Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Branch Library
🏢 Denver Public Library · La Alma/Lincoln Park, Denver, Colorado
Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Branch Library
Named for Denver-born Chicano poet and activist Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales — author of Yo Soy Joaquín and founder of the Crusade for Justice — this award-winning 2015 branch serves the historic La Alma/Lincoln Park community with a LEED Silver "Library as Greenhouse" building, a textiles-focused ideaLAB, and Spanish-language collections.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–6pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–6pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–5pm |
| Sunday | 10am–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 1498 N. Irving Street, Denver, CO 80204
Phone: (720) 865-2370
Website: denverlibrary.org
Plus Code: 85FPPXQ9+X8 (Denver, CO)
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📖 About Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Branch Library
The Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Branch Library opened on February 28, 2015 as part of Denver's $550 million Better Denver Bond Program, bringing a modern 27,000-square-foot facility to the La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood of West Denver — one of the city's oldest Latino communities. Designed by Studiotrope Design Collective around the concept of "Library as Greenhouse," the two-story building achieved LEED Silver certification and was named 2015 Colorado Library of the Year. Its distinctive facade features brightly colored vertical bands symbolizing the neighborhood's diverse residents, while a three-story plenum wall filters light, air, and water throughout the interior. The branch is named for Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales (1928–2005), a Denver-born boxer ranked among the world's top three featherweights who became the foremost Chicano civil rights leader in Colorado, founding the Crusade for Justice in 1966 at 1567 Downing Street and authoring the epic poem Yo Soy Joaquín (1967), which became the clarion call of the national Chicano Movement.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Named 2015 Colorado Library of the Year — LEED Silver, 27,000-sq-ft branch built through the Better Denver Bond Program
- ideaLAB with textiles focus: sewing machines, embroidery machine (Janome Memory Craft 500E), sublimation printer, Bambu Lab 3D printer, Cricut, and a recording studio for up to 5 people
- Named for Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales (1928–2005) — Denver-born Chicano activist, world-ranked featherweight boxer, and author of Yo Soy Joaquín (1967)
- "Library as Greenhouse" architecture by Studiotrope: three-story plenum wall, passive displacement ventilation, second-floor interior courtyard, and Storytime Tower with art installation "Clerestory"
- Community Learning Plaza and reservable meeting spaces serving La Alma/Lincoln Park — Denver's oldest Latino cultural district, home to Centro Su Teatro and Museo de las Americas
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Denver Public Library cardholders access thousands of free digital resources — including ebooks, streaming films, music, and newspapers — at no cost. Any Colorado resident is eligible for a free DPL card.
📚 Services
- ideaLAB makerspace with sewing machines, 3D printer, embroidery machine, sublimation printer, Cricut, and recording studio
- Computer and technology access with free Wi-Fi throughout the building
- Copy, print, fax, and scan services
- Reservable meeting rooms and study spaces
- Outdoor book drop and bike parking
- Free Narcan kits available at the branch
- Accessibility features: accessible parking, automatic doors, west entrance ramp, elevator, and sensory toolkit
🎸 Programs
- Storytime and early literacy programs for children in the Storytime Tower
- ideaLAB Open Lab drop-in sessions (Tue–Wed 1–6pm, Thu 3–8pm, Fri–Sat 1–5pm) — making and creating for all ages
- Community Learning Plaza events and cultural programming tied to the La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood
- English-language and newcomer support services in collaboration with DPL's Newcomer Guide resources
- Equipment reservation workshops — call 720-865-2370 to book 3D printer, recording studio, or embroidery machine
📍 Other Denver Public Library Branches
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales and why is this library named after him?
Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales (June 18, 1928 – April 12, 2005) was born in Denver and became one of the most influential leaders of the Chicano civil rights movement. A professional boxer ranked among the world's top three featherweights by the National Boxing Association, he transitioned into community organizing and in 1966 founded the Crusade for Justice — a grassroots civil rights organization headquartered at 1567 Downing Street in Denver. His 1967 epic poem Yo Soy Joaquín became the founding literary statement of the Chicano Movement. The Denver Public Library chose to honor his legacy by naming this West Denver branch after him.
Does this branch have Spanish-language books and materials about Chicano history?
Yes. The branch carries Spanish-language books, children's materials, and resources reflecting the La Alma/Lincoln Park community. DPL's Special Collections and Archives also holds the Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Papers — photographs, personal documents, and speech recordings — along with a fully digitized Latino Legacy Collection covering the broader Chicano Movement. The digital collection "Latino Social & Political Culture and History: Perspectives on the Chicano Movement" is accessible at any DPL branch or online with a library card.
What is the La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood and how does it connect to the library?
La Alma/Lincoln Park is one of Denver's oldest neighborhoods, established in the 1850s and bounded by West Colfax Avenue, Speer Boulevard, West Sixth Avenue, and the South Platte River. It has been the heart of Denver's Latino community for generations and is home to cultural anchors such as Centro Su Teatro (founded 1971, the region's first Latino theater) and Museo de las Americas (1991). The Crusade for Justice, founded by the library's namesake Corky Gonzales, organized many of its activities in and around this neighborhood. The library was designed with extensive community input to reflect and serve this culturally rich, immigrant-rooted community.
What can I make or create in the ideaLAB at this branch?
The Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Branch ideaLAB has a particular focus on textiles and music. Equipment includes sewing machines, an embroidery machine (Janome Memory Craft 500E), a sublimation printer with heat press, a 3D printer (Bambu Lab P2S with free PLA material), a Cricut machine, and a recording studio for up to five people with acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, and ukulele. Drop-in Open Lab runs Tuesday–Wednesday 1–6pm, Thursday 3–8pm, and Friday–Saturday 1–5pm. A DPL library card is required to reserve equipment; call 720-865-2370 to book.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🔨 This library has a makerspace / 3D printing. See how library makerspaces and 3D printing work and find other libraries with a makerspace makerspaces by state.
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