The Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library is an educational and literary organization that has been established to promote and facilitate the pursuit of stamp collecting as a hobby at all levels. Our bylaws can be found here.
The Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library had its beginnings in 1993 with the donation of a storefront by Dave Capra, rent free. Some members of the original group put up the necessary money for shelves, desks, tables and chairs. On August 1, 1993 we opened for business near South Peoria and Parker Road in Aurora. While we were getting rent-free space, we still hoped to have our own space. A little over a year later we had to move into another unit next door (less than 1/2 the size of the original unit). At this point we started looking quite seriously for a building that we could buy. About six months later, that unit was also rented out, and we began intensively seeking a new location.
We finally settled on the building at 2038 So. Pontiac Way. It was in a good neighborhood, had a cement slab floor and it had about 3300 sq. ft. of space, but it was a mess - dark and damp. That is why we could afford it. After installing a new roof, we started to work on the interior - painting, cleaning, taking out several small rooms, putting up wall board, remodeling the dropped ceiling, and working on the electrical scheme. All of this was done by volunteer labor, except for the new carpeting. On August 3, 1996 we reopened for business in our own building. We won't go into how we did the financing, but we paid off the loans in seven years - eight years ahead of schedule!
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Those of us who are actively involved in the RMPL are proud of what has been accomplished. We are an all-volunteer organization. With about 70-75 volunteers who operate the RMPL, 25 of whom keep the doors open 6 days per week as our front desk volunteers. Our hours are 10 - 2 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We are closed on Sundays and all Federal holidays.
Generous philatelists from around the country have donated almost everything in the two buildings of the Library, as well as to the gardens. We thank each and every one of them. The Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library has 501 (c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service. We are a public charity and donations to the RMPL are considered a charitable deduction on Federal Income Tax forms. The RMPL is supported by over 500 members and by donations of funds and materials.
The Sales Division, headed by RMPL volunteers Dasa Metzlerand Rich Palestro, is a vital part of our fundraising activities. Dasa supervises about 20 volunteers who help sort donations of collections and prepare them for sale. We have a sales section in the library that is broken down into categories:
- 05ยข books, stamps that catalog up to $1
- Priced as Marked books, stamps that catalog up to $20
- Excess books are not priced and are offered for a donation to the library
- Covers, postcards, FDCs, postal history
- Topicals, neatly arranged by topic
Another integral part of the library has grown with the stamp program. Currently under the direction of Board members Paul Domenici and Gary Withrow, the RMPL's auction division has grown from its humble start in 1995 to a smoothly operating silent auction held at the Rocky Mountain Stamp Show each May, and a large lots/bulk lot auction held in October of each year. Together, these auctions raise nearly $50,000 in revenue for the RMPL, with amounts anticipated to increase as David and other volunteers are able to cull out and categorize increasingly expensive donations to the Library. Our auction site can be found at www.rmolauctions.org
One of the most active groups meeting at the library every third Saturday from 9:30-noon is the Metro Denver Young Stamp Collectors Club. Four adult volunteers keep the kids interested and challenged. This work spills over to every local stamp show where a youth table is provided. The RMPL provides materials for use at all of those booths.
We offer assistance to persons who have "inherited" stamp collections helping them to find the best way to dispose of the collections.
We are a philatelic research library and try to help the individual collector.
We truly are the Philatelic Center of the Rocky Mountain region... Stop by for a visit! We think you will be surprised.