Adults
Building a Place for Poultry in Montana: Harriette Cushman and Poultry Work in Montana
Amy McKinney, associate professor of history at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming, discusses Harriette Cushman and her efforts to create a comprehensive poultry program in our state. The first female poultry specialist in the Unites States, Cushman crossed many boundaries throughout her thirty-three-year career with the Extension Service. The Library is pleased to present McKinney's talk in partnership with The Western Heritage Center's High Noon Lecture Series. Thursday, March 21st, at 6:00 pm in the Community Room.
The Best of the 45th NW Filmmakers' Festival Tour Returns to BPL!
The NW Film Center presents this short film collection each year, and we are pleased to have it back for its 5th year at Billings Public Library! Each year this independent film festival accepts entries from leading regional artists from Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska. After the event, a curated selection of the best short films are sent on tour, and you get to see them at BPL.
This year's tour features films from each represented state, including an entry from Montana's Michael Workman. From Parts Unknown is a documentary about underground amateur wrestler Jesse "Madman" Manson, who finds himself having to make a decision about the sport that brought him self-expression but also multiple injuries. Workman's film received the festival Judge's Award for Stand Out Film.
Saturday, March 23rd, at 1:00 pm, in the Community Room.
Geek Out! Stranger Things
We are closing out this season of Geek Outs with a program featuring this standout Netflix show.
Celebrate the awesomeness of Stranger Things with us! Create your own special Eggo concoction, join the search for Will, take part in a short Dungeons and Dragons adventure (or cheer on the players!), get your picture taken and more! Friday, March 29th, at 6:30 in the Community Room.
One Book Billings: Wonderlandscape by John Clayton
Our final One Book Billings selection for this series will be Wonderlandscape: Yellowstone National Park and the Evolution of an American Cultural Icon by John Clayton. Books will be available on April 1st for discussions that will take place the week of May 6 - 9. Author John Clayton will join us May 11 to talk about Yellowstone Park, this book and his other writing. Please join in!
Books are provided for participants courtesy of the Billings Public Library Foundation.
Yankees & Rebels on the Upper Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers
April 18th, 6:30 pm, Community Room: Join us for a talk with acclaimed historian Ken Robison, who will reveal the thrilling history behind this war-weary wave of migration seeking sanctuary and opportunity on Montana’s wild and scenic frontier.
During the 1860s and 70s, the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers served as natural highways, through snags and rapids, from St. Louis to Fort Benton and the Upper Yellowstone for steamboats bringing Yankees and Rebels and their families to the remote Montana territory. The migration transformed the region that became Montana from the isolation of the fur trade era to the raucous gold rush days that would keep the region in turmoil for decades. The influx of newcomers presented fascinating Montana legends including Captain Grant Marsh and his steamboat Far West, Yellowstone Kelly roaming Yellowstone country, the mystery of the fugitive Jesse James gang, young former slaves seeking freedom, and Colonel Everton Conger’s journey from leading the greatest manhunt in American history to the Montana Supreme Court.
Presented in partnership with The Western Heritage Center's High Noon Lecture Series!
A Tolkien Mini Film Festival presented by The Council of Westmarch
April 27, 10:30am, Community Room This one-day event features a number of Tolkien-related fan films, shorts, and rarities, curated by The Council of Westmarch, and shown in anticipation and celebration of the upcoming biographical film, Tolkien. This event is free to the public, however tickets are required to gain entry. Bring a snack to share with fellow viewers in a fun and relaxed atmosphere for this very special event!
The Festival schedule is as follows: 10:30am Screenings Begin, 12:30pm Lunch Break (attendees will be on their own for lunch and should plan accordingly), 1:30pm Screenings Reconvene, 4pm Festival Ends
Tickets can be acquired in person at the second floor help desk of Billings Public Library beginning April 1st.
The Council of Westmarch is Montana's official branch of The Tolkien Society, a UK-based educational charity devoted to promoting the life and works of professor J.R.R. Tolkien. The Council meets regularly to discuss Tolkien's works and conducts annual celebratory events, as well as other public lectures and events.