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.
Before we begin, I’m excited to share that the Colorado State Library is offering scholarships of $1,000 to attend the Association of Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) 2021 Annual Conference in Sparks, Nevada! ARSL’s “Biggest Little Library Conference” is aimed at libraries with small budgets, small buildings, but big ideas. Applications are due by 5 pm on August 2nd, 2021, so don’t wait – apply today!
Let’s open the Friday Grab Bag!
Teen Time
Compete in Basalt Regional Library’s Teen Summer Olympics for a chance to win extra entries into our Summer Reading Grand Prize drawings and bragging rights for the year! These friendly competitions are open to students entering 5th – 12th grade, and will be held outside under the Tent. A different event every day during the week of July 26, including Ping Pong, Nerf Archery, Pool Noodle Fencing, and a Lego Canoe Slalom. And for the skateboarders, we are hosting a two-day skate deck art workshop in collaboration with Carbondale Arts.
Explore different aspects of acting, drama, production, and theater with fellow teens at Broomfield Library’s Teen Theater Club! All levels of experience are welcome. No registration—just drop in on the third Saturday of each month from 3:00-4:00 pm.
Can you Hunt through History to solve the mystery? Clearview Library invites teens to travel back through time through an interactive scavenger hunt around the Windsor History Museum on July 30 from 6:00-7:30 pm. Solve riddles, decode messages, examine historical artifacts, and more to win a prize. Connect with the past during this adventure that will have you exploring, thinking, and learning about the history of Windsor.
Let your appetite go wild with Jefferson County Public Library and Sticky Fingers Cooking, a roaming cooking school that teaches teens cooking basics on July 24 at 2:00 pm. Prep wildly delicious dishes using ingredients found in your own kitchen that reflect the summer season! Register online!
Museums & Libraries in the News
2 Denver museums get financial boost to preserve Black history | 9 News
The African-American Cultural Heritage Action fund recently awarded $3 million in grants to 40 sites to help preserve Black history. History Colorado and the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center both received grants of $50,000 to help preserve African-American landmarks.
Denver’s Central Library Reopens For First Time Since The Pandemic | CBS Denver
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced its closure, book lovers can now visit the Denver Public Library Central Library starting July 18. Only the first floor is open to the public due to ongoing construction.
Pick ‘n’ Mix
Always wanted to know what it’s like to be an archaeologist? Join Arapahoe Libraries on July 28 from 4:30-5:30 pm for Archaeology 101: Can You Dig It?. Learn what an actual archaeological excavation is like, the different types of archaeology, a “day in the life” on a dig, which tools to use, and the differences between Archaeology and Paleontology. Explore how Hollywood archaeologists, such as Indiana Jones, are compared to actual ones, and discuss what future archaeologists might think of our modern cities. Authentic ancient artifacts are presented throughout the program.
Join Mesa County Libraries on July 24 at 10:00 am for Off the Grid with Ian Stover, a presentation about going off the grid with solar power. Stover brings experience from building and designing solar systems for rural off-grid use in Anchorage, Alaska. He has built a variety of systems including those that can withstand harsh winter conditions with no human interaction necessary. The presentation will begin with an explanation of the Discovery Garden’s solar-powered irrigation system followed by the significant differences between on-grid and off-grid.
Survival expert Todd Boer presents Tips from a Survival Expert on July 24 at 10:00 am at Anything Bennet. Learn practical survival tips and techniques. Appropriate for ages 18 and older. Space is limited; registration required. Click HERE to register.
Rocky Mountain Puppets coming to Grand County
As July winds down, Grand County Library District is gearing up for a fantastic end-of-the-summer puppet show on July 28 and 29. Please visit http://www.gcld.org and select the “Programs” tab to register and for scheduled dates, locations, and times.
What’s New at the Colorado State Library
Colorado Virtual Library
What is Racism? What is Antiracism?
Dictionary definitions can be helpful, but alone they do not always provide a full picture. Explore the evolution of language surrounding racism and how it is understood with the latest from the EDIT team.
CHNC: New Lower Pricing for Newspaper Digitization
The Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection (CHNC) has recently lowered its pricing for digitizing newspapers and adding them to the free-to-use online collection.
Learning Opportunities
Reimagining School Readiness Virtual Workshop
- August 18, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Register by August 4th
State Publications Library
Are you thinking of making a change this year in your job? Check out Library Jobline for hot new library employment opportunities.
- Colorado State Librarian / Assistant Commissioner: Colorado Department of Education (Colorado State Library) / Denver, CO
- Librarian II- Cataloging Supervisor: City and County of Broomfield / Broomfield, CO
- Part-time Library Associate: City of Fort Lupton, Public and School / Fort Lupton, CO
- Kids & Families Librarian – Edgewater Library: Jefferson County Public Library / Denver, CO
- Library Assistant: Buena Vista Public Library / Buena Vista, CO
- System Administrator, Library Technology & Innovation: City of Loveland / Loveland, CO
- Library Associate/Security: City of Englewood / Englewood, CO
- Material Handling Supervisor: Douglas County Libraries / Highlands Ranch, CO
- Bilingual Library Technician: Longmont Public Library / Longmont, CO
- Children’s Services Assistant Manager: City of Loveland / Loveland, CO
- Part-time Reference Librarian: Arapahoe Community College / Littleton, CO
- Media Teacher: Steamboat Springs School District / Steamboat Springs, CO
- Library Technician: Acquisitions Assistant: CU Boulder Law Library / Boulder, CO
- Youth Services Coordinator: Garfield County Libraries / Carbondale, CO
- Neighborhood Libraries Manager: Garfield County Libraries / Rifle, CO
- Library Specialist – Mobile Library Services: Arapahoe Library District / Littleton, CO
- Branch Manager: Garfield County Libraries / Silt, 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.
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