Institutional Library Development

About Us

The Institutional Library Development (ILD) unit addresses the needs of approximately 30,000 Colorado citizens residing in 40 state-funded institutions. Our mission is to provide the leadership and expertise that Colorado’s state institutional libraries need to meaningfully impact the lives of users, their families, and their communities. Our vision is to provide every institutionalized person with the information needed for self-empowerment.

We operate on the belief that everyone deserves a great library—especially those who face significant barriers to service.

For institutionalized persons, these barriers are not limited to geography; they also include learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental illnesses, and social stigma.

We ensure services to institutional libraries within:​

Adults

Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC)
Colorado Mental Health Hospitals (CMHH)
Colorado Veterans Community Living Centers (CDHS)

Youth

Colorado Division of Youth Services (DYS)
Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (CSDB)

The ILD unit exists because of Colorado Revised Statute 24-90-105.

Want to donate materials?

We are not actively seeking donations for the state-operated institutions we serve. Please consider donating to private, federal, or city/county facilities.

Want to get training?

We are willing to provide best practices information and trainings for institutional library staff, or public library staff who serve correctional institutions. Contact us for more information!

Contact

For additional information, email ildsupport@cde.state.co.us

Go to: State Prison Libraries | Correctional Librarianship | Staff