Background

Founded 136 years ago as a small reading room, Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) stands today as the second largest library system in Colorado. The organization staffs approximately 400 employees and 350 volunteers, who serve over 700,000 residents across 2,070 square miles of El Paso County. 

As PPLD’s Chief Safety, Community Resources, and Security Officer (CSO), Michael Brantner leads emergency management and physical security across all 15 campuses.

The Challenge

The discovery of methamphetamine traces in Colorado libraries – and the subsequent shutdowns – caused a stir throughout the state. The state health department set standards for residential areas but left commercial properties like libraries without guidelines. Michael adds, "It was a tricky situation. Without clear standards for commercial properties, we had to navigate a path ourselves.” 

Beyond health, there were also financial repercussions; neighboring counties have spent over $100,000 on testing and remediation for a single bathroom.  The costs and closures serve as wake-up calls, prompting Colorado counties to take preventative – and proactive – measures. 

Why Verkada

In response, libraries conducted screening tests inside public restrooms, trained staff to manage disturbances, hired security personnel to maintain safety, and modernized their building technology to support real-time threat detection. With Verkada, Michael has a single cloud-based security system that ties all county libraries to a centralized Security Operations Center (SOC). The unified approach to physical security improves end-user experience and product adoption, enhancing productivity and ease of use. 

"Verkada makes it simple for my team to manage multi-site security in one place.” 

Health & Safety with Air Quality Sensors

Fortunately, screening tests revealed that contamination levels were below residential standards. To take further preventative and proactive action, Michael uses Verkada Air Quality sensors to monitor, detect, and deter drug use in restrooms. Sudden spikes or dips in air quality – including smoke and vape emissions – will trigger an immediate SMS or email alert. 

"Keeping staff and visitors safe is our top priority. To support healthy environments, we installed Air Quality Sensors in public restrooms and paired them with context cameras overlooking hallways.”

24/7 Entrance Security with Intercom

Verkada Intercom streamlines front-door communications to the SOC. Contractors must buzz to enter, adding accountability while eliminating the need – and risk – associated with carrying physical badges. Migrating to a cloud-managed intercom system has also eliminated missed calls and unsupervised access. 

“We've gained better control over after-hours activity, especially with our contract companies. Now, they must interact with our SOC to gain access, and we can confirm that doors are locked and alarms are set after they leave."

Access Control and Schlage Lock Integrations 

"With Verkada's access control, we expect to save on the costs associated with manually programming badges and reduce the time and resources spent on managing multiple systems."

Michael brings access control into the same cloud-managed platform as the rest of his physical security products. No matter where they are, team members can efficiently monitor, control, and respond to security events from an intuitive software interface. Benefits include:

• Enhanced Security: The integration with Schlage hardware brings more doors, locks, and access-controlled areas into Command – including IT closets and parking kiosks.

• Remote Access and Monitoring: The ability to manage doors from anywhere has streamlined security operations, particularly when it comes to deliveries and non-employee access to closed facilities.

• Efficient Access Management: SCIM integrations automate credential management and simplify the badge programming process.

• Expanded Services: The upgraded system has allowed the library to safely expand its services – such as offering after hour access to certain facilities for specialized programming – while reducing the need for a physical presence at each location.

Mobile Camera Deployments for Mobile Library

“Our Verkada bus deployment helps us maintain a secure and interactive mobile library experience, even on the move.”

PPLD offers mobile library services: buses equipped with a 180-degree exterior camera and an interior camera tied to a cellular network. Protected by Verkada, these mobile libraries serve a widespread population across El Paso County residing in senior homes, outlying schools, shopping centers, and community areas with no nearby libraries. 

According to Michael, “We can expand the reach of library services, while creating a safe environment for both staff and visitors.”

Protect High-Traffic Areas with PTZ

With its 24/7 amenities, PPLD’s downtown campus attracts a steady stream of around-the-clock visitors. To address issues like vandalism, Michael uses the Verkada CP52-E pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera as a visible deterrent capable of dynamic viewing. The PTZ’s enhanced People Analytics captures clear images for accurate identification, while Sentry Mode automatically detects and zooms in on individuals entering the camera's field of view.

"Sentry Mode has been a game-changer; we cover the entire area with just one camera. It automatically detects people, zooms in for a detailed view, and then resets to capture the next individual.”

Incident and Digital Evidence Management

With Incident Management in Command, the SOC team can easily retrieve multiple incident footage clips across different cameras, add relevant archives to an incident, and annotate specific clips for additional context. Whenever anyone needs to reference an incident, they can find everything in one place and quickly get up to speed.  

"Verkada weaves together evidence across devices to tell a cohesive story. Instead of hours or days, it takes minutes to resolve incidents.” 

With the rise of generative AI, security teams need an easy way to prove the authenticity of their digital evidence, especially when it’s used by law enforcement or in a court of law. To address this need, Michael can use Verkada Verify to authenticate any video archive downloaded from Command. 

Reduce Costs with Professional Monitoring

Each camera also doubles as an alarm monitoring system, eliminating the need for separate intrusion sensors. The integration provides instant visibility into any alarm event, solving false alarms and accelerating response time to verified threats. The SOC team can check Verkada Cameras and effectively understand the situation before sending out officers. 

"Initially, we were handling 30 to 40 after-hours security calls weekly, but with Verkada, we've reduced that significantly, even to zero at some smaller locations. We're estimating a yearly saving of around $30,000 in overtime and mileage costs.. When applied districtwide, we expect even greater savings."

Replacing the legacy alarm systems with Verkada Alarms has also lowered the total cost of ownership. “Just replacing an alarm console battery or having a faulty device checked or serviced used to cost us $600, but with Verkada, we can easily handle it ourselves. This simplicity and cost-effectiveness are why we're rolling this system out across all our branches."

Keep Staff Safe with Panic Buttons

For personal safety, staff members can call for help using integrated panic buttons. Upon activation, the SOC team is alerted and the nearest Verkada camera feed is displayed, providing immediate visual context. 

"With panic buttons, library staff can get immediate assistance. We have more visibility and control in emergency scenarios, giving our staff the peace of mind, reassurance, and tools they need to stay safe in emergencies."

Panic buttons enable direct communication and rapid response – be it contacting the police, dispatching internal security, or communicating directly with the staff member in distress. Devices are configured to require a deliberate action to activate – a three-second press – to reduce false alarms.

Looking Ahead

Michael looks forward to the over-the-air software and firmware updates, which contain new features and security enhancements. "Verkada continuously invests in their software and hardware. When there's an update, we get it. No extra purchases, no complications. I don't feel like just another number. I have a dedicated representative and support team I can reach out to.”

As security teams are empowered to use Verkada without IT assistance, he anticipates greater operational benefits and efficiencies. "I encourage others to look at what Verkada offers. They provide not just a product, but a service that covers everything from maintenance to upgrades. The best part? Our security team can manage it all, freeing up our IT staff for other tasks." All in all, he views customer-centric innovation, scalability, and ease of use as the key differentiators in adopting Verkada for physical security across the county.