Spend Winter Break With Your Library! | |
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Looking for something entertaining and fun to do with the kids over winter break? Look no further than your library! With lots of interesting programming at all our open branches, we've got you covered!
Learn more HERE and find a complete calendar of February youth programs HERE.
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Celebrating Black History Month | |
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Black Cake
Charmaine Wilkerson
Best Book of the Year – Oprah, NPR & BuzzFeed
Two estranged siblings delve into their mother’s hidden past — and how it all connects to her traditional Caribbean black cake — in this immersive and thrilling family saga.
"A character-driven, multigenerational story that’s meant to be savored. ... Thought-provoking and poignant.” — Time
“Wilkerson explores the nuances of racial identity and betrayal in a powerful novel.” — Vogue (UK)
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The Sweetness of Water
Nathan Harris
New York Times Bestseller
An outstanding collection of Neale Hurston's writing on racism, classism, sexism, gender and migration. It's a classic piece that challenges our perspective of Black culture and African American life.
“Beautiful. ... An instant classic. ... This book is profound.” — Jenna Bush Hager, Wall Street Journal
“As I read this masterful novel I kept thinking — this young 29-year-old is a first-time author, so how did he do this?" — Oprah Winfrey, Oprah Daily
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Baby Grand Jazz this Sunday | |
The Blue River Jazz Band
The Blue River Jazz Band play America’s traditional, classic, “hot” jazz and swing music from the early 20th century, featuring fabulous music from New Orleans, along with songs written and made famous by great jazz artists like Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Lester Young, Fats Waller and many, many more.
Sunday, February 19th, 3 pm
Center Church
675 Main St., Hartford, CT 06103
Seating is first come, first seated, starting at 2 pm each Sunday. No registration is required. Concerts will continue to be streamed on HPL's Facebook page and YouTube channel. Learn more HERE.
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Bring your family for an afternoon of learning about trees and their importance in our lives and local communities, including art and movement workshops, conversation with local tree experts, and two film screenings followed by audience Q&A. Films and talkback will be livestreamed for virtual audiences.
Saturday, February 25th, 1-5 pm
Park Street Library @ the Lyric
603 Park St.
Tickets are free but limited to 100 guests. Get tickets HERE.
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No Name Book Club — new date! | |
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Founded by the artist Noname, this is an effort to amplify authors and voices of color. This month's selection is The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus.
First meeting: ZOOM (We will be meeting at Semilla Cafe beginning in March)
Friday, February 18th, 1:11 pm
Register HERE.
“The most gorgeous, profound, spiritually uplifting, queer Black Afro-futuristic-magical, ancestral love oracle/book I've ever read in my whole life. I'm shook with joy.” — Gabby Rivera, author of Juliet Takes a Breath and America
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Film screening & dance tutorial | |
Renaissance Gyal
Join us for a special screening of Renaissance Gyal, followed by a dance tutorial led by film choreographer Lauren Horn. This dance piece frames Black creativity in movement, music, art and style as a continuous cultural boom deserving of both deference and celebration.
Thursday, February 16th, 3:30-5 p.m.
Albany Library
1250 Albany Ave.
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Hartford Public Library is looking for a new logo that can be used throughout our 250th anniversary celebration in 2024 and beyond to build enhanced brand awareness within our community.
Learn more HERE.
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Hartford Stage Tickets just for you | |
The Art of Burning
An inspired new comedy exploring the love, rage and responsibility that go with marriage and parenting in America.
You can pick up free passes at your favorite branch or reserve them online HERE beginning February 23rd.
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See, Taste and Learn: Health and wellness at Camp Field | |
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Learn the health benefits of common foods.
Engage in fun learning activities and sample healthy snacks. Adults, youth and families are welcome to join the fun!
Thursday, February 23rd, 4-5:30 pm
Camp Field Library
30 Campfield Ave.
Call 860-695-7440 to register
How about a little DIY self care?
Make your own sugar scrub
Wednesday, February 15th, 1-2 pm
Dwight Library
7 New Park Ave.
Register HERE
Make your own body butter
Wednesday, February 15th 1-2pm
Albany Branch
1250 Albany Road
Register HERE
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All branches closed Monday, February 20th | |
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“One day, you wake up and you find yourself standing at the mouth of something wide and howling, like the open door of an airplane, the kind you jump out of with a parachute for fun, only it’s not any fun, you can’t see the ground, you don’t know what you’re doing, but you know you’re going to have to fling yourself out there and you don’t know exactly where Out There is, you only know that it’s where your life is going to be from now on.”
― Charmaine Wilkerson, Black Cake
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