The Library Will Be Closed for Christmas Saturday, Dec. 23; Monday, Dec. 25; Tuesday, Dec. 26. We will reopen Wednesday with our regular scheduled hours.
We Will Also Be Closed New Year's Day, Monday, Jan. 1. We hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and will visit us often during 2018!

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and we are better throughout the year because we became children again during Christmas time – Laura Wilder

There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus -Bob Phillips

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, at 10:30 a.m. "HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS" STORYTIME is happening at the library! The Grinch, Max the dog, and Cindy Lou Who puppets present this special show for all 3 and 4 year olds. We will also do some Christmas finger play songs, a cutting and drawing story and read a Christmas story together. And, as an extra bonus, the hand puppets will also perform a Christmas story. Come help us celebrate Christmas at the library!

THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, FOR THANKSGIVING. We will reopen Friday, November 24, from 10 am - 2 pm. Thanks - Giving . . . it's a time set aside for reflection of all we have to be thankful for. Turn off the 'devices', the T.V., take a break from the newspapers, even turn off the phone for a bit and listen to the silence and reflect on those things that are good in your life. They are there, you just have to quiet all the outside chatter to hear them. The staff at the library wants you to know we are thankful for you, our patrons, and truly hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.

November has arrived! OVER 100 NEW BOOKS for November are out on the shelves and ready for you to come check them out!



TURKEY TALES STORY TIME will be Tuesday, November 14 at 10:30 a.m. at the Library. 3 and 4-year-olds are invited to come help us celebrate Thanksgiving with some turkey stories and song and a Thanksgiving performance by the library puppets.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW FOR YOUR HOLIDAY MENU? We have a great selection of cookbooks with lots of ideas for you to find a new dish and shake-up the regular holiday routine!


For All You Longmire Fans . . . The 6th and final season of Longmire returns November 17 to Netflix. If you need to refresh your memory on past episodes or just remember exactly where last season left off, we have seasons 1 through 5 on DVD here at the library. There is a 3-day check-out time for DVD's.

October 20, Friday - DON'T MISS THIS ONE! Authors CRAIG JOHNSON, Walt Longmire mysteries series, and C.M. WENDELBOE, Spirit Road Mysteries series, will be here to share their stories with us! We are hosting this FREE event at the Belle Fourche Community Hall (downtown, across from City Hall) at 6 pm. So, come on out and meet and greet these guys and get your book signed.

C.M. Wendelboe lives and writes in Cheyenne, WY. He entered the law enforcement profession when he was discharged from the Marines as the Vietnam war was winding down. In the 1970s he worked in South Dakota towns bordering three Indian reservations.
     He moved to Gillette, Wyoming, and found his niche, where he remained a sheriff’s deputy for over twenty-five years. In addition, he was a longtime firearms instructor with his agency, as well as an instructor at the local college and within the community.

     He had served successful stints as police chief, tactical team member, and other supervisory roles for several agencies during his 38 year career in law enforcement—yet he always has felt most proud of “working the street.” He was a patrol supervisor when he retired to pursue his vocation as a writer.

You can check-out C.M. Wendelboe's Spirit Road Mysteries series here at the Library. - we have them all: "Death On The Greasy Grass", "Death Where The Bad Rocks Live", and "Death Along The Spirit Road".

Craig Johnson, is the author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries series, the basis for the hit Netflix series Longmire. He lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population 25. 
     The author's twelve Sheriff Walt Longmire novels to date include The Cold Dish (first in the series), Death Without Company (The Wyoming Historical Association Book of the Year), Kindness Goes Unpunished, Another Man's Moccasins (Western Writers of America Book of the Year) and The Dark Horse (which received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and was named one of Publishers Weekly's best books of the year), Junkyard Dogs, Hell is Empty (Library Journal Best Mystery of the Year), As the Crow Flies, A Serpent's Tooth, Any Other Name, Dry Bones, An Obvious Fact and The Western Star.

     Johnson's first novella, Spirit of Steamboat, was named as the first One Book Wyoming and his second, The Highwayman, was released in 2016. He has also released a collection of short stories, Wait For Signs.

CONSTITUTION WEEK SEPT 17-23 - Come and see the special display by our local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) promoting Constitution Week. September 17, 2017, marks the 230th anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America.The goal of this week is to educate citizens about this important document and its place in our history. Constitution Week was officially declared by President Dwight Eisenhower on August 2, 1956.
Come see the display and check-out the books we have available here at the library about the Founding Fathers and the groundwork that resulted in this most magnificent piece of liberty - your liberty.


So Where Do You Go In Belle Fourche For DVD's These Days? How about your library? We have over 545 DVD's for you to choose from and at the beginning of each month we add several more. We also have a huge selection of  VHS tapes. All movies are available for library patrons to check-out for a 3 day period free of charge - if they are returned on time - but you must have a library card for check-out.
So how do get a library card? Simply bring in 2 proofs of your current address and if you live in Butte County your card is free. Outside of Butte County is a $5 yearly charge.
And while you are here, check out our magazines, newspapers, South Dakota history room, books on CD and books, books, books - fiction and non-fiction for adults, children, students and young adults, and books in large print. Your library card will also get you e-books downloaded to your personal reading device. But you need a library card! Oh yea, we also have 10 computers for your use and wifi, no card required on these.
So Come Check Us Out!

MEET THE AUTHOR - J.L. Bud Alley, author of “The Ghosts of the Green Grass” will be at the Belle Fourche Library Thursday, Sept 7, from 6-8 pm. His book tells the story of the most purple hearts awarded to one unit in one day during the era of the Vietnam War; He was there.

As Charles Baker does in his book, Gray Horse Troop, Alley links the 7th Cavalry’s Vietnam War experiences to its 1876 Little Bighorn Battle, but in greater depth. Alley points out many similarities between the “ghosts” of Gen. George Custer’s last days and 2/7’s encounters.

Alley’s book is based on more than fifty interviews with the men, wives, and widows of the Seventh Cavalry fighters, as well as military records and other published and unpublished sources.

Invariably, wars produce battles that become historical benchmarks. Not enough can be written or spoken about those events. Arguably, the Vietnam War’s 1965 Battle in the Ia Drang Valley between the Army’s newly formed 1st Air Cavalry Division’s 7th Cavalry and the North Vietnamese Army achieved such magnitude.

Ia Drang’s distinction began with Gen. Hal Moore and Joe Galloway’s 1992 book, We Were Soldiers Once…And Young, which examined the entire battle.  J. L. “Bud” Alley has written a  book about just the final stage of that fight—the 2nd Battalion/7th Cavalry’s engagement with North Vietnamese forces at Landing Zone Albany. His book, The Ghosts of the Green Grass, reveals exploits unrecognized in previous writings.

His story focuses on more than the fighting.  Alley, a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America, walks the reader through a chaotic month of assembling the battalion at Fort Benning for deployment to Vietnam as part of the newly formed 1st Cav. Equipment and manpower shortages hindered planners. Uncertainty about practically everything plagued company grade officers and sergeants.

On November 17, 1965, the day the entire battalion finally deployed in the field, no strategy existed to counter an enemy attack. The day’s plan was simple: march indirectly from LZ X-Ray to LZ Albany to avoid a B-52 ARC Light strike. The battalion’s column stretched from eight hundred to fifteen hundred meters in length. Delays were frequent. “We had no maps or idea of our destination other than to follow the man in front,” Alley writes.

Having never chosen an extraction landing zone, the battalion leaders were uncertain as to which of two cleared areas constituted LZ Albany. When the company commanders gathered to discuss the problem, the battalion came under fire on all sides from NVA forces.

The battle that followed became a fight for survival. Alley graphically describes the intensity of combat that cost the battalion one hundred fifty-five dead and one hundred thirty-four wounded. He weaves in first-hand accounts, his own included, worthy of awe and admiration.

A bitter conclusion to the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley came soon afterward, when Gen. Westmoreland told the 2nd Battalion survivors that they had achieved “a great victory over the Communists from the North.” A year and a half later, units of the 4th Infantry Division fought nearly identical costly battles in the Ia Drang, fights that are described by Robert Sholly in Young Soldiers, Amazing Warriors.

The Library Will Be CLOSED, MONDAY, SEPT 4, for Labor Day. 

CALLING 3 and 4 YEAR OLDS FOR STORYTIME! Starts Tuesday, Sept 12, 10:30 a.m. - Come explore words, sounds, books and stories with Miss Wanda and Miss Betty as we do finger plays, cutting and drawing stories, read a special story book together, and see a performance by the Library Puppets! Storytime is held the 2nd Tuesday each month. Note: the new time is 10:30 am.

Has anyone else noticed how quickly August has arrived? Summer is winding down and so has our Summer Reading Program here at the Library. We had 455 adults, teens and kids sign-up this summer. We will be drawing for the final big prize in each age group in the next few days. So, if you haven't turned in your final 30-day reading log, you better do so quickly!

We have added 94 new books for your reading this month.
Included this month, in line with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, is "Indian Motorcycle, America's First Motorcycle Company" by Darwin Holmstrom.  Here is the complete story of Indian, America's first mass-produced motorcycle maker, from its start as a bicycle manufacturer to the purchase of the brand by Polaris Industries in 2011 and the subsequent new Indian motorcycles. In the early years of the 20th century, Indian dominated the world's racetracks, earning the brand a worldwide reputation for quality, performance, reliability, and technical innovation, but the once-mighty company fell on hard times and in 1953 was forced to file bankruptcy. The Indian brand never quite died, though.

Also new this month is "Harley-Davidson, An Illustrated Guide" by Peter Henshaw & Ian Kerr. This illustrated guide is packed with interesting facts and follows the history of the famous Harley-Davidson company and the development of its famous bikes, which have earned a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts everywhere. The story dates from 1903 when Bill Harley and the Davidson brothers, with no thought of fame or fortune, decided to build a motorcycle that really worked. So successful was it, that it led to the gradual formation of a company that has survived through good times and bad. The bikes are described in detail, not only in mechanical terms, but also with glorious photographs, and will be of interest to everyone who loves motorbikes: even aficionados of Japanese and European bikes, who have never even ridden a Harley-Davidson, will be able to recognize the unique marriage of style and nostalgia and the fact that there are no other bikes quite like them.

It's Here! The Summer Reading Program is now at 30 days and those of you who have read at least 30 minutes per day for 30 days need to come in and get your final group of prizes. And I can tell you that the best has been saved for last . . . there's pizza as well as taco and ice cream in this group of prizes. So bring your reading log in and grab your loot! AND you also get to pick out a book from our book cart to take home and keep and you get to put your name into a drawing to win a GRAND PRIZE in your age group - kids, teens or adults. The Summer Read ends on July 15 so read, read, read!

Mark Your Calendars for Tuesday, July 18. That's when Cody Landstrom Comedy Magician is coming to perform his magic at the Rec Center Theater, 1111 National St, at 1 pm. It's a fun time for kids and adults as Cody performs his comedy magic, astonishing slight of hand and masterful juggling. It's a grand finale to our Summer Reading Program here at the library, so don't miss out!



The Final Summer Story Hour and Story Time takes place this Tuesday, July 11 - Story Hour at 10:30 am or 1 pm, Story Time at 11 am or 1:30 pm. We are having a special puppet show starring the characters from the kids book, "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. Join us and 'Let the wild rumpus start!'

The Summer Reading Program Is In Full Swing! There's Still Time To Sign-Up, but you better hurry as the program ends July 15 and we will need all reading logs turned in and prizes awarded by then. To date we have had 451 adults and kids sign-up. 10 days of reading at least 30 minutes per day (you can read more and we hope you do, but the minimum amount is 30 minutes to get credit) then bring in your reading log and claim your prizes. 20 days of reading, will earn more prizes and 30 days of reading earns the final group of prizes, along with a brand new book of your choice from our book cart, and the chance to put your name in the drawing for a grand prize in your age group - kids, teens and adults.

HEY TEENS! LOOKING FOR AN EASY WAY TO GET A KINDLE? Hurry and come in and get signed-up for our Summer Reading Program. 30 days of reading at least 30 minutes per day will get you into the drawing for a Kindle. But you have to hurry as the deadline of July 15 is approaching quickly!

We Are Having A Great Time With Our Story Hour And Story Time Kids. If you'd like your child to come join the fun please call or come by and register them for either the 10:30 am or 1:00 pm Story Hour for K-1st graders (the grade they will be going into this fall) or Story Time is for 3-4 year olds at either 11:00 am or 1:30 pm. Both are held on Tuesdays only. Please note that we will be closed Tuesday, July 4.

The Library will be closed Tuesday, July 4. Hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Thursday, June 8, Patricia A. Campbell will be at the library from 4-6 pm for a book signing of her books "Deadwood In My Blood" featuring Boone May and the Deadwood stage - Volume 1 & 2.

The first volume in this series highlights two pioneer families that produced half of the first "elite eight" guards employed to protect the Deadwood Stage in 1876. Shotgun messengers Gale Hill, Boone May, Jim May, and Bill May had been overlooked for more than a century, according to many historians familiar with early Deadwood. This is the first publication to record their history and family connections . . . These men were freighters and trailblazers who were hired to guard the famous treasure coach, which carried gold from the Black Hills, over 200 miles along the Deadwood Trail, to the Cheyenne Depot. Each messenger's immediate family members are intertwined with their historical narrative . . . This different look at our past, through the eyes of some of our ancestors, offers a more personal touch that results in a lasting impression, not usually obtained when studying Westward Expansion.

Volume 2 features U.S. Deputy Marshal Boone May, the most famous shotgun messenger working for the Deadwood Stage. He was the protector of Robbers' Roost Station. He was the most feared lawman by road agents on the Deadwood Trail. Historians will be excited to learn about Deadwood's most lethal gunslinger, Boone May, and his family connections to other historical Wild West icons, such as the legendary outlaw Jesse James, and legendary lawman U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves. The author gives first hand family accounts about Boone May and his family. 

Dragons Are Too Seldom Puppets presents "The Quest for the Junk Yard Dragon" Thursday, June 15 at 1 p.m. at the Belle Fourche Area Community Center Theater, 1111 National St. . Please note the location has changed from our usual venue of the Community Hall (across from City Hall). This is a FREE presentation, hosted by the library, for all ages - especially enjoyed by the kids.

MAY 19, 2017

Don't Forget Family Fun Day at the Tri-State Museum this Sunday, May 21, from 2-3:15 pm. Miss Wanda will be there to talk about the Summer Reading Program that starts on June 5 here at the library. The Summer Reading Program is not only for kids, but also for teens and adults. Everyone can win prizes for participating!


Call 892-4407 to SIGN-UP for Summer Story Hour for kids going into K -1st grade and Story Time for 3-4 year-olds. It really helps us to know how many kids to plan for, so please give us a call to register your child or stop in at the library. Summer Story Hour and Story Time will be held on Tuesdays, beginning Tues. June 6 through Tues. July 11 (except not on July 4). Come sit with our library director, Miss Wanda, as she reads one of the new story books we have here at the library from our ever expanding kids corner. We will also do a cutting and a drawing story, and the library puppets will perform a different show each week.

Summer Reading Program is 17 days away! The program runs from June 5, through July 15. You can sign-up at any time beginning June 5.

MAY 5, 2017

Yes, it's been awhile to post something new. Stuff happens . . . but we will give it another try and here is our official RELAUNCH of the Belle Fourche Public Library Blog!

Story Time is coming this Tuesday, May 9, for 3-4 year-olds. You have a choice of 10 am or 1 pm. Join us for a fun time of  exploring sounds, words, and language of books and stories. Miss Wanda will read a story book, the kids will participate in a cutting and a drawing story, sing a finger play song, and we wrap it all up with a performance by the library puppets.

May is a busy month for tours here at the library. We had a great time with 120 kindergarteners and their teachers that visited the library May 3. The kids enjoyed a special performance by the library puppets as well as a story read by Miss Wanda. On the way out, they took a walk-thru of the children's book area and a visit by the bird aviary and then a look at the prizes to earn this summer in our Summer Reading Program. We are looking forward to the 3rd grade classes coming for a library tour on May 22 and the 1st grade classes will come for their tour on May 23.

Sunday, May 21, join us at the museum between 2-3:15 pm for Family Fun Day and hear Miss Wanda talk about the Summer Reading Program that will be starting on June 5 here at the library. The Summer Reading Program is not only for kids, but also for teens and adults. Everyone can win prizes for participating!

Speaking of the Summer Reading Program . . .  The US Department of Education reports that numerous studies indicate that students who don’t read or read infrequently during their summer vacation see their reading abilities stagnate or decline. However, this “summer slide” can be avoided by ensuring that children are as engaged as possible in whatever they choose to read—just as long as they’re reading every day. "Build a Better World", the 2017 Summer Reading Program, will run from June 5 through July 15 here at the Belle Fourche Public Library. Prizes are awarded along the way and those readers that complete the 30 days of the program will have their name put in a drawing to win a grand prize in their age group. There are 3 age groups in the program: children, teens and adults. There will also be a 30 minute Story Time on Tuesdays starting June 6 through Tuesday, July 11 (except not on July 4) for 3-4 year-olds and a Story Hour for those kids entering kindergarten-1st grade. Sign-up for the Summer Reading Program starts June 5.

Monday, May 29 is Memorial Day. The Library will be Closed.

Did you know that the beginning of each month we put out a new selection of books for your reading enjoyment? Adults, young adults, kids and younger children, fiction as well as non-fiction - everyone has some new books available for check-out every month! This month we put out 85 new books.

We also add several DVD's to our growing selection of movies each month. These are available for library patrons to checkout for a 3 day period. Did you know we have Downton Abbey Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5? For you Longmire fans, we have Longmire Seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4.

american library assoc.