The Rapid City Public Libraries offer many different online resources to help with research of all kinds. Including: continued education, homework help, language study, business, health, genealogy and more!
Black Hills Knowledge Network
The Black Hills Knowledge Network is an online community information service that connects people to local information and ideas. We work with librarians and community organizations to aggregate and organize local news, resources, data and historical archives from a variety of sources. We seek to engage citizens and educate community leaders regarding the value of local information for decision-making, with the goal of enhancing the quality of life in our communities.
Flood of 1972
On June 9, 1972 a disastrous flood swept through Rapid City, taking the lives of 238 residents and resulting in millions of dollars in damages. The Flood of 1972 website consolidates information about this devastating event, and includes photographs, oral histories, written memories, radio and television broadcasts, and other documents.
Local Historic Archives
In this original collection of content from Rapid City Public Library and Black Hills Knowledge Network you will find a wide assortment of historical documents, books, images, articles and much more. The digital collections cover the Black Hills region and are contributed to by partner libraries.
Oral History Project
South Dakota State Library: Digital Collections
The South Dakota State Library's Digital Collections reflect the history and culture of South Dakota. Primarily of interest to librarians, researchers, and genealogists, these digital collections include newspaper articles, photographs, state documents, and more.
Calvin Coolidge and the Summer White House
When President Calvin Coolidge and his wife Grace decided to spend the summer of 1927 in the Black Hills of South Dakota, they altered the course of the region's history. Bringing international attention to a forgotten corner of the American landscape, Coolidge's decisions that summer shaped the history of the nation. During their time in the Black Hills, the Coolidge's fished, hiked, rode horses, watched rodeos and visited the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This virtual exhibit memorializes and interprets their summer in the Black Hills.