Carbon Valley Library celebrates five-year milestone

    FIRESTONE — If you’ve ever enjoyed the quiet study rooms at the Carbon Valley Regional Library, you’ve learned an important lesson: Get there early.

Photo by Ben Wiebesiek

The High Plains Library District celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Carbon Valley Regional Library. Opened March 15, 2008, the 35,000-square-foot facility opened with a collection of 116,000 items.

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    These private rooms, which offer stunning prairie views outside the windows and free Wi-Fi Internet access, fill up quickly.
    It’s these many extra features of the library that go beyond the traditional offering in the stacks that has made the library a success within the community in its five years of operation.
    The High Plains Library District thanked the community with a five-year anniversary party March 13 at the library, located at 7 Park Ave. in Firestone.

    Library Manager Eileen McCluskey pointed to the extra services the library provides as being key to giving options to the community.
    “It’s been a terrific five years,” McCluskey said. “The Carbon Valley Regional Library staff is delighted to have offered the library up as a place of and for discovery and imagination, as well as life-long learning. We’ve strived to meet the diverse and changing needs of our patrons from downloading digital materials to lending laptops to offering family entertainment.”
    The library is the result of a collaborative effort between area municipalities, elected officials and community members of Carbon Valley. This cooperation led to transition from the old 3,800-square-foot library holding 30,000 items, to the current 35,000-square-foot library, which held 116,000 items on opening day.
    “I like to ride my bike here,” said Firestone resident Chuck Samuelson as he unpacked his 2-year-old son from the bicycle’s kid trailer. “He loves the library story time, and I like the view.”
    And quite a view it is. The library was built on a wind-swept ridge gazing west to the Indian Peaks. The path to the library runs past a young grove of multicolored trees that explode in a riot of color each fall.
    The programs are also a major draw. Just this month, the library is hosting an AARP tax aide program, a teen tech week, a local writers group, a book lover’s club, a stretch and flex health program, job application assistance program… and of course, “Pajamarama.”
    “Wear your pajamas and snuggle with your favorite stuffed animal as you listen to bedtime stories and lullabies that will prepare you for sweet dreams,” states the program description.
    And in case you’re concerned about being left out of this pajama nirvana, the library offers this bit of encouragement: “Ages 2 ½ to 6 … but all are welcome.”