For immediate release: July 31, 2023

Douglas County Libraries’ former Castle Rock – Philip S. Miller library is coming down to make way for a parking lot for DCL’s new library at the same address, 100 South Wilcox Street. Demolition on the old building has begun and is expected to take six weeks.

According to Rick O’Dell, DCL’s Interim Special Projects Manager, the old building should be a pile of rubble by the first weekend in August. The building’s exterior tilt-up wall panels and roof will be dropped and pushed into the building footprint using earth moving equipment starting at the northwest corner of the building.

The knocked down exterior and interior wall sections and roof debris will be scooped up using earth moving equipment and deposited into large trailers to be removed from the site. Demolition of the concrete floor slab will begin shortly after that.

O’Dell said the entire demolition process will take approximately six weeks. Once the demolition is complete and debris is removed, Fransen Pittman General Contractors will regrade the area to its new elevation, rough-in site improvements for the new parking lot, pour concrete curb and gutter sidewalks, roll asphalt, and put the finishing touches on the new 220-space parking lot, including striping, lighting and landscaping. Expected completion of the parking lot project is by Thanksgiving.

The Grand Opening of the new Castle Rock library is Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to use downtown Castle Rock public parking lots and garages while the new building’s parking lot is under construction.

Learn more about the Castle Rock building project and Grand Opening at DCL.org/build.

Douglas County Libraries elevates our community by inspiring a love of reading, discovery and connection.

Demolition of DCL's former Castle Rock library has begun.

Demolition of the former library is to make way for a 220-space parking lot for DCL's new Castle Rock library at 100 South Wilcox Street.

For immediate release: July 11, 2023

Douglas County Libraries and Bellco Credit Union are partnering to present an event series designed to help community members build financial security. The 2023 Bellco Credit Union Presents series in August and September includes free seminars, hosted at DCL locations, covering identity theft and wills and trusts.

“This is our third year partnering with Bellco,” said Jaime Gotlieb, DCL’s Community Services and Partnerships Manager. “DCL and the Douglas County Libraries Foundation appreciate the value this partnership brings to our communities.”

DCL already offers dynamic programming for all ages, including diverse classes, seminars, and events. According to Gotlieb, the Bellco Credit Union event series builds on that established foundation by utilizing Bellco’s expertise in financial literacy to give library customers and community members the opportunity to connect and discover new tools for their financial security.

“We hope to reach and engage diverse audiences and promote both organizations’ business and services through this partnership,” said Gotlieb.

The August seminar, Recognizing and Protecting Yourself from Fraud, takes place Tuesday, August 8, at DCL’s Lone Tree location (10055 Library Way), and Tuesday, August 29, at DCL in Highlands Ranch (9292 S. Ridgeline Blvd.).

In September, Bellco Credit Union Presents two additional seminars, Wills and Trusts 101 with Hughes Law Firm, on Thursday, September 7, at DCL in Castle Pines (360 Village Square Lane) and Wednesday, September 20, in Parker (20105 East Mainstreet).

Bellco is Federally Insured by NCUA.

The Bellco event series is free to attend, but registration is required. For more information and to register, visit DCL.org/featured-events.

Douglas County Libraries elevates our community by inspiring a love of reading, discovery and connection.

Douglas County Libraries has partnered with Bellco Credit Union to host a series of seminars that connect community members with financial literacy resources.

For immediate release: May 15, 2023

Current library to close May 22 until new library’s grand opening, August 26.

Douglas County Libraries in Castle Rock will soon begin moving into its newly constructed building at 100 S. Wilcox Street, in front of the existing library. The library’s Archives and Local History department closed on May 1 to prepare for its transition to the new building, and beginning May 22 the current library will be closed to the public until the new library opens, scheduled for August 26. There will be no access to ALH or the current or new library during that time.

Castle Rock library customers may visit any other open DCL location to enjoy the full range of library services, programs, and events during the closure. Alternate Storytimes and outdoor Storytime will be offered at substitute locations in Castle Rock. Detailed closure information is available at DCL.org/build.

Meanwhile, construction is progressing on the new building, inside and out.

“We anticipated supply chain issues during COVID and bought out the project’s materials, for things like HVAC, electrical components, roofing material, carpet, and so on,” said Rick O’Dell, Interim Special Projects Manager at DCL. “We warehoused those materials to avoid the risk of schedule delays due to something potentially sitting on a ship off the coast of California. That locked in material prices and allowed us to get ahead of the inflationary curve and availability challenges post-COVID.”

O’Dell said the library’s interior is 95% complete. Carpeting, ceilings and lights are in place, HVAC is running, restrooms are finished, and interior finishing details are being completed. Sorter installation is scheduled to start on June 1.

The exterior of the building is also coming together. All exterior windows are expected to be finished by mid-May, and the new Aloha Plazas East and West are taking shape as the work progresses toward the August 26 Grand Opening.

The new 62,000-square-foot building will include features consistent with DCL’s other library locations, including a drive-through book return, interactive children’s playscape, 10 study rooms, five larger meeting and event spaces, and outdoor Aloha Plazas East and West. The library will also continue to house DCL’s districtwide services teams and Archives and Local History, its collections, and the Sjostrom History Lounge reading room.

Demolition of the current library will begin in early summer to make way for the new library’s parking lot, which will provide a minimum of 220 spaces for customers and staff when completed.

In addition to working with Fransen Pittman General Contractors of Englewood, Colo., DCL has contracted with OPN Architects of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for library design.

Visit DCL.org/build for ongoing updates and information about the building project.

Douglas County Libraries elevates our community by inspiring a love of reading, discovery and connection.

Window installation and exterior work are taking shape as construction progresses toward the August 26 Grand Opening.

Exterior work on the new building continues.

Finishing work on the outdoor Aloha Plazas East and West prior to the final concrete pour.

Interior carpeting is in place.

For immediate release: May 3, 2023

Douglas County Libraries is kicking off another exciting summer of fun with its 2023 Summer Reading celebration, The Dog Days of Summer, sponsored by Douglas County Libraries Foundation. Pre-registration for all ages is now open at DCL.org/summer-reading, with the official kickoff on Saturday, June 3.

“We hope the community will sign up and join us in having fun with reading all summer long,” said Kristen Kallio, Special Events Supervisor at DCL. “We’ve also got a great lineup of dog-themed events all summer, fun prizes, 15 days of giveaways just for signing up, our K-12 school contest, and so much more!”

All participants who register for the Dog Days of Summer will be entered into the library’s Days of Giveaways prize drawings in June and July, and will receive other fun prizes for signing up. Registered participants can pick up registration prizes, reading logs, and a special, limited-time gift, while supplies last, at a kickoff on Saturday, June 3. The special gift is available only on June 3, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

K-12 students are encouraged to participate in the friendly annual school contest for the most sign-ups and help their school earn $500, and all Dog Days of Summer participants can read and log minutes to help meet DCL’s community goal of 9 million minutes of reading. If the goal is met, Douglas County Libraries Foundation will donate $1,000 to Guide Dogs for the Blind, which seeks to provide a safe means of mobility for people who are blind and visually impaired.

Register for the Dog Days of Summer and related events at DCL.org/summer-reading. For more information, visit DCL.org or call (303) 791-7323.

Douglas County Libraries elevates our community by inspiring a love of reading, discovery and connection.

Summer Reading includes treats like registration and finishing prizes, giveaways, fun events and activities, friendly challenges, and more!

Summer Reading fun for all ages!

Sign up the whole family for a summer of reading fun.

For immediate release: March 2, 2023

The existing Castle Rock library is open during construction.

Construction of Douglas County Libraries’ new building in Castle Rock is progressing with a projected opening in late summer 2023. The two-story, 62,000-square-foot building is located in front of the existing library (100 S. Wilcox Street), which will be demolished upon completion of the new building to make way for a 220-space parking lot.

“The next few weeks will be quite busy outside our new building,” said Rick O’Dell, DCL’s Interim Special Projects Manager, adding that construction partner Fransen Pittman will continue to lay out site work, trench and install utilities, and install the building’s exterior cladding and windows.

Inside, the library is taking shape as well, with drywall hung on both floors. Tile work in first-floor restrooms is complete with second floor tiling in process. Installation of the ceiling grid on the first floor is underway, and recessed ceiling light fixtures will follow. Interior priming and painting continues.

Construction subcontractors are finishing miscellaneous mechanical, electrical and plumbing work on the first floor, and data cable is being installed.

Meanwhile, the existing library remains open to customers during construction.

The new library will be 17,000 square feet bigger than the existing building, with 42,000 square feet of dedicated library space to serve the growing Castle Rock community into the future. DCL’s administrative offices and Archives & Local History department and its collections will also be housed in the building.

In addition to working with Fransen Pittman General Contractors of Englewood, Colo., DCL has contracted with OPN Architects of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for library design.

Visit DCL.org/build for updates and information about the building project.

Douglas County Libraries elevates our community by inspiring a love of reading, discovery and connection.

The new library will feature a drive-though book return, outdoor patios and community spaces, and 42,000 square feet of dedicated library space. Rendering courtesy of OPN Architects.

Photo credit: Hutch Tibbetts, Douglas County Libraries

Northwest corner of the second floor. Photo credit: Hutch Tibbetts, Douglas County Libraries

More second-floor construction, south facing. Photo credit: Hutch Tibbetts, Douglas County Libraries

Construction view from the top of the staircase. Photo credit: Hutch Tibbetts, Douglas County Libraries