The Colorado Department of Education

Offices | Staff Contacts | Colorado.gov

Public Library Information

Programs
 

  • Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose and the freedom to express one’s opinion, even if that opinion might be considered unpopular or unorthodox. The campaign stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who wish to read them.
    • The first annual Banned Websites Awareness Day was September 28, 2011 in order to raise awareness of the overly restrictive blocking of legitimate, educational websites and academically useful social networking tools in schools and school libraries.
  • CLC: Your Key to Accessing Libraries Across the State: Colorado Libraries Collaborate! provides FREE access to library resources for library users of all CLC member libraries. Currently all public, most school districts, academic and a number of special libraries are members.
  • Colorado Humanities along with Colorado Center for the Book, in affiliation with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, holds the Colorado contests for two national student literary competitions, Letters About Literature and River of Words.
  • Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL): All children deserve the joy of reading and the skills in life that literacy brings. Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy is passionately committed to strengthening children's literacy through library services and community advocacy.
  • Conflict Resolution Month is celebrated annually in October. National and International Conflict Resolution Day is celebrated on the third Thursday of October as designated by The Association for Conflict Resolution. The Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) is a professional organization dedicated to enhancing the practice and public understanding of conflict resolution.
  • Constitution Day @ Your Library: Resources for Constitution and Citizenship Day, annually on September 17. Schools and higher education institutions receiving federal support are required to commemorate the event; public libraries and others use it as a program and activity to benefit their communities.
  • Libraries and Economic Development
    Handouts from the August 2010 webinars, 2009 Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) Economic Gardening Preconference and other resources.
  • Great Stories CLUB
    The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and Books) is a book club program designed to reach underserved, troubled teen populations through books that are relevant to their lives.
  • Intergeneration Day, celebrated worldwide the first Sunday in October, connects generations through communication, celebration, and education.
  • Library Card Sign-up Month is in September, and the Campaign for America’s Libraries is looking for stories about how libraries are promoting the initiative.

  • National Green Week 
    The Green Education Foundation has put together a program including activities, projects and a toolkit. Geared more towards schools, but public libraries can use the materials as well.

  • National Library Week: Celebrate National Library Week, connect with other library staff in your area, learn, and have fun!
  • Pick 3, Spend 50
    This program embraces the idea of committing $50 each month to locally owned businesses. Rethink where you currently invest your money, opt to pick up that birthday card or pair of jeans in a locally owned business instead of the big box you’ve been going to, etc.
  • Programming Policies and Evaluation (PDF)
    A summary of a Libnet inquiry regarding public library programming policies and evaluation. Includes examples from a variety of public libraries. (May 2008)
    [Provided by: A. Winkel, Grand County Library District.]
  • Read Across America Day
    Grab Your Hat and Read with the Cat! Celebrate NEA's Read Across America Day. March 2 is fast approaching and NEA members across the country are mobilizing millions of students, parents, VIP readers and leaders to join the nation's largest reading celebration, are you ready? Here are ten tips to make your event Seussational.
  • Special Populations & Issues Committee: Web site contains hundreds of resources for libraries and other organizations, along with the Diversity Tool Kit and strategic plan. Goal is to improve quality library service to ethnic minority populations, persons with physical and mental disabilities, the underserved, seniors, and other groups.
  • Teen Tech Week
    Teen Tech Week is a national initiative for teens, librarians, educators, parents, and other concerned adults that highlights the many types of technology available to teens at libraries, and encourages teens to take advantage of libraries' non-print resources. The 2010 theme — Learn Create Share @ your library — encourages creativity and positions the library as a place to safely explore technology at libraries, including DVDs, music, gaming, video production, online homework help, social networking, tech workshops, and more.
  • Water 2012
     Colorado Water 2012 Campaign is a public awareness campaign that aims to engage all Coloradans in a statewide celebration of water: past, present, and future.
  • Workforce Development Month: Workforce Centers, led by the Colorado Workforce Development Council, are teaming with the Department of Labor and Employment to provide a variety of special events for job seekers and businesses across the state.


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For more information, contact Shelley Walchak, 303-866-6891.