Aurora Public Library (Colorado)

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Aurora Public Library
Aurora Public Library Logo (Aurora, Colorado).jpg
Aurora Public Library (Colorado)
39°42′37.08″N104°48′54.29″W / 39.7103000°N 104.8150806°W / 39.7103000; -104.8150806
Location14949 E Alameda Pkwy
Aurora, Colorado, 80012, United States
Type Public library
EstablishedFebruary 10, 1929
Branches6
Collection
Size439,120
Access and use
Circulation1,570,916
Population served344,637
Members199,291
Other information
DirectorMidori Clark
Employees89
Websitewww.auroralibrary.org
References: [1] [2]

The Aurora Public Library in Aurora, Colorado is a multi-branch library district serving the Aurora suburb of Denver, Colorado. It complements Denver Public Library, which serves the Denver city and county, as well as the Arapahoe Library District, which serves Arapahoe County. The Aurora Public Library predates its county library district, Arapahoe, by more than thirty years, while serving the more niche population of Aurora.

Contents

Overview

The first Aurora Public Library, opened in 1929 First Aurora Public Library Aurora, Colorado 1929.jpg
The first Aurora Public Library, opened in 1929

In 1925, the Aurora Women's Club began raising money to finance the opening of Aurora's first public library. The grassroots effort led to the opening of the first branch of the Aurora Public Library in 1929. The Aurora City Council recognized the library in October of that year, and has supported the library since. [3]

In 2009, the City of Aurora shut down several libraries due to a budget initiative failure, which left the system unable to fund all operating branches. The closure of the Mission Viejo library led to a lawsuit between the Mission Viejo subdivision, which had a prior agreement with the City of Aurora to keep the branch open for 50 years, beginning in 1973. [4]

After two years of closure, the Mission Viejo branch was reopened with limited hours. The city maintained that the closure of the library met all legal requirements for closure. [5] Following the lawsuit, a temporary settlement was reached between the city and the homeowners association, leaving the library in an interim state until a tax initiative was passed. The initiative would either fund the library for continued operation, or let the original lawsuit continue. [6] In December 2011, rather than issuing a 90-day notice to close the library again, the City of Aurora scheduled a study session to discuss the library. Following the session, Aurora agreed to keep the library open until at least August 10, 2025. [7]

After opening a PC center in Kmart in June 2013, the Aurora Public Library PC center was awarded the "Top Innovator" award for the placement, availability, and quality of service provided by the PC center. [8] Due to the substantial amount of traffic and recognition, hours were expanded to seven days a week shortly thereafter. [9]

In October 2013, FEMA classified the central branch of the Aurora Public Library as a disaster recovery center, to help with disaster recovery for severe weather and flooding. [10]

Services

The Aurora Public Library has seven locations, all of which provide hard-copy books, periodicals, audio CDs, DVDs, internet, and database access. A new bookmobile was also launched in 2023. [11]

In addition to traditional library services, the Aurora Public Library offers events, including story-time, baby dance, and a summer-reading program. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas County, Colorado</span> County in Colorado, United States

Douglas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 357,978. The county is named in honor of U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas. The county seat is Castle Rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver metropolitan area</span> Place in Colorado, United States

Denver is the central city of a conurbation region in the U.S. state of Colorado. The conurbation includes one continuous region consisting of the six central counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson. The Denver region is part of the Front Range Urban Corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Emergency Management Agency</span> United States disaster response agency, part of Department of Homeland Security

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders on April 1, 1979. The agency's primary purpose is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States and that overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities. The governor of the state in which the disaster occurs must declare a state of emergency and formally request from the President that FEMA and the federal government respond to the disaster. The only exception to the state's gubernatorial declaration requirement occurs when an emergency or disaster takes place on federal property or to a federal asset—for example, the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, or the Space Shuttle Columbia in the 2003 return-flight disaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jefferson County, Colorado</span> County in Colorado, United States

Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 582,910, making it the fourth-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Golden, and the most populous city's Lakewood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arapahoe County, Colorado</span> County in Colorado, United States

Arapahoe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, its population was 655,070, making it the third-most populous county in Colorado. The county seat is Littleton, and the most populous city is Aurora. The county was named for the Arapaho Native American tribe, who once lived in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora, Colorado</span> City in Colorado, United States

Aurora is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, Colorado, United States. The city's population was 386,261 at the 2020 United States Census with 336,035 residing in Arapahoe County, 47,720 residing in Adams County, and 2,506 residing in Douglas County. Aurora is the third most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 51st most populous city in the United States. Aurora is a principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and a major city of the Front Range Urban Corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Englewood, Colorado</span> City in Colorado, United States

The City of Englewood is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 33,659 at the 2020 United States Census. Englewood is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor. Englewood is located immediately south of Denver in the South Platte River Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superior, Colorado</span> Town in Colorado, United States

Superior is a statutory town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, with a small, uninhabited segment of land area extending into Jefferson County. According to the 2020 census, the population of the city was 13,094.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highlands Ranch, Colorado</span> Census Designated Place in Colorado, United States

Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Highlands Ranch CDP was 105,631 at the United States Census 2020, making it the most populous unincorporated community in the State of Colorado. The Highlands Ranch Metropolitan District provides services to the community, which lies in ZIP Codes 80126, 80129, 80130, and 80163.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centennial, Colorado</span> City in Colorado, United States

Centennial is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 108,418 at the 2020 United States Census, making Centennial the 11th most populous municipality in Colorado. Centennial is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arapahoe Community College</span> Public community college in Littleton, Colorado, United States

Arapahoe Community College (ACC) is a public community college in Littleton, Colorado. It was founded in 1965 as the first community college to open in the Denver area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E-470</span> Highway in Colorado

E-470 is a 47-mile-long (76 km) controlled-access toll road that traverses the eastern portion of the Denver metropolitan area in the US state of Colorado. It is the eastern half of the 470 beltway that serves Meridian, Parker, Aurora, Denver International Airport, and Brighton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mission Viejo, Aurora, Colorado</span>

Mission Viejo is a subdivision of Aurora, Colorado, in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by Buckley Road to the east, Hampden Avenue to the north, Chambers Road to the west and Quincy Avenue to the south.

The Cherry Creek School District 5, also known as Cherry Creek Public Schools, is a school district located in western Arapahoe County, Colorado. The current superintendent is Christopher Smith. Former superintendent Scott Siegfried, Ph.D. announced his retirement on January 22, 2021. It consists of elementary, middle, and high schools. The district headquarters are in Greenwood Village.

The Plains Conservation Center is an outdoor education center and state-designated natural area in Aurora, Colorado. The Aurora property is owned by the Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Space department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dove Valley, Colorado</span> Human settlement in Colorado, United States of America

Dove Valley is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Dove Valley CDP was 5,640 at the United States Census 2020. The Dove Valley Metropolitan District provides services to the area, which lies in ZIP code 80112.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting</span> Mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado, US

On July 20, 2012, a mass shooting occurred inside a Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, United States, during a midnight screening of the film The Dark Knight Rises. Dressed in tactical clothing, 24-year-old James Holmes set off tear gas grenades and shot into the audience with multiple firearms. Twelve people were killed, and 70 others were injured, 58 of them from gunfire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Colorado floods</span>

The 2013 Colorado floods were a series of natural disasters occurring in the U.S. state of Colorado. Starting on September 11, 2013, a slow-moving cold front stalled over Colorado, clashing with warm humid monsoonal air from the south. This resulted in heavy rain and catastrophic flooding along Colorado's Front Range from Colorado Springs north to Fort Collins. The situation intensified on September 11 and 12. Boulder County was worst hit, with 9.08 inches (231 mm) recorded September 12 and up to 18 inches (460 mm) of rain recorded by September 15, which is comparable to Boulder County's average annual precipitation. This event has also been referred to as the 2013 Colorado Front Range Flood, reflecting a more precise geographic extent in and along the Colorado Front Range mountains.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Aurora, Colorado, USA.

References

  1. ↑ "Colorado Public Library Statistics". Library Research Service. 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Aurora Public Library Five-Year Strategic Plan" (PDF). 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  3. ↑ "History of the Aurora Public Library" (PDF). City of Aurora. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 21, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  4. ↑ Illescas, Carlos (November 29, 2009). "Decades-old pact may keep Aurora library branch open". Denver Post. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  5. ↑ Kirchmer, Joey (January 10, 2011). "Lawsuit looms as Aurora prepares to reopen library with limited hours". Denver Post. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  6. ↑ Illescas, Carlos (March 9, 2011). "Settlement: New tax could keep neighborhood library open". Denver Post. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Library issue". Mission Viejo Homeowners Association, Inc. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  8. ↑ "ULC RECOGNIZES TOP INNOVATORS". Urban Libraries Council. June 26, 2014. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  9. ↑ Mitchell, Megan (November 27, 2014). "Aurora library's Kmart computer center expands hours as it wins awards". Denver Post. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  10. ↑ "DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER OPENS IN EVERGREEN". FEMA. October 1, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  11. ↑ "About Us". City of Aurora. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Events". City of Aurora. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
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