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
Have a Heart
Ignacio Community Library invites you to make this Valentine’s Day sweet with Chocolate-Covered Strawberries on February 11 at 4:30 pm. You’ll use different kinds of chocolate and decorations to make your strawberries special.
Louisville Public Library is doing some match-making at their Teen Blind Date with a Book event from February 10-14. Stop by the Teen Zone and pick out a wrapped book to keep—it might be “the one!”
Pueblo City-County Library District invites families to Follow Your Heart…a Valentine’s scavenger hunt on February 8 at Giodone Library. Search the library and find the hidden hearts to win a prize.
Decorate Valentine’s Cookies with Lake County Public Library on February 14 at 3:00 pm. Make a sweet treat for your sweetheart while supplies last.
Fort Morgan Public Library invites you to join them for Historical Valentine Making on February 8 at 2:00 pm. In addition to crafting Valentine’s cards using Victorian-era images and design elements, you’ll enjoy tea and scones while learning about the history of high tea.
Make a unique gift for the pet lover in your life at Estes Valley Library’s ‘I Love My Pet’ Mug event on February 13 at 5:00 pm. You’ll use the library’s Cricut Mug Press to create a custom design using pet-themed elements.
Aurora Public Library invites you to enjoy Date Night at the Library on February 14 at Mission Viejo Library. Kids can participate in a supervised craft while adults take a relaxing water color painting class taught by a professional instructor.
Engage Your Brain
Get your financial house in order with Estate Planning 101 on February 13. Durango Public Library will host Karina Guerrero of Foundational Wealth Partners, who will share tools to protect your assets and provide for your family.
Learn about Radon, Well, and Septic Systems in the Mountains with Gilpin County Public Library on February 11 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Representatives from Gilpin Public Health and CSU Extension will provide information on testing for Radon and maintaining well and septic systems.
Get a jump on spring planting with Indoor Seed Starting at Buena Vista Public Library on February 8. You’ll learn tried and true seed starting tailored to our climate.
Pikes Peak Library District is hosting Library Scented Candles, a cozy maker event for adults and seniors on February 10 at High Prairie Library. Bring the smell of books, libraries, and winter reading home with you.
The first meeting of Clearview Library District’s Teen Cookbook Club is February 11 at 4:30 pm. This month features recipes from The 5 Ingredient College Cookbook by Pamela Ellgen.
Wind down after a busy weekend with some Afternoon Tea, hosted by Grand County Library District on February 23 at Juniper Library. The afternoon will include tea tasting, silent reading, and optional conversation.
What’s New from the Colorado State Library
Library Research Service
Learning Opportunities
All events are online except where a location is noted.
- Maryland State Library Cultures Conference 2025
- February 12 – April 9
- Cultivating Empathy, Trust, and Optimism: Strategies for Motivating Demotivated Library Teams
- February 13, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
- Strategies for Success for Neurodiverse librarians
- February 18, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
- Library Technology Accessibility Workshop
- February 18, 8:30 am – 4:15 pm
- University of Denver Anderson Commons
- Design Thinking in the Library: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
- February 18, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
- Booktalk Your Way to the Friendliest Library in Town (Colorado Library Staff Only)
- February 19, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
- Talking Teen Services: Working with Teen Volunteers Panel
- February 25, 11:00 am – 12:15 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 February 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.
- Collection Development Supervisor – Clearview Library District
- Public Historian and Outreach Supervisor – Denver Public Library
- Part-time 25 hour Concierge (Spanish speaking candidates preferred) – Anythink Commerce City
- Windows Infrastructure Administrator II – Marmot Library Network
- Local History/Genealogy Librarian I – Eagle Valley Library District
- Specialist – Outreach Library2Go – Eagle Valley Library District
- Librarian – Conifer Library – Jefferson County Public Library
- Cataloging Librarian – Denver Public Library
- Cataloging Supervisor – Denver Public Library
- Director of Cultural Services – Louisville Public Library
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.
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