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
Family Fun & Games
Alamosa Public Library invites families to celebrate Gnome-Coming 2025 with a week of dress-up themes and fun activities from September 29 – October 3. The week will cap off with a gnome float parade around the library.
Broomfield Library’s Costume Swap is September 27 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. Costumes will be available for all ages, so everyone can get in on the fun.
Bemis Public Library’s Costume and Dress-up Swap for children and teens is September 27 from 10:00 to 11:30 am. Donations will be accepted September 20-26 but are not required to participate.
Jefferson County Public Library’s Raise a Reader Festival is September 27 at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. Bring the whole family and enjoy a day of engaging activities that will set the little ones in your life on the track to lifelong learning.
Pitkin County Library is hosting a morning of Family Friendly Fun, part of the Aspen Literary Festival, on September 27. The event will include activities intended for fans of books, music, and fun of all ages.
Longmont Public Library is excited to announce LevelUp Longmont, the City’s first-ever esports tournament and gaming themed festival, happening September 27 at the Library and Civic Center. This one-day event brings together competitive gaming, family fun, and community learning—all in one action-packed celebration of digital literacy and Longmont’s vibrant gaming culture.
Make & Create
Garfield County Libraries’ Pioneering for the Modern Day series continues on September 27 at the Silt Branch. The series is dedicated to reclaiming the forgotten wisdom passed down through generations like soil care and gardening, survival skills, food preparation, and natural cleaners.
Pikes Peak Library District is hosting Coding: Game Development, part of the Colorado Springs Cool Science Festival, on September 27 at East Library. Participants ages 9-15 will learn the basics of Python or JavaScript while playing and building their own video games.
Anythink Wright Farms is hosting a Studio Maker Fair on September 27 from 11:00 to 3:00. Meet their Studio experts, connect with staff, and find inspiration to learn something new or grow your skills.
Pueblo City-County Library District invites teens and tweens to participate in Artober 2025, a 31-day art challenge during the month of October using daily prompts. After registering, pick up your ARTober Kit2Go from the Makerspace; each kit has tools to help you draw through the 31 days.
Learn Together
Front Range Community College and Westminster Public Library invite the Colorado library community to their Banned Books Week events, including film screenings of the documentary Banned Together on October 7 & 9 and a read-aloud on October 8.
Are you an inventor or perhaps curious about the patent process? Join Boulder Public Library for Patents with Patent Agent Brian Schwartz PhD on September 28 at Reynolds Library. This informal session will include plenty of time for your questions.
Durango Public Library welcomes the San Juan Basin Archaeological Society for an Intro to Archaeology on September 30. The presentation will address the definition and science of archaeology, offer information on local publicly accessible sites, and include a demo of paleo technology.
What’s New from the Colorado State Library
Historic Newspapers
Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with Memories of South Conejos & Adobe
Colorado State Publications Blog
Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways: Highway of Legends
Learning Opportunities
All events are online except where a location is noted.
- Talking Teen Services – Understanding Teens: Intersectional Factors (part 1 of 3)
- October 1, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
- In Practice: Library Conversations on Prevention
- October 2, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
- Youth Services Regional Learning Community Workshops – Alamosa Public Library
- October 8, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
- Demystifying Grants: Finding Money for Your School Library
- October 8, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
- Unmasking Imposter Syndrome: Navigating Anxiety, Uncertainty, and Systemic Challenges in Librarianship
- October 14, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
- Talking Teen Services – Understanding Teens: Biases and Stereotypes (part 2 of 3)
- October 15, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Talking Teen Services – Understanding Teens: Building Positive Relationships (part 3 of 3)
- October 29, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Youth Services Regional Learning Community Workshops – High Prairie Library (PPLD)
- October 30, 9:00 am – 3:30 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 September 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.
- Digital Archivist – University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
- Library Specialist, Part Time – Eloise May – Arapahoe Library District
- Library Service Technician Substitute – Elizabeth Library – Pines & Plains Libraries
- Teaching and Learning Student Assistant – University of Colorado Denver, Auraria Library
- Library Information Technologist – Systems, Security, and Network Administration – Clearview 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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