The Evolution of an Icon — The History of Arizona Highways Magazine with Win Holden

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

The first issue of Arizona Highways magazine was published in April, 1925. In this presentation, former publisher Win Holden will share the fascinating story of how a brochure produced by the Arizona Highway Department evolved into one of the most respected and revered publications in the world. With annual economic impact of over $65 million, […]

FREE

Southwestern Rock Calendars and Ancient Time Pieces with Allen Dart

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

Native Americans in the U.S. Southwest developed sophisticated skills in astronomy and predicting the seasons, centuries before non-Indian peoples entered the region. In this presentation archaeologist Allen Dart discusses the petroglyphs at Picture Rocks, the architecture of the “Great House” at Arizona’s Casa Grande Ruins, and other archaeological evidence of ancient southwestern astronomy and calendrical […]

FREE

Where Do Landfills Go?: A History of Environmental Justice with Dr. Matthew Whitaker

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

Where do we dump our toxic waste? Where do we bury contaminated soil? Where do we put our industrial waste facilities? Hazardous sites are most frequently placed near Black and brown neighborhoods. Environmental pollution, whether dirty air or contaminated water, has disproportionately impacted communities of color for decades. Years of governmental support for housing discrimination […]

FREE

Jerome-Too Stubborn to Die-How the Town Survived Numerous “Near-Death” Experiences with Jay Mark

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

Numerous fires, landslides, floods, labor strikes, polluted air, epidemics, Depression, recessions, financial collapse, one adversity after another. Any one of these might spell the end of a lesser community. But, in Arizona, one town survived these “near-death” experiences, and more; yet managed to survive. Some might even say, “thrive.” This presentation looks at the numerous […]

FREE

He/She/They: Why Pronouns Matter with Erik Tanchez

Coolidge Public Library Program Room 160 W Central Ave, Coolidge, AZ, United States

There has been a lot of attention on pronouns in the news headlines recently—from state bills aimed at regulating pronouns in the classroom to social media platforms offering pronoun options. So, what is a pronoun? How are pronouns related to gender identity, such as cisgender, transgender, nonbinary? What are gender identities? Is there a difference […]

FREE

Era of Artificial Intelligence: What Is Research, and How Is Knowledge Created? with Andrea Christelle, Ph.D.

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

In today’s digital world, anyone can publish their writing. Anyone can make a movie. The democratization of knowledge or content creation has given a voice to untold stories. But there is a flipside. Who, or what, gets to create knowledge? Can AI systems create knowledge? When Chat GPT writes a student’s paper, is that original […]

FREE

Decolonizing Beauty: Who Is Considered Beautiful? with Kaari Aubrey

Coolidge Public Library Program Room 160 W Central Ave, Coolidge, AZ, United States

How is beauty portrayed in the movies we watch? In the ads we are exposed to? Popular culture, or the dominant culture, has played a key role in defining the standards of beauty in America and across the globe. We celebrate blondness, fairness, blue-eyes, and slender figures (in women). What advantages and privileges are associated […]

FREE

Getting Deeper into the Grand Canyon and Other Natural Wonders with Matthew Goodwin

Coolidge Public Library Program Room 160 W Central Ave, Coolidge, AZ, United States

Why are we drawn to such places as the Grand Canyon? Why are people moved to travel from all around the world to visit and explore them? In this presentation, we will discuss people’s relationship with the natural landscape with a particular focus on some of Arizona’s most iconic locations. What are the ethical implications […]

FREE

Rivers of Dreams: Songs and Stories of Arizona’s Waterways with Jay Craváth

Coolidge Public Library Program Room 160 W Central Ave, Coolidge, AZ, United States

The Colorado, the Gila, the Salt, the Verde, the Hassayampa, the Santa Cruz: Arizona’s rivers were lush green ribbons of life flowing through a desert landscape. They became sustaining paths for indigenous traders and immigrants leaving wagon tracks and settlements. The Hohokam built vast canals from the Salt to direct irrigation water for crops. European […]

FREE

Dark Skies Over Arizona with Kevin Schindler

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

There’s nothing like standing under a dark, star-spangled night sky to quiet the mind and reduce stress, share an experience of awe with family and friends, and to inspire creative thoughts. Yet such dark skies are a disappearing resource, with only 20% of the world living in a place where the center of our Milky […]

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