|
My name is B. Peach Dance and I am a junior at Metropolitan State College of Denver.
I was born and raised in the Denver area,
graduated from East high school on the honor role in 2009.
I am majoring in modern languages –Spanish in 2012.
I am receiving a minor in dance and participate in an activity called Winter Guard with a professional troupe. This activity consists of spinning flags, rifles, and sabers in an indoor environment to a music as opposed to on a field to a marching band (color/fall guard). Although I do not do this activity through Metro State, it has taught me many important life lessons in conjunction with my college experiences including, social academic, and professional maturity.
I am a work study in the Chicana/o Studies Department for the Journey Through Our Heritage program. This program matches work-study students with a non-profit organization and I have been matched with Library People. Library People is a nonprofit organization that provides advocacy, support, and coordination of service projects to enable libraries of all types, especially small and rural libraries, to meet community needs. Incorporated in 1984 as a Colorado nonprofit, Library People began as an activist group to meet statewide issues of support for libraries. Many people came from local libraries’ Friends groups. After several years, and the resolution of the original issue, the group went on hiatus. Library People began a new phase in its existence in 2005, by recruiting Board members, initiating special projects, and developing ties to local library staff and local Friends groups.
Currently, Library People helps libraries with services and programs through grants, technical assistance, connections, and advocacy. Among its activities are a statewide network of local Friends and library supporters; annual Rural Library Enrichment Project grants; a Best Friend Award; a quarterly E-Flash news bulletin; and the Authors Appearances project. A new partnership through Metropolitan State College of Denver is focusing on outreach to Latinos on behalf of libraries. Library People: 2207 Bluebell Ave, Boulder, CO 80302, www.librarypeople.org, libraryPeopleColorado@yahoo.com, 303-394-3710.
Being a book lover and having been to the library many times in many places, working with library people is a nice fit. Since this organization is relatively behind on the development scale, it is exciting that I have such a close influence on the development of the organization itself, and the libraries, and in turn communities it serves. I am currently researching the greatest need of services from Library People by looking at different counties’ library services and resources, and beginning a statewide Friends network database.
| 
