A collection of community programs and resources at NHFPL and beyond.
NHFPL Updates
A Broken Umbrella Theatre presents The Library Project
Live-Streaming from the Past
Premiers May 28, 6:30 pm

Visit the Library virtually with A Broken Umbrella Theatre's special streaming event of their 2012 performance of The Library Project at NHFPL. Join on their YouTube channel! Watch a preview featuring Mayor Justin Elicker and City Librarian John Jessen.

Register for READy for the Grade Summer Reading Program! 
Tuesday, June 30 - Thursday, August 6

READy for the Grade is open to all New Haven Public School students entering the 1st-4th grade this September who are below grade level in reading. Students will participate in virtual small reading groups, one-on-one tutoring sessions, and community building family nights for all participants of the program. Gift cards will be given out to each participant every week.

Students must attend the group tutoring sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-3 pm and one hour of individual tutoring a week.

If you have questions please contact Micaela Scelza at micaelascelza3@gmail.com or
Xia Feng at xfeng@nhfpl.org or 475-201-5073.

Have a question for our library staff?

Use LiveChat on nhfpl.org Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm!

The New Haven Free Public Library is open online! Want to learn how to apply for an e-card? Do you have questions about how to use one of our databases? Need help checking out an audiobook or ebook? Talk with a staff member live with the new chat feature on our website!
Get Your e-Library Card Today!

Your electronic library card is your key to a world of free online learning and entertainment! Questions? Need an e-library card? Call us and leave a message at  (203) 946-8130, email refdesk@nhfpl.org or visit nhfpl.org to chat with us live Monday-Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. For Young Minds and Family Learning call (203) 946-8129 or email youngminds@nhfpl.org.
Check Outs, Returns and Meeting Rooms

  • All library cards set to expire from January 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020 have been renewed.
  • All library materials currently checked out will be automatically renewed through June 30. If necessary, we will extend this date.
  • No holds are being fulfilled at this time.
  • We encourage you to keep all library materials you may have until the library reopens.
  • No meeting room reservations are being accepted at this time.
NHFPL Adult Programs & Resources
NEA Big Read 2020

The Big Read is an annual initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. The NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. This year the Big Read is going virtual! All of the programming will be online, centering around Stephanie Burt’s Advice from the Lights. Visit our NEA Big Read web page to stay up-to-date with all of our programming planned for this year.

Find Your Next Favorite on Our New NHFPL Reviews Page!

Listen to reviews from our library staff to help choose your next book, movie and more on our new NHFPL Reviews page! There are new selections added every week spanning multiple genres and ages. You are sure to find something for everyone.
We’ve Got the Beat! A Virtual Music Discussion
Friday, May 29, 2 pm

May is International Drum Month and the NHFPL has free digital music films with great drummers in our Kanopy collection. You’re invited to join a virtual discussion and share your love for music and drummers!

Music films from Kanopy, that we'll be talking about include:
Cream: Farewell Concert Watch it!
Ain't In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm  Watch it!
Discovering Queen Watch it!
Woodstock: 3 Days That Changed Everything Watch it!

Ives Monthly Wellness Book Club
Saturday, May 30, 12 pm

We will meet to discuss Welcoming the Unwelcome by Pema Chödrön. Her book includes teachings on recognizing the basic goodness in ourselves and the people we share our lives with, transforming adversity into opportunities for growth, and freeing ourselves from the empty and illusory labels that separate us. Pema also provides step-by-step guides to a basic sitting meditation and a compassion meditation that anyone can use. Join via Zoom

Join the Inklings All-Ages Writers Group Online

Tuesday, June 2, 6 pm

Missing the monthly  Inklings All-Ages Writers Group  at the Wilson Branch? Our monthly writing program in partnership with the  Arts Council  and  Long Wharf Theatre  has gone digital! Register in advance and attend via Zoom.
Animation Celebration!

Millennium Actress
Wednesday June 10, 7 pm

Join us for a film discussion club focusing on foreign and independent animated movies for adults. Watch the film for free with your library card on Kanopy, and then bring your thoughts and opinions to our virtual meeting! Led by Haley, Library Technical Assistant at NHFPL and long-time animation nerd.
Local History's Digital Resources
Thursday, June 11, 10-11 am

Learn how to access Ancestry (free!) from home during the shutdown, pick up search techniques and tips, and learn about Newsbank and America's Historical Newspapers. Bring your questions!

Online English Conversation Class
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-7:30 pm

NHFPL, in cooperation with New Haven Adult Education and Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven is offering online English conversation instruction. Beginner to advanced - all are welcome. Contact Bill Armstrong at warmstrong@nhfpl.org for questions and sign-up.
Virtual Meditation
In Partnership with Elm Community Insight

Monday through Friday, 7:30-8:30 am
This time will include space allowed for discussion of meditation practice. Use this link to join at the time of the session.

Saturdays, 10:30 am-12 pm
These sessions will include a brief talk on improving skills, and an open discussion.
Use this link to join at the time of the session.
Enjoy Ives Squared at Home!
EIR Office Hours – Virtual Meetings
Tuesdays, 2-4 pm​
Thursdays, 2-4 pm​ 

Looking to build or grow your business? Make an appointment with our Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Samantha Williams, for one-on-one advice. Make an appointment .

Set Your Business Free With PositiviDee
Monday, June 1, 11 am-12 pm

All entrepreneurs and small business owners want to succeed. We have learned about business plans, branding, marketing, and sales but we are missing an essential piece of the puzzle that can catapult us to the next level of achievement – PositiviDee. You will learn how a positively life-changing perspective can be utilized in your business and your personal life.

Post-Pandemic Best Practices for Marketing Your Business
Monday, June 15, 1-2:30 pm

Learn the secrets to getting more clients in a New-Normal economy. Develop key strategies to manage your mindset into success after a world crisis to identify the actions you need to take now to move your brand forward online.

Small Business Financials
Friday, June 26, 2-3:30 pm

Entrepreneurs want to achieve financial success in business but mastering this requires investing time to learn methods to maximize your financial portfolio. This webinar will provide strategies and habits that will put you on the road towards financial independence while managing your business.

Artrepreneur Series Goes Virtual!
Join us for a conversation with prominent New Haven artists as they discuss the opportunities and challenges unique to being an artist and an entrepreneur. This series is facilitated by local artist and entrepreneur, Eric Rey. Register to receive the Zoom link invitation one day prior to the event via email.

Paul Bryant Hudson
Tuesday, June 2, 1-2pm
Paul Bryant Hudson is a l ocal musician and founder of New Haven Sofar Sounds chapter.

Dylan McDonnell
Wednesday, June 17, 2-3 pm
Dylan McDonnell is a local musician and educator. 

Kwadwo Adae
Wednesday, July 15, 2-3 pm
Kwadwo Adae is a local visual artist, muralist, and founder of the Adae Fine Art Academy.

Chad Browne-Springer
Friday, July 17, 1-2 pm
Chad Browne-Springer is the lead singer for Phat Astronaut.
Collab Virtual Office Hours – Virtual Meetings

Collab is a small business, nonprofit, and for-profit support program committed to serving Connecticut entrepreneurs. Get one-on-one advice about obtaining capital, mentorship, and other resources for entrepreneurs based in Connecticut. For more information about Collab, visit  collabnewhaven.org .
No Budget? No Problem! Launching a Successful GivingTuesday Campaign Using Pro Bono Support
Tuesday, June 16, 1 pm

In light of the recent shifts in traditional nonprofit fundraising, Taproot has teamed up with GivingTuesday for a joint webinar on holiday giving best practices, digital fundraising trends, and how pro bono support can help fuel nonprofit campaigns.
CIR Office Hours – Virtual Meetings
Tuesdays, 2-4 pm​
Thursdays, 2-4 pm​ 

Looking for advice on your artistic or innovative projects? Make an appointment with our Creative-in-Residence, Joel Callaway, for one-on-one advice. Make an appointment .

Computer Programming Office Hours – Virtual Meetings
Mondays, 6:30-8:30 pm (Starting June 8)

Meet with full-stack developer Page Swanson to consult on any questions you may have about computer programming. Stay tuned to Ives Squared to make an appointment!

Learn to Code - Animated Life in the Browser
Tuesday, June 9, 6:30-7:30 pm

Learn to use web technologies to build simple models and animate them on your own web page. Join full-stack developer Page Swanson to learn the basics of computer programming. This program will be held virtually via Zoom.

Basic 3D Modeling 
Saturday, June 13, 12-1 pm

Join our former Creative-in-Residence, Ryan Paxton, and learn how to use the software program Rhinoceros 3D to model a chess piece that can be printed on a 3D printer. This tutorial is intended to help participants become familiar with the software programs and skills needed for users to design for 3D printing.

3D Modeling: Threaded Nuts and Bolts
Saturday, June 27, 12-1 pm

Join our former Creative-in-Residence, Ryan Paxton, and learn how to use the software program Fusion 360 to create a threaded nut and bolt; useful additions to many 3D printing projects. This tutorial is intended to help participants become familiar with the software program and skills needed to design for 3D printing. 

Free or Low Cost Adobe Alternatives

With Ives Squared closed it means we can't offer access to much of our creative software, but never fear we came up with this helpful list of free or low cost alternatives you can use at home! Check them out

Build Your Creative and Technical Skills from Home with Lynda.com.
Now Available With Your Library Card!

All levels of training in software, creative and business skills are available through Lynda.com, free with your NHFPL library card. Go at your own pace, follow a curriculum and absorb new skills! Check out this curated list of maker courses put together by one of our Ives Squared librarians. It includes learning paths for topics like animation, audio and music production, digital design and more!

Create Projects from Experts on Creativebug

You can access over a thousand award-winning craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. From drawing and illustration to jewelry making, knitting to home décor (and everything in between), patrons of all ages and skill levels will find inspiration. Log in with your library card
Young Minds & Teen Programs & Resources
NEA Big Read
The Big Read is an annual initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. The NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. This year the Big Read is going virtual! All of the programming will be online, centering around Stephanie Burt’s Advice from the Lights. Visit our NEA Big Read web page to stay up-to-date with all of our programming planned for this year.
Story Time Video Premiers

What Makes a Family
Thursday, May 28
Watch this story time based on Eustace and Clyde , written and illustrated by Marina Aizen. Find it!

Jacob's New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman
Thursday, June 4
A heart warming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who do not identify with traditional gender roles. Find it!

Virtual Craft Project
Make it Rainbow! 
Monday, June 1
Celebrate this year's Big Read book and get ready for Pride month by making rainbow garlands, sun catchers, and streamers to brighten up your home. Find it!

Book Club for Young Adult Book Lovers
YA Book Bash! featuring LGBTQ+ Books
Tuesday, June 23, 4-5 pm
A monthly book club for Teens & Adults interested in sharing YA's hottest reads! Check out the NEA Big Read selection Advice from the Lights by Stephanie Burt in our Overdrive collection. This book of poetry is a memoir of the author's experience with (mis)identity and longing to live her life as a woman. This book club meeting will include discussion questions based on reading ANY LGBTQ+ book and issues of identity and acceptance.  Register
Get out your chalk to help us celebrate the NEA Big Read!

Explore poetry and identity in Stephanie Burt’s latest collection,  Advice from the Lights . Send us a picture of your sidewalk art and when you post your creation tag us! @nhfpl 

Help us create a concrete gallery of poetry! Pick a line from your favorite poem (or write your own).  
Chalk it, decorate it and leave it for the world to see. 
It can be a poem to celebrate, 
A poem to remember, 
A poem to communicate 
Or a poem to bring us together.
Support Your Student's Distance Learning

Access free home learning resources such as homework help, classes and lessons, and much more on our website. Resources available for students K-12  here !
Explore Our Natural World with Peabody@Home

Peabody@Home is an interactive resource page for you and your family with "digital resources, educational tools, and interesting online curiosities of the Peabody Museum" Find activities, video lessons, and much more that invite students of all ages to explore and discover the world around us.
Watch Our Young Adult Book Reviews!

Visit the NHFPL website or the library's new YouTube page to find book reviews from our Teen Librarian. Look for the videos titled with Teen Book Talk.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds Watch it!

Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo -  Watch it!
Collection Connection and Staff Picks
For Young Minds and Family Learning!
Listen online to audio books in many different categories: fiction, non-fiction, classics and Spanish language. These books are always available, never on hold, and no need to download.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Utopia isn't all it is cracked up to be in this perfect society! In the future one man is very unhappy. Bernard Marx is restless and tired of all the systems (and medications) that keep all life on earth super organized and controlled. Bernard travels to an untouched corner of the world to get away for a bit, and discovers that maybe the world isn't as perfect as it seems. "Savages" are living off the land and experiencing all of their peculiar human emotions! This book inspired many books in the super popular dystopia genre.


Reviewed by Meghan Currey
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

Spend some time with Pooh, Piglet, Christopher Robin and more beloved characters in this classic (and funny) tale! This book is recommended for ages 4 and up.


Reviewed by Lucy Cochran
A unique digital entertainment / media service which allows you to borrow movies, videos, music and audiobooks straight from your browser, tablet, or smartphone! 
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Meet India Opal, the new girl in a Florida town, her father, a stray dog and some of the people in town, such as Otis at the pet store and Gloria Dump, an old woman Opal befriends. This middle grade book is recommended for ages 8 and up.


Reviewed by Lucy Cochran
These Award Winning Sci-Fi and Fantasy Titles are Out of this World!

For Kids
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill Find it!
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi Find it!
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez Find it!
Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee Find it!
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia Find it!
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson Find it!

For Teens
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi Find it!
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton Find it!
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland Find it!
Love is the Drug by Alaya Dawn Johnson Find it!
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor Find it!
Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older Find it!
For Adults!
Celebrate Garden for Wildlife Month with NHFPL!
Garden for Wildlife Month is sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.

Available on Freading
The Naturescaping Workbook by Beth O’Donnell Young Find it!
The Living Landscape by Rick Darke and Douglas W. Tallamy Find it!
Your Wildlife Garden by Jackie Bennett Find it!

Available on Hoopla
Pollinator Friendly Gardening by Rhonda Fleming Hayes Find it!
The Humane Gardener by Nancy Lawson Find it!
Wildlife in Your Garden by Karen Lanier Find it!
The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener by Tammi Hartung Find it!
Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants by Christopher Kline Find it!
May is Mental Health Month

Available on Hoopla
The Relaxation And Stress Reduction Workbook by Martha Davis, Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman, and Matthew McKay Find it!
A.M./P.M. Tai Chi For Beginners by David-Dorian Ross Find it!
This Fragile Life: a Mother’s Story of a Bipolar Son by Charlotte Pierce-Baker Find it!

Available on Overdrive
Real Happiness, The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program by Sharon Salzberg Find it!
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan Find it!

Available on Kanopy
Going Sane: the State of Mental Health Care in America by Joshua Sabey Find it!
Crazywise: Rethinking Madness: Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening by Kevin Tomlinson and Phil Borges Find it!

Available on Freading
If You're Freaking Out, Read This by Simone DeAngelis Find it!
Good Dog: Celebrating the Dogs Who Change, and Sometimes Even Save, our Lives by Kate Leaver Find it!
A unique digital entertainment / media service which allows you to borrow movies, videos, music and audiobooks straight from your browser, tablet, or smartphone! 
Learn about Two Marxs with Yale's Jewish Lives Series

What do Karl Marx and Groucho Marx have in common? They are part of the Jewish Lives Series published by Yale University Press which can be accessed as eAudiobooks with your NHFPL Library Card through Hoopla. 

Karl Marx by Shlomo Avineri Find it!
Groucho Marx by Lee Siegel Find it!

Jewish Lives  is a prizewinning  series  of interpretative biography designed to explore the many facets of  Jewish  identity. Individual volumes illuminate the imprint of  Jewish  figures upon literature, religion, philosophy, politics, cultural and economic  life , and the arts and sciences. https://www.jewishlives.org/
These Award Winning Sci-Fi and Fantasy Titles are Out of this World!

Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu Find it!
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire Find it!
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik Find it!
Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente Find it!
Community Programs & Resources
Long Wharf Theatre Gala
Monday, June 8

Long Wharf Theatre proudly announces its 2020 gala, ‘Staged at Home’—a star-studded virtual benefit concert. Tickets on sale now!
Don't Let Them Count You Out!
Complete the 2020 Census Today

The 2020 Census is now available to fill out online  or by phone: 844-330-2020. En español o por teléfono: 844-468-2020.

Participation in the 2020 Census remains critically important for access to health care and other resources in New Haven. The U.S. Census counts the country’s population and households. It determines voting districts and the number of congressional seats, and guides the distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funding every year. New Haven receives around $3,000 per person counted to support vital civic and community programs!

Be heard and spread the word.
City of New Haven Weekly Careers Publication

The Weekly Careers Publication provides helpful information on jobs, upcoming events and free services available to the public. Available online as a PDF here or on the front page City of New Haven website – under the “News You Can Use” section.
Attend an Online Discussion: Build Your Savings
Tuesday, June 23, 11 am
Thursday, July 23, 11 am

Learn about financial health and savings with SaverLife. Register and find more information about here. Presented with Alice Saves and Connecticut Association for Human Services.

Free Online Job Training Program with SkillUp CT

Governor Lamont announced the expansion of  SkillUp CT  for any resident who is unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This at-home learning program offers free online job training and access to 5,000 courses in information technology (IT), business analysis, customer service and project management, just to name a few. To find out more or enroll in the program click  here .
Drive up, Fill up and Go! Food Give-a-Way

Either drive or walk up to food pick up locations to receive free groceries for your family. Pick up locations include First Cavalry Baptist Church 609, Believe In Me, New Haven Church of Christ, Mount Hope Temple, and Breakthrough Church. Click here for more information, pick up dates and addresses.
Comcast has Extended Their COVID-19 Response Policies

Through June 30, anyone trying to connect to the internet will have access to Xfinity wifi through their network of hotspots throughout New Haven. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit  www.xfinity.com/wifi .

Additionally, their offer of 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials has also been extended through June 30 for new qualified low-income households. For more information, visit  www.internetessentials.com .
 
For more information and updates from Comcast related to Coronavirus, please visit:
Virtual Festival of Arts & Ideas!

Arts on Call

Gift someone you love with a—socially distanced—arts performance! Starting in just a few weeks, you'll have the chance to choose an artist from a roster to be posted below and select a time for that artist to perform at an outdoor location of your choice. Book a juggler to perform on your grandchildren's front lawn, send a guitar player to strum beneath your girlfriend's window—the possibilities are endless. All proceeds go straight to the participating New Haven Artists. Interested in being one of their artists? Learn more and apply   here .

Activist Songbook's first Virtual Choir

Activist Songbook Virtual Choirs, made up of musicians and non-musicians, record songs from the songbook repertoire and perform together from the safety of their own homes, led by Activist Songbook Chorus Director Stephanie Tubiolo (Associate Director of Choirs at Princeton University). Performers use guide tracks to record their parts separately, singing along and improvising. Want to get involved? Singers of every level are welcome. Learn more and see the video  here .

Self-Guided Walking Tour:
New Haven's African American, Indigenous, and Latin History

This tour through the history of the dynamic Dixwell neighborhood was developed by the African American and Latinx history class from Metropolitan High School. Learn about notable resident John C. Daniels, New Haven's first black mayor and visit sites crucial to the founding of CT Students for a Dream and the history of our city's activism. Learn more  here .
Two Ways to Take Yale's Courses for Free!

Open Yale Courses
Choose from nearly 40 free and open online courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn. No registration is required. Take a course now!

Free Courses From Coursera
Take a course offered on  Coursera , including Yale's popular course " The Science of Well Being " with Professor Laurie Santos.

Don't have time to take a full course? Check out a lecture from the Whitney Humanities Center. They include talks by notable authors, professors, and researchers on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to art history!
COVID-19 Resources
Please visit these trusted sources for current information and updates.
City of New Haven COVID-19 Hub

Visit the City of New Haven COVID-19 website for the latest developments from City Hall, reliable local and global statistics, and guidance documents for community agencies on operations during this time .

On the website you will also find the New Haven School Meals Distribution Sites. Use their interactive map to see all meal distribution sites nearest to you and their open hours. Find locations near you here .
Yale New Haven Health Hotline

Yale New Haven Health has opened a call center for individuals
with questions about COVID-19. The number is 833-275-9644.
For more information, click here .
Sign up for State Alerts from the Governor

Governor Ned Lamont is calling for all Connecticut residents to sign up and get up-to-the-minute news on Coronavirus COVID-19 and other vital news for the state via your cell phone. Visit ctalert.gov .

Want more? Check out our Calendar Sign up for emails  here !