Ozarks heritage and history will soon come even closer through the Kentwood Series, a monthly lineup of educational and interactive programs that share local history and culture. The series, which is free to attend, is sponsored by the Ozarks Studies Institute, an initiative of the Missouri State University Libraries. 

“We know there is an interest in even more content about the region, which led us to create this monthly series,” says Tom Peters, dean of MSU Libraries and executive director of the OSI. “We hope people interested in learning more about the Ozarks will find these programs useful and offer a new, deeper opportunity to understand the region’s complexities and richness.” 

The first program is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 11 and features Rachael West of Eating the Ozarks, who will share tips about seasonal foraging and trees to tap during the winter months. Registration is not required for the programs, which will be held on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Ballroom inside Kentwood Hall. Ample free parking is available.

“We felt this historical venue was especially appropriate for this series,” says Peters of the former downtown hotel, which was built in 1926 and is now owned by MSU. “It’s another way to help connect Ozarks history to its present and future.” 

The Kentwood Series is just one initiative of the MSU Libraries and its OSI. Others include OzarksWatch Magazine, a publication that focuses on local history and culture; and the Ozarks Book Series, a list of locally focused titles it has published. It also led the digitization of dozens of episodes of the Ozark Jubilee, a national TV show created in Springfield, and is home to regionally significant collections of books, ephemera and other research materials. Click here to learn more.