Friday Grab Bag, February 16, 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!

Black History Month

Denver Public Library invites you to their Black History Month Art Exhibition throughout February at Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library. Meet the artists at a reception on February 20 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Aurora Public Library invites tweens and teens to Celebrate Black History Month with Trivia Night at Central Library on February 29. Register online.

Bud Werner Memorial Library honors Black History Month with a screening of No Time to Waste, a documentary celebrating legendary 100-year-old park ranger Betty Reid Soskin’s inspiring life, work, and urgent mission to restore critical missing chapters of America’s story. The event starts on February 22 at 6:30 pm.

In Poudre Libraries’ recent blog post, Colorado Black History & Book Choices, they shared a reading list of black authors and short biographies of influential black Coloradans.

Kids & Teens

Pueblo City-County Library District invites tweens and teens to Un-Mask Africa, a cultural experience on February 21 at Patrick A. Lucero Library. Learn about different regions of Africa, get your face painted, and create your own animal mask.

Discover summer camp options for 2024 at Jefferson County Public Library’s Summer Camp Expo on February 20 at Belmar Library. They will have representatives from organizations all over the Metro area to share information about their summer camp programs, answer any questions you may have, and offer valuable resources like scholarship opportunities.

Fort Morgan Public Library’s next Teen Night Out event is a Truth or Dare Scavenger Hunt. Bring your friends and join the fun on February 16 at 4:30 pm. Registration is required.

Loveland Public Library is hosting the Loveland Opera Theatre for their all-ages performance of The Three Little Pigs. Join them on February 17 at 10:30 am in the Galleria.

Community & Culture

Garfield County Libraries will host author Elaine Langstaff for her presentation Preserving our Heritage: Rifle’s Volunteer Fire Department 1902-2002 on February 17 at Rifle Branch Library. Learn the rich history of Rifle’s volunteer fire department as described in her book.

Basalt Regional Library is hosting Chocolate and Cacao Saturday on February 17 at 10:30 am. Learn about the relationship between chocolate, cocoa and the environment, draw colorful designs, and sample different types of chocolate and cocoa.

Learn to create Pysanky Egg Designs at a class hosted by Buena Vista Public Library on February 21 at 1:00 pm. Attendees will have first priority for the egg dying class in March. Registration is required.

What’s New at Colorado State Library

Colorado State Publications Blog

• Ensuring safe transportation in mountain resorts: the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board

Learning Opportunities

• Shine-a-Light: Building a Schoolwide Reading Community
  • February 21, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
  • Registration required
• CSL in Session: Autism Is Welcome Here: The ACCESS Approach to Inclusion
  • February 27, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
  • No registration required
• Public Libraries and Adult Literacy: State of the Field
  • March 13, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
  • Registration required
• HESTL EdCON (statewide K-12 library conference)
  • June 6, 2024 in Lone Tree
  • Submit a proposal by March 15
• 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 Standard 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.

• Senior Reader Advisor (open to all applicants) – Colorado Talking Book Library
• Librarian I – Reynolds Library – Boulder Public Library
• Librarian I- Meadows – Boulder Public Library
• Safety Specialist – Arapahoe Library District
• Full-time 40 hour Concierge (Spanish speaking candidates preferred) – Anythink Commerce City
• Substitute Assistant Librarian – Clear Creek County Library District
• Children’s Services Assistant – Clear Creek County Library District
• Access Services Librarian, Department Head – Regis University
• Collections Student Assistant – University of Colorado Denver Auraria Library
• Library Associate Substitute Virtual Services – High Plains Library District

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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.