South Lake Tahoe Friends of the Library are putting on three diverse programs in October.

The free programs include:

Oct. 1, 11am: Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlin will put on an illustrated presentation about his newest book, “Snowbound! Legendary Winters of the Tahoe Sierra.” The book profiles the Top 10 snowiest winters since 1879, based on snowfall measured at Donner Pass. He will share dramatic stories and compelling weather facts.

Oct. 15, 10am: Peter Mires, historical geographer and Carson City resident, will presents an illustrated lecture on the rustic architecture of the Lake Tahoe region. Material for the talk comes from his recently published book “Lake Tahoe’s Rustic Architecture” (Arcadia Publishing, 2016). Although Mires will focus largely on its Gilded Age to the Great Depression heyday, he will invite discussion of what many call “mountain architecture” or simply “Tahoe style.”

Oct. 19, 6pm: Fall is a time of transitional beauty in the Sierra Nevada – from fish to foliage, winter coats, and lower sun angles, the landscape takes on new colors and appearances. Explore the nature of these transitions with conservation biologist Will Richardson from TINS. Learn why so much of the landscape changes color, the mechanisms behind those changes (for example, how and why leaves change color), and a bit about the nature of color and visual perception.

All talks are at the South Lake Tahoe Library, 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd.