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Month: November 2025

HPLD Staff Member Wins Major Award!

Okay, this is a fun one:
HPLD staff member Michelle won this year’s Pattie Johnson Outreach Award at the national Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services conference!
 
The award goes to “a bookmobile or outreach support staff member who has provided exemplary service to their community through bookmobile and outreach services,” and here’s a bit from the ABOS press release:
 
“Through her interactions with students, Michelle has built meaningful relationships that extend beyond book checkouts. She takes the time to engage with students, she provides the spark that fosters curiosity and learning. The bookmobile program, under her leadership, has been a vital resource for students and families in our community, particularly for those who would otherwise have limited access to libraries and books.”
 
Michelle is a star, always great to work with, and just the nicest person you could ever hope to meet. Please congratulate her along with us!
michelle with award
staff with award

Here’s the full text of the press release from ABOS: 

Michelle Flores of High Plains Library District is the recipient of the 2025 Pattie Johnston Outreach Award. The Pattie Johnston Outreach Award, sponsored by Specialty Vehicle Services, is presented annually to a bookmobile or outreach support staff member who has provided exemplary service to their community through bookmobile and outreach services.

Michelle has consistently provided exemplary service and has proven to be an invaluable asset to our community. Her work has not only met, but exceeded expectations, and it is impossible to overstate the positive impact she has had on the students and staff she interacts with.

Whether Michelle is interacting with students, faculty, or community members, she always goes above and beyond to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and valued. Her genuine passion for books and reading fosters an atmosphere where learning is encouraged and celebrated.

Through her interactions with students, Michelle has built meaningful relationships that extend beyond book checkouts. She takes the time to engage with students, she provides the spark that fosters curiosity and learning. The bookmobile program, under her leadership, has been a vital resource for students and families in our community, particularly for those who would otherwise have limited access to libraries and books.

The Pattie Johnston Outreach Award was presented on October 9th, 2025, at the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services Annual Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

Traveling Exhibit Headed Erie’s Way!

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and American Battlefield Trust have teamed up to create an incredible traveling exhibit: The American Revolution Experience, and we’re proud to say that the exhibit’s next stop will be at Erie Community Library, and it’ll be available during all open library hours starting November 15th and ending December 1st.

This is a huge, incredible opportunity to learn a lot about how our country got its start, and with us right on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence, seems like pretty solid timing.

To tell you a little more about it, we caught up with Tracey Reichart, Regent for the Indian Peaks Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

High Plains Library District (HPLD): I think for a lot of people, their familiarity with Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) comes from Emily Gilmore on Gilmore Girls, which I’m guessing is not a very complete picture. So tell me a little bit about what you’re all about, what DAR does and so on.

Tracey Reichart (TR): NSDAR was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Washington DC. DAR is a non-political women’s lineage and service organization that focuses on three key pillars: Historic Preservation, Education, and Patriotism. Roughly 1,000,000 women have found purpose and passion in the DAR.  We are members in over 3000 local chapters across 50 states and in multiple countries around the world. Colorado has 49 chapters and approximately 3000 members. The Indian Peaks Chapter was formed just 10 years ago and serves Louisville, Erie, and Lafayette with 125 members currently. Indian Peaks is a vibrant and social chapter that has provided generous support to local schools and the community, providing history education materials and school supplies.

Veterans are another key group that we support through our Quilts of Valor recognition program, holiday outreach, Rocky Mountain Honor Flight, and more.

This past year we completed fundraising to purchase and distribute patriotic all-weather American flags to families who recently rebuilt homes from the devastating Marshall fire.  

There are so many opportunities to provide much needed community support through DAR!

HPLD: I noticed the DAR website has a lot of genealogical research resources, and there’s a whole library of information. I didn’t realize how parallel public libraries were in that way. Tell me a little bit about that aspect of DAR.

TR: As a lineage society, DAR is built on genealogy and has one of the most extensive libraries in the country, located at the national headquarters in Washington, D.C. The library and building are open to visitors with a full staff of genealogists eager to assist anyone with research and records. Additionally, DAR provides members with opportunities to take online genealogy courses at multiple levels of complexity to build individual genealogy skill sets. At the chapter level, trained genealogists (Genies, as they are called) help new applicants research their families and obtain documents necessary to qualify for membership.

Many times, women who believe they could not have possibly had an ancestor that gave aid to the American Revolution, do find they indeed do qualify either through their ancestor’s military records, civic records, and more.  If you think about it, citizens in the 1770s either identified as a Revolutionary or as a Loyalist! So, there’s pretty good odds that a patriot does exist in one’s family! We help sort that out!

 

HPLD: I was looking through your membership, and I saw highlighted an architect, a farmer, a nun, firefighters, military folks, and a few librarians. What do you think it is about DAR that appeals to people in such different fields or of such varying interests?

TR: There is literally something of interest for everyone in DAR. Each member comes with their own individual passion and can engage in a variety of activities and events, as much, or as little, as they would like. Through common interests in conservation efforts, women’s topics, patriotism, history, education, literacy, DAR is a vibrant group of women who enjoy volunteering and participating in social events together. DAR is an incredibly rewarding experience!

HPLD: Let’s talk about the display going up at Erie Community Library. Tell me a little bit about it. What’s in it? What’s it about?

TR: There are lots of details about it at the American Battlefield Trust website, and some of their highlights include bits about how people chose sides during the war, roles in the army, including lots of non-combatant roles, and how the legacy of The American Revolution is still visible all around us today.

HPLD: When we spoke previously, you mentioned that the exhibit is great for around third graders and up with no upper limit, and that there are interactive elements, especially for kids. Tell me a little bit about those interactive, kid-friendly pieces.

TR: The exhibit is great for the entire family and is specifically geared toward middle school to high school student ages. However, younger children will benefit from exposure to the exhibit with hands-on materials made available to engage younger students at the exhibit area. We also plan to provide Spanish language guides to participants needing assistance. A fun Revolutionary War “scavenger hunt” will round out the available activities. 

HPLD: It’s okay to come if you really don’t know much about American history or government and that kind of thing, right? There isn’t a test you have to pass, and you won’t be totally lost even if you have very little background in American history?

TR: What I love about the exhibit is that you do not have to have any knowledge of the American Revolution or the history of the United States. The exhibit is a sequential journey, told over multiple high quality color panels, that takes each participant through the history of numerous causes that led up to the Revolution. It explains how peace talks failed and ultimately led to that first “Shot Heard Round the World” confrontation between the patriots and the British in 1775 in Concord and Lexington. It’s understandable to everyone, whether you are a history “geek” or are just curious about how our country became independent from England and created the first democracy in the world. This extraordinary exhibit will engage you right at a time when America is kicking off the celebration of The Declaration of Independence and its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026! This milestone will resonate in the heart of every American!

HPLD: Talk to me about the importance of seeing things in person. We can see a lot of things online, pictures and so on. Personally, I like to go and see stuff myself, but what’s your opinion on the importance or value of going and seeing something like the display that’ll be at Erie in real life?

TR: People learn in different ways. So much information is online these days. However, this exhibit is such a visual treat, and we are extremely lucky to have this “live event” in our community! I think that physically coming together as neighbors to engage, reflect on the significance, and generate conversation about the exhibit and what it represents, is crucial for our society, especially at a time when the world feels so fragile. We need connection! The fact that this is physically accessible to anyone is incredible.

HPLD: With so many options all over the country, I definitely appreciate the choice to place the exhibit in Erie. Tell me a little bit about how Erie became one of the exhibit’s selected locations.

TR: The touring exhibit first started visiting locations around the country in 2024 at state capitals and other government buildings, exhibit halls, museums, libraries, and more. Indian Peaks Chapter jumped on the opportunity early on and had hoped to be selected at some point in this multi-year tour. As a prime location in the Denver Metro Area along the I-25 corridor, Erie Community Library is a beautiful and accessible venue for so many in the north Denver, Broomfield, Boulder, Weld, and Larimer counties. Additionally, Golden was another area selected venue, along with western slope and eastern plain’s locations for the Colorado tour in November and December.

HPLD: I gather you’re all gearing up for 2026 and the semiquincentennial, 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Tell me a little bit about how that’s affected DAR’s plans for the next year. I imagine it’s quite busy!

TR: Yes, there are plenty of semiquincentennial events in the planning stages across the country, and Colorado is no exception! Additionally, next year marks Colorado’s 150th state anniversary that coincides with the 250th, and there are lots of plans coming on that also. Stay tuned as DAR introduces events and celebrations for both the state and local areas!

HPLD: I did see that DAR offers scholarships, and that the window opens in November. We serve a lot of folks with kids headed to college, so that might be of interest. Can you tell me anything about that?

TR: Yes! As a part of our education pillar, DAR does offer chapter, state, and national level scholarships to high school seniors, students in undergraduate and graduate programs, and even trade schools. Our local chapter would be happy to work with anyone interested in pursuing these scholarships that typically begin at the local level and then work their way through other screenings at the state and national level.  A variety of scholarships range from $200 upwards to several thousand dollars and typically require participation in our annual student essay contest for those who are middle through high school levels. Additional scholarships at higher levels of study are more merit and needs based. Please contact Indian Peaks Chapter, NSDAR directly via email at ipregent.treichart@gmail.com for more information.

HPLD: Let’s give everyone those details about the display: The dates, when it’s available, and I just want to remind everyone it’s free and there’s no registration, you can just come check it out anytime the library is available.

TR: I hope everyone in the community and even classroom field trips will take advantage of this incredible opportunity to view the American Revolution Experience! This free national touring exhibit will be held at the Erie Community Library from November 15 – December 1 during standard library hours each day. Educational handouts, themed puzzles and games, along with an exhibit scavenger hunt will be available, as hosted by Indian Peaks Chapter members.

HPLD: If people want to learn more about DAR, where should they go?

TR: To learn more about the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, please go to the national website www.dar.org or visit our local chapter website at www.indianpeaks.coloradodar.org or contact Indian Peaks Chapter Regent, Tracey Reichart, at ipregent.treichart@gmail.com.

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