ArtWalk Opening
Pablo Delano
Hartford Views
Opens Friday, May 19, 6 pm
Exhibition Runs Through July 1
ArtWalk, Downtown, 3rd Floor
Pablo Delano, a painter-turned-photographer, documents the city of Hartford in flux. His large- format photographs focus on the built environment of this small metropolis. The photographs, spanning eight years, highlight the nuances and contradictions inherent in a city with a layered history, and record what has been lost over time. They are not sociological statements, despite their subject matter; Delano’s love of visual form, design, composition, and color elevate the images to works of art. 

Grant Writing Workshop
Writing Winning Proposals
Wednesday, May 24, 10 am- Noon
Youth Program Room
3rd Floor Downtown, 500 Main St.
The budget is often the most challenging part of a proposal, even for fundraisers who’ve mastered the “writing” part of the process. This workshop will address frequently asked questions such as:  How do I allocate time for staff working across multiple projects? When can I include indirect costs and how do I know how much to add? Why do funders ask for details on income and what do I need to show them? How do I account for in-kind donations? 
Register via email: [email protected]
Muncipal ID Begins May 22
Apply at the Library, City Hall
Hartford City ID is a new municipal photo identification card program available to all city residents. Applicants must provide proof of residency.  The cost is $10 for ages 17 and younger, and 65 and older; and $15 for adults 18 to 64.  Apply at Hartford Public Library, 500 Main St., at the front service desk during library hours. The City's Office of Town & City Clerk in Room 104 at 550 Main St. is also accepting applications from 2 to 4 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. 
State History Day Winner
 Congratulations to Saathvika Diviti, a student at Irving Robbins Middle School in Farmington, for winning the “Outstanding Entry Related to Hartford History Sponsored by Hartford History Center at Hartford Public Library Project” as part of  Connecticut History Day. The program encourages students in grades 6-12 to explore local, national, and world history. Saathvika’s project was about Beatrice Fox Auerbach, who ran G. Fox & Co., the department store begun by her father, Gershon Fox.
Judges Brenda J. Miller, executive director of the Hartford History Center, and Bridget Quinn-Carey, CEO of Hartford Public Library, praised Saathvika for interviewing former Hartford Mayor Ann Uccello, for her entry..
Learn To Play Chess
DIG Chess Lessons

Downtown, YOUmedia, 2nd Floor
Thursdays, May 25, June 15, June 29, 6-8 pm
Albany, Thursdays, June 1,8, 22, 4-6 pm

DIG Chess tutors will help you learn. DIG (Determination, Integrity, Growth) was started in 2013 by Dan Pelletier, as a soccer coaching enterprise. The following year he started teaching his players chess, and last year he decided to teach others. 

Connecticut Public Library Association
HPL Wins Media Award
Hartford Public Library  won the 2017 Connecticut Public Library Publicity Awards Contest for Electronic Media-Thematic Project.
A video featuring the stories of five people helped by the Library was produced by PITA of Rocky Hill for Beyond Words, the Library's new annual event.
The 2017 Beyond Words is Wednesday, Nov. 29, 6-9 pm at the Hartford Marriott Downtown. Stay tuned for details.
World War I
Why Preserve? Digitizing Stories:
CT Latinos in WWI 
¿Por qué preservar? La Digitalización de Historias
que Representan Latinos y Latinas de CT en La Primera Guerra Mundial

Thursday, June 1, 5:30pm
Hartford History Center

Downtown, 3rd Floor
Dr. Harry Franqui-Rivera of Bloomfield College, New Jersey, will discuss opportunities for Connecticut-based Latino veterans and their families to bring memorabilia, photographs, and their oral stories to be collected, digitized, and interviews recorded at the Hartford History Center for incorporation into the Connecticut State Library’s digital collection. He will discuss why it is important to preserve this information and offer suggestions of what to bring to the digitization day that will take place at the Hartford History Center Saturday, June 10. This program will be bilingual (English & Spanish).
This program was made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities, in partnership with the Library of America andConnecticut State Library.

More information on WWI and America programs. 


Meet The Author
Author's Table Downtown
Martha Reingold
Jewish Wry and Other Slices of Life
Tuesday, May 23, 1 pm

This book is a collection of short stories, sketches, and essays. It includes the opening chapters of two  memoirs. In the first, "Russia-shuna," the author explores how her life that began as an Orthodox Jew from Brooklyn became the life of a cultural Jew living in Connecticut. A second memoir, "In at the Beginning," chronicles her 60-year career in the computer field. 

Author's Table at Albany
New Wednesday Series Continues
Join us at Hartford Public Library’s Albany Branch and meet local authors as they showcase their work at The Author’s Table. The series runs on Wednesday afternoons from 3:30-6 pm, and authors will have copies of their work available for purchase.
May 24: Patrina Dixon: It's My Money  is a guided journal designed to enrich teenagers with simple but smart financial information while providing inspiring quotes and guided questions.
May 31: Kathy Miranda: Max and Molly. Max is a much-loved happy dog, until one day a new puppy joins his family. 
Creative Workshops

Poets On Poetry

The Poetry of Walt Whitman
Presented by Victor Altshul and Christine Beck
Connecticut Poetry Society
Saturday, May 20, 10:15 am - 12:15 pm
Classroom 141, First Floor
Downtown Library

Walt Whitman was a teacher, journalist, and hospital worker. He is the author of Leaves of Grass, 12 volumes of poems, which includes I Sing the Body Electric, The Sleepers, and Song of Myself
Victor Altshul, a psychiatrist, is the author of two poetry collections, Stumblings and Singing With Starlings.
Christine Beck is the poet laureate of West Hartford and teaches creative writing at Southern Connecticut State University and the University of Hartford. She is poetry editor of The Perch at Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health


Children
Book of the Week:
Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina

Juana loves many thing, drawing, eating Brussels sprouts, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. She does not love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or going to dance class. And she especially does not love learning English. When Juana’s abuelos tell her about a special trip they are planningJuana begins to wonder whether learning the English might be a good use of her time after all. Hilarious, energetic, and utterly relatable, Juana will win over los corazones — the hearts  of readers everywhere in her first adventure.Medina is the winner of the 2017 Pura Belpré Author Award. 

F abulous Fingerprint Art
Dwight, Friday, May 19, 3:30-4:30 pm
Who knew you had a work of art right at your fingertips? Create funny animals with just your fingers, ink, and some doodles and dots. Inspired by Ed Emberley's Great Thumbprint Drawing Book.

Thank A Community Helper
Albany, Monday, May 22, 4:30-5:30
Take a moment to thank a few of the local heroes in your community. Whether it is your friendly neighborhood police officer, fire-fighter, or crossing guard, make sure they know you appreciate all of their hard work.



STEM

Wiggle Bots
Albany, Friday, May 19, All Day
Dwight, May, 22, 24, 26, 4 pm
Design and build your own unique wiggle-bot. This is a real engineering project.
Can you make it dance in circles, or maybe make it draw?

Makey Makey
Goodwin, Monday, May 22, 4-5:45 pm
Design and build your own unique wiggle-bot! This is a real engineering project! Can you make it dance in circles, or maybe draw?

Legos in the Library
Downtown, Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30 pm
After finishing your homework, check out this cool on-line resource. Watch videos, play games, or try out a science experiment.

Exercise, Eat Right
Pack-a-Punch of Nutrition
Park, Wednesday, May 24, 2-3 pm
Hands on, healthy snack prep practice for you at the library brings no-cook, nutritious and tasty veggie and bean snacks to make and eat.
Yoga Time
Albany, Friday, May 24, 1:30-2:30 pm
Yoga is great for keeping your body healthy and your mind relaxed. Come learn some fun poses, No special mat or experience needed.

Backpacks of Fun
We have Sprout Early Learning Backpacks available for checkout at four branches. Visit the Downtown Children’s Room, Albany, Goodwin, or Ropkins to pick one up today. You can also place a hold on one and have it delivered to the branch of your choice. 

Browse our choice of backpacks

Leap Into Learning
Programs for Birth to 5
First Friends Play Group
Downtown, Mondays, 11 am - Noon
Our play and picture book areas are reserved for you. Share toys, books, and music while your child meets other children.

Sensational Sensory Wednesdays
Downtown Children’s Room, 11-Noon
Interactive play time for children. Each week children will enjoy a new and exciting sensory, hands-on learning activity. 

Born To Read Storytime, Play Group
Albany, Wednesday, May 31,11:30-12:30 pm
An interactive program based on the five practices of the Every Child Ready to Read Initiative: talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing. Listen to stories, learn finger plays, and sing songs.

Planting a Rainbow
Park, Tuesday, May 23, 10-11 am
Ropkins, May 24, 10-10:30, 10:30-11 am
Learn about the Spring colors of the rainbow and also about the world of flowers.


Whoever You Are
Blue Hills, Thursday, May 25, 4:30-5:30 pm
Join us for an interactive reading of Mem Fox's Whoever You Are. We celebrate all the different kinds of children in our community and all over the world, whoever and wherever they are. Illustrated by Leslie Staub.


Thank You For Your Support
We Love Your Help
The Hartford Public Library needs your support throughout the year. Please consider making a pledge or donation to help us continue to offer a place that cultivates opportunities, empowers and inspires individuals, and fuels a more prosperous future.
We thank the leaders of Aetna, Travelers, and The Hartford, for their generous support.

Try Amazon Smile
Shopping Supports HPL
 Do you use Amazon to shop online? Support Hartford Public Library by using Amazon Smile and selecting us as your charity beneficiary.

Go to Smile.Amazon and search for Hartford Public Library in the available charities to support. Purchase items through Amazon as you normally would and HPL will receive a portion of the sales (at no cost to you). 

Thank you.


Try Biblioboard 
Biblioboard At HPL
Hartford Public Library is introducing an online service that allows users to 
create a book, self- publish an ebook, and browse multimedia content, digital exhibits and books from local authors.
Create an account here.
When you log in at the Library, Biblioboard  knows where you are. You can become familiar with the site by browsing it. To create a book go here.
T o publish an ebook go here.  
To explore go here. .

The Library Is A Place For All

Read About Your Legal Protections
Hartford Public Library Serves Everyone
All community members of  every religion and ethnicity are welcome at the Library.
Stay informed and connected.

Programs for Teens
Table Games
Ropkins,  Tuesdays, 4:45 to 5:45 pm
Albany, Thursdays, 4:30-6 pm
The popularity of tabletop games is trending. There are thousands of versions, such as Sushi Go, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Survive Escape from Atlantis, and Deception (a more modern murder mystery with bluffing and evasion). 
Bring your friends and your favorite games and set up a match.

Dungeons and Dragons
Albany, Thursdays, 4:30-6 pm
Blue Hills,Thursdays, 3-6 pm
Downtown, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 3-6 PM
Set off for the adventure of a lifetime each week. 

Writing Workshops
Barbour Branch, Thursdays, 3-6 pm
Learn the basics of expressing yourself through the written word. .

Makerspace Mayhem
Downtown, Tuesday, Thursdays, 4 pm
Come to YOUmedia for the twice-weekly Makerspace challenge.

Anime Character Creation
Downtown, Thursdays, 6-8 pm
Animefy yourself and your friends at YOUmedia. Or create a new unique character of your own.

3D Sculpting and Design
Downtown, Thursday, 6-8 pm
Learn how to design cool characters and objects to use in animations, video games, graphic design, and more.

Drawing With Kahairi
Downtown, Mondays, Wednesdays, 1-6 pm
Let's talk about anime, pop culture and video games while we draw.   

Open Mic
Downtown, Wednesdays, 6 pm
Join us for and Open Mic session every Wednesday. 


Adult Classes 
Study For Your GED

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9:30-11:30 am
Classes run through July 27
Barbour, 261 Barbour St.

Take classes in writing and math to prepare you for the GED test. Open enrollment.
Register: 860-695-6349 or 860-695-7400.  

Immigrant Careeer Pathways 
Runs Through June 30
The American Place, 2nd Floor, Downtown
The Immigrant Career Pathways Program, sponsored by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, serves as a pipeline to jobs in the food service industry for English-language learners in the Hartford area. Eligible students may enroll for free in either one of two classes: the ESL and Food Service Training class or the ServSafe Manager Certification class. All classes are held in the morning. Information: 860-695-6292 or email [email protected]

Spanish for Beginners
Wednesdays, 6-7:30 pm
Runs through June 21
Mark Twain Branch, West Middle School
927 Asylum St.

Hartford Public Library card holders can sign up for a beginner Spanish course, on Wednesday, March 22.
The classes cover basic Spanish grammar in a step-by-step approach. Classroom instruction will transition to an online program called “Transparent Language,” for continued studies.Classes will be taught by a native Spanish speaker. Class size will be limited to 20 registrants.
Information: 860-695-6316 and [email protected]
Citizenship Test Prep Class
Tuesdays and Thursday, 6-7:30 pm,
Mark Twain Branch, West Middle School
927 Asylum St.

Each class will focus on many of the 100 citizenship test civics questions. We encourage the community to join us for these lively interactive activities and discussions. The classes are open for U.S. citizens who want to improve their own knowledge of U.S. Civics or enhance their skills to tutor new arrivals on their paths to citizenship.
Information: 860-695-6316 and [email protected]

Read to Succeed (R2S) Hartford
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 2-7:45 pm
Thursdays, 2-5 pm
Mark Twain Branch, West Middle School
927 Asylum Ave.

The classes are a combination of one-on-one instruction with a teacher and computer-based reinforcement activities for adults new to reading.
Information: 860-695-6316 and [email protected]


Adult Services
Lawyer At Your Library
First Tuesday of Each Month, 11 am-1 pm
Upcoming: June 6
Downtown Library, The American Place 

Meet privately with an attorney from Greater Hartford Legal Aid concerning questions about rights in the workplace. No appointment necessary. Topics include unlawful discrimination, wages and overtime, and rights of former offenders. Visitors are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Passport Office
You can apply for a passport at Hartford Public Library. Hours are Monday though Thursday, 3:30 to 7 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm.  No appointment is needed and photos can be taken on site.

The Passport office is located on the second floor in The American Place.

Online Learning

Accessible through the library website in the Online Education & Research Section. All free with your library card. Log in with your card number and create a user name and password.

  • Learn a New Language: Learn or practice more than 100  languages using the online learning program Transparent Language.
  • LearningExpress Library™: Build your academic skills in reading, writing, math, and science; prepare for standardized tests, college admissions tests, and professional licensing and certification.
  • Universal Class: Select from over 500 courses in a wide variety of subjects through a program called Universal Class. Learn a new hobby, improve your computer skills, or expand your job or career options. 
  • Career Online High School (COHS)Earn your high school diploma online. You, must be 24 or older.

American Job Center

Monday-Thursday, 10 am-6 pm
Fridays, 10 am-5 pm,
Main Floor, Downtown

 Looking for a job? Feeling a bit rusty on your interview skills or bewildered by all the new technology a successful job search demands? We can help! CTWorks Capital Workforce Partners and HPL Library have partnered to bring a CTWorks "American Job Center" to the Downtown Library.

Catalog Options
Have you checked out our
mobile-friendly catalog?
Hartford Public Library | 860.695.6300 | hplct.org