The Community Library Lecture Room

*CANCELLED* 30 Years of Conservation in Idaho

by

*THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED* We may attempt to reschedule it for later in 2020.

Join us for an evening with Lou Lunte, deputy director of The Nature Conservancy in Idaho, Will Whelan, executive director of Idaho Coalition of Land Trusts, and Rocky Barker, author and former environmental reporter for the Idaho Statesman, as they share stories and discuss the impact of thirty years of conservation efforts in Idaho.

This program will be live streamed and available for later viewing on our LIVESTREAM page.

Presented in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy in Idaho.

Photo Credit: ComDesignsTNC

*CANCELLED* Special Screening: “Sawtooths On My Mind”

by

*THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED* We will attempt to reschedule it for later in 2020.

Who can forget that first view of the Sawtooth Mountain range, one of the West’s most iconic settings? For many people, the Sawtooth Wilderness is their favorite–so accessible with mountain lakes within walking distance and jagged peaks shaped like the blade of a crosscut saw.

During the summer months, it is not unusual to find hikers from all over the world enjoying the hundreds of miles of trails that connect many of the 400 lakes scattered throughout the distinctive granite peaks.

Sawtooths on My Mind examines the attraction of this remarkable mountain range, from the point of view of people who are seeing it for the first time, and folks who have worked for decades to preserve the unique flavor of the region. They all speak from the heart about one of Idaho’s truly inspiring landscapes.

Presented in collaboration with Idaho Public Television.

Q&A with the creators of Outdoor Idaho to follow.

IPT Outdoor Idaho

 

*CANCELLED* “Early Sun Valley: Union Pacific, Averell Harriman and Alf Engen” with John Lundin

by

*THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED* We will attempt to reschedule for later in 2020.

Join lawyer, historian and author John W. Lundin for a presentation on Averell Harriman’s role in developing Sun Valley, using the resources of the Union Pacific Railroad, ski tournaments and famous skiers, to make the resort the country’s center of skiing and an international destination after it opened in the remote mountains of Idaho in December 1936.  The presentation uses historic photographs from The Community Library, Engen family, and the Mariotte Library at the University of Utah.

Harriman was single handedly responsible for developing Sun Valley into the country’s first destination ski resort, as a way to restore rail passenger traffic that had been decimated by the Great Depression. Harriman hired some of the best skiers to work at Sun Valley, including Alf Engen, one of the best known, skiers during the 1930s and 1940s. Engen is closely associated with Utah, best remembered for being the director of the Alta, Utah, ski school from 1948 until 1989. However, he played an important role in Sun Valley’s early days, a story that is virtually unknown these days.

John W. Lundin has written and lectured extensively about Wood River Valley history, inspired by his great-grandparents Matthew and Isabelle Campbell McFall who moved to Bellevue, Idaho, in 1881, and were early pioneers of the area. John’s first book, Early Skiing on Snoqualmie Pass, was named outstanding regional ski history book in 2018 by the International Ski History Association.  He has two books that will be published in summer 2020: Skiing Sun Valley, A History from the Union Pacific to the Holdings, by History Press; and Sun Valley, Ketchum and the Wood River Valley, an Images of America series book, by Arcadia Press.

During his presentation, John will also present a preview of his two books that will be published later this year:  Sun Valley, Ketchum and the Wood River Valley, an Images of America book to be published by Arcadia press in summer 2020; and Skiing Sun Valley, a History from Union Pacific to the Holdings, to be published by History Press in fall 2020.  John is donating his profits from both books to the Center for Regional History at The Community Library.

 

*CANCELLED* ERC Spring Science Series: Craters of the Moon

by

*THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED* We may attempt to reschedule it for later in 2020.

The Environmental Resource Center’s 5th annual Spring Science Series offers exciting and interactive presentations on scientific topics ranging from plant and animal adaptations and life histories, to unique conservation strategies.  

This week of the Spring Science Series we welcome Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (CRMO). CRMO is an amazing place filled with volcanoes and lava flows with one of the harshest environments on the face of the planet.  It is a young volcanic terrain where the rocks, some only 2000 years old, slowly break down to form soil. Heated by the sun, surface temperatures can exceed 150F in the summer and temperatures can be < -30F with lots of snow in winter.  Little moisture falls in the summer--CRMO is classified as a high desert.  How do animals like marmot, pika, and pronghorn survive and thrive in such an environment? This program is offered in conjunction with the ERC’s Spring Exploration Series which brings presenters from across the Northwest to all 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms in Blaine County during the school day. This program is FREE, family-friendly and open to the public! Don’t miss your opportunity to learn about the natural world from visiting experts!

Conversation and Book Signing with Narda Pitkethly

by

Join us for a conversation with Narda Pitkethly, author of Nardagani: A Memoir – Finding Light in the Shadow of a Brother’s Disappearance. The memoir begins with the story of Narda’s brother, Jay, who vanished without a trace in September 2001 near the Big Wood River in Ketchum, Idaho. This begins a a prolonged period of searching, not only for her brother, but for inspiration and meaning in her life, which ultimately leads her back to a world that makes sense. Narda’s journey is a roller coaster of emotional survival, through the chaos of her childhood and adolescence to the liberating adventures of foreign travel in her twenties; from the legacy of addiction and depression to a hard-won life of calm sobriety. Woven throughout are the often-colorful strands of a broken family, shattered relationships, creative inspiration, hope and adventure, resilience and recovery. What she discovers along the way is not the brother she loved and lost, but a priceless gift she can offer the world.

Narda will be in conversation with Helen Morgus, Children’s & Young Adult Librarian at The Community Library, around her journey and writing and publishing her new memoir.

A book signing with Chapter One will follow. 

Narda Pitkethly is a writer, glassblower, vermicompost expert, avid snowboarder, TEDx speaker, and creator of the Nardagani reading program. She lives in Ketchum, Idaho.

Advanced Conversational French

by

February 20, 2020

Come practice your French in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. This gathering, intended for intermediate to advanced speakers, will offer the opportunity to converse and share your interest in all things French.

The group will be led by Christine Carney Demment, who holds an undergraduate degree in French, lived in the French Alps for seven years, and has taught French language at the elementary, secondary and university levels.  She looks forward to fostering your conversation skills and interest in French language, food and culture.

Free, and drop-ins are welcome.

WHEN: Thursdays, February 20 – March 12, 2020, 2:00-3:00 pm.

WHERE: Program Studio (downstairs from the Children’s Library)

© Image courtesy of Brainscape.

Support the Library

The Community Library’s free resources and services reflect the generosity of community members like you!
Donate
Gold Mine Stores
Volunteer