The Virtual Library
We Are Smart, Industrious, And Will Bring The World To You
By Tara Bannon Williamson
Park Hill Librarian
What is a library when the buildings are closed? When the people aren’t there?
Though you may not see us, all library staff across Denver are working hard to bring the library to you. Rest assured that library staff misses you as much as you miss them. Most all of us got into this line of work to help people, and being wicked smart and very industrious, nothing is going to stand in our way of safely connecting you to the information, experiences and resources that you want and need.
We are exploring a range of new ways to connect. We are thinking of those who have internet service and those who do not. Please reach out to us at the library and explore any or all of these services!
• Request a Personalized Reading List at denverlibrary.org/reads. A librarian will write a letter packed full of titles handpicked just for you
• With the library’s LitLine service, short stories, essays, and poetry – in both English and in Spanish – are just a phone call away. Call 720-865-2003, and you can hear a staff member read aloud.
• Do your binge watching on Kanopy, the streaming service for libraries. Kanopy is offering credit-free viewing through May 31 on a growing list of titles. Kanopy Kids is always unlimited!
• Our Reference Services staff are still here to connect with you during the closure. You can ask a question 24/7 with our Ask Us service via chat or email at denverlibrary.org/ask.
• Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for community conversations and all the up-to-the-minute news. Be sure to show us some library love by using #IHeartDPL in your posts.
• Subscribe to our content on YouTube including Storytimes, Read Alouds and tips and tricks for any situation.
• If you need to reach us by phone, call 720-865-0254, and leave a message. We get notified via email, and will call you back.
The No Strings Book Chat went virtual! No Strings Attached Book Chat is a place where you can read whatever you want and attend whenever you can. We share a recent read, an old favorite or anything in between. With everything going on, we have increased our meetings to every other week. We are meeting again on May 2 and on May 16 at 11 a.m. If you don’t have internet, you can call in to the meeting to still hear and give book, movie, and music suggestions to your neighbors. Email tbannon@denverlibrary.org for more information.
We don’t know when we’ll open again, at the Park Hill and Pauline Robinson branches. We do know that we will continue to innovate and find ways to help our customers navigate the many changes all of our lives are experiencing right now.
We hope you find these services and resources useful. Thank you for being a supporter of the Denver Public Library.
One of our Teen Advisory Board members recently left this chalk message on the steps of the Park Hill Library: “We’ll get there. It’s scary but we’re together in our hearts.”
I couldn’t have said it better.