Baby Grand Jazz is back!

Coming Soon - a Brand New Barbour Library

From left to right - Community Advocate Helen Nixon, HPL Barbour Branch Manager Irene Blean, HPL President and CEO Bridget E. Quinn, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, Councilwoman Shirley Surgeon, Barbour Library Champion Steven Harris, Majority Leader Thomas J. Clarke II, State Librarian Deborah Schander and Barbour Library loyal customer Frank James

This morning the City of Hartford and Hartford Public Library announced funding for the new, state of the art, standalone Barbour Library.

Hartford Public Library was awarded an additional $3.5 million from the City of Hartford to close the gap in funding needed to hit the $17 million goal to start construction on the new Barbour Library. HPL was also recently awarded a grant of $2 million from the Connecticut State Library, the Public Library Construction Grant program.

Construction is expected to start in the Spring of 2024 with completion timeline of 12-18 months.

HPL Weekly Book Recommendations:

Check out what we're reading

Books to read in the chilly weather

Gingerbread

Helen Oyeyemi

A mesmerizing tale about three generations of women and the gingerbread recipe that is their curse and their legacy.

"Exhilarating...A wildly imagined, head-spinning, deeply intelligent novel."

—The New York Times Book Review

"Both stunningly beautiful and breathtakingly original…" —NPR

One Day in December

Josie Silver

#1 New York Times Bestseller

A joyous, heartwarming, and moving love story about the search for a lost love at first sight.

"... an emotional, satisfying read.”

—Kirkus Reviews

"Get ready to be swept up in a whirlwind romance. It absolutely charmed me.” —Reese Witherspoon

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

Hartford Reads in Color

Be a part of the discussion.

A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, and now a major motion picture once again, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia.

Sunday, December 17, 2 - 3 p.m.

Virtual- Register HERE

“A novel of permanent importance.” —Peter S. Prescott, Newsweek

Hartford Reads in Color, a book club led by Hartford's L.I.T. (Literary Integrated Trailblazers), is committed to delving into the narratives and rich diverse voices of communities of color.

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.

Tuesday, December 12, 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Downtown Library

Thank You, Mr. Lear

Listen to the late, great Norman Lear reminiscing about time spent at the Hartford Public Library and his discovery of his favorite book of essays HERE