(COLORADO SPRINGS) — On Tuesday, Nov. 12, community members rallied at Colorado Springs City Hall in a fight to save a local library.
FOX21 News first brought you this story back in October, when the Pikes Peak Library District’s (PPLD) Board of Trustees voted to close the Rockrimmon Branch. The board said the branch’s rent was too expensive, and its closure means the district will be able to continue providing services at other locations.
The building is currently leased by the library district, and is the most expensive lease out of all the local libraries. As the situation currently stands, this library is set to close its doors on Dec. 1. The closure comes in preparation for the end of the building’s lease.
“We’re on a very, very tight budget. As a matter of fact, the preliminary budget for 2025 has $0 for capital improvements,” said Dora Gonzales, PPLD’s Board of Trustees President.
Gonzales said capital improvements can include anything from changing a lightbulb, to fixing a toilet, or adding new technology. She said she’d like to keep the library open, but they can’t afford the lease.
“It doesn’t mean that there won’t be a library in that area in the future. We don’t know what the future holds,” said Gonzales.
Gonzales said the district tried to have a ballot initiative to get more money in 2021, but decided against it after not receiving support from elected leaders.
“In the future, we’re hoping that maybe we can go again to our constituents and ask them for de-TABORing and/or possibly a mill levy,” said Gonzales.
Those solutions were not good enough for those protesting at City Hall on Tuesday. They’re angry that it’s gotten to this point.
Protesters asked City Council for $200,000 dollars on Tuesday. The council previously denied the motion in October.
“200,000 out of a $41 million budget is one half of 1%,” said Joe Pelka, a Save Rockrimmon Library group member. “So really the greater issue is, how could they not agree to spending one half of 1% of their total budget on such a vital service?”
They say they’re fighting for seniors and students who can’t drive to the next library over. A large number of protestors got stuck outside after the City Council meeting hit capacity.
“If we don’t get help from Council and the County Commissioners, we’re going to remember. We have long memories when it comes to election time,” said Pelka. “We’re going to remember who supported us and who did not support us. We’re not going away.”
The district’s president said the best way for people to help the libraries is to stay engaged. She said she finds hope in the amount of people fighting to keep the library’s doors open.
