What's Going On - September 2023

From The Desk of the Executive Director

October is busy busy busy!

Wow - Check out the list of things we have this month! Tellabration! workshops with Arnie Pritchard continue in October, Thursday nights, with Tellabration! performances happening October 26th. There is a one night revival of Listen Here! on October 10th. Longtime members know about Listen Here!, but for newbies: Listen Here! is a program where the New Haven Theater Company actors read selected short stories and on this night, longtime Library board member Bennett Lovett-Graff, Ph.D., explains it all for you. You’ll love it.

The Gallery Upstairs's next show, Mysterious

Circumstances opens on October 29th, and will feature some extremely unusual and

impressive items, perfect for Halloween. And, of course we have our usual suspects – bridge,

jazz, and the comfy chairs calling out for you to come and enjoy the library on a cool fall day.

With all this going on, we’ve also begun paperwork, planning, and preparation for the roof and HVAC renovations that we hope to start this Spring. Things are starting to happen, and I will

keep you posted as we progress. Busy busy busy indeed!

All the best,

Jan

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 nonce, until early 2024. Traffic detours around the block (along Church Street to Elm to Orange to Chapel). This detour is to accommodate the construction of two buildings currently under construction. The west bound side of Chapel remains open. The building on the corner of Orange and Chapel (808 Chapel) will be done early 2024, the building across from the Library (848 Chapel) 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.

Programs and Events

The Institute Library and New Haven Theater Company are pleased to announce

the re-launching of Listen Here!

Sit and listen to a selection of two short stories read aloud

by members of the New Haven Theater Company,

and in October, enjoy a "talk back" session led by Bennett Lovett-Graff.

Bring yourself, bring a friend!

Maybe something for the donation box ($5.00 suggested), and have a seat.

NHTC and Bennett will take care of the rest.

TELLABRATION! -- 10 YEARS OF STORY TELLING

As we have done for an entire decade, long-time and new members of the story sharing group are honing stories in our workshops to entertain you and enlighten you at our tenth annual Tellabration. You can expect humor, adventure, poignancy, irony, and insight - as well as plain fun. An evening of the most natural art form there is! Thursday, October 26, 7:30, See registration link below for tickets.

Questions? Email [email protected]

Purchase Tickets to Tellabration! WORKSHOPS (Workshop Registration Closes Oct. 5)

Three workshops remain in the series: do you want to participate?

If you've thought about being part of this kind of thing but always said "next year"

-- let this be the year!

The workshops will be from

7:00-9:00 p.m. on three Thursdays:

October 5, 12, and 19.

Purchase Tickets to Tellabration! PERFORMANCE October 26th

Join us for Year 10 of Tellabration! at the Institute Library!

Tellabration! will be at

7:30 P.M. on October 26.

This year, we expect to have one full night of Tellabration! performances -- don't miss out!

Please note that people with active memberships at the Institute Library

get discounted ticket rates!

Participants in Tellabration! workshops should please be fully vaccinated against Covid.

Introductory meeting for prospective students to take place October 20, 2023

4:00-6:00

Questions about SJR? Email program director [email protected]

NEWS FROM THE GALLERY UPSTAIRS:

Exhibit opens October 19th for viewing. Opening Reception for Mysterious Circumstances will be held

October 29th from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

It's a Hallowe'en Party: dress accordingly!

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: [email protected]

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?)

The evenings will start at 7:00 and run about 90 minutes. We've got a couple of tables available, and decks of cards.

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, October 9th at 7:00 p.m.

(subject to change; please reach out to us for schedule confirmation)

Friday Happy Hour Jazz |

Fridays in October | 5:30-7:00 p.m.

October 6 -- . Manfred Eicher in the 1970s

October 13 -- Duke Ellington in the 1930s

October 20 -- Local Heroes, including Willie Ruff

October 27 -- Django Reinhardt

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.

Updates will be provided via the internal Jazz email list. Want to be added to that list? Let us know!

Please consider making a $5 donation when you come to Friday Happy Hour Jazz.

Coming up in November: Author Events Author Events!

-- Saturday, November 4 from 1:00-3:00 -- Local Author RANDALL BEACH

-- Thursday, November 9 from 4:00-5:00 -- Bibliophilic Advisor SPENCER STUART*

-- Friday, November 17th (time TBD) -- Culture Writer CHRIS MOLANPHY

*ZOOM ONLY, registration and ticket purchase required

The Operations Manager Speaks:

My Favorite Month

by Eva Geertz

Age 53

October is the best month because it just is. October is when the air gets crisp and it makes sense to bake again and the leaves on the trees get pretty and it's just good.

Even when the weather is crappy, October is the best month because you get to sit in your comfy chair and read books and it's not so hot that you just sit in misery; you curl up in a blanket and everything is just right.

We have a slew of new releases which are hitting the shelves as we receive and process them. They're waiting for you to borrow them!

The top-most books in the non-fiction picture, the type is awfully small, so I will tell you that these are volumes from the Yale University Press Why I Write series, works by Eileen Myles (For Now), Samuel R. Delany (Of Solids and Surds), and Patti Smith (Devotion).

I am particularly looking forward to reading What You Are Looking For is in the Library and the new John McPhee essay collection Tabula Rasa, as well as one novel that didn't make it into the photo, Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt.

New Arrivals in FICTION

New Arrivals in NON-FICTION

NB for Movie Fans: we have a copy of Illeana Douglas's new book on movies set in Connecticut! Lady knows her stuff, too.

We look forward to seeing you again! Or, for the first time!

So many people have joined the Library recently I've not yet met all of you, and some of you haven't given me a mailing address to send your card to you -- please come in and stop by the desk and talk to me about this! Or email me! We want you to have your card!

Onward, friends.

--Eva Geertz, Operations Manager

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