Friday Grab Bag, March 23, 2018

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!

Spring Break!

Pikes Peak Library District is offering an assortment of free Spring Break programs that range from music to science to magic. All programs are free, no registration required.

Kids in grades K-5 (and their parents) are invited to come make two different STEAM projects at Security Public Library, March 28 at 2:30. Projects will include pom pom launchers and drinking straw aircrafts.

Take better pics on your upcoming vacation. Summit County’s North Branch Library is offering iPhone Photography Tips and Apps, March 30 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm.

Merry Go Round image
“Around We Go.” Children play in Louisville’s Cottonwood Park during Spring Break 1993. [Photo courtesy Louisville Times, March 24, 1993. Accessed via Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.]

Performing Artists

Celebrate Women’s History Month with History Comes Alive: Unconventional Colorado Women, at Council Tree Library, March 24 at 1:30 pm. The Legendary Ladies return to Poudre River Public Library District to perform four stories of historic women.

Enjoy the Celtic sounds of Skean Dubh Band, performing at Bemis Public Library on March 24 at 2:00 pm. The band features vocals, uilleann pipes, harp, guitar, bodhran, and violin.

To celebrate National Poetry Month in April, Arthur Lakes Library at Colorado School of Mines is hosting performances by Mines poets. Bring a bag lunch and listen to an afternoon of poetry readings, April 6 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.

Libraries in the News

John Spears, Chief Librarian and CEO of Pikes Peak Library District, was the featured presenter for the Public Libraries Online podcast: Serving Homeless Patrons.

The Westword published a feature on Denver Public Library’s Peer Navigator program, which connects patrons experiencing homelessness with “navigators” who have shared experiences.

Pick ‘n’ Mix

Lake County Public Library is seeking volunteers to help them improve their website. The Website Focus Group will meet on March 28 from 6:00-7:30, with subsequent work to be done online. Fill out a volunteer application to participate.

Arapahoe Libraries’ Senior Resource Fair, co-sponsored by the Centennial Senior Commission, is April 6 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Koelbel Branch Library. The library has partnered with several community organizations, including Colorado Alzheimer’s Association, TLC Meals on Wheels, Aging Well Resource Center, Denver Regional Mobility and Access Council (DRMAC), and many more.

This April, Mesa County’s Central Library is hosting a Civil Discourse Series: workshops, discussions, and an art exhibition that will focus on compassion, civility, and homelessness. The first event, Myths and Facts of Living Without Housing, is April 17 from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.

Small Business and Money Management

Morgan Library at Colorado State University is hosting Money Smart Week, a series of 16 presentations about money-related topics, April 2 to 5. The events are free and open to staff, students, and the public.

Broomfield Library is partnering with Access Broomfield Chamber and SBDC to offer Startup Marketing, the first in their Small Business Series. This class will focus on storytelling as a powerful marketing strategy. March 28, 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Registration required.

What’s New at the Colorado State Library

CSL Share & Learn Spring 2018

Save the dates! The next CSL Share & Learn events will be in Walsenburg (May 4) and Glenwood Springs (May 11). More info and registration are coming soon! View past event schedules for Durango and Greeley.

Learning Opportunities

Colorado library supervisors are invited to Successful Supervision Workshops with Pat Wagner.

  • Registration is opening soon for the events in Pueblo (May 16 & 17) and Rifle (June 19 & 20).

CSL in Session | A Librarian’s Guide to Solo Leadership: How to lead when you don’t think you have anyone to lead, with Mandi Miller. April 12, 12:00 – 1:00 pm. Free; no registration required.

CLiC Fort Morgan

Headed to the CLiC Spring Workshops in Fort Morgan on March 29? While you’re there, check out sessions presented by State Library staff.

Colorado State Library Publications Blog

Colorado Encyclopedia

The Colorado Encyclopedia is a scholar-reviewed, mobile-friendly encyclopedia of articles, links to primary source collections, and curriculum materials written by Colorado teachers. It’s made possible by Colorado Humanities, in collaboration with Colorado State University Libraries, the University Press of Colorado, and History Colorado.


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 Amy Hitchner, ahitchner@coloradovirtuallibrary.org. Also, be sure to follow Colorado State Library on Twitter and Facebook.

Amy Hitchner
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