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
Easy Breezy Summer
This summer, Northern Saguache County Library District is offering a weekly program called Midweek Mingle at Saguache Public Library. Through August 5, the library will stay open each Wednesday until 7:00 pm to present unique opportunities, such as Writing Prompts, Recipe and Book Swaps, Conversation Cards, and more.
Louisville Public Library’s Celebrate Summer Carnival is June 10 from 10:00 am to noon. This family-friendly outdoor party will feature music, bounce houses, carnival games, cotton candy, and more!
Join Basalt Regional Library for Watercolor Journaling on June 15. Using simple, stress-free prompts, you’ll blend easy watercolor techniques with personal reflection and writing to create a meaningful journal page—no art or journaling experience required.
Expert Instruction
Garfield County Libraries invites you to join them at the Carbondale Branch Library on June 7 for The Art of Wildlife Photography: A Beginner’s Guide with Jack Small. Small will showcase his wildlife photography and give pointers for beginning field photographers.
Loveland Public Library presents Tech Talks: AI Isn’t Magic on June 11, the first session in their new series on AI. The discussion will take a critical examination of the “black box” risks, including algorithmic bias, intellectual property rights, and deepfakes, as well as the current state of AI safety and the human responsibility in defining the rules for future development.
Buena Vista Public Library will host a 60-minute session on Common Breeding Birds of Buena Vista on June 13. Learn how to identify birds in the area by sight and sound with biologist and author, Joe LeFleur.
Arapahoe Libraries is offering Square Dance with a Modern Twist on June 8 at Eloise May Library and June 26 at Koelbel Library. Join caller and instructor Molly Baines Blaney for an introduction to Colorado’s official state folk dance.
Learn how to create, save, organize, and share files at Englewood Public Library’s Google Drive 101 on June 9. This class is perfect for beginners, with plenty of time for questions and hands-on practice.
New Beginnings
Refresh your closet at Vail Public Library’s Clothing Swap on June 7. Trade in your gently used clothes and engage in some guilt-free shopping at this community event.
Anythink Perl Mack is hosting an all-ages Planting Party on June 10. Help plant the community flower boxes that will grow throughout the summer, and learn about drought resistant plants that are irresistible to pollinators.
The Arvada Historical Society is having a Grand Opening for its new research library and museum at the 1897 Allen House (11200 Ralston Road) on Saturday, June 13 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. Refreshments provided — stop in and see Jefferson County’s newest library! The library opens officially to the public on Monday, June 15, and will have open hours Mondays and Fridays only, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Rotating exhibits focusing on western Arvada will complement the research library. The Olde Town museum and headquarters at McIlvoy House remains open on Fridays and Saturdays, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Rocky Mountain PBS (RMPBS), The Women’s Foundation of Colorado (WFCO), and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CWCC) invite all Coloradans to Women Decide: The Colorado Governor’s Forum — a live, virtual forum bringing together confirmed primary candidates for Governor of Colorado on June 7 at 7:00 pm. Registration is required for this free event.
America 250 – Colorado 150 Celebrations
Buena Vista Public Library will offer a Colorado Map Decoupage class for adults on June 9. Attendees will celebrate Colorado’s sesquicentennial by decoupaging with Colorado tissue map paper and acrylic paint.
Clearview Library District will host Lunch and Learn: The Women of Windsor on June 9 at Windsor Library. An educator from the Windsor Museum will discuss the contributions of women from Windsor’s past—from architecture to the founding of the library.
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.
What’s New from the Colorado State Library
Colorado State Publications Blog
Colorado State Parks: Staunton
Book Club Sets
Book Club Author Suggestion: Maggie O’Farrell
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 June 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.
- Cataloging Services Supervisor – Jefferson County Public Library – Jefferson County Public Library
- Library Director – Ignacio Community Library
- Part-time 25 hour Concierge – Anythink Commerce City
- User Technology Services Specialist – University of Colorado – Denver
- Executive Director – Mancos Public Library
- Acquisitions and Collections Analysis Librarian-Instructor – Strauss Health Sciences Library, CU Anschutz Medical Campus
- Barista – Library Specialist Blended Role – Arapahoe Library District
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.
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