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
Creative Inspiration
Louisville Public Library’s Youth Spring Art Show opening reception is March 7 at 5:30 pm. Join them to celebrate these young artists while enjoying professional artists’ demonstrations and music.
Arapahoes Libraries invites young artists ages 5-12 to enter their Design a Bookmark Contest during the month of March. Designs can be submitted by mail or in person.
Basalt Regional Library welcomes storytellers, writers, journalers, and listeners to Storytelling and Journaling on March 23 at 3:30 pm. Jessica Amber Barnum will lead the workshop.
March Celebrations
Clear Creek County Library District invites kids to a Leprechaun Trap Workshop on March 14 at John Tomay Memorial Library. They’ll design and create a trap for the wee mythical creature.
Jefferson County Public Library is hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt for teens on March 14 at Arvada Library. Wear your greenest outfit and hunt for a pot of gold during this evening of fun, crafts, and snacks.
Estes Valley Library invites you to create a Clay Pie Craft for Pi(e) Day on March 14 (3.14) at 10:30 am. You’ll use Polymer Bake Clay to craft and bake tiny pie accessories like necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and keychains.
Pick ‘n’ Mix
Broomfield Library’s Prom Swap Shopping Day is March 8 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Pick out something fun, funky, and new-to-you! All are welcome to take home a new outfit, even if they are not able to donate.
Join the Fort Morgan Museum for their first Spring into Summer Camp program on March 12 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Kids will experience pioneer life for a day, including churning butter, playing with Lincoln Logs, creating beeswax candles, and more!
Mesa County Libraries invites you to their Garden Fair on March 8 at the Collbran Congregational Church. Nina Louden from the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Palisade Insectary will be there to share information about natural biocontrols.
Pueblo City-County Library District welcomes CSU Pueblo Physics Professor Lei Marquez for The Physics of Space Exploration, a presentation on March 12 at Pueblo West about the history and physics of some of NASA’s most iconic moments.
Silverton Public Library’s Sourdough School is in session March 12 at 4:00 pm. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned baker, you’ll learn the art of making and maintaining sourdough starter and baking delicious bread while exploring the science of fermentation.
What’s New from the Colorado State Library
Library Research Service
The Latest Cartography for Colorado Library Systems
Learning Opportunities
All events are online except where a location is noted.
- Maryland State Library Cultures Conference 2025
- February 12 – April 9
- Communication Breakdowns: Tools for Working Through Conflict in the Workplace
- March 13, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
- Supporting Mental Health and Well-Being for LIS Students: Navigating the Challenges of Graduate Studies
- March 19, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
- Demystifying Genre (Colorado Library Staff Only)
- March 19, 2:00 – 3:30 pm
- Trauma-Informed Library Management: Practical Strategies for Creating a Healthy Organizational Culture (Colorado Only)
- March 20, 12:00 – 1:30 pm
- This session is full. Contact Christine Kreger to be added to the waitlist.
- Ageless Grace in Libraries Community of Practice: Spring 2025
- March 24, 10:00 – 11:00 am
- How to Be a Librarian for Brain Health and Dementia
- March 25, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
- 2024-25 Youth Services Learning Community (Southwest Region)
- March 26, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Pine River Library
- Loneliness and Social Isolation: Tackling the Social Disconnection Epidemic
- April 2, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
- Aging at Your Library: How Colorado Libraries Meet the Moment for Aging Adults
- April 4, 1:00 – 2:30 pm
- April 7, 5:30 – 7:00 pm
- Effective “Debriefing” in the Workplace: Supporting Staff Who Experience High-Stress Events (Colorado Only)
- April 8, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
- How to Engage Older Adult Patrons through Creative Aging this Summer and Beyond
- April 10, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
- 2024-25 Youth Services Learning Community (Mountain West Region)
- April 11, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Grand County Library District’s Granby Library
- 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 March 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.
- Senior Librarian – Acquisitions – Pikes Peak Library District
- Director of the Auraria Library – University of Colorado, Denver
- Head of Information Services – Mesa County Libraries
- Exhibits Specialist – High Plains Library District
- Library Page – High Plains Library District
- Library Associate – High Plains Library District
- Librarian, Teen Reference Southglenn Library – Arapahoe Library District
- Library Branch Manager – Summit County 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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