ArtWalk reopening this Friday night!
Portrait of a Picture
Wladyslaw Prosol

Nov. 5 Dec. 11

Opening Night: Friday, November 5, 5:30-7:30pm

Wladyslaw Prosol is a Polish-American artist and architect.


“There is a sacred connection between the imagination and the end of a paintbrush.”

Wladyslaw describes himself as a "painter" not an "artist", however when you read his story you will discover he has approached his entire life through the lens of an artist.



You can learn more about Wladyslaw and his art HERE
Artist self portrait
Your Voice Matters.
We value our community's input and would love your feedback as we continue to design a new strategic plan.

In-person listening sessions:
 
November 5: 10 a.m., Ropkins Library, 1750 Main St.
November 10: 
  • 12 p.m., Downtown Library, 500 Main St.
  • 4:30 p.m., Park Street Library @ the Lyric, 603 Park St.
November 15: 2 p.m., Barbour Library, 261 Barbour St.
November 16: 4 p.m., Camp Field Library, 30 Campfield Ave.
November 17: 4:30 p.m., Dwight Library, 7 New Park Ave.
November 18: 4:30 p.m., Albany Library, 1250 Albany Ave.

Or you can leave your comments HERE

If you require special accommodations to participate, please call 860-695-6320 two weeks before a session.

P.S. Haven't read the draft plan yet? Check it out HERE
We've got autumn vibes.
It's the season for cozy reading weather.
Here are a couple books we highly recommend.
Qian Julie Wang
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Read with Jenna Book Club pick 

In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, Qian’s parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive.

“[An] exquisitely crafted memoir.” — Oprah Daily

“An astounding memoir from a debut author that you’re not going to want to miss.”
PopSugar
Lauren Groff
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for fiction

Lauren Groff returns with her exhilarating new novel since the groundbreaking Fates and Furies.

Cast out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine, deemed too coarse and rough-hewn for marriage or courtly life, 17-year-old Marie de France is sent to England to be the new prioress of an impoverished abbey, its nuns on the brink of starvation and beset by disease.

Thrilling and heartbreaking.”
Time Magazine

“[A] page-by-page pleasure as we soar with her.” — New York Times
Interested in these titles or others?

Check out our entire library catalog (books, films, music, etc...) HERE

It's Noirvember at Kanopy!

(With just your library card you can watch thousands of movies for free at Kanopy)

Come see cinema’s darker side as Kanopy presents Noirvember, a month-long tribute to classic and contemporary film noir titles.

Kanopy curated a 14 films to watch in Noirvember.

Why not start with the film noir classic Chinatown? Nominated for 11 Oscars and winner of Best Screenplay, it's Jack Nicholson & Faye Dunaway at their finest.

You can register for Kanopy HERE (it's easy!)
Calling All Artists!
Located on the third floor of the Downtown Library, our ArtWalk gallery offers unique visibility and exposure, adding to the increasing vibrancy of Downtown Hartford.

Our state-of-the art gallery was made possible through the generosity of donors, especially the Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Learn more about submitting your work for an ArtWalk exhibit HERE

Artists working in all media are encouraged to apply!
Diwali Begins today!
Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. We are celebrating all month, and here's how:

Diwali Bilingual Storytimes
Downtown Library,
Children's Room, ages 0-5
Friday, November 12, 11 a.m. (Tamil/English)
Friday, November 19, 11 a.m. (Hindi/English)
Join us stories, songs and rhymes from India and some fun crafts!

Diwali Community Celebration
Downtown Library,
Center for Contemporary Culture
Saturday, November 20, 2 p.m.
Join HPL and the Connecticut Humanities Council for a community celebration of the festival of lights! Sarada Nori and the Layavinyasa Dance Company will present classical Indian dances with songs, stories and visuals.
Read for the Record was a big hit!
Volunteers all over the city, including HPL President and CEO Bridget E. Quinn read Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon to kindergarten classrooms last week during Read For The Record, organized by United Way of Central, Northeastern Connecticut and the Hartford Public Library.

Many thanks to everyone who participated!
2021
Advance Child Tax Credit

Are you getting your $250-$300 a month payment?

Get all the information you need HERE

And visit any one of our branches for help!
“Open your hands and let your life go. It has never been yours to do with what you will". Lauren Groff, Matrix