ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL News ■ October 2000 / 799 ACRL NATIONAL CONFERENCE Denver diversions Tours and activities at the 2001 ACRL National Conference city by Ellen Metter Going to a conference without enjoying the lo­ cal sights and cultural op­ portunities is like going for a Middle Eastern din­ ner and saying, “Hold the spices.” The ACRL Local Arrange­ ments Committee invites you to enjoy the remarkably varied of­ ferings o f Denver, the Mile High City, while you are in tow n for the March 15-18, 2001, ACRL National Conference. Tours for many tastes T ours have b een created for those w h o w ant to m eander in th e m ountains, as well as for those w h o like to rustle am o n g th e retail. Price an d time details will ap p e a r in the conferen ce program an d on the W eb site at w w w .ala.org/ The dome o State Capitolacrl/d en v er.h tm l). nearly 200 ou D e n v e r h i s t o r i c a l t o u r T hough D enver, fo unded in 1859, is a rela­ tively young city, it’s m anaged to pile u p a m ountain o f historic destinations. This tour begins at the C o lo r a d o S ta te C a p ito l, m od­ eled after the U.S. Capitol building. T o p p ed by a 24-carat- gold-plated dom e, the Capitol offers a fine view o f D enver from the ro­ tu n d a (g e t a v ir tu a l g lim p s e at h t t p : / / denvergov.org/panoram as/R otunda.asp). Step b ack in tim e w h e n yo u visit the G othic Victorian hom e o f M o lly B r o w n , re­ n o w ned for h e r unsinkable ways an d her life as a o n e o f the nouveau riche in early D en­ ver society. Participants on this tour will also visit th e fa­ m ous B r o w n P a la c e H o te l. Triangularly sh ap ed and clad in red sandstone, the hotel features a nine-story atrium and beautiful Victorian and Art Deco accents everywhere you look. High tea will be served featuring finger sandwiches, scones, petit fours, and, of course, special tea. T he last stop o n the tour is the U.S. M in t, o n e of only four mints in the U nited States. f the Colorado C olorado Springs sc e n ic tour Is covered with Scenic is an understatem ent nces of gold. w h en describing o n e o f the destinations o f this tour: the G a r d e n o f t h e G o d s . Superlatives like “m a­ jestic” an d “stu n n in g ” com e to m ind w h en describing this p a rk ’s tow ering red rock for­ mations. This tour also offers an o th er gift of nature, the C a v e o f t h e W in d s , b o rn 200 million years ago— en o u g h time to form a A b o u t t h e author Ellen M e tte r is professional studies bibliographer and reference librarian a t Auraria Library, University o f Colorado a t Denver, e-mail: emetter@carbon.cudenver.edu http://www.ala.org/ mailto:emetter@carbon.cudenver.edu 800 / C&RL News ■ October 2000 dramatic network of rooms encrusted wit stalactites and stalagmites. This trip also stop at Colorado’s most visited man-made attrac tion, the U.S. Air F orce Academy. Wind u with a reception hosted by the library at th University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Denver museum tour This tour features three of Denver’s best known and -loved museums. The Colorado History Museum presents exhibits on th areas earliest inhabitants, the Native Ameri cans, as well as the state’s earliest settlers. During the convention you’ll see an exhibi spotlighting Bill Cody titled Buffalo Bill’ W ild West. The Denver Museum o f Nature and Sci en ce delves into the discoveries of man an the intricacies of the natural world. Durin your visit, the museum will be featuring th exhibit Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga, a special exhibition developed by the Smithsonian. The Denver Art Museum, no ticed by passersby for its fortress-like appear- ance, houses a wide variety of art genres an will be featuring a special exhibit of work by Winslow Hom er during the ACRL Na tional Conference. Shop ’til you drop tours Two arranged shopping tours will be avail able: one around and about Denver and one in the foothills of Boulder. Upscale shop ping is the offering at Denver’s C herry Creek Mall, with such anchor stores as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Shops unique to Colorado are a block north of the Taxi services (Taxis ionLocal transportatmust be called; they are not easily flagged down from the Street.) • American Cab: (303) 321-5555 • Metro Tax: (303) 333-3333 • Yellow Cab: (303) 777-7777 • Zone Cab: (303) 444-8888 All cabs offer 24-hour Service. Bus schedules and light rail information Regional Transportation District (RTD), (303) 299-6000; outside (303) area code: (8 0 0 ) 3 6 6 -7 4 3 3 ; ho m ep ag e: http:// www.rtd-denver.com/. h s - p e - e - t s ­ d g e - d s ­ ­ ­ mall, in North C herry Creek. Walk from boutique to gallery in this delightful area, with plenty of chances to warm up with cof- fee or lunch. The influential Tattered Cover Book Store is also in North Cherry Creek. Check their homepage (http://www.tatteredcover.com/) to see which writers will be speaking the week of the conference— authors appear nearly ev- ery day at either the Cherry Creek or LoDo störe. This tour will also bring you to the Park M ead ow s R e ta il R e s o r t, hom e to Nordstrom ’s, Dillard’s, and a high-quality food court. The first stop on the Boulder shopping day will be Flatirons Crossing, the newest mall in the Denver area. Travelers will then enjoy the breathtaking view rewarded to those who travel into Boulder—the Flatiron Moun­ tains. Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall is a collec- tion of locally owned boutiques, nationally known stores, galleries, and nearly 100 eat- eries on an outdoor mall closed to traffic. It’s nestled in the lovely Colorado foothills, mak- ing a stroll down the mall a relaxing and pic- turesque experience. Do visit one of the town’s most popular independent bookstores on the mall, the Boulder Bookstore. Library tour See how the marriage of a public library and a College library in one building can be a beautiful thing— the College Hill Library at Front Range Community C o lleg e in Westminster. Visitors will then travel to Boul­ der to see the Earth Science Library on the beautiful campus of the University o f Colo­ rado, Boulder. The trip to Boulder also in- cludes a lunch at NetLibrary followed by a tour of this innovative Company. LoDo (Lower Downtown) tour The ACRL National Conference is located in Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo), an area that used to be avoided by anyone who wanted to feel safe. No more. Now this area brims with businesses, lofts, restaurants, nightlife, and shopping. For this tour, partici­ pants ride a motorcoach through LoDo, hear- ing tales of the graciously appointed Oxford Hotel, the oldest in Denver, and the historic, high-ceilinged Union Station, home of the ski train and a store featuring train collectibles. http://www.tatteredcover.com/ http://www.rtd-denver.com/ C&RL News ■ O ctober 2000 / 801 This trip also features Credit: Denver Metro Co an in-depth tour of C oo rs Field, where the Rockies’ faithful gather and the ball g o e s am azing dis- ta n ce s in D en v e r’s mile-high atmosphere. Lunch will be at the p o p u la r W y n k o o p Brew ing Com pany, Denver's first brew- With more than 300 pub, featuring such D enver, and m or pub fare as shepherd's restaurants, and sp place to pass some tpie and beer-braised pot roast— not to men- tion about a dozen beers brewed on the pre- mises. The LoDo Tattered Cover Bookstore, sister to the original in Cherry Creek, is the last stop on the tour, offering a coffee bar and plenty of warm, comfortable places to linger and book browse. Taste o f the Rockies This tour offers tasty tidbits for your eyes and mind. It begins with a visit to the gorgeous Red Rocks Amphitheater, an outdoor con- cert area built among soaring red sandstone formations. Then learn of that renowned fig- ure of the West, Buffalo Bill Cody, when you see his gravesite and museum atop Look­ out Mountain. This tour builds a thirst, so it ends with a walking tour through Coors Brew ery in Golden, Colorado—with samples most definitely available. Mountain getaway The mountains are clearly seen from Denver, but to truly experience their wonder, you need to be surrounded by them. The Local Arrange­ ments Committee is working to arrange pas- sage for ACRL members to local peaks; stay tuned for more announcements on this op- portunity. Touring on your own Interesting destinations abound in Denver and its surrounding towns. When relying on mass transit, be aware that Denver’s taxi Service is more cowtown than big city; you need to call taxis, they’re not roaming around. Plan ahead. Since the conference is on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, there may be more than a few sensible people choosing taxi service. (See d e o im nvention Center & Visitors Bureau the sidebars for taxi and bus information and for local attraction hours and contact in­ formation.) D enver M arch Pow- wow ACRL m em bers are fortunate to be visit- ing Denver while the ays of sunshine a year in a c c la im e d D e n v e r th a n 80 b re w pubs, M a rch P o w w ow is rts bars, LoDo is a great b e in g h e ld , M arch e. 16-18, 2001, from Fri- day through Sunday. Many make a point of traveling to Denver just for the Powwow! Native Americans dance, sing, and drum in colorful full regalia at this event. The Powwow also features a market offering Native American arts, crafts, and jewelry. Western history In addition to the marvelous destinations in- cluded in the Denver Historical Tour de- scribed above, there are more options for those curious about the history of the West. Did all cowboys look like John Wayne? Not quite. Nearly a third of the cowboys of the early West were black. Visit the Black Ameri­ can West Museum & Heritage C enter to learn more about black cowboys, homestead- ers, ranchers, and frontier Professionals. In years gone by, more than 2,000 miles of narrow gauge railroad tracks were actively traveled in the Colorado mountains. Take a 12-mile trip west of Denver to the Colorado Railroad Museum to view historic records, mementos, artifacts, and photographs of Colorado’s railroads. F o r the kids If the offspring are along, consider visiting the Children’s Museum o f Denver. The mu­ seum focuses on children aged newborn through eight and offers interactive exhibits and plenty of hands-on learning experiences. Watch the ACRL Cot informatiFnor theo latesnference Web site for more information and registration forms at www.ala.org/acrl/denver.html http://www.ala.org/acrl/denver.html 802 / C&RL News ■ October 2000 Both children and adults will also enjoy the impressive new aquarium C olorado’s Oceanjourney, featuring 15,000 marine crea- tures and a few Sumatran tigers to boot. Traipsing about: Shopping, sightseeing, and wandering You need only your feet to peruse most of downtown Denver. If you’re in the mood for some crane-your-neck architecture, stroll down 17th Street—it’s chock full of skyscrapers and is known as the “Wall Street of the West.” A beautiful architectural sight in the evening is Denver’s Gas and Electric Build­ ing (at 15th and Champa Streets), which was built in 1910 and is illuminated by thousands of lights that trace the details of the building’s exterior decorations. For a leisurely stroll with the city out of sight and the sound of rushing water at hand, pop down to the C herry Creek Path, a fa- vorite of bicyclists, joggers, roller bladers, and pedestrians, winding along the banks of Cherry Creek. The path has a downtown entryway on Larimer Street between I4th Street and Speer Boulevard. Just three blocks from the Convention Center is Larim er Square (Larimer Street between 14th and 15th Streets), a charming LoDo area featuring restored turn-of-the-cen- Attraction hours and contact information Black American West Museum & Heri­ tage Center, 3091 California Street, Den­ ver, (303) 292-2566, http://www.coax.net/ people/lwf/bawmus.htm. Open Wednes- day-Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 12-5 p.m.; and closed Monday and Tuesday. C herry Creek Shopping Area, by car, take Speer Boulevard South. The mall is just past University Boulevard on Speer. By bus: Take the #2 from the stop across from the Market Street Station. Check the RTD homepage at http://www.rtd-denver.com/ for details. Children’s Museum o f Denver, 21.21 Children’s Museum Drive, 1-25 and 23rd Av­ enue (Exit #211), (303) 433-7444, http:// www.cmdenver.org. Open Tuesday-Sun- day, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. C o lo ra d o H isto ry M useum , 1300 Broadway, Denver, (303) 866-3682, http:// w w w .co lo ra d o h isto ry .o rg / co lo ra d o _ history_museum/. Open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 4 :30 p.m.; and Sunday, 12-4:30 p.m. Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W. 44th Street, Golden, Colorado. By car take I- 70 west to exit 256 and follow the signs, (3 0 3 ) 279-4591 or (8 0 0 ) 3 6 5 -6 2 6 3 , http://www.crrm.org/. Open every day, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Colorado State Capitol, Broadway and Colfax, Denver, (303) 866-2604. Tours are Monday-Friday, every 45 minutes, starting at 9 a.m., the last tour is at 2:30 p.m. C o o rs Field — H om e o f C o lo ra d o Rockies Baseball, (303) 312-2108, http:// www.rockies.com/. In March there are at least four tours a day, but times may vary. Cal) for exact times. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Av­ enue Parkway, Denver, (303) 640-4433, http://www.denverartmuseum.org/. Open Tuesday and Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Weclnesdays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sundays, 12-5 p.m. Denver Museum o f Nature and Sci­ ence, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, (800) 9 2 5 -2 2 5 0 or (3 0 3 ) 3 2 2 -7 0 0 9 , http:// www.dmnh.org/. Open daily from 9 a .m - 5 p.m. Denver Powwow, Denver Coliseum, (303) 934-8045, http://www.denvermarchpowwow. org/. By car: I-25 to I-70, take the Brighton Blvd. Exit. By bus: Take the #48 from 16th and Curtis Streets. Check the RTD homepage for more details. March 16-18, 2001. Molly Brow n House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver, (303) 832-4092. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.; Sundays, 12-4 p.m. C olorado’s O cean jo u rn ey , U.S. West Park, 700 Water Street, Denver, (303) 561- 4 450 or (8 8 8 ) 561-4450, http://www. oceanjourney.org. Open daily 10 a.m .-6 p.m. U.S. Mint, West Colfax at Cherokee St., (303) 844-3582. Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. ■ http://www.coax.net/ http://www.rtd-denver.com/ http://www.cmdenver.org http://www.coloradohistory.org/colorado_ http://www.crrm.org/ http://www.rockies.com/ http://www.denverartmuseum.org/ http://www.dmnh.org/ http://www.denvermarchpowwow http://www C&RL News ■ O ctober 2000 / 803 tury buildings, dining, stores unique to Colo­ rado (like E arth w o rk s, featuring items crafted by Coloradans), as well as populär retail stores. Just beyond Larimer Square, W riter’s Square is a pretty retail and gal- lery area on Larimer Street between 15th and 16th. Theater and movie aficionados will want to visit Scene to Screen, “Denver’s Largest Theatrical Book Store.” Located on 14th Street, between Curtis and Arapahoe, Scene to Screen sells books, scripts, posters, sheet music, and other stage- and film-related gewgaws. Shopping opportunities continue down­ town on the 16th Street Mall, a 12-block pedestrian mall, free from cars but offering continuously running no-cost buses shuttling visitors from one end to the other from Mar­ ket Street to Broadway, with stops at every cross Street. There is one enclosed mall on l oth Street, the T abor Center, between Larimer and Arapahoe, and one semi-cov- ered mall, the Denver Pavillons, featuring such stores as Barnes and Noble and Vir­ gin Megastore. If you can’t make a Coors Field tour, you can still enjoy the plaza to the west of the Stadium. Take the pathway leading to the S t a ­ dium at Wynkoop and 19th Street. You’ll pass great eateries (the Denver Chophouse and Brewery, Sing Sing, and Fadö’s Irish Pub) and see, laid in the shape of a ballfield and surrounded by the lyrics of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” hundreds of bricks donated and inscribed by ballpark supporters. Nearby, take a close look at the hilarious arched sculp- ture titled “Evolution of the Ball” (Lonnie Hanzon, 1995) featuring sculpted and en- hanced renditions of all sorts of balls, includ- ing a skee ball, eye ball, red rubber ball, goof ball, and, but of course, Lucille Ball. Check the temp March weather in Denver is, in a word, un- predictable, so check the forecast before ar- riving. Though March temperatures are typi- cally in the 50s with lots of Colorado sunshine, we’ve been known to produce a surprise heat wave or snowfall. So, what about nightlife in the Queen City of the Plains? There’s plenty— great eating, dancing, music, comedy, sports, and theater. Look for details on Denver nighttime fun in the January issue of C&RL News, and descriptions of eateries in the February issue. ■ 804 / C&RL News ■ October 2000