You don't have to convince anyone over at HPL about the magic and fun of great children's books. We love the idea of heading off on an adventure, or having a good laugh, or being inspired by great people's lives.

In celebration of Children's Book Week, Denise Martens, HPL's manager of youth and family services, has put together a list of books that do just that. Learn all about the animals in the forest and about the greatness of Kobe Bryant. Read the story of Black life in America. Immerse yourself in a rainbow dream world. And have a laugh with the newest installment of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."

West Hartford resident Amity Gaige will be one of the authors highlighted at HPL’s signature fundraising event, Beyond Words, taking place December 3.

Gaige's novels have been described as smart, sophisticated, and unforgettable, mixing tightly plotted storytelling with beautiful language.


This week on Baby Grand Jazz, taking place Sunday, November 15:

Trumpeter and vocalist Ricky Alfonso has been a mainstay on the East Coast jazz scene since the early 1970s.


The performance will be streamed LIVE to Hartford Public Library's Facebook and YouTube pages. Tune in Sunday at 3pm.

Please join us for Beyond Words, December 3 at 7 pm, a half-hour long online celebration of Hartford Public Library. Hear heartwarming stories of how HPL has impacted people’s lives all throughout the city, offering education, entertainment and opportunities for everyone. We think this will be an evening that will make every library lover’s heart sing! We hope you’ll be able to watch us when we air on HPL's YouTube page.

Free Livestream Available For Theaterworks' The Who and the What
Streaming On Demand
November 15 — 28
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, Ayad Akhtar, comes The Who and the What, a thrillingly fierce yet tender new play about identity, religion and the contradictions that make us who we are. Brilliant Pakistani-American writer Zarina is focused on finishing her novel about women and Islam when she meets Eli, a young convert who bridges the gulf between her modern life and her traditional heritage. But when her conservative father and sister discover her controversial manuscript, they are all forced to confront the beliefs that define them.


For help with streaming, call 860-527-7838 between 10 am and 4 pm Monday through Friday. 
Hartford Stage-HPL Book Club to Begin November 19
Hartford Public Library and Hartford Stage invite the community to a new book club, called “Deep Appreciation,” a heart-led gathering featuring live readings, interactive dialogue and reflections on fiction and poetry by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) authors, past and present.

Everyone is welcome. To register, click here or call 860-695-6320. 

First Meeting: November 19, 7:00-8:30pm, to discuss “Red at the Bone” by Jacqueline Woodson and “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers 
HPL invites you to explore the new Black Freedom Struggle website, featuring expertly selected open primary source documents, perfect for educators and students. Visitors will find historical newspaper articles, pamphlets, diaries, correspondence and more from specific time periods in U.S. history marked by the opposition African Americans have faced on the road to freedom.

Reimagining Main Street
The City of Hartford will be holding two public outreach sessions to present the design concept for Main Street from Wyllys Street to Asylum Street. Individuals can plan to join either of two sessions on Thursday, November 19:
  • 11:30 am to 1 pm
  • 5:30 to 7 pm
Both sessions will be virtual. If you would like to receive the meeting log in information, send an email to Sandra.fry@hartford.gov. The log in information will be sent closer to the date.
November Adult and Youth Program Calendars
"People cannot be free unless they are willing to sacrifice some of their interests to guarantee the freedom of others. The price of democracy is the ongoing pursuit of the common good by all of the people."