Friday Grab Bag, May 16, 2025

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. Let’s open the Friday Grab Bag!

Library Events & Programs

Community Engagement

Durango Public Library is hosting a Folk Jam on May 17 at 1:00 pm. Local educator and folk musician Dennis Lum will lead this informal jam session of traditional and contemporary folk music.

Delta County Libraries invites you to a Ribbon Cutting for Seth Weber Art Exhibit on May 16 at Paonia Library. They will be unveiling his art installation that is part of his Faro Project series, bringing public awareness to child welfare.

Jefferson County Public Library is hosting a Library to You May 2025 Boggle Tournament for word lovers and game players. Pick up your Boggle card at Express Library West Arvada or any bookmobile stop from May 1 to 30, then join the fun with new weekly challenges.

High Plains Library District invites community members to their quarterly Bubble Tea Social on May 19 at Carbondale Valley Regional Library. Meet new friends, play games, and snap pics in the photo booth, all while enjoying a refreshing beverage.

Learn from the Experts

Boulder Public Library welcomes Uniquely Cats Veterinary Center for Understanding Cat Behavior on May 17 at NoBo Library. Learn how to decode your cat’s body language, and stick around for a special storytime with Bindi the Cat.

Garfield County Libraries invites their community to Wild Mustangs of Colorado – From Range to Home on May 20 at Silt Branch Library. Volunteers from Friends of the Mustangs and the Piceance-East Douglas HMA will lead this engaging public talk exploring the journey of Colorado’s wild mustangs from their lives on the open range to their successful adoption into homes and working roles across the West.

Gilpin County Public Library is hosting an Early Childhood Resource Fair on May 17 from 10:00 to 11:30 am. Learn about support and resources for childcare providers, including licensing information, summer camps, and enrichment opportunities.

Bemis Public Library will host speaker Dave Lively for Rocky’s West Side Stories, an immersive journey into the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park on May 20 at 6:30 pm. You’ll learn about recurring themes of survival and success as humans encounter nature in this isolated mountain valley.

Poudre Libraries welcomes adults to their Bike Fix-it Bonanza on May 23 at the Harmony Library parking lot. Their experienced team will help with minor repairs and free safety inspections.

What’s New from the Colorado State Library

Learning Opportunities

All events are online except where a location is noted.

• Aligning School Library Selection Policy with New Colorado Law; Guidance for School Districts
  • May 20, 3:30 – 4:30 pm
• Really Useful Library Evaluation
  • May 21 & 22, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • Adams State University, Nielsen Library (Alamosa)
• Adult Services Regional Workshop – Durango
  • May 28, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
  • Durango Public Library
• 2025 Colorado OER Conference
  • May 30, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • University of Northern Colorado in Greeley
• SHIP Partners & Services Manager (State Health Insurance Program)
  • June 5, 10:00 – 11:00 am
• Cultivating Library Joy: Finding Fulfillment in Everyday Work
  • June 10, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
• HESTL EdCON 2025
  • June 10, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • DCSD Legacy Campus, Parker
• Talking Teen Services: Kids and Teens are Patrons, Too – Restorative Justice and Trauma-Informed Approaches in Public Libraries
  • June 12, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
• 12th Annual Kraemer Copyright Conference
  • June 16, 17, 18, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • Ent Center, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
• Find even more learning opportunities:
  • Libraries Learn Calendar from Colorado State Library
  • Continuing Education Calendar from Maine State Library (note: all MSL events are listed in Eastern time). A different view of these events is available at Free Online Learning Opportunities for May 2025.

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.

• Programming Assistant – Part Time – Jefferson County Public Library
• Library Branch Supervisor – Denver Public Library
• Workstation Technician I – Marmot Library Network
• Library Page – High Plains Library District
• Part-time 25 hour Concierge (Spanish speaking candidates preferred) – Anythink Bennett

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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, hitchner_a@cde.state.co.us.

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