Denver Public Library FREE Computer Classes

If you need to brush up your computer or tech skills be sure to check out the Denver Public Library's FREE computer classes and labs. Some classes may require registration -- check the site. Many of them are offered in Spanish and English. Check out the list of upcoming computer and tech events and classes HERE.

Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks" FREE at Denver Library

Don your tin foil hat and head for the Denver Public Library's central branch downtown tonight, Tuesday Oct. 9, where you can catch a FREE showing of the Sci-Fi cult classic "Mar's Attacks." Presented by the Denver Public Library's Fresh City Life program, the movie is part of a Sci-Fi movie fest scheduled for every Tuesday night in October. 6-9PM. Hosted by film screenwriter and film professor, Darren Foster. Denver Central Library, Level B2 Conference Center, 10 W. Fourteenth Ave. Pkwy. Denver.

Camp It Up with Denver Library's Oct. Sci Fi Series

Mars Attacks!

Who doesn't love cheesy science fiction movies? Get your fill in October, when the Denver Public Library's 10th Anniversary Film Series celebrates five campy Science Fiction gems. Hosted by film screenwriter and film professor, Darren Foster. Films to screen on Tuesdays, 6-9PM. FREE!

• Oct. 2: Escape From The Planet Of The Apes (1971)  "Get your hands off me, you damned dirty ape!" Chuck Heston dons a  loin cloth as he battles against the bad monkeys in this classic, which spawned a long run of sequels and prequels, but certainly no equals.
• Oct. 9: Mars Attacks! (1996) Worth it just to see Jack Nicholson camp it up as a U.S. president. One of Tim Burton's most underrated films, a  zany homage to cheesy 50s alien invader films.
• Oct. 16: Barbarella (1968) - Special event hosted by style maven and New York author Brini Maxwell, Registration is encouraged. Why? Because undoubtedly it is the sexiest sci-fi film ever made. Thank you Roger Vadim!
• Oct. 23.Logan's Run (1976)  The tale of a hippie fascist regime in which everyone over 30 is compulsorily killed by an omnipotent computer that wants to keep the population down. Well, that should help balance the federal budget.
• Oct. 30. Flash Gordon (1980) Campy British space swashbuckler. Great soundtrack by Queen.

Denver Central Library, Level B2 Conference Center, 10 W. Fourteenth Ave. Pkwy. Denver.

Sex, Lies and Hollywood FREE Feb. 7

Sex, Lies and Celluloid: Old Hollywood, Bad Romance  is a FREE film series offered by the  Denver Public Library in February. In step with the season the series highlights Cupid's darker side. Enjoy an anti-aphrodisiacal food tasting before each film – just to get you in the mood. On Feb. 7 catch "The Great Lie" (1941), one of Bette Davis' great performances, pitting her against snakey pianist Mary Astor in a tug-o-war over a baby and baby daddy, handsome pilot George Brent. 6-9PM at the Denver Central Library, 10 W. Fourteenth Ave. Pkwy., evel B2 Conference Center. More info on upcoming films here.

Curious Theatre-DPL Give Voice to Iraq Veterans Jan. 31

On Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 6PM check out "Voices From the Front Lines" at the Denver Public Library. Curious Theatre Company partners with Stories on Stage and Lighthouse Writers Workshop to present stories written by Iraq veterans. Selections from Stories on Stage's Veteran Affairs will be performed by Timothy McCracken and Curious Theatre Company member Mare Trevathan; followed by readings from Lighthouse Writers Workshop, performed by Curious Theatre Company actors. FREE but you need to register here. Central Library, Level B2 Conference Center.

Get Cheeky On Valentine's Day With DPLs Fresh Life

Start the new year with Fresh City Life's FREE  cultural programs for adults at the central Denver Public Library, and at library branches around town. Always check the Fresh City website because many classes or events require registration, and registrations tend to fill quickly. Our recommendations for upcoming events:

On Feb. 14 (register now!) why don't you skip the horrid, overpriced Valentine's dinner and instead opt for a little hot coffee, warm chocolate and cold blooded-murder. Yeah baby! Fresh City Life is teaming up with the cool cats at Curious Theatre for a special night for lovers, singles and friends. Chocolate tasting with coffee begins at 6:30PM, followed by a wacky script reading from NBC’s "Law and Order" about love gone wrong. Registration is required so get off your tukass and sign up here, or call 720-865-1206. Please note on your online registration if you’d like to participate as a reader, or as an audience member only. Downtown Central library.

Check out author Sundari Kraft, who will discuss her book,"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Urban Homesteading," at the Schlessman Family Branch library from 2-3PM on Saturday Jan.14. Kraft swears that anyone can learn how to live sustainably and responsibly--and save money and time--in an urban environment. hares her knowledge of: growing organic food and preserving it; raising chickens, dwarf goats, rabbits, bees, and fish; making cheese, yogurt, and other foods; creating your own non-toxic cleaning products; and other ways to cut costs and live green. Kraft is the owner of Heirloom Gardens, LLC, a multi-plot urban farm in Northwest Denver, and is also the founder of Sustainable Food Denver, an advocacy group. She is co-chair of the Denver Sustainable Food Policy Council. She lives in Denver with her husband and their chickens, ducks, dwarf goats, bees, cats, and Chihuahua. More info here.

On Jan. 18, from 6-7:30PM, learn about the power and potential of Herbal Medicine at the Ross-Cherry Creek branch. The class will discuss why and how to use herbs as daily tonics or for acute situations, quality of herbs, different preparations, and clues you in to the "must haves" for everyone. Key supplements will also be introduced in order to help you formulate your ideal personal plan. All levels of herbal knowledge and experience are welcome! Presented by your neighborhood herbal experts from Apothecary Tinctura.

On Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 6PM Curious Theatre Company partners with Stories on Stage and Lighthouse Writers Workshop, to present stories written by Iraq veterans. Selections from Stories on Stage's Veteran Affairs, will be performed by Timothy McCracken and Curious Theatre Company member Mare Trevathan; followed by readings from Lighthouse Writers Workshop, performed by Curious Theatre Company actors. This event is FREE and open to the public. Registration is encouraged. Register online or call 720-865-1206. Downtown Central branch.

 

Ross-University Hills Library Re-Opens

Well it seemed like it took forever, but we are happy to report that our favorite Denver Library branch, AKA Ross-University Hills  has re-opened. New hours are Monday, Weds. and Friday 10AM-6PM and Tuesday and Thursdays from Noon-8PM. Saturdays are 9AM-5PM. Closed Sundays. 4310 E. Amherst Ave. Can't wait to go!

Denver Public Library's Holiday Used Book Sale Dec. 8, 9, 10

Denver Public Library's Holiday Used Book Sale is the perfect place to find great holiday gifts for the whole family - all at bargain prices starting at just one dollar. With over 30,000 items to choose from, including children's books, movies and music, you can also stock up on your holiday entertainment.Hardbacks are $3,
 paperbacks are $2, DVDs are $2 and CDs are $1. Cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard and Discover accepted. Website here.

Thursday, Dec. 8 - 10AM--5PM
Friday, Dec. 9 - 10AM--5PM
Saturday, Dec. 10 - 10AM-- 4PM

FREE Food Preservation Class@Denver Public Library Sept. 17

At 3:00PM on Saturday Sept. 17 the Ross University Hills Branch of the Denver Public Library will join Denver Urban Homesteading for Canning: Preserve Your Garden's Bounty. FREE! College biology professor Rhonda Hatta will teach you the fundamentals of canning your garden vegetables for your enjoyment all through the winter and spring. Right now, veggies (including organic)  are about as cheap as they are going to be, so we highly recommend this class. 4310 E. Amherst Ave.

FREE Music Downloads from Denver Public Library

Freegal (which ironically rhymes with "legal") offers FREE music downloads to Denver Public Library card-holders -- letting you choose from thousands of songs in the Sony Music catalog. Just sign in with your library card number and password. Your PIN is your password - either your 4-digit birth year or the password you created from your library account.

You can sample as many song clips as you want, and you can download up to three tracks per week. The library also has a weekly limit, allocated by Sony. If the library runs out of downloads for the week, you can add tunes to “My Wishlist.” The downloads on this site are all in the MP3 format with no DRM (Digital Rights Management) limits. This service will work with any MP3 player, including iPod, and can be loaded into iTunes. It works on both PCs and Macs. FREE!

Denver Library Branches Close Jan. 27-Feb. 2

All Denver Public Library branches will be closed to the public from Thursday, Jan. 27, through Wednesday, Feb. 2, while DPL switches over to its new integrated library system (ILS). All branches also are closed Monday, Jan. 17, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.
        As a result of the ILS install, DPL patrons won’t be able to place holds until mid-February 2011 while data is transferred. Affected are materials ordered through DPL’s catalog, Prospector, Interlibrary Loan and Request It, as well as Purchase requests. Existing holds will be filled as they become available.
        New Fresh City Life programming begins in February; highlights include a West Side Story dance class in partnership with the Colorado Ballet; a Hitchcock film series; a Jewish food cooking series; and a Women in Film series for Women’s History Month. You can find more info at denverlibrary.org.

Celebrate a REAL Vampyre Oct. 23 at Novo Coffee

Who is sick of the Twilight franchise? Thank you for your show of hands. Let's talk about a real bad guy...that kookie Romanian Old Vlad the Impaler. Now...that's a vampire. Don't miss the FREE Vlad the Impaler’s Fair and Expo, brought to you on Oct. 23 by the Denver Public Library's Fresh City Life. Located at Novo Coffee and Mad Wine, at 1200 Acoma Street, the fair wll allow attendees can sample four crafts ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous at different DIY sites. The fair/expo runs from 3 to 6PM. Best of all, this event is FREE, which means you can spend your cash on the drink specials that Novo and Mad Wine will be offering. Registration is required; sign up at http://denverlibrary.org/fresh or by calling 720-865-1206.

The Denver Library -- A Recession Sanctuary

If you are dead broke in Denver, or anywhere in the metro region, now is the time to rekindle that long-neglected relationship with your local public library branch.

What a killer deal the library is! Free Wi-Fi? Got it. Free computer access and email? Got it. Want to learn Microsoft Xcel? Come on in and join a free class.

Want to research a new career, or considering returning to school? Talk to your librarian. In one visit you can catch up on bestselling books, add some music to your iTunes and rent movies -- all for free.

The great news is that libraries, recently considered fossils in the digital age, are back in business thanks to the recession. Local branches are shining as community gathering places, and they offer a myriad of entertainment, employment and education options.

As a result, parking has become impossible at many Denver-area branches and once inside you have to dodge dozens of Starbucks' slurping patrons foraging the fiction stacks. Check-out lines are long and cluttered with well-heeled patrons. And librarians, who just months ago appeared slack-faced and lonely, now are aglow with the type of upbeat energy that results from feeling needed.

This library Renaissance is being reported online and in print nationwide. In Boston, monthly visits to a free Internet homework tutoring service have doubled from 300 to 600 per month. Library-card requests have increased 27% during the last half of 2008 in San Francisco. The Boise Public Library reported a 61% increase in new library cards in 2008

The sale of books, CDs and DVDs nose-dived in 2008, but people are still able to enjoy reading, listening and watching, thanks to public libraries. Ironically, just as the recession has turned public libraries into happening places, where knowledge and information are democratized, your local government is likely looking to slash staff, hours and services.

With all the foot traffic I'm seeing at my branch, I think it would be wiser to fatten city coffers by opening library food courts or coffee houses.

Nonetheless, Aurora is planning to shutter one library and cut hours at six others as a cost-saving measure. In Boulder, circulation of job-hunting materials is up 14%, yet the library is contemplating a branch closure. Library administrators in Firestone are desperately trying to save a popular summer reading program for kids. In Denver, where the city has a $56 million budget shortfall, libraries were recently forced to shut down for a day as part of a cost-saving employee furlough program.

As an editorial writer at the New York Times recently pointed out, we need to make our politicians aware that public libraries are used more when the economy is down and that they are more important "than keeping a baseball team in New York or building or increasing spending on roads or buildings."

National Library Week is April 12-18. If you have a chance, personally thank your local librarians and shoot an email to your local politicians outlining your support of your community's library system. To support the Denver Public Library, please contact the Denver Public Library Friends Foundation at www.dplfriends.org or call 720-865-2050.