More than a century ago, the Estes Valley Library was a modest collection of books in a schoolroom. Today, it serves as a bustling community hub. Offerings range from digital media and makerspace technology to author talks and curbside service.
The library’s story began in 1914, when members of the Estes Park Woman’s Club raised money to purchase two lots on Davis Hill with hopes of establishing a public library. The project stalled, but the idea endured. Two years later, the first library opened in the basement of the Estes Park School, at the corner of MacGregor Avenue and Park Lane, with a collection of 262 books. Florence Bond, the daughter of Cornelius Bond, was the first librarian. She was paid $1.50 a week.
Over the next several years, the library moved from one temporary home to another, including a rented room in the Hupp Hotel. The library’s first collection consisted of books on loan from the Colorado Traveling Library Commission, supplemented by donated books and magazines.
In 1922, the town donated land and the Women’s Club, which had raised $5,000, built and furnished the library’s first permanent home in a one-story stone-and-stucco building located in Bond Park. Alma Bond, the wife of Cornelius Bond and the mother of Florene, served as the library director until 1941.
A few additions were made to the building, including a major 1935 expansion funded by Eleanor Estes James Hondius, whose family had developed the Elk Horn Lodge.
By the 1960s, the Estes Park Library was open six days a week, and in 1968, it joined the High Plains Library System. The move modernized operations and expanded the library’s access to materials. The following year, the building underwent a significant expansion and renovation.
Growth accelerated in the 1970s. A 900-square-foot addition opened in 1978, and the Friends of the Library Foundation was established to support programs and fundraising. In 1980, Ted Schmidt became the first director to hold a Master of Library Science degree. He expanded staffing, added Sunday hours, and encouraged volunteer involvement, with dozens of residents donating thousands of hours each year.
In 1988, area voters approved the creation of the Estes Valley Public Library District. The special taxing district established a permanent funding source through a dedicated property tax to ensure long-term financial stability. Today, the Estes Valley Public Library District has an operating mill levy of 4.52 mills, and Estes Valley Library’s 2026 general fund operating budget is $2,770,465.71. In addition to this operating budget, the library has allocated $2,621,897 for building renovations.
In 1989, voters approved $1.3 million in bonds to fund the construction of a new, 13,650-square-foot building designed by local architect Roger Thorp. The new building, located at 335 East Elkhorn Ave., adjacent to Town Hall, opened in May 1991. Staff moved more than 12,000 items into the new facility, which included then-cutting-edge technology such as public internet access terminals, computerized catalogs, and a fax machine.
The library continued to expand through voter-approved funding measures in 2000 and 2004. A second-story addition opened in 2002, creating new spaces for collections, programs, and public computers. By 2005, the library employed 17 staff members and managed approximately 50,000 items.
Under the leadership of Library Director Claudine Perrault, who took the helm in 2005, the library adopted its first strategic plan and broadened its role as a community gathering place. Children’s programming flourished, local history materials were digitized, and in 2009, the institution rebranded as the Estes Valley Library to better reflect its service area.
The 2010s brought more innovations and outreach. The One Book One Valley community reading program debuted in 2011 with “A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson. The library introduced downloadable ebooks, RFID tagging, self-checkout stations, and social media. In 2013, voters approved a mill levy increase that strengthened library services and added new offerings requested by residents.
In 2016, the library celebrated its centennial and launched access to hundreds of thousands of digital titles through OverDrive and Hoopla. Donor-funded improvements in 2017 added a makerspace, study rooms, and a quieter second floor. In 2018, The Twig opened at the Estes Valley Community Center, giving patrons a convenient location to pick up holds and return materials.
The Friends of the Library Foundation expanded its support in 2019 by opening Cliffhanger Used Books, a volunteer-run bookstore whose proceeds benefit library programs and operations. That same year, the library’s English Language Learning program and Library of Things continued to grow.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the library to close its doors in March 2020, staff shifted to curbside pickup, virtual programming, and online services. The building also served as a distribution site for masks and test kits. Even as wildfires threatened the Estes Valley later that year, the library remained a vital resource for information and connection.
In 2023, a key modernization milestone was reached when the board of trustees approved a renovation plan to update interior spaces, following priorities from the 2022 Community Needs Assessment. New programs, including video games and Park Like a Local, improved access and engagement.
In 2024, the library adopted a new strategic plan emphasizing responsive services and refreshed spaces. New offerings included Freegal Music, a Digital Navigator to help patrons with technology, and expanded public printing options.
In 2025, the Friends of the Library Foundation launched a successful fundraising campaign to support the renovation project. The library continued to evolve as a center for creativity and learning, hosting sold-out events such as Tracks and Stacks, expanding its Library of Things, upgrading study rooms, and offering virtual author talks and local history programs.
The “wall breaking” for the renovations will take place on May 29. Updates on the renovation project and construction milestones will be posted on the library’s website: Estes Valley Library renovation page.