Library Blog

A Dramatic Bite of History

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Ellie Norman, Wood River Museum Collections Specialist

Two actors pose dramatically in a production of Dracula.
Pedro Salom Collection of the Wood River Journal Photo Morgue, Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History (F15005215)

This Halloween, we’re highlighting a striking image from the Center for Regional History’s photograph collection—a backlit shot of two actors in a dramatic vampire attack scene. Captured during a production of Dracula by the Sun Valley Repertory in October of 1991, this haunting moment transports us to the heart of Ketchum’s local theater tradition, where creativity and community have long taken center stage.

The play this photo promotes was held at the nexStage Theater, a beloved cultural hub located on the corner of 1st and Main Street from 1992 until 2018. The nexStage, housed in the old renovated Sun Valley Motors dealership, was instrumental in the local arts scene, producing plays, musicals, readings, and workshops. Its close affiliation with the Sun Valley Repertory Company made it a crucial venue for bringing local stories and talent to life.

In 2018, the nexStage made way for the brand new Argyros Performing Arts Center, a state-of-the-art facility that continues the legacy of live performance in Ketchum. The Argyros hosts a variety of performances, from theater and music to film and dance as the new cultural cornerstone of Main Street. Yet, as this photo reminds us, the Sun Valley Repertory and nexStage era provided its own unique charm—a time when intimate productions like this eerie vampire play brought the community together for evenings of suspense and entertainment.

As we celebrate Halloween, let’s take a moment to appreciate this snapshot of local theater history, and the way these venues—both past and present—continue to shape Ketchum’s vibrant cultural landscape.

Note this story was originally published in October of 2024 in the Idaho Mountain Express.

Album Review: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

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Nicole Lichtenberg recommends The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan.  

Nicole Lichtenberg recommends The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

I am utterly captivated by this album. Chappell Roan has the vocal range of Christina Aguilera, the joyful tawdriness of Prince, the active, enthusiastic consent of a Title IX compliance program, and she manages to keep the DIY aesthetic of punk and garage music while somehow simultaneously brandishing a very high production value.

It’s difficult to bring something new to an album alternately reveling and wallowing in the highs and lows of interpersonal relationships, and yet, Roan succeeds.  

What’s more: My Spotify algorithm has had a narrow focus, on account of “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus being my alarm clock song, and my love of the Atlanta-based punk band, Microwave (I walked down the aisle to the song “Trash Stains” and thank you again, Stephen McDougall Graham, for playing it on the violin so that my mom wouldn’t notice I walked down the aisle to a song called “Trash Stains”).

Playing this album a few times has completely refreshed my other recommendations. That’s right: It’s fun to listen to, and it can clean out the cobwebs on your metadata. I don’t know what else you could want.  

This album is great for many situations, such as driving somewhere early in the morning, cleaning your house, feeling joy, and more, but it’s important to note that it does contain fairly graphic sexual content, so it’s not appropriate for children or elevators.   

You can find this album anywhere fine music is played or on CD here at The Community Library. Have fun!  

Book Review: Habits of a Peacemaker

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Systems Librarian Susie Bille recommends Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change our Potentially Toxic Conversations by Steven T. Collis.

Susie Habits of a Peace Maker

I make the effort to get outside every day. This fall has been glorious, and spending time in the forest helps me relax and find peace. Sometimes (if I’m lucky), that peace stays with me throughout the day.

Habits of a Peacemaker caught my eye as I was thinking about how crazy and rattled people seemed to me this summer. The idea of peacemaking is enticing. Almost like hostage negotiation—a difficult and perhaps unattainable goal. 

The simplicity of this book is appealing; it outlines an easy way to interact in a positive way with others.

How do the experts talk about tough topics when people are dug into opposite opinions? The idea of the book is to learn a few simple strategies to help foster understanding and navigate conflict. Each chapter focuses on one specific habit such as intellectual humility or reframing a question.

Examples are given of both famous peacemakers and everyday people who have successfully navigated conflicts. The author is a professor who researches and teaches religious freedom along with other First Amendment topics, and he includes personal anecdotes of conversations on these volatile subjects with a variety of people. 

Can your own personal habits create real-world change?

Probably not. We may never have the reach or impact of Gandhi or Mother Teresa, yet we do have the chance to practice handling conflicts daily. Collis speaks from personal experience and provides relatable examples of how peacemaking is a lifelong journey, attainable for anyone willing to put in the effort. 

Find it in the Library’s collection in print here.

Book Review: Atomic Habits

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Communications Manager Kyla Merwin recommends Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Kyla Atomic Habits

Sooner or later, anyone who spends much time with me will see a Diet Coke in my hand. I’m a self-confessed “Coke” addict. I love the stuff. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks.

According to James Clear in his best-selling book, Atomic Habits, the first question I need to ask myself is this: Do I want to be the type of person who drinks Diet Coke all day every day? Answer: Yes. Yes, I do.

Ergo, I will fail at any attempts to stop drinking Diet Coke – even though I know it’s bad for me – because I cannot see myself as a non-Diet Coke drinker (yet).

At the core of Clear’s strategy is the notion that your habits shape your identity and visa versa. Put another way, to break an old habit or create a new one, you must focus on who you want to be rather that what you want to achieve.

Behavior that isn’t consistent with the self will not last, says Clear. The pull to act in a manner consistent with the person you see yourself as is very strong—stronger than the mere act of goal setting.

Once your pride gets involved, you’ll fight “tooth and nail to maintain your habits,” says Clear.

At this point, Clear gives you concrete tools to build good habits and break undesirable ones (like, say, four-five Diet Cokes a day). Such tools include:

Four Laws of Behavior Change: Habits are created from a feedback loop that involves a cue, followed by a craving, then a response, and finally the reward. Clear’s laws are to make the habit obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.

Habit Stacking: By tagging a new habit to an existing habit, you create a natural momentum that will help you build a desirable habit. If you want to build a daily habit of gratitude, for example, you can link a gratitude statement to your morning cup of coffee.

The Goldilocks Zone: To help you maintain good habits, Clear points to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. If your actions are too easy, you’ll get bored. If they are too hard, you’ll give up. To stay motivated, you have to find actions that are “just right”—that is, right on the edge of your current abilities.

For me at this time, giving up Diet Coke is way too far past my current abilities; I don’t yet see myself as a non-Diet-Coke-drinker. In the meantime, though, I’m building a new good habit of gratitude every morning when I hear the crack-fizz of the pop can opening.

Find it in our collection in print, ebook, eaudiobook, and on CD here.

Sheepdogs Taking Catnaps

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Carolina Estrella, Trailing of the Sheep Festival Archives Intern

Two Great Pyrenees puppies sleep as a sheep stands over them
Trailing of the Sheep Festival Archive, Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History

A vigilant sheep stands guard over two Great Pyrenees puppies snoozing away in the shade. It doesn’t seem apparent at this stage of their lives but in a few years those same pups will mature into their sheep’s first line of defense. For generations, Idaho sheep ranchers have used this special dog breed to keep their herds safe from predators. A fully grown Great Pyrenees can hold its own against coyotes, mountain lions, bears, and sometimes even wolves. Herders will have several of these dogs accompany their flocks. Day and night, these guard dogs stay close by their sheep, always alert for any potential danger. They drink, eat, and sleep with the wooly animals in their care.

In order for these dogs to efficiently carry out their responsibility to the herds, puppies are socialized with the sheep bands from an early age. They have to become comfortable around the other species and bond with its members in order to develop a protective instinct towards them. As adults, the dogs will even risk their own lives to make sure their sheep come to no harm.

This photograph was taken in 1998, not long after the Trailing of the Sheep Festival was founded. In that time, sheep trailing down the mountains along the bike path were deemed a nuisance by some as the animals’ droppings were being left behind and reportedly getting stuck in people’s bicycle spokes. Now, however, the perception of sheep ranching in the area has experienced a positive revival through the festival’s efforts. The loyal Great Pyrenees are just one factor in many which make sheep ranching possible right here in Idaho and all across the American West.

Note this story was originally published in October of 2024 in the Idaho Mountain Express.

Can You See Me in This Camo?

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Camo is sitting in plain sight in most every corner of the the Gold Mine Thrift store this season. The Fall/Winter Opening revealed a wide assortment of camo-wear in rugged colors, shapes and sizes, including boots, hats, tops, and bottoms for men and women.

Plus … new merchandise is hitting the floor every day to keep you camouflaged in the great outdoors – and maybe even in a crowd!

Happy camo shopper - Gold Mine Fall Opening 2024
Camo boots mens Gold Mine
Camo bottoms mens Gold Mine

    Proceeds from the Gold Mine help support books, literacy, and programs at The Community Library. The store is located at 331 Walnut Avenue in Ketchum.

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