The Big Read is here!

What page are you on? Local schools, museums, businesses, institutions and libraries have teamed up as one big community to provide something even bigger: The Big Read. Starting tonight, you can pick up one of 50 free copies of The Maltese Falcon at Missoula Art Museum's First Friday reception. Want to get started earlier? We have over 200 copies of the book to give away at the Missoula Public Library Accounts Desk.

If you aren't able to grab a free copy in time, don't worry: we have several copies in different formats available for checkout.

We're also going to give away copies of the book to the weekly winners of our Find the Falcon contest, which will kick off on Monday October 4th and continue through November 12th.

Here's what's happening during the first week of the Big Read (click the links for more information):

October 1 - November 15: The Stuff that Dreams are Made Of

October 4 - November 15: Online Book Discussion

October 4 - November 13th: Find the Falcon Scavenger Hunt

October 5 - October 12: MCAT Film Workshop & Open Studio

October 5: KICKOFF! Spade and the City -- A Tour of Noir

October 6: Inside The Maltese Falcon

October 9: CSI Presentation (with "The Van")

October 10: Noir Downtown Walking Tour

Special thanks to major local Big Read Missoula sponsors Missoula Art Museum, Missoula County Public Schools, Allegra Print & Imaging & Signs Now, and Humanities Montana. The Little Read is sponsored in best part by the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation.

Additional Big Read support and partnerships include DirecTV, Otis Elevator Company, First Security Bank, Missoula Federal Credit Union, Norco Products, Fact & Fiction, Shakespeare & Co., Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, MOLLI – Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at University of Montana, MCAT, Poverello Center Inc., Missoula County Sherriff’s Office, Barnes & Noble, Book Exchange, Missoula Senior Center, Kelly Cooper, UM School of Theatre and Dance, Loyola High School, Top Hat Bar, Randi Mysse Ristau Photography, Friends of the Missoula Public Library, and Missoula Public Library Foundation. Partner libraries include Drummond School & Community Library and the Mansfield Library at UM.

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

Altered Books This Weekend!!

I'm writing on this again because I don't want anyone to miss out. It's just TOO FUN to miss. Imagine a big room full of friendly people of all ages, music, treats, craft materials, and tons of books that are ready for you to turn into art. People have made animals, tricycles, hands, even a big hot dog. But other people do fun collages, neat little diaramas, origami, and just plain old delightful decorations. Whatever your creative spirit leads you to. Come on over to the Missoula Public Library's Large Meeting Room this Saturday, June 27, from 2 till 4:30. You don't need to bring anything but you can bring your own materials if you wish. We'll be displaying our creations on First Friday, July 3, and letting people vote on favorites in the kids, teens, and adults categories. Winners will receive some nice artsy prizes. Come on and join us!!

Altered Books!

Wow, what a turnout! Eighty people showed up at the library last night to peruse the entries for our Altered Books contest as part of First Friday. We're anxiously awaiting the tallying of the votes to find out who won in each of the categories. There were so many great creations, I just couldn't pick a favorite, so I had to abstain from voting. Here are some pictures that Joyce took at the event:





























As popular as it was, we're considering doing it again as part of the Festival of the Book.
Let us know if the idea appeals to you.

Book Alterations

We're finally getting into the whole "First Friday" scene in Missoula this August! For non-Missoulians, First Friday takes place on the first Friday of each month and art galleries and other venues open their doors and display local artwork. Downtown Missoula is packed and it always turns out to be one of the most exciting nights of the month. We'll be hosting an Altered Book show. There's still time to submit an altered book for display.

You can see some of the submissions in the display case near the checkout desk right now, and get a sneak peak of a few right here!



Super cool. I like how the first one says no! to both Richard Nixon and Alfred Nobel (the inventor of dynamite). I think its was a good page to alter. And they are all stunning. Come check them out in person on August 1st. More details to come!