Ben
Amy and one of her sons at Old Town Library

As the mother of two boys, Amy also has a particular passion for what she calls “building boy readers.”  

Studies since the early 1940s have shown that young girls consistently outrank boys in reading comprehension internationally; more recently, a study that matrixed reading tests of the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that girls outscored boys at every grade level and age examined. According to the Pew Research Center, more young women ages 25-34, (10 percent more) also graduate college when compared to young men. 

With those statistics always at the back of Amy’s mind, she takes great pride in empowering young boys and parents, “I can reeducate parents on boy readers…boys come to reading at a different rate…Helping boys see themselves as readers is a huge part of that.” 

Amy also finds a correlation to serving other segments of the community with this research background, “I have this correlation to what I’ve experienced with [Fort Collins’] unhoused population being mostly men and I correlate literacy with that and a boy’s experience in the education system…so that passion for early literacy is what pushed me to children’s librarianship.” 

Bridging the Gap 

Several years ago, Amy and our IT & Facilities Manager Mark Huber, as well as his son, teamed up to create a Books Build Boys book club where 13 pairs of young boys and male figures in their life were invited to discuss and do activities based on a particular book. The club had a single session before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Despite this, one session was enough to make magic happen.  

“There was a nine-year-old and a 90-year-old great-grandfather which was precious. The best thing I could do was step back and not talk and let…the older partner tell stories about reading.” 

Having served in libraries for over 30 years, Amy summed up librarianship through the pandemic in two words, expansion and recalibration. 

Children's Librarian Amy Holzworth at outdoor storytime
Amy conducting an Outdoor Storytime during the COVID-19 pandemic

“It was a real joy to know that customers still needed us and still wanted the Library in so many parts of their life. We kind of guessed through what we should do and most of the time, it was spot on.”  

One of Amy’s innovative and very successful brainstorms through the pandemic was our “Take-and-Make” craft kits. Sometimes created by staff and other times created by those needing to fulfill community service hours in partnership with the Larimer County Alternative Sentencing, we have now distributed over 8,000 of these beloved kits to the community.  

Ushering in the Internet 

Outside of Poudre Libraries, Amy spent over a decade serving at Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs, at one point running a small Old Colorado City branch of that Library system. Through her decades of experience, Amy saw firsthand the transition of libraries with the dawn of the internet. 

“In 1996, we were the first library in Colorado Springs to have Wi-Fi from a National Science Foundation grant. I was the test pilot. We had two computers and the router was dying all the time. It was kind of that first, how will the Library district provide Wi-Fi?” 

Now a staple resource provided in public libraries, Wi-Fi is just an addition to the centuries of services offered free to American communities. Amy connected libraries back to the original founder of the first American public library. 

“When Benjamin Franklin started the first public library, he started it for the miners, the undereducated and the illiterate for a place to have recreation…what that does for a human soul to have a connection through recreation and encouraging reading is the base of public libraries.”  

Small Moments with Big Impact 

Amy has seen so many wonderful moments throughout her career. One of her favorite storytimes ever happened earlier this year. English is Amy’s first language, though during college she fostered a passion for Norwegian and is also semi-fluent in Spanish and American Sign Language. Amy asked the group of parents and kids at storytime to count to five with her in these four languages. 

When she asked the group if there were any other languages in the room they could count in, another five languages were added to the arithmetic challenge including Hindi, Farsi, Korean, Chinese, and German.  

“It was a pinnacle day and perhaps one of the best moments ever. When we finished, we all looked at each other for a moment, kind of laughing. That was really beautiful. I’m always going to do as much as I can to help that grow.” 

Other wonderful moments Amy recalls include the joy in children’s eyes when she gives them a book, daily interactions with the families of Fort Collins, and authentic moments like a little girl asking her if she lived at the library to which she responded, “yes – but only during the day.”  

Librarian Amy Holzworth at outdoor storytime with a little girl
Amy with a little girl at an Outdoor Storytime

When she worked at Old Town Library, she also saw a different perspective of public service. One time, a woman she was trying to assist became very agitated with her to the point that Amy had to relay she could not help her until she was able to calm down. The woman burst into tears and explained that she wasn’t meant to be at the Library and accidentally ended up there on a bus and was concerned about her caretaker being able to find her.  

“By the end of the conversation, [the woman] said ‘thank you for saving my day.’ It expands my views and people’s need for connection and the need for relief and joy through books. I was able to turn it around and that came from lots of years of experience.” 

To Many More Years of Glow-In-The-Dark Glue  

Amy’s recent readings that sparked personal joy include, I, Cosmo and Leonard, My Life as a Cat both by Carlie Sorosiak. One of her favorites ever is Dear Martin by Nic Stone and she reads many picture books daily.  

Summing up her three decades of service in libraries, Amy relayed some of the most wonderful parts of her job, “The power to change somebody’s day and the random authentic interactions I get daily. Also, just the interactions with staff and like-minded people. I can’t believe that I get to help support storytellers with their planning or supplies…I get to buy green paper and glow-in-the-dark glue, who doesn’t love that?” 

Children's Librarian Amy Holzworth at outdoor storytime
Amy conducting an Outdoor Storytime at the Gardens on Spring Creek

You can read some of Amy’s writing through her blog pieces including “Picture This” and “Get Smart About Your Money” or drop by Council Tree Library to meet Amy in person at one of her programs or take some of her wonderful reading recommendations. 

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