While We Wait for Snow, the Library Keeps Estes Park Learning, Creating, and Connecting

Well, folks, February is doing what it has been doing most of this winter up here in the mountains. It is keeping us waiting for the snow. We have had plenty of wind, plenty of dry days, and a whole lot of folks checking the forecast hoping to see those white flakes finally start falling. Maybe this week, huh?

The Estes Valley Library is not just a place to escape the wind, though it is nice to step inside out of the gusts. This winter, they have turned themselves into the heartbeat of our community, running programs that would make even the most dedicated homebody want to venture out.

Something for Everyone

Got little ones climbing the walls? The library is hosting storytimes that will have your preschoolers singing, dancing, and probably napping better afterward. No guarantees, but here is hoping. With 20 different storytime events on the calendar, you can find one that fits your schedule and your kiddo is energy level.

For the bigger kids, tweens and teens, they have got dedicated programming too. We are talking 11 events for the 9-12 crowd and 20 more for teenagers. In a town where we sometimes struggle to keep our young people engaged through the winter months, that is no small thing.

But here is what caught my eye: the Makerspace training classes. We are living in the shadow of some of the most spectacular wilderness in the world, but that does not mean we cannot get hands-on with modern tech. The library is teaching folks how to use 3D printers, laser cutters, and embroidery machines. Imagine that. Your neighbor might be 3D-printing replacement parts for their snowblower while you are reading this.

More Than Books

Now, I know some of you are thinking, Buck, I can watch YouTube videos at home. Sure you can. But you know what you cannot get from a screen? The fellow sitting next to you who happens to know exactly why your laser cut keeps scorching the edges. Or the grandmother who has been embroidering since before most of us were born, sharing tricks she learned from her own grandmother.

That is the thing about our library. It is not really about the books, or the 3D printers, or the meeting rooms. It is about the connections. It is about having a place where the community gathers, learns from each other, and remembers that we are not just individuals trying to get through another dry Rocky Mountain winter. We are neighbors.

Community Notes

Speaking of neighbors supporting neighbors, I should mention the recent celebration over at EVICS Family Resource Center. They opened their doors last week for an open house, and it was quite the turnout. Friends, families, and supporters gathered to recognize a transformational grant that is going to help them do even more for local families. If you missed it, keep an eye on their programs. They are another cornerstone of what makes this valley special.

Your Winter Assignment

So here is what I am suggesting. While we wait for the snow to finally arrive, check out the library is calendar. Pick one thing, just one, that sounds interesting. Maybe it is a storytime with your grandkids. Maybe it is finally learning how that laser cutter works. Maybe it is one of their virtual author talks where you can listen to a writer from halfway across the country without braving the wind.

Winter up here can be long, even without the snow. But between the library is programs, the good work happening at places like EVICS, and the general stubbornness of mountain folks who refuse to hibernate completely, we are going to get through it just fine. And maybe learn something along the way.

Stay warm out there, neighbors.

— Buck