In the Heart of Hartford

Celebrating HPL’s 250^th Anniversary

Join us at Books & Brews, a FUNraiser to benefit Hartford Public Library (HPL).

Live music will be provided by After School Special, a group featured on The Beat. The Beat is a one-of-a-kind collection of Hartford-based music curated by HPL. Get a preview of the band’s sound HERE.

Thursday, September 19 | 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Thomas Hooker Live

1 Sequassen Street

Hartford

After School Special is a Hartford band that plays all facets of what could be called psychedelic music. Their improvisatory interpretations of funk, rock, and R&B make for an electrifying performance that has garnered the attention of music lovers and musicians alike. Founded in 2021 by guitarist Jeremy Galloway and bassist Tim Weisman, their debut EP, Bobblehead, was released in 2023.

With a powerful show featuring their soulful originals and trance-inducing grooves, After School Special has amassed a loyal following that grows stronger every day.

Tickets are available now, $25 or $50 (includes an additional $25 donation)

All proceeds to support Hartford Public Library’s programs and services.

HPL's Book Recommendations

2024 New Release Adult Books

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

Kirsten Miller

“Kirsten Miller has that rare ability to take a serious subject and make it very, very funny. I enjoyed this novel and you will too.”

—James Patterson

“Is it possible for a book to be important, funny, relevant, and wildly entertaining all at once? Kirsten Miller proves the answer is a resounding YES. Please read this one and pass it along!”

—Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author

Find it HERE in our catalog

Early Sobrieties

Michael Deagler

"A young man surfaces from the depths of alcoholism in Deagler’s pitch-perfect debut novel . . . This is a standout.”

—Publishers Weekly 

“Dennis is nimble-tongued and keenly observant, and the book offers all sorts of humorous delights. [ . . . ] Wry, sharp, charming, resistant to neat closures and easy turns—a debut of enormous promise.”

—Kirkus Reviews 

Find it HERE in our catalog

Announcing the 2024 Beyond Words Author

Beyond Words 2024 will feature Safiya Sinclair, author of How to Say Babylon, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Autobiography, a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, longlisted for the Women’s Prize in Non-Fiction and for the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. Sinclair was born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Sinclair will be interviewed onstage by HPL Ambassador Duby McDowell.

Mark your calendar for Thursday, November 7! 

Don't Stop the Music

Women in Jazz

Mimi Jones (top left), Mary DiPaola (top right),

Arcoiris Sandoval (bottom left) & Jen Allen (bottom right)

Women have always been present in jazz. However, their contributions haven't always been appreciated, noted, or credited as they should be. This panel features local and national women in jazz talking about these various issues and allyship. What does allyship look like, and how do we begin to achieve it?

Questions from the audience are encouraged. Moderated by Haneef N. Nelson at the request of the panelists.

Saturday, August 24 | 1:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Downtown Library, Center for Contemporary Culture

500 Main Street

Please enter through the Arch Street entrance.

Sunday Funday

Starting September 8, Park Street Library @ the Lyric Opens for Sundays! 

Photo credit TSKP Studios

Join us for Sunday hours!

September 8, 2024 - May 18, 2025

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Park Street Library @ the Lyric

603 Park Street

We can't wait to see you!

A Place Like No Other

HPL offers engaging, educational, and fun programming for all ages.

Check out our full programming calendar HERE 

Check out our Family Programming calendar!

Check out our Adult Programming calendar!

Check out our Youth & Teen Programming calendar!

"What matters is never letting people tell you what to think. Don't let them convince you that one way is right and another way wrong. Gather as much knowledge as you can, because information is power. And choosing how to use it is freedom. The more you know, the freer you will be."



―Kirsten Miller, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

Thank you for participating in our polls!

Last Week's Poll: Will we see you at Books & Brews?

Results:

Yes - 49.6%

No - 50.4%

Can't wait to celebrate with you!

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