Spotlight on Sharing: Friday Grab Bag, April 28, 2017

Friday Grab Bag April 28, 2017Friday Grab Bag is a weekly Spotlight on Sharing series that highlights fun, unique, and interesting happenings in Colorado libraries. News from the Colorado State Library is at the bottom. Let’s open the Grab Bag!

Snowing and Growing: It Must Be Springtime in Colorado!

Are you a new gardener with questions about how to get started? Broomfield Library is hosting Novice Gardener: Site Preparation on Tuesday, May 2 at 12:30 pm and again on Thursday, May 4 at 6:30 pm. Participants will learn the basics of climate, soil, light, and water, and understand the difference between container gardening and raised beds.

On Wednesday, May 3 at 6:30 pm, go beyond headlines and learn more about the Science of Snowfall in Steamboat Springs. Join a community discussion at Bud Werner Memorial Library with atmospheric scientist Kevin Cooper as he talks about the mid-level jet stream and its impact on snowfall in the region.

Express Yourself

Poudre River Public Library District is partnering with Front Range Community College to offer a series of art classes for teens. On Saturday, April 29 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm teens can meet at the FRCC Red Cloud Peak room to experiment with different art tools, mediums, and styles. Future classes include printmaking and found-object art. Register online.

Students from Rifle High School will be displaying their artwork at the Rifle Branch Library during the month of May. Stop by the library on Wednesday May 3 at 5:30 pm for the Art in the Stacks reception, when the student artists will be on hand to explain the inspiration and techniques behind their pieces.

Make a “business card” that expresses your unique sensibilities! Pine River Library will host a Soul Card Making event at the The Billy Goat Saloon in Bayfield on Saturday, April 29 at 6:30 pm. Participants will create collaged, laminated cards that be kept as a source of inspiration or given away as a means of expression.

Community Literacy

John C. Fremont Library Audio and Print Kits
Print & audiobook kits at John C. Fremont Library

John C. Fremont Library District is focusing on literacy in their community with kits that contain print books and audiobooks. The experience of listening while reading can improve comprehension and engagement for many kinds of readers, from learners and second language speakers to those who simply enjoy listening and reading at the same time. Through this effort they seek to normalize the practice of listening to a book while following along with the print version, which they hope will support literacy in their community.

The kits were purchased with funds from State Grants to Libraries and the Buell Foundation.

For a literacy experience on the go, call the Broomfield Library Children’s Story Line at 720-887-2317 and hear a new story each week. This week’s story is Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root.

News from the Colorado State Library

We are pleased to announce that Colorado and Wyoming are now a Service Hub of the Digital Public Library of America, called the Plains to Peaks Collective (PPC). Being a Service Hub means that our member organizations can share their unique digital collections with a much larger audience. Learn how you can be part of this journey with us!

Are you looking for library training and professional development? The Library Learning & Creation Center, brought to you by the Colorado State Library, is your portal to library continuing education opportunities and information.

Colorado State Publications Library provides permanent access to Colorado’s documents. Their blog highlights interesting, timely, and unique parts of their collection. This week, read about:


This post is part of the Spotlight on Sharing initiative, which aims to increase the visibility of resource sharing in Colorado libraries. How is your library sharing? We’d love to hear about it! Email Amy Hitcher, ahitchner@coloradovirtuallibrary.org. On Twitter follow @hitchlib and use the hashtag #spotlightonsharing.

Amy Hitchner
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