Friday Grab Bag, February 12, 2021

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!

Black History Month

Pitkin County Library invites patrons to join Read Wider Black History Month Discussion on February 23 at 5:30 pm or February 26 at 12:00 pm. Get started by checking out the provided list of Black History and Black Lives Matter resources and then sign up  to talk to fellow community members about what you learned, what inspired you, and what book, movie, music, or online resource was your favorite. Participate in a discussion and you will have the chance to support a local business.

Celebrate joy in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month on February 20 at 3:00 pm when Boulder Public Library hosts MLK Celebration with Janet Damon. Sing, read, and talk about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, legacy and the importance of dreaming.  Ages 5-12 encouraged.

Join Denver Public Library on February 17 at 5:00 pm for We Are Better Than This : Congressman Cummings’ Political Memoir a discussion of Cummings’ inspiring book with Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, the Founder, President, and CEO of Global Policy Solutions and Congressman Cummings’ widow, and co-author James Dale, with moderator Dr. Derrick Hudson, teaching Associate Professor of International Relations in the Division of Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences at the Colorado School of Mines.

Arapahoe Libraries invites adults and teens to a virtual presentation of Extraordinary Story of the First Africans to Arrive in Virginia on February 22 at 6:00 pm. Historian and author Ric Murphy will tell the extraordinary story of a group of 32 African men, women and children who arrived on the shores of the New World colony Virginia in 1619. He will explore how and why they were kidnapped and forced aboard a Spanish slave ship. In his book Arrival of the First Africans in Virginia, he documents a fascinating story of colonialism, treason, piracy, kidnapping, enslavement and British law.

Jefferson County Library hosts Conversations – How to Talk to Kids About Race on February 17 from 6:00-7:30 pm. Conversations is a place for people with different views to talk about equity, diversity and inclusion issues in a safe, brave and nonjudgmental environment. At a time when racial insensitivity seems to permeate everything from politics to playgroups, engaging our kids constructively on race is crucially important. It’s also easier said than done. Meet with consultant, educator and librarian, Janet R. Damon, who will share her insights on talking about race with kids.

Join Pikes Peak Library District on February 14 at 2:00 pm for CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY: LEARN WEST AFRICAN DANCE. Learn something exciting and completely different with a West African Dance lesson from Cleo Parker Robinson Dance! Try some new dance moves and enjoy the energy of this lively program with your family and friends. This is a vigorous work out for all ages.

Museums & Libraries in the News

Manitou Springs moves forward in efforts to remodel historic library building | The Gazette
The Manitou Springs City Council approved plans to issue a request for proposals to upgrade the historic Carnegie Library building.

A Louisiana library got a grant for a voting rights program. Its board rejected the money, citing ‘far left’ content. | Washington Post
Another entry into the public and often messy conflicts over free speech in American public libraries – not unlike a bill proposed in Colorado that would punish librarians who offer “age-inappropriate sexual material.”

Historic images from the “Borderlands of Southern Colorado” explore daily lives of people who have called the region home | Denver Post
The new exhibit opened at History Colorado on February 2.

Anythink Library System Announces Events for Its One Kind Word Project | Information Today
Anythink libraries is launching the One Kind Word Project, a 3-week initiative that “encourages customers to share messages of kindness through personal notes and recordings.

Walk the Walk

Poudre River Public Library District has partnered with local businesses and organizations to create a fun, interactive story stroll experience for you to enjoy. The Story Stroll is a free, family-friendly activity that showcases children’s stories in new and unexpected ways. Enjoy reading while spending time outdoors and exploring your community! This is a self-guided tour that families can enjoy at their leisure between February 1-28. Simply follow the path on the map in order to see the story unfold in front of you.

Ready to get outside? Join Pine River Library’s small, friendly, group of Rambling Readers on the first Friday of each month at 10:00 am.; Meet at the gate to Saul’s Creek just off Highway 160 in Bayfield take a gentle walk (with proper social distancing of course) and spend an hour discussing your favorite pandemic reads or interests!

Kids are invited to Delta County Libraries throughout the month of February for Hearts Found in Nature Scavenger Hunt where they’ll embark on a journey to find twelve pictures of hearts found in nature throughout the children’s area.  Scavenging available during open hours at Crawford, Hotchkiss, and Paonia libraries.

Vail Public Library debuts their StoryWalk® in Bighorn Park in East Vail with the classic winter book The Mitten written and illustrated by Jan Brett.  With a translation into Spanish by Teresa Mlawer.

New StoryWalk Resources
Love the idea of creating a StoryWalk® to help families in your community get outside and read but don’t know where to start? We’ve compiled StoryWalk ideas and how-tos from libraries around the state to help you get started!

Learning for All

Colorado Health Literacy Coalition COVID-19 Vaccine Panel | February 24 @ 11:30 am MT
Join the Colorado Health Literacy Panel for a panel discussion on the COVID-19 vaccine featuring state experts. Topics covered include:

  • General vaccine FAQs and Colorado’s distribution plans and progress.
  • How to ensure information communicated to the public is easy to understand and can help dispel myths.
  • Vaccine access and reaching underserved populations
  • Communicating important vaccine information to vulnerable groups.

Engagement with Soft Skills: Using Board Games at the Library | February 17 @ 9:00 am MT
For years employers have identified ‘soft skills’ as one of the largest deficiencies of newly hired employees. These ‘soft skills’ generally encompass communication, critical thinking, leadership, problem solving, and teamwork. All of these can be nurtured and strengthened by playing board games. Libraries of all types strive to engage with their communities. By playing board games both of these two issues can be addressed. Join George Bergstrom of the Indiana State Library, to discuss how libraries can help their communities foster these skills.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policies: What to consider? | February 18 @ 9:00 am MT
Are you wondering what to consider in forming your library’s policy on COVID-19 vaccinations? This webinar addresses the legality of mandatory vaccine policies during a pandemic and examines the pros and cons of such policies to help you determine which type of vaccine policy to propose to your board, specifically:

  • EEOC guidance on mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for employees.
  • How to provide reasonable accommodations in compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and specific provisions to consider including in your vaccination policy.

Serving Library Users with Mental Illness: A Crash Course on Controlling Clashes | February 17 @ 2:00 pm
This webinar teaches effective methods of communicating with mentally-ill patrons who are creating a disturbance in the library, helps you protect staff and patrons in rare instances of possible violence, and shows you how to locate resources you can lean on when necessary.

What’s New at the Colorado State Library

Learning Opportunities

GRT Quick Bites: Sibling Care and Teens as FFNs with Kate Brunner

  • February 16 @ 12:00 pm
  • Free, no registration required!
  • Join Online

GRT Quick Bites: Brain Development, Early Experience and Library Programs- What’s the Connection?

  • February 23 @ 12:00 pm
  • Free, no registration required!
  • Join Online

Upcoming CSL in Session: Drive-In Storytime

  • February 24 @ 12:00 pm
  • Free, no registration required!
  • Join Online

Free Online Learning Opportunities for February
Feel the love with these free training opportunities for February.

Virtual Learning for Library Trustees
There’s still time to check out library trustee training opportunities.

Colorado Virtual Library

Get To Know CSL: Nicolle Davies on Libraries and Librarianship
Find out what Colorado State Librarian Nicolle Davies gets jazzed about in the latest installment of #GettoKnowCSL.

State Publications Blog

Library Research Service

The Dynamic Data Duo: Quantitative and qualitative data, part 2
Just like Batman and Robin, who balance out each other’s strengths and weaknesses when they’re together, quantitative and qualitative data can also have solo careers.

Ready to meet your (data) match? Introducing number data and story data
What kind of data should you collect? Explore two very broad categories of data – quantitative (numbers data) and qualitative (story data) and meet your data match!

Are you thinking of making a change this year in your job?  Check out Library Jobline for hot new library employment opportunities.

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.

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