The Friday Grab Bag is a weekly series that highlights fun, unique, and interesting happenings in Colorado libraries, and includes news from the Colorado State Library.
Let’s open the Friday Grab Bag!
Making Merry
The Basalt Regional Library is celebrating the Winter Solstice in Midland Park (adjacent to the library) on December 21 from 5:00-6:30 pm with a bonfire, storytelling with Spellbinders, and eco-friendly holiday activities including dried orange and cranberry garlands, pomander balls, and luminaries. Hot drinks and soup will be served!
It’s holiday time and cookies are trembling (especially the Gingerbread Man). Please disguise the Gingerbread Man so he doesn’t get eaten this year! Return your disguised cookie as fast as you can to Lamar Public Library. It’s a challenge! Open to Everyone! The library provides the Gingerbread Man cutout and you provide the creativity. Return your disguised Gingerbread Man to the library by December 15.
Mesa County Libraries’ invites adults to a Harry Houdini Chautauqua Performance and Holiday Cookie Exchange, featuring Michael Hardesty with the Grand Valley History Players performing his Chautauqua performance of Harry Houdini. It will also be the Historical Society’s Annual Holiday Cookie Exchange, so bring some cookies and take home some cookies! We’ll also have coffee to go with all those cookies. This event takes place at 12:00 pm on December 16. Seating is limited, and registration is required. Click HERE to register.
Join Jefferson County Libraries’ on December 16 from 6:00-7:00 pm for Christmas Out West. Learn about local living history with Rex Rideout and discover celebrations and observances of Christmas in the Old West settlements. Relive stories and songs of the Yule days in this very special holiday event!
Professional Development
American Comics: A History | December 13 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Author Jeremy Dauber will discuss the sweeping story of cartoons, comic strips, and graphic novels and their century-long hold on the American imagination. Dauber shows not only how comics have changed but how American politics and history have changed them. He describes the origins of beloved comics, champions neglected masterpieces, and argues that we can understand how America sees itself through whose stories comics tell.
Colorado Association of Libraries is looking for a new chairperson for the Western Slope Interest Group! This group started in 2021 and was created to address the specific needs of libraries on the Western Slope. This is a great opportunity for any Western Slope CAL member looking for a chance to become more involved in the association. Training will be provided, and current chair Christine Dyar will work with the new chair during the transition process. If you are interested, please contact current WSIG chair Christine Dyar at cdyar@ald.lib.co.us.
New Tools of the Trade | December 14 @ 11:00 pm MT
This webinar will be co-presented by Lesley A. Langa, PhD, of NovaKultura Consulting, Kate McEnroe, Associate Conservator of Archaeological Materials at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and Anne Kingery-Schwartz, Principal Objects Conservator, Kingery Conservation LLC. The presenters will provide an overview of two distinct measurement tools they have developed to assist small and medium-sized cultural heritage institutions perform their daily work. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.connectingtocollections.org/calendar/
Museums & Libraries in the News
On November 4, the Gilpin County Public Library was announced as one of 100 libraries nationwide to receive a special grant from the American Library Association. The Libraries Transform Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is a grant initiative that supports community engagement projects initiated by libraries in these environments. The GCPL is using grant funds to launch its first-ever one book program, One Book One County. This county-wide reading program aims to bring Gilpin County residents together through the shared experience of reading and discussing the same book. The inaugural One Book selection is Peter Heller’s wilderness thriller, The River. The program series consists of a community book discussion, an educational presentation featuring the CSU Extension in Gilpin County, and an interactive author talk with Peter Heller. Thanks in part to grant funds, free copies of The River will be provided to all One Book participants. One Book One County runs from January to March 2022.
Woman turns old newspaper stands at RTD stops into little free libraries | 9 News
Nikki Biefel has been converting old, abandoned news racks at RTD stops in Westminster and around Adams County into little free libraries.
Aspen Art Museum and Powers Art Center open Andy Warhol shows | Aspen Times
Two museum exhibitions celebrating Andy Warhol are now open: Andy Warhol: Lifetimes at the Aspen Art Museum, and Warhol in Colorado at the Powers Art Center in Carbondale.
Steamboat Art Museum’s latest exhibit portrays a West of the past | Steamboat Pilot
Steamboat Art Museum’s latest exhibit, Portrayals of the American West, features photographs portraying a time period of significant change and upheaval captured by renowned Western photographers Edward Curtis, Roland Reed, A.G. and Augusta Wallihan, and L.A. Huffman.
Colorado Springs City Council rejects library board candidates, both sides claim politicization | The Gazette
The Colorado Springs City Council failed to confirm new trustees to the Pikes Peak Library District Board recently amid a host of concerns, including politicization of the group that governs the district’s budget and policies.
110 years later, a book has finally been returned to Boise library | KRDO
The New Chronicles of Rebecca was originally checked out in 1910 from Boise’s Carnegie Public Library. About 110 years later, it has finally been returned.
Discover Pack Invites Community to Spend Holiday Outdoors; Wellington Library Joins as New Site for Check Out | North Forty News
Larimer County Department of Natural Resources’ (LCDNR) Discover Pack is providing community members free access to its parks and open spaces – just by visiting a local library.
Denver Art Museum Mulls Fate of Plundered African Art | U.S. News
The Denver Art Museum is in possession of a rare 16th- or 17th-century bronze plaque that originated from the former Kingdom of Benin, in what is now southern Nigeria.
Grants & Funding Opportunities
Support for Needy Pre-K-12 School Libraries
The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries provides funds to the country’s neediest schools so that they can extend, update, and diversify the book and print collections in their libraries with the goal of encouraging students to develop a love of reading and learning. The focus is on schools serving pre-K through 12th grade in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, all U.S. territories, and Department of Defense schools. These grants may be used only for books, periodicals, eBooks, reference materials, and magazine/newspaper subscriptions. The application deadline is December 31, 2021.
Preservation of Humanities Collections Supported
The Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions program helps small and mid-sized institutions—such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, cultural organizations, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities—improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. The application deadline is January 13, 2022.
What’s New at the Colorado State Library
State Publications Library
Colorado Virtual Library
Online Learning Opportunities in December 2021 for Library Staff
Learning Opportunities
Upcoming CSL in Session: Why Teams Fail (and How to Foster Success)
- December 16 @ 12:00-1:00 pm MT
- Free! No registration required!
- Join Online
Save the Date – Successful Supervision 2022!
- Join our introductory webinar on January 12, 2022 @ 11:00 am MT
Are you thinking of making a change this year in your job? Check out Library Jobline for hot new library employment opportunities.
- Library Manager 3: Pikes Peak Library District / Colorado Springs, CO
- Library Manager 2: Pikes Peak Library District / Colorado Springs, CO
- Customer Experience Manager: Auraria Library, University of Colorado Denver / Denver, CO
- Marketing and Graphics Specialist: Buena Vista Public Library / Buena Vista, CO
- Teen Services Librarian: Eaton Public Library / Eaton, CO
- Librarian or Library Specialist – Adult Services: GIlpin County Library District / Black Hawk, CO
- Data & Acquisitions Librarian: Mesa County Libraries / Grand Junction, CO
- IT/Technical Services Manager: Clearview Library District / Windsor, CO
- Circulation Supervisor: University of Denver / Denver, CO
- Executive Director: Mancos Public Library / Mancos, CO
- Technology Arts Librarian: Estes Valley Library / Estes Park, CO
- Adult Services Librarian: Estes Valley Library/ Estes Park, CO
- Reference Librarian, Westminster Law Library: University of Denver Sturm College of Law / Denver, CO
- Electronic Resources Librarian: Strauss Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus / Aurora, CO
- Substitute Library Aide II: City of Aurora, Library & Cultural Services / Aurora, CO
- Full-time 40 hour Children’s Guide – Anythink Brighton (Spanish speaking candidates desired): Anythink Libraries / Brighton, CO
- Customer Experience Associate: Douglas County Libraries / Lone Tree, CO
This post is part of the Spotlight on Sharing initiative, which aims to increase the visibility of resource sharing in Colorado libraries. Do you have a story from your library to share? Email Marisa Wood, mwood@coloradovirtuallibrary.org. Also, be sure to follow Colorado State Library on Twitter and Facebook.
- Friday Grab Bag, December 17, 2021 - December 17, 2021
- Friday Grab Bag, December 10, 2021 - December 10, 2021
- Save the Date – Successful Supervision 2022! - December 10, 2021