Happy New Year from Denver Public Library! 2024 was a busy year that brought several exciting changes to the library. There are more than I can name here, but below are a few milestones of note.
In early 2024, we welcomed two new members to our Executive Leadership team: Valencia Culbreath, Chief of Equity and Strategy, and Theresa Liguori, Chief of Public Services. They will help guide DPL’s future path as we evolve along with our community.
In October, the Urban Libraries Council (ULC), North America’s leading nonprofit for urban libraries, honored DPL as a Top Innovator for 2024 for our Enhancing Food Access Through Strategic Partnerships project, a partnership with The GrowHaus.
Construction started and/or continued at several locations thanks to funding from the 2017 Elevate Denver Bond and the 2021 Rise Denver Bond. We started construction at the Ross-Barnum Branch Library and completed it at the Central Library.
The Central Library fully reopened to the public in November, and nearly 4,000 members of the community attended the celebration. The day was joyful, featuring speakers including U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and performances by local talent. Be sure to visit us at the Central Library and check out the beautiful renovation.
As we look forward to 2025, DPL has a lot in the works as we dive into our new strategic plan. As usual, we are kicking off the year with our annual Winter of Reading - our challenge for adults to explore the library. Also coming this year, more progress on renovations. The Ross-Barnum renovation continues and we will be closing the Schlessman Family Branch Library for construction this year. We are also reopening the Pauline Robinson and Athmar Park Branch Libraries and are overjoyed to open the doors to our 28th branch - the Lena Archuleta Branch Library - during the first half of the year. At the end of summer, DPL, along with our partners, are bringing back One Book, One Denver. Stay tuned for updates! Follow us on our social media channels or sign up for one or several of our newsletters to learn about our services and programs consistently.
We look forward to welcoming you and connecting with you in 2025.
Sincerely,
City Librarian