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Special Notice
Hartford Public Library's (HPL) Downtown Library is now open on Sundays. Visit us:
Monday - Thursday: 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
To view our other locations and hours, you can click HERE.
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Ocean Vuong at Beyond Words
Hartford Public Library (HPL) is excited to announce Ocean Vuong will be joining us at Beyond Words as we celebrate 25 years of The American Place. Beyond Words is HPL’s annual signature fundraising event, celebrating the transformative power of libraries.
About Ocean Vuong:
Writer, professor, and photographer, Ocean Vuong is the author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, winner of the American Book Award, The Mark Twain Award, and The New England Book Award. The novel debuted for six weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and has since sold more than a million copies in 40 languages. His latest novel, The Emperor of Gladness, was published this May. Ocean currently splits his time between Northampton, Massachusetts and New York City, where he serves as a Professor in Modern Poetry and Poetics in the MFA Program at NYU.
For more information about Beyond Words, please contact Gilda Roncari, HPL's Director of Donor Relations at 860.695.6296 or groncari@hplct.org.
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Thursday, Nov. 6 | 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Hartford Marriott Downtown
200 Columbus Boulevard
| | | Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month | | |
Bless Me, Ultima
Rudolfo Anaya
"This best-selling Mexican American novel tells the story of the initiation of a young boy, Antonio, through his relationship with Ultima, a wise curandera (mentor)."
—Booklist Online
"Probably the best-known and most-respected contemporary Chicano fiction."
—The New York Times
Find it HERE in our catalog
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Catalina
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
National Bestseller | Longlist National Book Award
"[A] sparkling fiction debut."
—The New York Times
"Diabolically charming and magnetic."
—Ira Glass, American radio personality
Find it HERE in our catalog
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We’re Redesigning Our Website—And We Want Your Ideas!
We’re building a new HPL website designed to make it easier than ever to explore, connect, and discover. A virtual meeting will be held this Friday, where community members can share their ideas, needs, and experiences. Your feedback will help us create a site that truly reflects and serves our diverse city.
If you would like to join us, please register below.
If you can’t join us in person, no worries—you can still help shape the new Library website. We’ve put together a quick survey where you can share your ideas, suggestions, and must-have features.
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Friday, Sept. 19 | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Zoom
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Can’t Make a Session? We Still Want Your Input!
If you can’t join us in person, no worries—you can still help shape the new Library website. We’ve put together a quick survey where you can share your ideas, suggestions, and must-have features.
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Restaurant Business Opportunity at HPL
HPL is pleased to offer an exciting opportunity for a well-qualified entity to operate a restaurant/café at its Downtown Library at 500 Main Street.
We're looking for a partner who can:
- Create a unique dining experience for library visitors, UConn Hartford students & faculty, downtown workers, and tourists
- Collaborate with HPL on workforce development initiatives
- Finance, design, build, and operate a vibrant café space
This is more than a lease—it's a chance to shape the heart of Hartford’s cultural and culinary scene.
Submit your proposal today!
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Digital Filmmaking
Intro to Digital Film Making is expanding into a multi-workshop series taught by industry professionals, this week featuring, Shaka King, who will discuss directing for film and television on Wednesday, September 17.
About Skaka King:
Shaka King is a filmmaker with a body of work that spans the film and television arenas. King is the director, co-writer and producer behind the Oscar-nominated feature Judas and the Black Messiah, starring Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya. The film, which marks his studio feature directorial debut, centers on Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton and his fateful betrayal by FBI informant William O’Neal. The feature was nominated for six Academy Awards, including specific nods for King for Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture.
Watch the trailer to Judas and the Black Messiah HERE.
Next session on Monday, September 22, will feature industry professional B. Monét, on screenwriting for film and televison.
Registration is encouraged for all sessions. Upcoming sessions: Mondays and Wednesdays in September 24, and 29.
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Wednesday, Sept. 17 | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Downtown Library
Classroom 139, Second Floor
500 Main Street
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Guess Who's Back
HPL, Sistah Anyango of The FLYY Movement and Karla of Sudor Taino Fitness are getting ready to bring back the workout class that exhilarates your heart and soothes your soul for all bodies and abilities.
Registration is recommended.
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Wednesday, Sept. 24 | 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Downtown Library
500 Main Street
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Can't make it? Join us at the Library for Zumba, a high-energy fitness class.
Wednesday, Sept. 17 | 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Barbour Library
261 Barbour Street
Wednesday, Sept. 24 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Ropkins Library
1750 Main Street
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Mindful-ing
A mindfulness program that incorporates reading and yoga. This series will connect Don Miguel Ruiz's book, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (also available in Spanish) with mindful movement. The series continues through November 28. Participants are encouraged to bring their yoga mats.
Registration is required.
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Friday, Sept. 26 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Downtown Library
500 Main Street
| | | Next Weekend Hartford Book Festival | | | | Join us and Hartford's L.I.T. as we celebrate Literary Art Aligned 2025! The festival is a family-friendly event featuring crafts, open mic, poetry readings from CT Poet Laureates, Voices of OUT: The Power of Storytelling Panel, workshops, awards, and more. | | |
Saturday, Sept. 27 | 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Downtown Library
500 Main Street
| | | Once you receive all four stamps, return your guidebook to any of the participating libraries by Oct. 7. Contest runs from Sept. 2 to Sept. 30! | | |
Use your CT library card at any library in the state. Travel by train and explore the libraries of the Hartford Line for a chance to win a library swag bag and to pick up other prizes along the way!
How to participate:
- Pick up a guidebook at one of four participating libraries for more information and to begin your journey at HPL's Downtown Library, Wallingford Public Library, Meriden Public Library, or Windsor Public Library
- Show your train tickets at each of the four participating libraries to receive a stamp and a small prize
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September is Library Card Sign-up Month! This month only, visit any HPL location to sign up for a library card or renew your existing one to be entered in a raffle. The winner will receive a FREE iPad.
The winner will be selected at the end of the month.
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Hartford Public Library + Bus or Car Rides = FREE rides to medical appointments for Hartford residents.
Contact us or have your provider contact us to schedule transportation to your next verified medical appointment.
(959) 257-3630 or (860) 840-1264
socialservices@hplct.org
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A Place Like No Other
HPL offers engaging, educational, and fun programming for all ages.
Check out our full programming calendar HERE
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"It seemed the more I knew about people the more I knew about the strange magic hidden in their hearts.”
―Rudolfo Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima
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