Friday Grab Bag, April 17, 2026

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 as well as images from the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Let’s open the Friday Grab Bag!

Library Events & Programs

National Library Week

Garfield County Libraries will host several events at the Carbondale Branch in celebration of National Library Week. Enjoy free Donuts and Coffee on April 21, a screening of The Librarians on April 22, and Bingo for Books (with free pizza) on April 23.

Delta County Libraries will Celebrate National Library Week with a week of joyful activities for all ages, including an uplifting storytime, community gardening, and a scavenger hunt.

Aurora Public Library is offering a National Library Week Guided Tour of Tallyn’s Reach Library each day from April 19–25. This 30-minute tour will showcase the Library’s departments, collections, programs, resources, and services.

Join Pikes Peak Library District in commemorating National Library Week with a look back at the History of Libraries in Colorado and Beyond. John Jarrell, Program Coordinator in Regional History & Genealogy, will deliver this presentation on April 23 at East Library. 

High Plains Library District will Celebrate National Library Week with social media campaigns, reading events, library worker recognition, and hands-on gaming and crafts at Fort Lupton Public & School Library.

Play the Game

The Auraria Library recently launched a Game Collection to support student well-being, creative problem solving, and critical thinking. Auraria campus affiliated students, faculty, and staff have access to the collection of over 200 titles, including board games, card games, and tabletop role playing games.

Arapahoe Libraries’ Classic Game Club will meet April 17 at Smoky Hill Library. Enjoy some camaraderie and friendly competition while you play classic board and card games like Yahtzee, Sorry, Scrabble, and Crazy Eights.

Jefferson County Public Library welcomes adults to Puzzle Swap and Play on April 18 at Conifer Library. Bring a jigsaw puzzle to exchange or just enjoy some puzzle-making time with fellow enthusiasts.

Put your skills to the test at Silverton Public Library’s first-ever Puzzle Competition on April 18. Teams of up to three people will compete for a fun prize and bragging rights as the Puzzle Champion.

Love for Learning

Boulder Public Library is hosting an all-ages Mathematics Festival on April 24 at Reynolds Library. Celebrate math through hands-on puzzles, games, and art.

Englewood Public Library invites children to their Paleontologist Training Camp on April 23. Activities include dissecting eggs, discovering fossils, making crafts, and enjoying snacks.

Anythink Wright Farms is offering Medieval Mode: Chainmail for Beginners on April 21. Participants will learn how to make mesh out of metal using simple, beginner-friendly techniques.

Pine River Library is hosting a Community Resources & Volunteer Fair on April 18 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Enjoy free coffee and donuts while you explore opportunities and resources with over 30 incredible local organizations. You might even catch a glimpse of Xena, Wolfwood Refuge’s ambassador animal!

What’s New from the Colorado State Library

Colorado State Publications Blog

Colorado’s record-low snowpack. The State Publications Library holds resources to help us navigate the historic drought conditions that Colorado is facing.

Technology

From Prompts to Partners – The Art of the AI Workflow. Learn how to take your AI skills from asking questions to designing entire workflows.

Library Research Service

Where Art and Research Meet. The Colorful Colorado Libraries series spotlights Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette.

Learning Opportunities

All events are online except where a location is noted.

• 2026 Colorado Resource Sharing Conference
  • April 23 & 24
• HESTL EdCON
  • June 9 at the DCSD Campus in Lone Tree
• Find even more learning opportunities:
  • Libraries Learn
  • Maine State Library’s Continuing Education Calendar (note: all MSL events are listed in Eastern time). A different view of these events is available at Free Online Learning Opportunities for April 2026.

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.

• Librarian or Library Specialist – Youth Services – Gilpin County Library District
• Library Branches Stacks & Materials Coordinator – University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
• Library Director – Penrose Community Library District

Grant Opportunities

Libraries and Local News Initiative from the Urban Libraries Council. This national pilot program connects public libraries with local news organizations to create opportunities for residents to shape the stories and information in their communities. Awards: 6-8 micro-grants of $7,500-$10,000 to library-newsroom teams. Applications accepted April 8 – May 1, 2026. 

---

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, [email protected].

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