By Creed Kidd
Library Director
Red Feather Lakes Community Library
PO Box 123, 71 Firehouse Lane
Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545
970-881-2664 (voice)
970-881-2836 (fax)
www.redfeatherlibrary.org
[email protected]
November 4, 2019, is the 50th anniversary of Red Feather Lakes Community Library. On that day in 1969, the library opened for business. There’s a bit of history behind that.
Earlier, there had been some concern in the Red Feather Lakes area regarding the lack of cultural or reading resources. The logical regional contact in addressing that issue was the Fort Collins Library, who, as petitioned, agreed to assist. “A little help from one’s friends” goes a long way, but unfortunately the bookmobile coming from Fort Collins was unable to pull the grade of McNey’s Hill, unpaved at the time.
However, being an enterprising and persistent group, Red Feather Lakes locals decided to form their own local library, created from locally donated books and staffed by local part-time volunteers.
This persisted and grew. One early library organizer had a relative that worked at the Mayo Clinic library in Rochester, New York. Arrangements were made that titles unsuitable for the Mayo Clinic medical library were to be forwarded to the new library at Red Feather Lakes, Colorado.
(As an aside, we recently came across one of the last of these titles on RFL Library shelves, demonstrating how good intentions and good deeds endure through the years).
Managing the library was becoming more complex; and, access and use was exceeding the initial library location of the basement of the Property Owner’s Association building.
Countless local individuals spent countless volunteer hours to promote and fund the Red Feather Library. The Larimer County Commission was petitioned to provide some financial assistance, which, for several years was granted. Locals established a ‘Library Angels’ fund by which the first part-time librarian could be hired.
Recognizing the need for a separate, standalone library building as well as distinct legal standing in the community and Colorado law, the Red Feather community was again up to the task.
“With a little help from local friends,” notably the Red Feather Lakes Property Association and the Red Feather Volunteer Fire Department land was secured for a library building. With the assistance of many community members, granting, and a considerable effort by the Stenzel Family, then developing the Fox Acres Golf Resort, the library was erected and dedicated in 1987.
Within the same timespan, the Red Feather Library Foundation was created to manage the library and work with the legal requirements that the library operated within.
In 2000 the Red Feather Library Foundation was superseded by the Red Feather Mountain Library District on popular vote by area residents. The boundaries of the District follow exactly the boundaries of the Crystal Lakes, Red Feather, and Glacier View Meadows fire districts.
So, we’ll be offering cookies, coffee, and soft drinks the week of November 4th this year for our 50th anniversary. Stop in and say hello, please.
However, we’re celebrating the future. Fifty legacy years are great, but the point is continuing, responsive great service now and ahead. Hence, join us anytime for our 51st year on our way to forever.
Library hours: 7 days a week, 9am – 6pm
Red Feather Lakes Community Library – we just say NO. NO overdue fines; NO hidden fees; NO hard-to-understand or complicated rules; NO days closed excepting major holidays & snow days; NO card needed for internet service and NO wait lines; NO time limit for computer use; and, NO-hassle personalized service.
