Adams County’s public library system, Anythink Libraries, will open the first-of-its-kind Anythink Nature Library on August 8. 

Located on 15 acres of land in Thornton in the heart of the 140-acre Aylor Open Lands, Anythink’s eighth branch will blend indoor and outdoor experiences designed to help the community explore nature, develop environmental stewardship, and build deeper connections with the natural world. 

“Really, we’re thinking about how we can not only have people experience nature, but learn about nature, spend time in nature in new ways that’s comfortable for them, or maybe extend their level of comfort just a little bit,” says Anythink Executive Director Mark Fink.

BLOOMING FEATURES

While the library will have traditional library features such as a collection of materials that people can borrow, programs, story times, and book clubs, the Nature Library offers a variety of spaces and experiences that help visitors connect with the outdoors in meaningful ways.  

The building itself was designed around the environmental kinship model, which focuses on four ways that people can interact with nature: being in nature, for nature, with nature, and about nature. “We have actually designed this building around that model, so each area of the building responds to one of those elements,” explains Fink. 

Some main library features include: 

  • Indoor/outdoor programming spaces, including a nature lab, a bright sunroom, and a calming dark room for both learning and quiet reflection
  • Exterior gardens that invite hands-on discovery as well as peaceful moments among plants
  • An open-air kinship garden at the heart of the building, blending art, nature, and community
  • A one-mile loop trail that winds through the property for walks, wonder, and fresh air
  • A trailhead connection to the 140-acre Aylor trail systems, expanding opportunities for exploration right from the library’s doorstep
  • Nature-focused materials and TryIts selected to spark outdoor learning and adventure
  • A café with indoor/outdoor seating, perfect for gathering, resting, and enjoying the surroundings
  • A vapor fireplace with a heated concrete bench surrounding it

“What we’re trying to do is meet people where they are and give them positive experiences in nature,” says Fink. 

In addition to those features, the library will offer nature and outdoor gear that people can borrow, as part of the TryIt collection. Families can do anything from snowshoeing to borrowing garden tools to get dirty in the outdoor gardens. 

Fink says kids will enjoy so many things at the library. From boulders they can climb on inside, to mud pits outside, to the one-mile walking trail loop, there are endless opportunities for kids to get outside, play, and learn about nature. “We also have different types of plants and gardens, and kids will be able to learn to plant and take care of their own plants in gardens through the Nature Library,” Fink explains. 

Two features Fink is most excited about: the 18-ton steel column in the front of the building and the dark room. He explains the steel column is designed in an abstract way. It could be a tree, it could look like the Anythink logo, it could be the wind blowing on the plains. Not only that, but with over 40 pieces of steel, it took VR goggles to put together the column, which was made with metal from a Colorado company. 

The dark room came out of conversation that kids learn better in the dark, Fink says. The round room will feature an LED light display to mimic the starry sky. It will host future programs like yoga so that people can take a breath and become centered. 

GROWING IN NATURE

The library was built on the knowledge that a lot of people living in Adams County may not have easy access to nature due to barriers such as apartment living or no outdoor spaces nearby. Now, the library hopes to remove those barriers. 

“I think a lot of people have this idea that nature in Colorado is driving to the mountains and spending time in the snow or climbing mountains,” explains Fink. “I think that what we really want to do is focus on the idea of nature experiences right in Adams County, in the city of Thornton. People can really learn to appreciate the native grasses, and all the creatures that live in the grass, the birds, and other elements of nature.”

The library was shaped by insights from Indigenous and Native American leaders on the Anythink Nature Library Advisory Council, and is expected to be LEED Gold-certified. The library will also partner with different Colorado outdoor organizations and nonprofits so families have the opportunity to learn something new. Fink says the space is designed for everyone, especially for families with kids. 

“We hope that they learn something new. It could be a fun fact about the weather. It could be about climate change. Maybe they learn something about how they can support efforts to reduce the spread of climate change,” Fink emphasizes. 

Everything offered at the library is free, according to Fink. Anyone in Colorado can get an Anythink library card, so you don’t have to live in Adams County to use the facility.

“We’d love for families to make the Nature Library a place they visit regularly, experience new things, and then tell us how else we can serve them around nature,” says Fink. 

The Nature Library will be located at the intersection of East 136th Avenue and Newport Street in Thornton. The library will have its grand opening on Saturday, August 8, from 11am-5pm. After the grand opening, the library will be open six days a week and will feature daily programs and events, which will be announced on the Anythink website. For more information, check out the Anythink Library website at anythinklibraries.org.