Dear Friends,

We hope you will join us at PPL as we head into June, the last month of an incredibly rich season of programs and exhibitions at PPL - if you’ve been waiting to check out art work or learn more about our William Martin Digital Project, now is the time to come to the Library! Most exhibitions and events will wrap up by the end of the month, so don’t miss these remaining opportunities to experience work by the innovative artists and scholars who have contributed so much imagination and expertise to PPL this spring!

Saturday, June 1, 1:30 to 3:30pm and Monday, June 3, 4:30 to 6:30 pm: 

Final Activations of From Hold to Horizon

Join artists Becci Davis and Kei Soares Cobb in the Joan T. Boghossian Gallery for the final two Activations of their welcoming exhibition, inspired by 19th century whaling logs of William A. Martin, one of New England’s most prominent Black whaling ship captains. Follow a guided visualization; breathe with the meditative soundscape; recall moments from your past or dream intentions for your future, and share those reflections (only if you wish); consider the horizon line on view and choose an image to take home with you; or just sit in the contemplative space and let yourself relax - you’re welcome to stay for as little or as long as you’d like. Learn more about the exhibition here and register for Activations Saturday, June 1, or Monday, June 3 - or just drop in! (Hear Becci and Kei talk about their creative process in imagining and producing the exhibition and activations on the latest episode of PPL’s new podcast, THIS, THAT, And ANOTHER!)

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Monday, June 10, 5:00 to 6:30 pm: 

PPL's 2024 Creative Fellow Natalie Paris reads from her new historical novel, Tomorrow Ye Will Get Your Pay

Natalie will read from her new novel about New England's whaling history and present-day climate change, followed by a discussion about the novel's ideas and development, including Natalie’s research in PPL's Nicholson Whaling Collection. Get more details and register here!

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Wednesday, June 12, 5:00 to 7:00 pm: 

PPLGive Day Informal Exhibition Tours

Join us on the third floor for informal tours of the exhibitions From Hold to Horizon (an immersive installation by Becci Davis and Kei Soares Cobb), Stand to Sea (featuring prints by Allison Bianco), Words from the Library! (a showcase of printed works by Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr.), and Return of the Celestial Visitor (a multimedia arts showcase created by Teen Creative Fellow Seoyon Kim). Programs & Exhibitions staff will be there, along with artists Allison Bianco and Becci Davis - join us for informal tours and conversation! Learn more about the event here.

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Wednesday, June 18, 5:00 to 6:30 pm:

William Martin Launch Event with Digital Humanities Fellow Abby Dolan and Historian Skip Finley



Join us to learn about Captain William A. Martin and an exciting digital project that brings together material from across our Nicholson Whaling Collection to illuminate Martin’s 1887 voyage on the Eunice H. Adams. Skip Finley, author of Whaling Captains of Color, will discuss Martin’s life and times. We’ll also hear from PPL’s first Digital Humanities Fellow, Abby Dolan, who has been hard at work building new capabilities into our online project. Read more and register here!

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And having listed all those events and opportunities, and as we think back over our very busy season, now is the perfect time to thank the very generous funders who supported our work in Programs & Exhibitions this spring! From Hold to Horizon received funding from the Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading, Papitto Opportunity Connection, and Rhode Island Humanities; Stand to Sea received funding from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts; Papitto Opportunity Connection also funded The William Martin Digital Project and the Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading (held in February). We are enormously grateful for the support of these essential organizations, without which we could not have presented so many talented artists and scholars!

We are also grateful to all the philanthropic patrons and donors who believe in our work, and have given throughout the year to make that work possible. As a nonprofit organization providing free public library services, PPL depends upon the generosity of our community members in order to continue to provide services to a growing community of people seeking information, education, enlightenment, expertise, and assistance on every topic you can imagine! 

We hope you’ll join us, in the Library and/or online, on Wednesday, June 12 for PPLGive Day, our annual community giving day, created to provide community members with the opportunity to both share your passion for and give back to PPL, while also taking part in fun, engaging learning activities. PPL GiveDay events include the beloved PPL GiveDay Book Sale, featuring bargains galore, among many others. And the money raised on PPLGive Day supports not only PPL, but also for our fellow non-profits. Each year, PPL chooses three community organizations and shares with them the monies raised over our annual PPLGive Day fundraising goal. This year, PPL will be uplifting and supporting the work of these three partner organizations: Black and Pink, The Genesis Center, and City Year Providence. Stay tuned for updates on additional PPL GiveDay activities!

We hope to see you at the Library soon!

In gratitude,



Christina Bevilacqua xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxSophia Ellis

Programs & Exhibitions Director xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxCommunity Partnership Facilitator