We're Building!

We are excited to build a new library facility that will offer the space and amenities to serve our customers in Castle Rock well into the future.

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Virtual Tour
Timeline
Building FAQs
No Leaf Unturned

The Castle Rock library is closed to the public through August 25. Here's what you need to know about the closure.

Dates
  • The current Castle Rock library and Archives & Local History are closed until the new library opens on August 26.
  • Demolition of the old Castle Rock library begins July 1.
  • Our Grand Opening in the new building is planned for August 26 (date subject to change).
  • Other closures to note: The Second Chapter Bookstore is closed until the new library opens.
Borrowing & Returns
  • You are welcome to keep Castle Rock materials while the library is closed; they will not be due or accrue fines prior to the Grand Opening.
  • You may also return materials to any open DCL library during the closure.
  • Please return Book Club Express kits to a service desk at any open location, and not via drive-thru book drops.
Holds
  • You may suspend holds, so they are not filled during the closure, and reactivate them for when the library reopens.
  • You may also elect to pick up holds at another library during the closure; this request must be made via a library staff member in person or at (303) 791-7323.
  • If you don’t make any changes, holds will be automatically suspended one week before the closure, and reactivated on opening day.
  • Library titles unique to the Castle Rock location will be unavailable for holds until two weeks after opening day.
  • Holds placed during the closure will be filled by other locations as available, and available for pick-up at other locations. After reopening, staff can help customers redirect holds pick-up to the new Castle Rock location.
  • Book Club Express, Prospector, and interlibrary loan items will be available for pickup at an open branch. Items will not be available for pickup in Castle Rock beginning May 12. To update your pickup location for these items, please call (303) 791-7323.
Summer Reading: Dog Days of Summer, June 3-July 31
  • Castle Rock residents may sign up online at DCL.org/summer-reading beginning May 1 or at an alternate Castle Rock Storytime location, and can attend a June 3 kickoff at any open DCL location to pick up registration prizes and logs, while supplies last. Prizes will also be available June 3-August 6, while supplies last, at any open library location or one of the alternate Castle Rock Storytime locations.
  • Castle Rock K-12 students are encouraged to participate in the school contest! Simply include the student’s grade and school at signup for the school to be counted.
  • Participants may attend Summer Reading events at any open DCL location. Find event information and registration details at DCL.org/summer-reading.
Storytimes
  • Alternate Storytimes will be held Monday-Wednesday, June 5-July 28; visit the Storytime Calendar for times and locations. Summer outdoor Storytime will be held at Festival Park on Thursdays at 9AM.
  • You may also attend Storytime at any open library location. Visit the Storytime Calendar for schedules.
Book Donations
  • We are not accepting donations of books in Castle Rock during our closure. Learn more about donating books at an open location.

Virtual Tour

Timeline

Building FAQs

Why build a new library in Castle Rock?
We are excited to respond to the community’s growth and demand for library spaces and services through continued dedication to our strategic plan. A new library in Castle Rock is also in line with commitments we have made in our facilities plan, to provide customers with premium libraries that meet community needs.
Castle Rock is growing; it is now larger than Parker and will surpass Highlands Ranch as the largest town in Douglas County in the next 10-20 years. Our current Castle Rock facility is about the size of our Lone Tree library, even though Castle Rock’s population is three times that of Lone Tree. We are working together to achieve a library facility with the space and features to serve our Castle Rock customers now and into the next generation. We also seek to equip our districtwide services teams with spaces for their important work.
What will the new library look like?
The new library is under construction in front of the existing library, on the corner of Wilcox and Phelps Streets. We will incorporate the community’s needs into the new library spaces while seeking innovative library design, and we’ll implement features consistent with our other library locations as we work to honor our brand.
We will aim to match library capacities in Highlands Ranch and Parker, with about 42,000 square feet of library space, and to provide a minimum of 220 parking spots for customers and staff. The Castle Rock location will continue to house DCL Archives & Local History, its collections, and The Sjostrom History Lounge reading room. We will also add amenities on par with other Douglas County Libraries locations: a drive-through book return, interactive playscape, 10 study rooms, five larger meeting and event spaces, plus outdoor Aloha Plazas East and West.
What is the timeline for this project?
On March 31, 2021, our library’s Board of Trustees approved a budget and contracts for a new library and districtwide services facility in Castle Rock. Groundbreaking was held on May 2, 2022, and construction began. Our current Castle Rock library will be closed May 22-August 25, to accommodate the transition of library services from the current building to the new one. A Grand Opening event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 26, 2023.
Was the community involved?
Douglas County Libraries is committed to decision-making based on community input and support. Based on our community-wide survey of library users and non-users in 2012, we learned that community members want more meeting and study rooms, indoor and outdoor spaces, family and creative spaces, and a drive-up book drop. That information, as well as more recent data and input, will help inform the design of the new library and ensure it meets the community's needs.
Who is funding the new library?
Each year, and for several years, we have set money aside into savings to improve existing buildings and build new ones. Our capital savings fund is our source for this project.
Will there be more materials?
The new library will likely result in small increases in some of the collections we offer.
What happened to the gazebo/bandstand?
DCL donated the gazebo to the Castle Rock Band. It was relocated to the CALF Lowell Ranch three miles south of the library, where the community can continue to enjoy it.

No Leaf Unturned

About the Campaign
Community support has kept Douglas County Libraries blazing trails and growing for over 30 years.
Because we continue to care for our resources and want to offer all of our customers premium experiences, we are excited to launch the third phase of our library improvement campaign, to fund and renovate libraries in and for our community.
Thank you for allowing us to serve you! We look forward to moving in to a new library in Castle Rock, and continuing to bring new, innovative features to all of our libraries, so we can grow with you, your family, and our community for years to come.
Campaign History
In 2016, Douglas County Libraries funded and built three new libraries in the underserved communities of Parker, Castle Pines, and Lone Tree. Between late 2016 and 2019, the Leadership Team, along with our Board of Trustees, expanded the campaign to focus on renovating the four remaining libraries in our district (Louviers, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, and Roxborough).
Finances & Funding
Through use of our capital reserve and strong stewardship of our resources, Douglas County Libraries hopes to build new libraries in our community without asking citizens for support through tax increases.
The Need for Renovations
Current libraries in Roxborough and Castle Rock do not meet the needs of their growing populations and communities. Inefficient and inflexible layouts inhibit our ability to offer the full spectrum of services and full complement of events and activities our community demands.
The changing landscape of books, reading, and information necessitates highly flexible, modular buildings that are experiential in nature. The library is a source for exploration, discovery, and connection as much as it is a quiet place of contemplation, or a place to do research.
The library is a destination. With nearly 1.7 million visitors annually (2019), Douglas County Libraries is a hub for our community. Residents check out books. They meet and visit with their children and families on a regular basis. Job seekers come to search our online databases or consult with professionals. Businesses and community organizations use our spaces for meetings and events. Many residents come just to hang out.
In 2012, we conducted a large-scale community-wide survey seeking community input and feedback. Library users and non-users rated the library very high for value. In addition to what we already provide, they told us they wanted more meeting rooms, drive-up book drops, indoor/outdoor spaces, study rooms, creative common spaces, family spaces, and contemplative spaces for quiet reflection. We will use findings from this data, along with more recent data and input, to help us inform the design process and ensure that renovations are built upon community needs.

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