Jeff Lee and Ann Martin have worked at Denver's Tattered Cover Bookstore for more than two decades, "squirreling away their paychecks in the pursuit of a single dream: a rural, live-in library where visitors will be able to connect with two increasingly endangered elements the printed word and untamed nature," the New York Times reported in a piece about the couple's determination to found the Rocky Mountain Land Library at Buffalo Peaks, an abandoned ranch about two hours from Denver. 
The project is "striking in its ambition: a sprawling research institution situated on a ranch at 10,000 feet above sea level, outfitted with 32,000 volumes, many of them about the Rocky Mountain region, plus artists' studios, dormitories and a dining hall," the Times wrote, noting that Lee and Martin plan to begin renovations this summer, though construction will be limited, "as they have gathered less than $120,000 in outside funds. An estimated $5 million is needed to build out their dream."
"It's everything, really," Martin said of the project. "It's not really about us. It's something for Colorado, for this region."
"The connection to nature--we know this place will give that to people. Even if they don't pick up a book," Lee observed, adding: "We're just anxious for it to happen. We have a strong feeling of all the potential that's bottled up."
