Sitting in a newly renovated part of Denver Public Library’s Central branch — which recently underwent a $69 million facelift — Michelle Jeske was ready to reflect on her long career at the library system and its future as a public resource.
Jeske first joined the library in 2001, wearing multiple hats over the years. In 2015, she took a new position: City Librarian — the chief of the library and its 27 branches.
In January, she announced that she would be stepping down from the role. She’s not exactly calling it retirement — she said she still plans to find ways to serve her community.
Jeske oversaw a period of growth for DPL in her decade at the top, spurred on by a successful ballot measure that raised property taxes to fund the library. She also faced challenges, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing role of libraries as daytime shelters for people experiencing homelessness.
Jeske defends libraries as a public resource.
Jeske is leaving the office at a strange time. Nationwide, public libraries are constantly targeted by conservative groups pushing for book bans. In some cases, conservatives have run for office to take control of their local library boards.
While book bans or a conservative board takeover hasn’t happened in Denver, Jeske thinks it's important that the public rallies behind DPL.
“I think that public libraries are the cornerstone of democracy,” she said. “We have something at the library that will offend you, and there's something here that will offend me, and I think that's really important.”
While she’s adamant the role of the library has never changed, Jeske said DPL shifted resources to account for a role it has increasingly been asked to play by the city: a vital resource for people in tough circumstances, like unhoused people, immigrants and disabled people.
“I think it's central to democracy for people to be able to have access to information, resources, knowledge, no matter what your background,” Jeske said.
Post-pandemic lockdown, Jeske said the library helped people reconnect with society.
“I think our libraries in every neighborhood allow people to come together, whether they know each other or not,” Jeske said. “Sometimes I can see people just coming in to be by themselves, but be with other people at the same time.”
Denver libraries grew significantly during Jeske’s tenure. Her successor will likely oversee a continuation of this growth.
During her 10 years as city librarian, Denver voters passed multiple ballot measures that provided extra funding for DPL.
In addition to several bond packages, which approved funding for capital projects and improvements, Denver voters also approved Measure 2I, which raised property taxes to provide an extra $36 million annually to DPL.
Those funds powered multiple big projects, like renovating the Central branch in downtown and opening two new branches. DPL could see more growth from the proposed Vibrant Denver bond package.
In addition to its physical growth, Jeske said the library has grown into the digital age. The library stocks a healthy variety of paper books, eBooks, audiobooks, digital media and music.
Another responsibility the library has picked up on is the digitization of media to ensure historic content is preserved for generations to come.
“We have also really invested in digitization of historic content, so our team is hard at work making sure that the [archive of the now-defunct] Rocky Mountain News that we own is going to be completely digitized and usable by the public, and we continue to digitize photos and maps,” Jeske said.
The Western History Collection's fifth floor headquarters in the Denver Public Library's newly renovated Central Library on Broadway. Oct. 29, 2024. Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
Kids do crafts during a grand re-opening celebration for the Pauline Robinson Branch Library in Northeast Park Hill. March 1, 2025. Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
As Jeske leaves, she sees a city of readers.
Denverites continue to be well-read, according to Jeske. Despite a pandemic dip, library circulation numbers are back up.
Most promising to her are the strong checkout rates of books for teenagers and children.
“Those people are going to turn into adults and there'll be a wonderful literate adult population,” she said.
Jeske does have concerns about how an increased use of digital content will impact library budgets. During the pandemic, the library saw an increase of people checking out e-books. While that’s good, Jeske said that adds an additional strain to library finances.
“It's very expensive for libraries to be able to buy titles for both audio and eBooks, and I don't see that changing anytime soon,” Jeske said.
Who will succeed Jeske?
Library officials have been seeking out Jeske’s successor since she announced her semi-retirement in January.
That search has been rockier than expected. Despite meeting with three finalists for a multi-day interview, the Library Commission rejected all three and said the search will continue.
An interim city librarian hasn’t been named.
Regardless of how the search goes, Jeske said her successor will have the responsibility of ensuring Denver’s libraries continue the mission that kept her around for 24 years.
“This is just a really special place, and I hope that everyone who lives here is really proud,” Jeske said.
