What's Going On - July 2023 | | |
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From The Desk of the Executive Director
As we approach July and the summer doldrums, I am huddling close to my air conditioner. But
I’m also lucky to spend time in the Institute Library oasis. Speaking of which, if you haven’t
seen the latest show in our Gallery Upstairs, the review in the New Haven Independent should
encourage you. Local artists have submitted some truly wonderful works.
One of my favorite finds in the library collection is an assortment of Dorothy Sayers mystery
novels featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. The New York Times reminded me that this month is the 100th anniversary of the publication of the first of the Wimsey novels, Whose Body? I recently read Have His Carcase, which has the best opening line I’ve read in a while: “The best remedy for a bruised heart is not, as so many people seem to think, repose upon a manly bosom. Much more efficacious are honest work, physical activity, and the sudden acquisition of wealth.” Obviously, a woman ahead of her time.
We will be closed Tuesday, July 4th, one of the reasons we wanted to get out the newsletter a little early this month. This gives you time to stop by to pick up a beach read.
All the best!
Jan
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An Important Note about Driving on Chapel Street:
The east bound side of Chapel Street (across from the Library) is closed to traffic for the next 12-15 months. Traffic detours around the block (along Church Street to Elm to Orange to Chapel). This is for the two residential and street level retail buildings currently under construction. The west bound side of Chapel remains open. The building on the corner of Orange and Chapel will be done early 2024, the building across from the Library will be finished in the summer of 2024. Regardless: We are open! There are many parking garages, including two on State Street, one and a half blocks from the library. Please call us if you have any concerns.
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And please note that the Institute Library will be closed on
Tuesday, the 4th of July in observance of Independence Day.
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NEWS FROM THE GALLERY UPSTAIRS: | | |
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OASIS: TIME TO BREATHE
The Gallery @ The Institute Library opened its summer show in early June and it is waiting for you to come bask, bathe, meditate.... escape your day-to-day by visiting OASIS for a little while.
Thank you to those of you who braved weird weather to come to the opening reception -- stay tuned for more Gallery news as the summer unfolds!
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Congratulations to all the students who completed
their year of work in the Social Justice Reader Program.
We are proud of you and your work.
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DOWNTOWN BRIDGE:
The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Bridge Game at
847 Chapel Street
If you'd like to be added to the email list of players (because sometimes the schedule has to change), please reach out to
Eva Geertz: Eva@InstituteLibrary.org
The secret population of closet bridge players
and aspiring bridge players in our midst
now meet Second Mondays
(but there is talk of a second night maybe?)
Folks who haven't played in years, folks who are just starting to learn to play, and expert old hands --
all are welcome!
Hoping to see you here - we are organizing now for:
Monday, July 10 at 7:00 p.m.
(subject to change; please reach out to us for schedule confirmation)
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The evenings will start at 7:00 and run about 90 minutes. We've got a couple of tables available, and decks of cards. | |
Friday Happy Hour Jazz | Fridays in July | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
July 7. Billie Holiday, early and late.
July 14. Art Tatum, solo and all-star groups.
July 21. Dizzy Gillespie, Afro-Cuban and South American.
July 28. Contrasting Chanteuses Anita O’Day and Peggy Lee
Join a congenial little group up on the third floor of the Institute Library to listen to recordings you forgot about or never knew about and stick around a bit to discuss the music! BYOB beverage and treat.
Friday Happy Hour Jazz is presented with support from Jazz Haven.
Please consider making a $5 donation when you come to Friday Happy Hour Jazz.
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Story Sharing @
the Institute Library
July 13th
7:00-9:00 p.m.
We meet in-person on the second Thursday of every month,
from 7:00-9:00 P.M.
This month, Story Sharing will be meeting at our Special Summer Location!
As usual, we will welcome those wishing to tell stories and those wishing to listen. Stories may be of any genre – personal experience, family stories, folktales, what have you. The stories may
also be at any stage of development, from first stabs at this-might-be-a-story to polished pieces. No experience is needed. We will be our usual friendly and lively selves.
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We will have a Zoom-only meeting from 7:00-9:00 P.M.
on the third Thursday of
every OTHER month,
beginning in May.
This makes for twelve in-person and six Zoom meetings per year.
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July 13th's meeting will take place in the back yard of one of our members. For the address, contact the group coordinator, Arnie Pritchard, at
apritchard01@snet.net. Please contact him by 5 P.M. on July 13.
In case of rain or excessive heat or humidity the meeting will move inside to the host'’s home.
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Anyone may join the Story Sharing group at any time; no experience is required.
People share stories at any stage of development; from maybe-this-is-a-story first tries to
polished pieces. The stories may be about personal experiences, folk tales, or any other genre. Those who wish it get feedback from the group. People may also come just to listen. The meetings are very informal, friendly, and fun.
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Announcing a podcast
from the people @
Caravan Theater Company
Think you know your Marlowe?
Think again.
A new podcast on Christopher Marlowe by Peter Hodges and Julian Ng, available streaming May 30th, 2023. Famed Elizabethan poet and dramatist Christopher Marlowe allegedly died in a brawl over a dinner bill in Deptford in 1593, with a knife above his eye.
Or did he?
What If He Lived?
Eight 30 minute episodes explore the trail of clues hidden in plain sight for centuries.
Sign up on the mailing list to be kept informed of each weekly episode before it is released.
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Back at the circulation desk... |  | |
We're looking forward to a calm, relaxed July here at the Institute Library.
One of the things your Operations Manager has been enjoying, with hot weather here again, is egg creams. I was trying to think of a writer who would be likely to have written about egg creams and the first person who sprang to mind was Calvin Trillin. I figured there had to be something in some collection of essays that I could recommend. Sadly, Travels with Alice is with a Library member right now, and we don't seem to have the complete Tummy Trilogy. So I can't recommend writings on egg creams (or ice cream, or gelato even) with a clear conscience, because I'm not able to fully research the matter from my desk here. But it turns out we do have some very high-quality consolation prizes: copies of Trillin's novels Tepper Isn't Going Out, a novel about parking, but also an obscure early work titled Barnett Frummer is an Unbloomed Flower, which I can't believe I haven't read.
Books about parking loom large in my mind because we've recently ordered Paved Paradise by Henry Grabar. Those of you who fret about parking will want to have a look at that book, which I expect to arrive shortly and be ready to borrow in early July.
In the meantime, I'm gonna wager that somewhere in Harry Golden's For 2 Cents, Plain, there's mention of egg creams. I should read it and find out.
Eva Geertz
Operations Mgr.
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Your loyal Operations Manager won't be around for a couple of weeks, so please direct queries to Jan during that time. You can phone her here, of course, but if you prefer email, use jswiatek@institutelibrary.org.
If you have any questions, about membership, programs, or the collection, please drop a line (Eva@InstituteLibrary.org) or phone us (203-562-4045). You can read about day-to-day antics at the Library by looking us up on Facebook, and to a lesser degree Twitter and Instagram. These social media feeds can be seen by the general public: you don't need an account to find our posts, but if you do have an account, you might find it worthwhile to follow us.
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Hours of Operation
Closed Sunday & Monday | Tuesday-Friday: 11:00-5:00 | Saturday: 12:00-2:00
Location
The Institute Library, 847 Chapel St, New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 562-4045
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