Friday Grab Bag, May 30, 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

‘Tis the Season for Summer Reading

Summer reading is kicking off around Colorado. Here is just a sampling of the exciting events and programs on offer:

• Basalt Regional Library’s Summer Reading Kickoff Party on May 31 features a water slide, obstacle course, face painting, and more!
• Louisville Public Library’s 2025 Summer Reading Challenge includes a Local Business Scavenger Hunt.
• Clearview Library District is celebrating their Color Our World Kick-Off with a Color Run and Foam Party on June 2 at Severance Library.
• Clear Creek County Library District’s Summer Reading 2025 activities include field trips to the Denver Art Museum and Meow Wolf.
• Alamosa Public Library is pairing their summer reading program with a Pet Rock Adoption event on June 4 at Cole Park.
• Boulder Public Library invites you to their Summer of Discovery Kickoff Party at the Gunbarrel Library on June 7, which includes rock painting, face painting, and a visit from the Boulder Rural Fire Rescue Fire Truck.
• Gilpin County Public Library’s Summer Reading Kickoff Party on June 11 features a bouncy house, a balloon animal artist, and a bubble station.

Toe Tapping Fun

Delta County Libraries is hosting live music every Thursday evening in June at Paonia Library. Bring your dancing shoes and join them on June 5 for Dance Banditz, a dynamic 5-piece cover band from the Western Slope.

Jefferson County Public Library welcomes the Arcinda Gamelan Orchestra to Arvada Library on May 31 as part of their Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month festivities. Gamelan is a traditional Indonesian music that focuses on melodic percussion.

High Plains Library District is hosting a Folk Dance Class on June 5 at Farr Regional Library. This event will focus on traditional dance steps and music basics for the whole family.

Nederland Community Library invites kids to an interactive Hula Hooping Workshop on June 6. Watch a hula hoop show and then learn all the tips, tricks and techniques to get started. All equipment included!

Bringing Communities Together

The Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library, through a loan from the Illinois Holocaust Museum, is hosting a Holocaust Virtual Reality Experience now through June 6. Using VR headsets, participants will go on up to five journeys based on true experiences and voiced by Holocaust survivors. The program was recently featured in the Pagosa Springs Sun.

Denver Public Library is accepting applications for their ideaLAB Maker in Residence Program now through June 15. They are looking for candidates who want to share their expertise in a craft, creative technology, or any other hands-on DIY hobby with their community at the library.

Garfield County Libraries challenges adults to level up their hiking this summer with GCPLD Hiking Club: The Game. Pick up a gameboard and track your progress by taking group hikes with GCPLD staff or hiking at least 20 miles at your leisure. The first group hike is June 14 at the Rifle Falls State Park.

East Morgan County Library District’s Annual Quilt Show from June 25 to July 5 celebrates the art of quilting. Local quilters can drop off quilts to loan for the show from June 16 to 21.

What’s New from the Colorado State Library

Accessibility Corner

Accessibility Quick Tip: Accessibility Law for Colorado State and Local Government Update

Cataloging

Cataloging Fundamentals Video Series: MarcEdit

Learning Opportunities

All events are online except where a location is noted.

• 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
• Ageless Grace Library Practitioner Community of Practice (Invite Only)
  • June 24, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
• 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.

• Libraries Services Specialist, Security Evening/Weekend Supervisor – University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
• Librarian- Children’s Focus – High Plains Library District
• Learning Commons Coordinator and Open Educational Resources/Cataloging Librarian – Colorado Mountain College
• Library Associate: Circulation – Lafayette Public Library
• Materials Handler (Part-Time Reynolds) – Boulder Public Library District
• Cataloging Technician IV – 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.