25 Years of Harmony Library, A Look at 1998 and Today
In 1998, “The Boy is Mine” by Brandy and Monica was the most popular song, scrunchies were all the rage, and the average price for a gallon of gas was $1.06.
While gas prices have risen and scrunchies have made a surprising comeback, Harmony Library has remained a consistent community resource since opening its doors to the public in 1998. The trees out front have grown exponentially alongside the resume of programs, services, and the number of customers the Library has served.
Harmony Library is the Library District’s longest-lasting partnership. It is a physical manifestation of how the collaboration between Front Range Community College (FRCC) and Poudre Libraries has benefited a community over 25 years. From concerts like “Harmony in the Round” to welcoming local superstars like Dr. Temple Grandin, there are so many things to celebrate about 25 years of community service.
From the smiles of toddlers to the stress of college student’s midterms, the joint-use building between Poudre Libraries and FRCC has welcomed hundreds of thousands of Northern Colorado citizens with open arms regardless of their needs.
Below, we’ve gathered a fun list of then vs now comparisons to frame Harmony’s 25th Anniversary with a fresh perspective.
| 1998 | 2023 | |
| #1 Best Selling Book | A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe Summary: Charles Croker, a middle-aged, egotistical former-college-football-star-turned-tycoon, finds his life turned upside down and the delicate racial balance of Atlanta threatened when star running back Fareek Fanon, a product of the city’s slums, is accused of raping an Atlanta aristocrat’s daughter. |
Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Summary: It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is that story at last. |
| #1 Best-Selling Album | The Titanic Soundtrack, James Horner Listen to the soundtrack of this award-winning film on Hoopla with your Library card or check out the movie on DVD. |
Taylor Swift, Midnights Swifties unite! Listen to this top seller on Hoopla while you peruse the collection at Harmony Library. |
| #1 Best-Selling Song | “The Boy is Mine” by Brandy and Monica captured our hearts with its R&B roots and amazing vocals. Listen to the Best of Brandy on-demand with Hoopla. |
“As it Was” by Harry Styles has been playing in our headphones for the last year! We don’t have this in our collection yet but you can enjoy resources on the pop star’s beginnings in the boy band One Direction while enjoying the laid-back teen section in Harmony Library. |
| Colorado Population | 3.969 million people called Colorado home in 1998. Since then, the Centennial State has seen a jump in population across the state. Read more about the 90s across the United States with picks from our collection. |
Today, 5.8 million people take in our 300 days of sunshine a year. Find out more about the Colorado’s connection to the outdoor lifestyles with books on hiking, biking, and winter sports. |
| Fort Collins Population | 110,505 people called Fort Collins home in 1998. Enjoy perusing historical photographs of Fort Collins via the Fort Collins History Connection,a collaboration between the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery and Poudre Libraries. | Today, Fort Collins metro-area population is estimated around 349,000. You can “check-out” one of these folks at our Human Library event on Sunday in collaboration with the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. |
| Poudre Libraries | In 1998, Poudre Libraries opened its second Library location, Harmony Library. It was the first library outside of the downtown area to serve the community. The majority of our collection was physical and the DVDs that lined our shelves were just three-years old. | Today, our three-library system continues to serve the Northern Colorado area. Our digital collection has grown, we offer “gadgets and things” for checkout, and DVDs are still available in abundance – even in binge watch set form. |
| Denver Broncos | The Denver Broncos won their first Superbowl led by quarterback John Elway. | The Denver Broncos did not win a Superbowl, they didn’t even make it to the playoffs. Then again, everyone loves a comeback story. Get nostalgic with Broncos materials in our collection. |