Friday Grab Bag, June 12, 2020

Take & Make/Grab & Go

Kids are invited to join Delta County Libraries on June 13 for Pigs! Wolves! Castles! Oh My!, a virtual program and take-home activity for the 2020 Summer Reading Program “Imagine Your Story!”  Learn how to make a colorful castle out of various shapes and participate in a hands-on STEM activity about the three little pigs and the big bad wolf!  Both demonstrations include a take-home kit for completing the activities at home. Take-home kits can be picked up at all library locations in Delta County the week of June 8 during curbside pickup.  Click HERE for the curbside pickup schedule.

Denver Public Library’s Outreach Services is partnering with Grab and Go Sites to take the bookmobile fleet out to school and rec center food distribution sites with books for giveaway! Response from visitors has been very enthusiastic, and there is something for everyone, from bilingual board books to thrillers for the adults. The complete schedule can be found at:  https://www.denverlibrary.org/bookmobile

Explore the world of Henna and celebrate various fandoms with Boulder Public Library’s Super Fandom Henna workshop on June 16th from 4:30-6:30 pm. Learn henna basics combined with design tips and instruction for creating fun pop culture-inspired designs.  Once you’ve registered, pick up your Henna Kit at the Main Library  at one of the appointed times. For teens, grades 6 -12.

Teens are invited to join Clearview Library District throughout the summer to make and eat (or drink) different foods during Teen Cooking Challenge. The current challenge is to create a book-themed or fairy tale-themed cake or cupcake! Register online for this program and the library will have a Take & Make Kit ready for you to pick up at the Windsor-Severance Library. Using the ingredients in your Take & Make Kit, as well as ingredients found in your home, make a book-themed or fairy tale themed cake or cupcake. Then join the Teen Cooking Club on June 15 from 4:00-5:30 pm for a Zoom meeting to showcase your creation!

June 15 – 21, students in 6th-12th grade can pick up a Herbology Bath Bomb craft package from any Eagle Valley Library District branch to create their very own bath bomb.

Virtual Robotics

Robots can do amazing things, especially when you are in charge! Jefferson County Public Library invites engineers ages 10-13 have fun learning to build and program robots using GoCoderZ online robotics program during a five-day virtual Robotics Camp, June 22-26 from 10:00-11:30 am daily. No experience necessary! Registration is required for all five days. Register online and details for joining the program virtually will be emailed to you close to the event date.

This summer, Vail Public Library will offer Robotics as a self taught class this summer.  The library has three  EV3 Lego robots, training manuals and patrons are invited to use Lego open source software to work their way through the course. To borrow robotics equipment for a 4 week period, you’ll need to be in 3rd grade or above, have a library card and a signed agreement between an adult borrower and the library.

Skill Sets

Learn the basics of fencing with Arapahoe Libraries’ Virtual Intro to Fencing, today, June 12 from 1:00-2:30 pm. This introductory online class is taught by coaches from Fencing Academy of Denver. All you need is any prop that simulates a sabre and yourself! Registration will close 30 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Nederland Community Library hosts Paper Making for adults on June 13 from 2:00-4:00 pm. Play around with paper marbling methods and produce some paper samples that can be used either with SRP journals or just for fun. Registration is required and there is a strict limit of eight participants in order to adhere to Boulder counties guidelines on social distancing and face coverings (i.e. wear a mask!).

Museums and Libraries in the News

In the Field: Stopping the Covid Slide | Publishers Weekly
Suzanne Tonini, the Collection Development Supervisor for Denver Public Schools discusses how the district’s libraries are continuing to meet students’ educational needs during the pandemic.

Coronavirus temporarily closed the book on Colorado’s public libraries. But they found new ways to fulfill their mission. | The Colorado Sun
From phone calls with seniors to online quiz shows to live-streamed outdoor concerts, Colorado libraries are finding ways to stay connected with their communities.

Damaged by rioters, History Colorado Center plans to preserve artifacts for posterity | KDVR
History Colorado is collecting debris from Denver’s recent protests and riots and is preserving them to be used in future exhibits.

The Evolution of Colorado’s Museums | 5280
A timeline of key moments in the changing relationship between curators and Native American tribes.

Learning For All

Library 2.020: Small, Rural, and Independent Libraries | June 17 @ 1:00-4:00 pm MT
This mini-conference will focus on innovation and innovative thinking in rural, independent, tribal, and other small libraries–as well as the many unique challenges that they face.
REGISTER HERE to attend live and/or to receive the recording links afterward.

Preparing for Project Failure | June 18 @ 12:00-1:00 pm MT
Too many plans don’t follow the basic rules of project management (setting priorities, documentation, transparency, oversight, authority to decide and delegate). Learn the importance of identifying small errors (small surprises–before they turn into big surprises) via benchmarks and checkpoints and how to communicate problems to stakeholders.

Picture This: Using Instagram to Connect With and Engage Your Users | June 19 @ 10:00-11:00 am MT
This session will show you how to make the best use of your Instagram account through mobile photography tips, content ideas, and special projects and looks at the best way to connect with your users through social listening, geotagging, and building relationships with influencers.

Grants & Funding

CH Cares Humanities Relief Grants
These are economic stimulus funds approved by Congress to help mitigate the effects of closures on nonprofit organizations.  In recognition that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a serious impact on the public humanities field across the state, Colorado Humanities is directing federal funding to meet the emergency needs of organizations and individuals.  Libraries are eligible to apply.

Learning Opportunities

Growing Readers Together: Quick Bites Webinar Series Returns in August
Growing Readers Together returns with a fresh series of GRT Quick Bites in August to refresh and inspire your children and family services in easy to digest, 20 minute micro learning opportunities!

Free Online Learning Opportunities for June
Stay safer at home with these free online learning opportunities (lovingly curated by the Wyoming State Library).

State Publications Blog

• Time Machine Tuesday: Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado Virtual Library

Calling Colorado Authors! The Book Club Resource Has an Opportunity for You
Find out how local authors can have their work included in the Colorado Book Club Resource.

Library Research Service

Visualizing Data: a misleading y-axis
Bad data visualizations can intentionally or unintentionally mislead, causing us to come to the wrong conclusions. In this multi-part post, LRS unpacks some of the most common mistakes and gives you the tools to spot them.