Adult Services

Program Spotlight: Grand County Library’s Outdoor Adventurers

By Cristy Moran: Published on
Adult Services

We’ve asked libraries across Colorado to submit program they’ve run in the last year that they’re proud of and they want the rest of us to see and celebrate. Sharing stories in books is great… but what about our stories? The stories of the ways our libraries bring the community together, enrich the lives of our neighbors, and serve the people who live and work in our cities and towns.

Shelly Mathis, Grand County Library District (GCLD) Library Associate answered our call and we’re excited to let them tell you about their Outdoor Adventurers in their own words.

Flyer for outdoors library event image of mountain and snow

Library Name: Grand County Library District

City/ Town: Granby, Grand Lake, Fraser, Kremmling/Hot Sulphur Springs, CO

Program Name: Outdoor Adventurers

Date/ Date Range of Program: Beginning summer 2022, Ongoing

Intended Audience: Adults (and chaperoned high schoolers)

Description:

Grand County Library District creates transformative experiences for adults by linking them to the wonders of nature in a group setting. The Outdoor Adventurers program, hosted by multiple branches, offers summer and fall hikes and winter snowshoeing treks for those who seek the discovery of a new activity, the thrill of exploration, and the warmth of community. The library chooses diverse trails that cater to all levels of expertise, whether participants are seasoned adventurers or novice trekkers. Smiles abound as we immerse ourselves in the great outdoors, forge connections with fellow adventurers, and explore new trails together.

Each library trail guide adds a personal touch to their excursions, such as inspirational nature poems, area-related books, local history, outdoor resources, and lesser-known trails. Originally, the programs were identified by season—the Hiking Adventure Club and the Snowshoeing Adventure Club. However, because of the success of these individual programs, we changed our branding to encompass both programs under one, new name—Outdoor Adventurers.

Some examples of the events as listed on Kremmling Library’s calendar can be found at:

(Editor’s note: To see what the registration email includes, Shelly has invited readers to reach out via email. Contact info is listed below.)

Each participant must complete the Release Waiver for Participation for each adventure. However, participants need only sign one Photo And Video Release Form per year. Let me know if you have any questions or need clarification. (See resources at bottom of this post for the forms.)

How did you come up with the idea for this program?

In the summer of 2022, two Granby Branch staff members wondered, “Wouldn’t it be awesome to offer hiking programs at the library?” They tried it—and succeeded! Later, when our Library Resources Director purchased snowshoes and poles for patron checkout, another employee started the first snowshoe program to encourage circulation. Eventually, outdoor enthusiasts in other branch libraries were invited to add hiking and snowshoeing programs for their areas.

What partners (if any) did you work with in developing or implementing this program?

Library staff members use personal knowledge and experience, as well as trail guidebooks and the AllTrails application. Additionally, we have partnered with community entities that offer use of their trails (such as Latigo Ranch, Fraser Experimental Forest, and Snow Mountain Ranch) and community members who share their expertise of local natural resources, trails, and history.

What about this program did you find successful? How did you measure the success of this program?

Participants always have stories to share after their adventures! The library receives feedback from patrons through anecdotal stories, conversations, emails, photos, and phone calls. Over time, as the programs are becoming more established, word is spreading. Statistical indicators of success include increased attendance numbers, full registration, long waiting lists, and high snowshoe checkout rates.

Final Thoughts:

We LOVE sharing our passion for the outdoors with our library patrons and witnessing the positive impact it makes in their lives as they connect with nature and one another. Each time we lead an adventure, we learn something new about facilitating these events. It’s a work in progress that started a couple of years ago and continues to improve as we experiment, adjust, and celebrate both our challenges and successes.

  

Shelly has permitted us to share their contact information so that anyone interested in reaching out to them about their program can do so. It is an incredibly generous offer of which you are invited to avail yourself if you’re inspired by their work and want to celebrate them or if you have questions about ways you can follow their lead.

To reach Shelly, email them at smathis@gcld.org

Resources shared in this post include:

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Colorado State Library (and the readers of this point as well, no doubt) understands how time consuming, emotionally draining, costly (in so many ways), and challenging it can be to run a program or project. Sometimes they fail gloriously… sometimes they fail with barely a whisper. It can be hard to recover from that. You’ve worked so hard!… and it just didn’t work out. Be gentle with yourself. Self-reflect. Pick up the pieces. And then get to the next thing. It’ll be worth it.

For all those other times, be sure to celebrate. Brag about it! Feel good about yourself, the team that collaborated on your work, and the community members who participated with it. Celebrate your hard work and the value that you contribute to your community.

Tell us the story of your program just like this library did here. Submit your library’s program for a Program Spotlight featured here and shared as far as Colorado State Library news reaches.

Cristy Moran
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