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Old 12-04-2013, 11:53 AM
 
Location: Santa Fe, NM
1,835 posts, read 3,138,059 times
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Pikes Peak Library District has a number of branches around town. Some branches are better than others I think, but one thing I really like is that I can reserve a book and when it is available, they ship it to my local branch. Also a great place to rent movies for free.

Pikes Peak Library District
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Old 12-05-2013, 10:12 AM
 
Location: Colorado Springs
641 posts, read 2,267,106 times
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Ah! It's excellent. There are library branches all over town. To check out books, you scan your books and your lil' key ring card, like the self-check-out at the grocery store.

You can reserve books, you can have books transfered from one library to your local branch. Really great system and I like it a lot.
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Old 12-05-2013, 10:33 AM
 
Location: Colorado
409 posts, read 700,528 times
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So far, there haven't been any books that I've wanted and couldn't get. And if there were, I'm sure ILL would be available. The branches themselves are rather small, but well-equipped and comfortable. They're building a new library in the Briargate area, to replace the smaller one.

In addition to having books reserved for pick up at any library branch, PPLD has access to Overdrive, which has an extensive collection of eReader and audio books to reserve on-line for free. I used this service in MD, too, and was very happy with it there.
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Old 12-05-2013, 10:53 AM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
20,201 posts, read 14,425,887 times
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I also think that if you have access/authorization to any military or vet's benefits (depends on the circumstances of your husband parting ways with the military) then you'd be making a very wise decision to come here to the Springs. Any resource you might want to use will be present in abundance. Including the means to help him gain post-service employment. I don't know how that stuff is in ALB, but my old man just got out of the Army here and he's making use of some great connections and programs to find work, and there is also tons of civilian gov't job and/or contractor work on the various bases where having prior service gets you preferential hiring. If he has any sort of security clearance, that will be useful here for finding work, too.

I think the housing market is gonna tickle you after dealing with the high cost of living and housing in CA. We have a lot of former Californians here in CO. In fact I bought my house from a couple who were originally from CA, and they came here because they could barely afford any kind of a house (20 years ago) and here their housing budget got them into a great home. One thing I've noticed is that some of the libertarians and republicans complain about the Californians coming here and spreading liberal attitudes. Maybe those complaints are founded, maybe not, I pretty much ignore 'em. Mostly people are very live and let live as far as religion and politics and viewpoints go. I don't think anyone would fail to find other people to connect with, and folks are friendly.

As for climate...we do get winter, but it's not terrible. You might wind up on a weekly cycle where you'll get a day or a few days of cold and snow, but usually within a day it all melts off and you get some 50-60 degree days in between. It's not like places further north where winter means snow and ice that never goes away and frigid temps all the time. There is a LOT of sunshine and blue skies...but it's dry. Really, really dry. That took some getting used to, for me. You have to drink lots of water and use lots of lotion and it can irritate your sinuses sometimes.

But there are wayyy fewer bugs, either because of the dryness or altitude...and most of your pest bugs are almost nonexistant here. We don't really have cockroach infestations (that I know of) or fleas and very few mosquitos. I don't even bother to use preventatives on my cat for fleas, and other places I've lived you can't get away with that.

Also, don't know if you've done the drive from CS to ALB before, but the Raton Pass is like...barely a mountain pass at all. It's not a big deal, and it's a beautiful and pretty drive. It will be no hardship to visit your family unless you try it during a snowstorm, and as I said that isn't something that happens all the time even in winter.

Best of luck to you!!
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Old 12-05-2013, 11:20 AM
 
Location: Colorado
409 posts, read 700,528 times
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Also, FYI, there's a Navy Federal branch here. Don't know if that matters to you, but my husband was Navy Civilian, and it was nice that we still had that here when he switched agencies.
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Old 12-05-2013, 12:35 PM
 
Location: Southwestern, USA, now.
21,020 posts, read 19,186,333 times
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I am familiar with both...hands down crime, traffic and hiking and biking
COS would be my choice..safety in general...there are plenty of SW homes here,
I live in one. Not as hot, no fleas on pets.

Libraries are wonderful...much inter library loans from Denver.
More art, restaurants, shopping in COS and Manitou....then Cripple Creek
can be fun, plenty of Hot Springs....only an hour to fun in Denver...then onto Boulder
more like the easy, laid back culture of San Diego..college town...more money like
La Jolle.

The drive to Sante Fe, Taos, Alb, Ojo Caliente is fine as you know.
There is lots to discover in CO besides...lots.

And if you like Mexican culture there is plenty here and grocery stores.
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Old 12-05-2013, 01:04 PM
 
Location: North of Colorado Springs, CO
44 posts, read 46,074 times
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Libraries here (I live in North Colorado Springs around Briargate, Dublin Blvd) are very nice. I'm comparing them though to the ones we had in Atlanta.
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Old 12-05-2013, 09:27 PM
 
9 posts, read 13,934 times
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I definitely make use of ILL and the Overdrive stuff so I'm glad to hear those are options.

Sonic_Spork, that's what I was hoping (that his service would give him a leg up). He's getting out honorably, has numerous awards/medals and he does have security clearance.

You've all been very helpful. Thanks again.
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Old 12-06-2013, 09:32 AM
 
3,490 posts, read 6,066,538 times
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Libraries are awesome. As a former librarian:

The libraries in colorado springs are the best I have ever seen. Not from a funding standpoint, or having nice buildings, but from an organizational standpoint. They have been INTELLIGENT in using the money they do have. We have one district that runs all the libraries, you only need one card, and you can place a hold on any item you want and tell them which library you want it at. They regularly ship material between the libraries, so you can get it and return it at whichever library is closest to you. ILL programs usually require the reader to pay, and they have hassles with how they deal with renewals. There is no cost to the program here, and you can renew everything online. I have seen areas with two to three times the funding that provide far less value to the users.

You will love our library system.

Biking: The city is very friendly to biking.

Source: America's Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities | Bicycling Magazine
We're number 18. That fits with the amount of bicycles and bike lanes I regularly see around town. There are some hills, you'll keep your legs in shape.

The facts don't always favor people wanting to move here, but they usually turn out well for people that did their own research and screened out other cities effectively. It looks like you did that, and as a result you're getting confirmation that your criteria worked.

The one thing I wish we had for the libraries, is a library near woodmen and powers. We have an extensive library network with several locations all across town, but they haven't built anything in the north eastern corner. I would love to see them put in a small location up here. Something tiny would be fine, since everyone wanting to check things out from up here could place items on hold and then pick them up. For bigger book lists, I imagine we would still drive in to East library (off union, a couple blocks south of Dublin, if you want to see where the most north eastern library is)
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Old 12-06-2013, 09:37 AM
 
3,490 posts, read 6,066,538 times
Reputation: 5421
Sonic is right about the politics also. California is a mix of democrat and communitarian views. I'm a libertarian, so I disagree with pretty much everything communitarians believe. I couldn't move to California because I would be losing in pretty much every vote I ever cast. Here, I've almost always had every measure I support pass, and every measure I object to fail. My view then, is clearly that the Springs has the most intelligent voters, but I'm sure those with the opposite political views would disagree vehemently. The vast majority of us are simply wanting to avoid being California. We don't want a nanny state that taxes away all our money.
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