Photo courtesy of Andy Hart.

Beyond Words Celebrating 25 Years of The American Place

Hartford Public Library's (HPL) annual fundraiser, Beyond Words, will celebrate 25 years of The American Place, which has helped thousands of immigrants and refugees begin their legal path to citizenship, connecting newcomers with city services, education, and workforce opportunities.

Tickets are limited, and registration ends October 31.

For more information about Beyond Words, please contact Gilda Roncari, HPL's Director of Donor Relations, at 860.695.6296 or groncari@hplct.org.

Thursday, Nov. 6 | 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Hartford Marriott Downtown

200 Columbus Boulevard

Welcoming Native American Heritage Month

There There

Tommy Orange

Pulitzer Prize Finalist | National Bestseller 2018 | One of The Atlantic's Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years

"An astonishing literary debut"

—Margaret Atwood, bestselling author of "The Handmaid's Tale"

"This polyphonic debut novel is centered on a group of Native Americans as they travel to a powwow in Oakland, Calif. Structured as a series of short chapters featuring different characters, the book raises questions of identity, belonging and history's relationship to the present."

—The New York Times

Find it HERE in our catalog

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

Robin Wall Kimmerer

Riverby Award Winner 2023 | Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2023 | Outstanding Books for the College Bound and Lifelong Learners of 2024

"Pages are filled with legends, reminiscences, bits of history, sidebars, and drawings, as well as gentle challenges to readers that encourage them."

—Booklist Online

"A book that is entirely in a class of its own, this belongs in every collection for teens."

—School Library Journal



Find it HERE in our catalog

Author Talk

Join us for a nostalgic storytime event! Author Beth York will share stories from her debut book, Growing Up Beth. Attendees will receive an autographed copy.

Registration is encouraged.

Thursday, Oct. 30 | 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Downtown Library

Children's Department, Second Floor

500 Main Street

Wallace Stevens Birthday Bash

Celebrating the life and legacy of poet Wallace Stevens. You're invited to an informal talk and celebration featuring Peter Gizzi, who will read a selection of Stevens' most notable poems.

Saturday, Nov. 1 | 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Downtown Library

Center for Contemporary Culture

500 Main Street

Let's Read

Ropkins Library hosts a monthly silent book club where you can read a book, magazine, or graphic novel of your choice in silence while enjoying the company of others. You can even listen to an audiobook, just remember to bring headphones!

There's no pressure to talk or engage with other readers, and discussing your reading afterward is optional. 

Come read with us! Registration is encouraged.

Thursday, Nov. 6 | 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Ropkins Library

1750 Main Street

It's Getting Strange...

Step into the Upside Down for a night of spooky fun, 80s vibes, and all things Stranger Things!

Hang out with friends at the waffle bar, then get creative making your own Upside Down-inspired picture frame craft.

Thursday, Nov. 6 | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Barbour Library

261 Barbour Street

(RE)Framing College Access by and with Communities of Color

Spend your afternoon with an author talk featuring historical reflection and contemporary views on the challenges communities of color face in accessing a college education today. Bring your lunch and take part in this important conversation, Q&A, and book signing.

This event is in partnership with HPL and UConn Hartford's CO:LAB.

Wednesday, Nov. 19 | 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Downtown Library

Center for Contemporary Culture

500 Main Street

250 Stories

Free Medical Rides

250 Stories is a series of firsthand interviews that explores the personal impact of libraries. Subscribe so you never miss a conversation!

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.

Call us: (959) 257-3630

Email us: socialservices@hplct.org

A Place Like No Other

HPL offers engaging, educational, and fun programming for all ages.

Check out our full programming calendar HERE

Check out our Family Programming calendar!

Check out our Adult Programming calendar!

Check out our Youth & Teen Programming calendar!

"Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”

―Robin Wall Kimmerer

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

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