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Residents, volunteers press council on Rockrimmon library closure; volunteers open interim location
Summary
Speakers at council criticized the Pikes Peak Library District's handling of the Rockrimmon branch closure and urged timely board appointments; volunteers opened an interim library and invited council to a May 10 grand opening.
Several speakers used citizens’ comment time Tuesday to press officials about the closure of the Rockrimmon branch of the Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) and to describe volunteer efforts to provide interim library services.
A speaker who identified herself as a volunteer said she helped set up an interim library in Rockrimmon after the district closed the branch, collecting donated books and training volunteers to distribute free library cards. She said she had temporarily reduced other volunteer commitments to help the interim operation.
Carla Powers and Joe Pelka, two advocates for restoring library services in Northwest Colorado Springs, said they had offered volunteer support and pledges of funding to keep Rockrimmon open for a year but that the PPLD Board of Trustees had not worked with them on options. Pelka invited council members and the public to a May 10 grand opening for the interim Rockrimmon facility and asked council to support reopening a permanent location.
Other speakers asked about the status of PPLD leadership: Kat Gale said the library director, Dora Gonzalez, had indicated she would step down last August and questioned the timing of any replacement. Councilmembers acknowledged the comments and said they expected to learn more about library liaisons and board matters at future meetings.
No council action was taken on PPLD governance or library reopening during the meeting; advocates asked council to press the library district for clearer communication and to support reopening efforts.
