HOURS
Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Click here to register for most programs.
Please note that access to the building and collections is limited due to renovation. Learn more here.
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Monthly Writing Group
Monday, Sept. 21, 10:15–11:45 a.m., Presbyterian Church of the Rockies
Calling all writers, aspiring writers, and anyone interested in writing! Share your writing, enjoy others’ work, and receive and provide feedback. All genres and forms are welcome.
Connect With the Classics: Walden
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 5:30–7 p.m., Wasson Board Room
As part of our Back to Basics programming, we’re discussing Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden,” which blends natural history with philosophy and offers an insightful look at human solitude and our connection to the natural world.
ADULTS
Elevated Thoughts Philosophy Group: If the Past Never Goes Away, Should We Fear Death?
Thursday, Sept. 24, 5:30–7 p.m., Online
Tackle tough questions like what makes life meaningful and how meaning in life relates to happiness and mortality in this new series in partnership with CU Boulder.
Wilderness Survival Skills for Women
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2–3:30 p.m., Estes Valley Community Center
Femme Trek founder Sharon Saternus is back to lead a wilderness survival workshop designed for female day hikers. Topics will include staying calm to think clearly, shelter building, and fire, water, signaling, and navigation basics. A Back to Basics program.
TEENS AND TWEENS
Teen Maker Mornings: Laser Engrave a Book Box
Saturday, Sept. 19, 10:30–11:30 a.m., Makerspace
Teens are invited to explore a variety of hands-on activities and Makerspace equipment in this weekly series. This week, we’ll custom-engrave a wooden box using the Epilog laser cutter.
Teen Books and Boba: Favorite Books
Sunday, Sept. 20, 10:30–11:30 a.m., Alteatude
Get “Back to Basics” with us by sharing your top three favorite books with other book lovers. These can be childhood classics, recent reads, or anything in between. Come thirsty because your beverage is on us.
Teen Dungeons and Dragons
Sunday, Sept. 20, 1–4:30 p.m., Makerspace
Repeated Sunday, Sept. 27, 1–4:30 p.m., Makerspace
Interested in learning to play Dungeons and Dragons? Make new friends while exploring your imagination, building cooperation, and strengthening problem-solving skills. Snacks and refreshments provided.
Tween Dragon Slayers
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 3:30–5 p.m., Estes Park Memorial Observatory
Repeated Wednesday, Sept. 30, 3:30–5:30 p.m., Estes Park Memorial Observatory
Interested in learning how to play Dungeons and Dragons? Want to think strategically and make new friends? Join other tweens for this classic fantasy-world game.
Mad Scientist: Electricity
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6–7 p.m., Makerspace
Put a spark in your step and join us for a shocking amount of fun during this interactive program where we’ll experiment with batteries, wire, graphite, and metal to learn about electricity and magnetism. Designed for youth ages 10–17.
Teen Maker Mornings: Color a Wood Leaf
Thursday, Sept. 24, 10:30–11:30 a.m., Makerspace
Repeated Saturday, Sept. 26, 10:30–11:30 a.m., Makerspace
Teens are invited to explore a variety of hands-on activities and Makerspace equipment in this weekly series. This week, we’ll color laser-cut wooden leaves to make unique fall-themed ornaments.
KIDS AND FAMILIES
Baby Storytime
Repeated each Thursday, 10–10:30 a.m., and Saturday, 10:45–11:15 a.m., Estes Valley Community Center – Cubz Den
Join us for rhymes, songs, bounces, wiggles, stretches, and play designed specifically for babies, toddlers, and their caregivers.
Storytime
Repeated each Thursday, 10:30–11 a.m., and Saturday, 11:15–11:45 a.m., Estes Valley Community Center – Cubz Den
Join us for songs, movement activities, puppets, and stories that encourage a love of language and books designed specifically for children ages six and younger, along with their caregivers.
Friday Kids Club: Worm Farm Composting
Friday, Sept. 18, 10–11 a.m., Makerspace
Making a worm farm in a jar is an easy, fun way to learn about the importance of earthworms and how they help improve soil health. We’ll use glass jars, soil, sand, pebbles, and worms to create a small ecosystem and observe how worms create compost. A Back to Basics program.
Storybook Explorers: “Stack the Cats“
Saturday, Sept. 19, 1–1:45 p.m., Makerspace
Join us as we read “Stack the Cats” and engage in early literacy activities designed for ages 3–5 and their caregivers. In this session, we’ll use toilet paper rolls, cardboard cats, and crayons to make our own stackable cats.
Where the Paletero Man Goes: A Journey of Neighborhood, Music, and Art with Lucky Diaz
Thursday, Sept. 24, 5–5:30 p.m., Online
Join us for an energetic conversation as we celebrate the joy of community and summer fun with Latin Grammy-winning musician Lucky Diaz, author of the sensational bilingual picture book, “Paletero Man.”
En español: Paletero Man: un viaje por el barrio, la música y el arte con Lucky Diaz
Jueves 24 de septiembre, de 6–6:30 p.m., en línea
Únete a nosotros para una enérgica conversación mientras celebramos la alegría de la comunidad y la diversión del verano con Lucky Diaz, músico ganador del premio Latin Grammy y autor del sensacional libro ilustrado bilingüe, “Paletero Man.”
Friday Kids Club: Natural Dyes and Flower Press
Friday, Sept. 25, 10–11 a.m., Makerspace
Discover easy, sustainable dyeing techniques in this Back to Basics program, where we’ll use natural spices, vegetables, and leaves to make natural prints.
Saturday Kids Club: Natural Dyes and Flower Press
Saturday, Sept. 26, 12:15–1:15 p.m., Makerspace
Discover easy, sustainable dyeing techniques in this Back to Basics program, where we’ll use natural spices, vegetables, and leaves to make natural prints.
Graphic Novel Book Club: “Magic Tree House“
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2–3 p.m., Makerspace
Youth ages 6–10 are invited to join us for a new book club to explore classic books made into graphic novels. We’re kicking the series off with “The Magic Treehouse: Night of the Dinosaurs,” where Jack and Annie embark on time-traveling, globe-spanning adventures with the help of spellbinding books and a treehouse filled with mysterious powers.
Tiny Tots Crafts: Fiber Stick Art
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 10–11 a.m., Makerspace
Designed for children ages 3–5 and their caregivers to focus on early literacy through crafts. In this session, we’ll make hanging stick art using twigs, yarn, and paint.
MAKERSPACE AND TECHNOLOGY
Paint with Wool
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Makerspace
Repeated Wednesday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Makerspace
Learn to transform one of nature’s most renewable, biodegradable, and long-lasting fibers into a vibrant, textured piece of textile art with needle felting. Bring a reference photo of your favorite scenery or work from your imagination. A Back to Basics program.
LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Regular Session
Monday, Sept. 28, 6:30–8 p.m., Wasson Room
Learn about the board of trustees and meeting topics at estesvalleylibrary.org/board.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION
Cliffhanger Used Books
Operated by the Friends of the Library Foundation, offering gently used books, movies, and music at discount prices. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.