I checked out the Denver Public Library Central Branch, today. I’ve officially lived in Denver for almost 10 years and have only been here a handful of times. Once for my library card replacement, and once to meet a friend, and once to check out the Winter book sale. I always keep meaning to come back and thought that I might as well officially start my library tourism here.
This location is huge! Ash found out that there is a makerspace, called “ideaLAB” here. A few of the libraries in the Denver Public Library system have these ideaLABs, where people can work on crafts and skills of all kinds. We particularly liked the 3D printers. There were Dremels, knitting and painting supplies, and an ideaLAB instructor showed us his Santa hat with Bluetooth lights in the brim. I saw someone mixing audio files, and as we left the crafting room, a couple of people were entering the soundproofed recording studio. We’ll be back here with crafting ideas, for sure!
After checking out the ideaLAB on level 4, I headed over to the printer area to print out some downsizing paperwork from Kerensa & Brandon – RV to Freedom. On my way toward the escalators, I passed a display with “Central Library Self-Guided Tour” pamphlets, so I picked up one of those and a map. I met Ash downstairs (ahem “downescalators”) on level 2 and now we’re basically working on our computers until it’s time to leave.
From an #RVer perspective, this library could work as a nice indoor place to print documents, use free wifi for work (and/or play), charge electronic devices, as well as check out the beautiful downtown Denver Public Library via the self-guided tour. You do not need a library card for any of these services.
Cons: metered street parking downtown, no cafe, only service animals allowed.
If you hold a Denver Library card, you can reserve the 3D printers, video conference rooms, hour-long usage computers, and admission to various museums in Denver. As well as check out books and movies and music and…well, nearly everything! Anyone who lives in Colorado can pick up a library card for Denver…and then online checkout becomes available to you from anywhere with wifi and a computer device!
Note: There is a large homeless population in Denver, so you will see people outside and inside the library. You might be interested to know that the Denver Public Library has social workers as well as peer navigators to help homeless individuals. https://www.denverlibrary.org/…/peer-navigators-help-demyst…
I love that the library is helping human beings, so this is a positive aspect to me. You may feel nervous if you or your family are not used to being in an urban center, and that’s okay, too. Everyone here has been minding their own business, so far, so I have no problems recommending this library for any person, whether RVer, homeless person or resident of a “sticks and bricks” stationary house.
Keep an eye out for a future post about the self-guided library tour!
See you at the library!
(I might need to work on my tagline…)
#DenverPublicLibrary #TheLibraryTourist #LibraryTourism #LoveMyLibrary #JourneyToRV
