It's Library Card Sign-up Month!

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

With your Hartford Public Library card you get access to technology, innovative programming and educational resources- making it the most important back-to-school supply ever. (And it's100% free!)

Plot twists? We love them.

Luckiest Girl Alive

Jessica Knoll

New York Times Bestseller

Her perfect life was a perfect lie. This is a page-turner that will keep you guessing up until the end.

"Nail-bitingly addictive, equal parts funny and twisted and full of ‘I never saw THAT coming’ moments.” — Glamour

“A knockout debut novel ... completely enthralling ... devilishly dark and fun.”—Publishers Weekly

The Wonder

Emma Donoghue

Best Books of 2021 — Barack Obama, Washington Post, NPR

A beautifully written mystery that you won't be able to put down, now a motion picture.

"A haunting page-turner, filled with Donoghue's enchanting phrasemaking." — The Seattle Times

"This a completely engrossing read-you will barely be able to tear yourself away from it." — Next Avenue

Announcing our 2022-23 ArtWalk lineup

We could not be more excited for this upcoming season of exhibitions on the ArtWalk!

Visual Narratives

by Brigid Kennedy

September 16th — November 13th

Opening: Friday, September 16th, 5:30-7:30 pm

Ebb & Flow

by Barbara Hocker

December 2nd — January 22nd

Opening: Friday, December 2nd, 5:30-7:30 pm

In Living Memory

by Traé Brooks

February 10th — April 2nd

Opening: Friday, February 10th, 5:30-7:30 pm

Art is Work; Work is Art

April 21st — June 10th

by Joe Bun Keo, Rick Bogdan, David Borawski, Jon Eastman and Christopher Schroeder

Opening: Friday, April 21st, 5:30-7:30 pm

Learn more about the upcoming shows HERE.

The Beat now has more artists & more music for you

This week's featured artist: The RapOet Self Suffice

Image by Fabian Farbeon Saucedo

Self Suffice is known for his album with Dreamville's (J. Cole) Mez Davis which summited the Indie Hip-Hop Top 40. His positive use of rap music has been recognized by Obama's White House, the New York Times, NPR and more. Self Suffice provides free workshops and shows to Hartford's youth, leading residencies at Hartford Public Library, Hartford Public Schools and Capital Region Education Council schools, as well as many other venues throughout the city.

Self Suffice is currently serving his first year as the inaugural troubadour of Hartford. (The first hip-hop troubadour in the U.S!)

Stay tuned — we will be accepting new submissions to The Beat in November!

HPL receives $487K National Leadership Grant from IMLS!

Our grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services will allow us to launch a new program to expand banking access among immigrant communities, combating financial exclusion and helping build wealth among this growing population.

"Raising the financial health of local immigrant, refugee and migrant communities makes our city, our region and our state stronger” — HPL President and CEO Bridget E. Quinn.

Many thanks to our partners: Bank of America and the Connecticut Association for Human Services.

Read more about this innovative program for our immigrant community HERE.

Sounds of Frog Hollow: Goza Latin Brazilian Band

Join us for the final concert of the season!

Wednesday, September 7th

4-5 p.m.

Park Street Library at the Lyric

603 Park St.

Goza (Spanish for joy) performs exciting music and dance rhythms from Latin America, Brazil and Spain. The band features guitar, horns, violin, bass, percussion and beautiful, romantic vocals. Goza rhythms include: salsa, cha-cha, samba, rumba, cumbia, flamenco, bossa , tango, bolero and Latin jazz.

Get a sneak peek of their sound HERE.