Public Library Leadership

Board of Trustees  

Library Directors  

Law and Policy  

Strategic Planning  

Staff Development   

Public Library Leadership Team  

Other State Library Initiatives

• In-Person Trustee Training 
• United for Libraries Short Takes for Trustees
• Register for free
• Access via Colorado's portal
• Colorado Public Library Board & Trustee Handbook 
• To request printed copies, email Sharon Morris
• Key Statistics for Trustees
• Colorado Library Trustees Email List (COLT)
• Library Advocacy - Trustee Tools from United for Libraries
• Wyoming State Library Trustee Resources
• What Every Trustee Should Know, New York State Library (Vimeo)

Get Started:

• Colorado Public Library Standards: The Public Library Standards conform to language in CRS 24-90-105(2)(a.3) calling for improvement in standards for public libraries.
• The Public Library Factbook: Basic & Essential Information for Managing Your Library (Word)
• ​New Director's Guide for Public Libraries (CLiC)
• New Director's Toolkit: Resources for Colorado Public Library Directors (CSL)

Community:

• LRS Resources for Community Analysis
• The Community Centered Library (Jamie LaRue) (Archived webinar) - One of the key changes in 21st Century public librarianship has been a shift in focus from library-centric to community-centric. This is sometimes called "turning out. But pragmatically, what does this shift mean to library operations? In this recorded webinar, Jamie LaRue, former public library director, author, and consultant, explores the Community Centered Library as it applies to human resources decisions, building projects, strategic planning, and the larger issue of advocacy.

Directories:

• Directory of Colorado Libraries: Displays a list of libraries.
• Library Email Lists

Professional Organizations:

• American Library Association
• Colorado Association of Libraries
• Colorado Libraries Collaborate! (CLC) Colorado’s reciprocal borrowing program. It provides FREE access to library resources for library users of all CLC member libraries.
• Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC)
• Public Library Association (PLA)
• Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL)

Statistical Data:

• Library Research Service: (LRS) is responsible for collecting and organizing library data
• Colorado Public Library Data
• National Public Library Statistics 

• Colorado Library Law: (CRS 24-90-101 et seq). Full text, Quick Guides, and other information on the Colorado Library Law.
• Other State Laws Impacting Public Libraries
• Sample Policies
• 2024 Election Calendar (CO Secretary of State)
• Guidelines for complying with the Fair Campaign Practices Act (FCPA) (PDF)
• Archived Webinars
  • Before the Ballot: How to Prepare for an Election (EveryLibrary) [Slides (PDF)]
  • Nuts & Bolts (and Bricks!): Library Elections Primer for Operating and Building Projects (Butler Snow LLP & George K. Baum & Co.) [Slides (PDF)]
  • How to Get a Yes Vote for Your Library Mill Levy (Arapahoe Libraries) (note: some audio issues at the beginning)
  • Voter Perceptions of Libraries: Results and Methodology of the 2018 "From Awareness to Funding" Study (RIPL)
• Additional Information
  • From Awareness to Funding 2018 (OCLC)
• Fact Sheet: Protecting Personal Information of Library Users (PDF)
• Going Fine Free - Removing Barriers to Access (PDF)
• Privatization of Public Libraries (American Library Association)
• Patron Privacy
  • Fact Sheet: Protecting Personal Information of Library Users (PDF)
  • Data Privacy Best Practices Toolkit (Pacific Library Partnership) (PDF)
  • Archived Webinars
    • Patron Data Protection Webinar Series
    • Protecting Patron Privacy: Library Policy Development

Check Out Colorado State Parks

A partnership between the Colorado State Library and Colorado Parks and Wildlife provides State Park passes and educational materials for checkout in every Colorado public library and academic library.

Colorado Broadband Roadmap

The purpose of the Colorado Broadband Roadmap is to implement strategies that leverage funding to meet the goal of connecting 99% of households to high-speed internet by 2027. Included in the Colorado Broadband Roadmap is the Colorado State Library's 5-year plan, Colorado State Library Plan on Broadband

Connect to Health

Telehealth project assisting libraries to provide spaces or kits for checkout for patrons to have private telehealth appointments.

Early Literacy Kits

These kits were created by the same State Library staff members who worked on the Growing Readers Together initiative. 

Growing Readers Together

Supports libraries in engaging family, friends, and neighbors (FFN) caregivers in early literacy.

Spanish for Libraries

Language access information and resources.