Hartford Public Library (HPL) is now fine free for all library customers!

In a unanimous decision this month by Hartford Public Library’s Board of Directors, HPL will no longer be charging late fees on overdue HPL materials. 


You can learn more about this important initiative HERE



“I applaud our Board of Directors for their vision. Universal fine free aligns with our mission, improves customer relations, removes barriers to additional library resources and reaffirms our commitment to the community and our dedication to service,” Bridget E. Quinn, HPL President and CEO. 

Downtown Summer Kickoff This Saturday!
June 26th: 1-3pm

Downtown Library (500 Main St) Front Terrace

Help us kick off HPL's Summer Adventure "What Colors Your World?"! Join the fun with our monster photo booth, double dutch, stilt walking, anime, virtual reality space, free ice cream, and performances from Studio 860 and Hartford Hot Several! All ages welcome.

Check out our summer schedule HERE
Pride/LGBT Book & Film Suggestion
by Katie O’Neill
This two-time Eisner Award-winner is a gentle fantasy that follows the story of a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons.



In this New York Times Critics' Pick, A 14 year old boy, struggling with gender identity and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and find his passion in the process.


Interested in these titles or others?

Check out our entire library catalog (books, films, music, etc..) HERE
The Library Celebrates Lina Osho-Williams for receiving her MS from Simmons College in Library and Information Science!

"I was born in Sierra Leone. I left my country in 1997, during a brutal civil war. Along with my 3 year-old daughter, Olayinka, my mother, my brother and my cousin, we boarded a boat to Gambia with no idea of what to expect. .  "


Learn more about Lina's extraordinary journey & life HERE
Hartford Public Library Awarded National Endowment of the Arts Funding!

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awarded Hartford Public Library close to $15,000 for HPL’s annual Big Read programming. Together we'll celebrate Sandra Cisneros’s novel The House on Mango Street from October 10 through November 1, 2021.

Our Big Read program includes multiple book discussions, art workshops, teen programming, community gathering events and more. Our keynote event will be with the author, Sandra Cisneros, who will join the community for a virtual author event on November 9, 2021. 

Over the next couple of months, the Library will share where residents can get English and Spanish copies of The House on Mango Street as well as the schedule of events.

The Big Read is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). You can learn more about NEA’s Big Read here: https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/nea-big-read



Frog Hollow Neighbors -
Share your Stories!

Your experiences & your voice matters
 
Come by and share your story of a glorious past or an even more hopeful future in the Frog Hollow Neighborhood

July 7 & 14 @ The Art Box.
July 21 & 28 @ Alleck St. Garden.

For more Info: 860-819-1453 [email protected]
June Program Calendars
We've added a Vaccine Information page to our comprehensive collection of Covid-19 related materials. Learn the facts about the virus and how to protect yourself and your family. There is also information available about housing assistance, financial help and the latest from the Hartford Public Schools.
Please remember, masks are required for all Library customers and staff. We look forward to seeing you!
“Memories don't just live inside you, Minette. They live in all the people and objects you share your life with.”
― Katie O'Neill, The Tea Dragon Society