Redlands’ A.K. Smiley Public Library offers a presentation on movie theaters of the past in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley, at 11 a.m. June 29 in the library’s Assembly Room.

Kelli Shapiro, a public historian and historic preservationist who grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and lives in the Inland Empire, will present “From Picture Palace to Multiplex: Transformational Theatre Trends in Southern California’s Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley,” showcasing the evolution and transformation of the region’s movie theaters in the 20th century.

Shapiro is author of the recently published Images of America book “Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres,” which will available for purchase at the program, according to a news release.

In her talk, she will show that entertainment options proliferated as people flocked to both the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley, areas famous in the 20th century for their citrus groves and vineyards, their position along Route 66 and their mountain and desert resorts. Residents and vacationers could enjoy films at nickelodeons, picture palaces, drive-ins and other venues, and some of those historic venues still operate.

Audiences in the region also influenced what moviegoers elsewhere in the country watched, because Hollywood studios often held test screenings at Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley theaters, including for “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz,” according to the news release.

Shapiro received a bachelor’s degree in American studies from Pomona College and a graduate certificate in public history from Texas State University. She also received a master’s degree in museum studies and a doctorate in American civilization, both from Brown University.

Shapiro’s program at the A.K. Smiley Public Library is free and will also be available via Zoom, at us02web.zoom.us/j/89078537263. Registration is not required.

The A.K. Smiley Public Library is at 125 W. Vine St., Redlands. For information about this program and other library programs and services, go to akspl.org.