Friday Grab Bag, April 12, 2024

The Friday Grab Bag is a weekly series that highlights fun, unique, and interesting happenings in Colorado libraries, and includes news from Colorado State Library.

Let’s open the Friday Grab Bag!

Earth & Environment

Alamosa Public Library wraps up Water Week, a week-long series of water conservation events, with a Family Event on April 13. Drop in between 12:00 and 2:00 pm for family friendly activities that teach important facts about water conservation.

Durango Public Library is celebrating Earth Week with Purging Plastics with Progression, Not Perfection, a presentation by Crit Salaz from WeFill on April 15 at 5:30 pm. Learn how to reduce plastic consumption and find alternatives to single-use plastics.

Gilpin County Library, CSU Extension, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife invite you to Wolves in Colorado, a presentation on wolf reintroduction, biology, and habitat. Join them online or in person April 18 at 6:30 pm.

Got tree questions? Poudre Libraries is hosting Alison O’Connor from CSU Extension for How to Plant and Care for Your Trees on April 16 at Old Town Library. She will cover how to mulch, water, and care for your trees after planting.

Reference & Resources

Jefferson County Public Library is hosting Be an Indie Author – Publish Your Own Way, a moderated panel discussion on April 12, 6:00 pm, at Lakewood Library. Learn the ins and outs of the indie book market from experts who have paved their own way to book publishing.

Join Colorado Mesa University and Mesa County Libraries for the 2024 Hispanic Resource Fair and Celebration on April 13 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at Central Library. This family-friendly event aims to connect the Spanish-speaking community with food, fun, and valuable community resources.

Pueblo City-County Library District invites curious students, businesses, and non-profits to What Can the Reference Librarian Do for You? Bring your most challenging research questions and requests for research services to the Rawlings branch on April 12 at 2:30 pm.

Pikes Peak Library District’s Annual Homeschool Resource Fair is April 12 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at Library 21c. Stop by and chat with representatives from organizations and businesses that offer homeschooling services and support. Activities for kids will be available throughout the building.

Pick ‘n’ Mix

Estes Valley Library welcomes local musician Joshua James Johnson for Don’t fret, just keep plucking: BANJOS! on April 17 at 5:30 pm. His hands-on presentation will include a history of the banjo, a demonstration of different types of banjos, and an opportunity for participants to play a banjo.

Buena Vista Public Library welcomes the Salida Circus for a three-part series, Runaway Circus, on April 13, 26, and 30. Each week, participants will learn a new circus activity: balancing, juggling, and face-painting.

Denver Public Library honors Robert S. Pulcipher as this year’s Eleanor Gehres Award recipient at a ceremony on April 15, 2:00 pm, at Sam Gary Branch Library. The award celebrates individuals or organizations who have contributed significantly to DPL’s Western History Collection via library materials, scholarship, life-long service, or bequest.

Accessibility Corner

News, tips, and resources to support technology accessibility

• Color Contrast Tools. Explore free tools that check color contrast and help you choose color combinations that meet contrast guidelines.
• Accessible Social. A resource hub for creating accessible social media content and campaigns, from using plain language and hashtags to what to do with emojis.

What’s New at Colorado State Library

Digital Collections Stewardship

• Apply now through May 15 for Digital Collections Stewardship, a free collaborative learning opportunity.

Colorado State Publications Blog

• Understanding Colorado’s school district cost of living studies

Library Research Service

• Diverging Bar Charts for Connected Collections

Learning Opportunities

• Fostering Inclusive Mentorship: Strategies for Supporting Librarians Across Their Careers
  • April 15, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm, online
  • Registration required
• Colorado Resource Sharing Conference
  • April 17 (pre-conference) & 18, online
  • Register by April 15
• 36th Annual Colorado Teen Literature Conference
  • April 20 at Bear Creek High School in Lakewood
  • Registration will close when full
• Colorado OER Conference
  • May 17 at the Auraria Campus in Denver
  • Registration is free; travel scholarships are available
• Community Conversations for Election 2024
  • May 21, 1:00 – 2:00 pm, online
  • Registration required
• De-escalation Skills Workshop (Colorado Only)
  • May 29, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, online
  • Registration is full – email Christine Kreger to get on the waitlist
• HESTL EdCON (statewide K-12 library conference)
  • June 6 in Lone Tree
• Find even more learning opportunities by browsing the Libraries Learn Calendar from Colorado State Library or the Continuing Education Calendar from Maine State Library (note: all MSL events are listed in Eastern time).

Library Jobline

Are you considering a job change this year? Check out Library Jobline for hot new library employment opportunities, like this selection from around Colorado.

• Library Director – Lone Cone Library District
• Supporting Library Specialist 20 hours – Arapahoe Library District
• Volunteer Services Coordinator – High Plains Library District
• Librarian Bilingual (Spanish) Career and Workforce Development – High Plains Library District
• Library Services Coordinator – Branch Manager – Westminster Public Library
• Senior Library Associate – Young Adult Services – Pikes Peak Library District
• Library Manager 2 – Fountain Library – Pikes Peak Library District
• Library Summer Reading Internship – Louisville Public Library
• Youth Services Coordinator – Garfield County Libraries
• Interlibrary Loan Specialist – Regis University, Dayton Memorial Library
• Communications Manager – Anythink Support Services (Wright Farms Branch)
• Projects and Events Coordinator – Anythink Support Services (Wright Farms branch)
• Intern II – Youth Advisory Panel – Westminster Public Library

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This post is part of the Spotlight on Sharing initiative, which aims to increase the visibility of Colorado library programs and resource sharing. Do you have a story from your library to share? Email Amy Hitchner, ahitchner@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.

All images are from the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection, a service of Colorado State Library.