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
Green Thumbs-Up
Broomfield Library invites their community to the Master Gardener Helpline on April 30 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the CSU Extension Office. Volunteers will be on hand to answer garden questions, diagnose plant problems, and provide free resources for a successful season.
Bud Werner Memorial Library is teaming up with the Routt County CSU Master Gardeners to offer two Evenings with Master Gardeners on April 28 & 29. Learn about strategies and techniques to maximize the short growing season, whether your garden is large or small.
Gilpin County Public Library welcomes presenters from the CSU Extension Office for Native and Firewise Landscaping on April 28. They will address best practices for decreasing wildfire risk on your property.
La Veta Public Library will host Jared Fleming, Lead Project Forester, for 2026: State of the Forests, It’s going to be a busy year on April 30. He will discuss what our weak winter means for the spread of mountain pine beetles, and what we can do to mitigate the impact.
Lake County Public Library is offering two High Altitude Gardening Workshops on April 25. Learn tips, access resources, and receive seed starting supplies for your gardening endeavors.
Bemis Public Library presents their 5th annual Spring Plant Swap on April 25 at Sophie’s Place. Exchange your cuttings, seedlings, transplants, or houseplants for something new. No donation is required to participate.
Join Mesa County Libraries in their Discovery Garden for Demonstration Days on April 25. This program will be led by the Mesa County Libraries Garden Coordinator.
Ridgway Library District will offer From Dirt to Delicious: The Magic of Soil and Compost with Chris Lance on April 25. Learn how to turn kitchen and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost.
Spanish Peaks Library’s Gardening 101 series presents The Folklore of Flowers on April 26. Learn the meanings, stories, and folklore of our favorite blooms.
Pick ‘n’ Mix
East Morgan County Library District invites adults to join Behavioral Health Specialist Jim Kuemmerle for Cultivating Wellness with CSU Extension on April 30. You’ll learn practical ways to nourish yourself through building social connections and connecting with nature.
Boulder Public Library’s Food Lab will feature a Quesadilla Bar on April 27 at NoBo Library. Tweens and teens will make tortillas from scratch, then fill them with yummy ingredients like cheese and pico de gallo.
Garfield County Libraries invites teens to It’s About to Get Real, a class about real-world life skills on April 27 at the Parachute Branch. Get started with basics like following a recipe, creating a budget, and filling out a resume.
Eagle Valley Library District is hosting an All-Ages Clothing Exchange on April 25 at Gypsum Public Library. Bring up to one bag of gently used clothes, toys, and games to exchange for something new-to-you. No donation is required to participate.
Englewood Public Library is throwing a Parisian Prom just for preschoolers on May 1 at the Civic Center. Join them for a special day of stories and fun with Paris-themed decorations, music, and sweet treats.
Jefferson County Public Library invites kids to be a Librarian in Training on April 26 at Belmar Library. To celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day (El día de los niños/El día de los libros), kids are invited to practice library work skills such as making a library card, checking out and shelving books, and leading story time to stuffies.
What’s New from the Colorado State Library
America 250 – Colorado 150 Celebrations
Is your library planning any 250-150 events? The Colorado State Library would love to feature them in the Friday Grab Bag. Email Amy Hitchner with an event link or the details.
Colorado Historic Newspapers
Life in Camp: Colorado Civilian Conservation Corps Camp Newspapers. The CHNC team recently added 52 CCC Camp newspapers to the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
Book Club Sets
The Joy of Joining Book Clubs. In celebration of National Library Week, learn how joining a book club through your local library can be a joyful experience.
Learning Opportunities
All events are online except where a location is noted.
- 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.
- Part-time 25 hour Concierge (Bilingual Spanish speaking preferred) – Anythink Brighton
- Institutional Libraries Access & User Services Senior Consultant, Non-Classified – Colorado State Library (Colorado Department of Education)
- Institutional Libraries Learning and Development Senior Consultant, Non-Classified – Colorado State Library (Colorado Department of Education)
- Institutional Libraries Technical Services and Technology Senior Consultant, Non-Classified – Colorado State Library (Colorado Department of Education)
- inventHQ – Bilingual Makerspace Associate – Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library
- Safety Specialist (2) Full time – Arapahoe 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.
- Friday Grab Bag, July 10, 2026 - July 10, 2026
- Friday Grab Bag, June 26, 2026 - June 26, 2026
- Friday Grab Bag, June 12, 2026 - June 12, 2026