Friday Grab Bag, May 2, 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

Tea and Treats

Delta County Libraries is hosting Mother’s Day Tea, Cards and Crafts on May 5 at Hotchkiss Library. Kids can create cards and bookmarks with pressed flowers while moms enjoy some tea and conversation.

Join Ignacio Community Library for a Marbleous Tea Party on May 4 at 12:00 pm. Enjoy a delightful selection of tea and goodies, and take part in fun activities like a marble maze run, face painting, and the classic marbles game.

High Plains Library District is hosting their 2025 Mother’s Day “Sweet Tea” on May 10 at Fort Lupton Public & School Library. Indulge in an afternoon of sweet treats, delicious tea, and delightful conversation as you celebrate the beauty of spring and the special bonds of motherhood and friendship.

Boulder Public Library invites teen chefs to a Chocolate Truffles and Bars Workshop on May 3 at George F. Reynolds Library. Learn how to make ganache, temper chocolate, and form truffles, and leave with some delectable treats.

Farm and Garden

Pine River Library invites you to Healthy Soil = Healthy Plant on May 6 at their Community Garden. A master gardener will address bed preparation, soil health, fertilizing basics for gardening, and dealing with pests.

Learn Gardening the Ergonomic Way with CSU Extension Master Gardener and Occupational Therapist Amy Wagenfeld. Poudre Libraries is hosting this event on May 9 at Council Tree Library.

Aurora Public Library invites children to Farm Activity Day on May 7 at Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Crafts will include farm animal masks, Western horse ornaments, farm animal magnets, 3D hens in nests, and farm animal friend puppets.

Pick ‘n’ Mix

Durango Public Library will host Bike Durango for A Class for the Casual Cyclist on May 8 at 6:00 pm. This class will cover Colorado bicycle laws, bicycle etiquette, and sharing roads with multiple road users.

Join the Fort Morgan Library and Museum for a program on the History of Fort Morgan from 1861 to 1868, presented by local historian Dave Wood on May 3 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. He will explore what the Fort Morgan area was like as a Civil War era soldier.

Garfield County Libraries welcomes The Southwest Ramblers, a high energy Irish folk music duo, on May 2 at the Parachute Branch. Their music is rooted in Irish tradition with modern flair.

Silverton Public Library will offer Library Market, a free community food event on May 8 at 5:00 pm. Through a generous donation from Indivisible Durango, the Library will have a wide selection of shelf-stable items and pantry staples available to anyone in their community.

What’s New from the Colorado State Library

Adult Services

Hidden Gem: Literacy Coalition of Colorado’s Adult Literacy Provider Map

Book Club Resource

Book Club Author Suggestion: Ian McEwan

Learning Opportunities

All events are online except where a location is noted.

• 2025 CLiC & Connect: In Person Rural Meetup – Glenwood Springs
  • May 6, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • $30 registration
• Turn the Page to Health: Diabetes Education Opportunities for All Coloradans
  • May 8, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
• CLEL BELLS: What are they and how do I use them?
  • May 8, 1:00 – 1:45 pm
• Social Security 101 with Benefits in Action
  • May 12, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
• 2025 CLiC & Connect: In Person Rural Meetup – Fort Morgan
  • May 15, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • $30 registration
• Academic Librarian Conference and Networking Day
  • May 16, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • University of Denver, Anderson Academic Commons
  • $30-$40 registration
• 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
• 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
• 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.

• Assistant Supervisor, Facilities – Arapahoe Library District
• Exhibits Specialist – High Plains Library District
• Librarian- Substitute – High Plains Library District
• Patron Services Associate – Basalt Regional Library
• Youth Services Associate – Basalt Regional Library
• Hampden Center Technician – University of Denver

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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.