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The Pueblo Library can be dated back to 1891 with a reading room in the Pueblo Board of Trade Building. In 1904, the McClelland Library was constructed and funded by Andrew Carnegie and local philanthropists. The library was rebuilt and expanded in 1965 through a public bond issue. In 2003, a new 110,000 sq. ft. main library branch was constructed, and the Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library opened to the public.
There are eight full-service public libraries and four satellite library locations throughout the district. Current locations are supplemented with outreach programs, including an online high school program, English language learners programming, homebound services, aging population programming, technology literacy, digital equity equipment provisions, and other services offered outside library facilities and in collaboration with partnering organizations.
Since opening its doors to the public in 2003, the Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library has hosted community meetings, study sessions, job trainings, computer literacy programs, children’s activities and literacy events. The Rawlings Library is an integral piece of the Pueblo community infrastructure, serving as a central place to enhance the community’s culture, bolster the local economy and serve as a place for the entire community to share information and ideas.
The Rawlings Library will undergo a $11.5 million renovation to provide a reimagined public library that meets the needs of all members within Pueblo County. As part of the $11.5 million project, $2.5 million will be raised through fundraising efforts.
Private support is needed to create a fully reimagined Rawlings Library. Doing so will allow for increased partnership collaboration, provide opportunities to enhance the vitality of the community, as well as enhance a community facility that serves as a collaborative educational resource for children, adults and families. This is an exciting time for PCCLD, as we continue to transform 21st century public library services and facilities.