At the Library: Force In Numbers
Banding Together: It’s What Makes A Democracy Thrive
By Tara Bannon Williamson
Park Hill Librarian
Many Park Hill residents take pride in the historic social justice work of the Park Hill Action Committee, the noble band of neighbors who united from a coalition of churches and collaborated to create a more cohesive and accepting community in the 1960’s.
The Carnegie Library funds to erect the library at Montview Boulevard and Dexter Street — the building from which I am writing this —also came from a coalition of Park Hill churches, I have been told. Working together, change is made.
In Bowling Alone, social scientist Robert Putnam concluded after years of data analysis that the strength of a community is directly proportional to membership in clubs or associations. The more individualistic that people are, the more they bowl alone rather than in leagues, the weaker the neighborhood networks. The effectiveness of democracy is linked to how connected we are to social networks, and to one another.
Whether we are gathered together at Park Hill Euchre Club, Northeast Park Hill Coalition meetings, Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. meetings, Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education events or celebrating the Park Hill Art Club, community engagement is the ultimate payoff. It’s one of the reasons the network of Denver public libraries has community rooms available to use for free, eliminating a barrier to gathering together.
In The Art of Gathering, author Priya Parker observes the following:
“Gathering — the conscious bringing together of people for a reason — shapes the way we think, feel, and make sense of our world… In democracies, the freedom to assemble is one of the foundational rights granted to every individual. In countries descending into authoritarianism, one of the first things to go is the right to assemble. Why? Because of what can happen when people come together, exchange information, inspire one another, test out new ways of being together.”
Our potential and capacity increase as we gather. Gathering is a radical act that weaves together the invisible threads of what makes a society and democracy thrive.
Participating with others in your community, in any form, strengthens communities and neighborhoods. It strengthens ourselves. As noted in Bowling Alone, joining and participating in one group cuts your odds of dying next year in half. We need one another.
In the new year, consider joining something, anything! Whether it is a bowling league, book club, tennis club, ultimate frisbee league, homebrew club, or volunteering at the Park Hill Food Pantry with a group of friends, these investments of time and presence craft the community we imagine is possible. If what you want to do doesn’t exist yet, let’s get it started.
In the 2023 Netflix documentary Join or Die, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy says, “This is our opportunity to move from a social recession to a social revival. And that has to be powered by individuals who fundamentally decide that they want to invest their time, attention, and energy in their relationships.”
In 2025, connect with a neighbor, invite someone over to dinner, attend an event at the library, take a small step to craft the future — one of relationships that strengthen our community and enrich our lives. Consider the block you live on as the first step in understanding the wide and wonderful world of Denver’s legacy and social health.
January Library Events
Pauline Robinson Branch
While the Pauline Robinson Branch library was undergoing renovations, limited library services were offered at Hiawatha Davis Jr. Recreation Center at 33rd and Holly Street. Those services are now discontinued, and the renovated library is set to reopen in Holly Square in early 2025. Check for updates — including reopening dates and celebrations — at denlib.org/robinson and on the Pauline Robinson branch Facebook page.
Park Hill Branch
Baby Storytime | Thursdays, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Stories, songs, rhymes, and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their parents or caregivers.
Toddler Storytime | Fridays, 10:15-10:45 a.m.
Stories, songs, rhymes, and fun for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their parents or caregivers.
Qi Gong | Wednesday Jan. 8, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Qi Gong is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine. Sometimes called “meditation in motion,” it includes slow, dance-like movements to improve breathing, reduce stress, and gently move the body.
Kids’ Games Club | Wednesday Jan. 15, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Are you looking for something fun after school? Drop by to play games in a fun, relaxed environment the first and third Wednesday of each month. Ideal for ages 5-12. Make friends, learn to be good losers and winners and have fun. Adults are welcome to stay and play with their children also.
No Strings Attached Book Chat | Saturday Jan. 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Read whatever you want and attend whenever you can. Share a recent read, an old favorite, or anything in between.
Fairmount: Denver’s Ultimate Cemetery With Author Phil Goodstein | Saturday Jan. 18, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Numerous people linked to Park Hill rest at Fairmount, Denver’s distinguished cemetery. To find out who they were and how they got there, read Fairmount: Denver’s Ultimate Cemetery by local historian Phil Goodstein. He will discuss and sign copies of his new 520-page book that explores all aspects of the burial grounds that lie southeast of Park Hill, at Alameda and Quebec.
Teen Advisory Board (TAB) | Tuesday Jan. 21, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Anyone 6th-12th grade is welcome to join and help with library programming and resources geared towards teens.
Death Café | Monday Jan. 27, 2-3:30 p.m.
Death Café is an international movement that invites people to gather and normalize conversations around death — to make the most of LIFE. This is not a grief support group or counseling session. Respect for all views is a priority.
Dying Like You Mean It | Saturday Feb. 8, 2-3:30 p.m.
What will come to life for you as you consider your death? Existing in the rich in-between of living and dying as Wally Klatch does; he brings awareness and perspective to the dying process and invites deep conversation. Joining Wally is Jamie Sarche for a rich discussion about dying and communicating about what matters most to you while you have the resources. Participation is invited, centering lived experiences, and placing more importance on the questions than the answers.
Greater Park Hill has two public libraries: The Park Hill branch library is at 4705 Montview Blvd. The Pauline Robinson branch library is at 5575 E. 33rd Ave. Visit denverlibrary.org, for other Denver library locations, including in Central Park, Whittier, and other nearby neighborhoods.