Baby Grand Jazz, Kwanzaa celebration, and more

Nat Reeves and Friends

Kicks off the 20th Season of Baby Grand Jazz

Nat Reeves and Friends

January 7, 3 p.m.

Center for Contemporary Culture (CCC) at the Downtown Library

We're celebrating the 20th season of Baby Grand Jazz with the support of a generous three-year sponsorship from The Kaman Foundation. Our free series features accomplished jazz musicians and bands from around the region.

For more than 40 years, Nat Reeves has been one of the top bassists in jazz. His supportive and stimulating playing has uplifted a countless number of sessions and recording dates (most notably with the great altoists Jackie McLean and Kenny Garrett) and he has led his own recordings State of Emergency and Blue Ridge. Both as a performer and an educator, he has made a strong impact on the jazz world.

Learn more about the entire series HERE

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're reading

Choosing what to read next is hard. We can help.

The Best Minds

Jonathon Rosen

Top 10 Best Book of the Year: The New York Times

A heartbreaking memoir telling the story of a lifelong friendship between two brilliant men on the same path until tragedy struck.

"Dazzling . . . This is a tough one to forget.” —Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

“Immensely emotional and unforgettably haunting.” —The Wall Street Journal

The Wager

David Grann

A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR

From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, this page-turning epic tale tells the true story of shipwreck, mutiny, murder and more.

"One of the finest nonfiction books I’ve ever read.” —The Guardian (UK)

“Glorious, steely…a tightly written, relentless, blow-by-blow account that is hard to put down” —The Washington Post

Kwanzaa Festival 2023

NIA, MUSIC, ART, FOOD

A unique celebration of family, community, and culture

Celebrate Kwanzaa, a festival of family, community, and culture at HPL. Join us for a special afternoon filled with the richness of African and African American traditions.

Event Highlights:

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa with Sankofa Kuumba Cultural Arts
Jewelry Making with Jackie Bright
African Henna with Yasmeen Sayyed
Kwanzaa Storytelling with Andre Keitt
Poetry, Music, & Crafts
African Drumming Master Drummer Inara Ramin
Soul Food Dinner

Saturday, December 30, 12:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Downtown Library

Center for Contemporary Culture (CCC)

(Please enter through the Arch Street entrance)

A special thank you to Connecticut Humanities Council and Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) for supporting this program.

School Choice Assistance

We're here to help

School Choice information and application assistance is available at our branches during open hours with Youth Services Librarians or School Choice Coordinators.

Learn more HERE

Audio Production Classes

Introduction to Audio Production Series with CourtVision

FREE workshops, where you can craft your own content using the skills and tools you'll acquire along the way. Aspiring music producers, here's your chance to record a unique compilation album with the sounds that inspire you.

Thursday, December 21, 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Downtown Library

Room 139

Please enter through the Arch Street entrance

Thank You, Dignity Grows

We received 100 pairs of cozy Bombas socks from Dignity Grows that our students put to good use during their ice-skating adventure in Bushnell Park.

Between our two after-school English Language Learner programs for immigrant and refugee teens, a total of 65 students took to the ice, many experiencing the joy of skating for the very first time. Despite the chilly weather, our students stayed warm and toasty, all thanks to the snug Bombas socks from Dignity Grows.

Dignity Grows mission is to eliminate period poverty in America through direct support, research and social policy change. Period Poverty goes hand-in-hand with food insecurity, gender equity, and personal economic stability.