Special Notice

YOUmedia at HPL's Downtown Library is closed today, Wednesday, April 29, due to construction. YOUmedia will reopen on Thursday, April 30, with regular hours.

HPL’s Boundless Library @ Rawson will be closed for the Scholastic Book Fair on Thursday, April 30. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, May 5.

Upcoming Highlights

Thursday, April 30:

Closing out the Author Incubator Series with publishing tools and an industry roadmap to success as you launch your book. Attendance at previous sessions is not mandatory. Register HERE.

Downtown Library, Classroom 139 | 500 Main Street | 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.



Tuesday, May 5:

Learn how to make fresh, flavorful salsa for adults using simple ingredients.

Park Street Library @ the Lyric | 603 Park Street | 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a hands-on maraca-making craft for ages 6 -12.

Park Street Library @ the Lyric | 603 Park Street | 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Enjoy crafts, music, and activities celebrating Cinco de Mayo at a Fiesta at Barbour Library.

Barbour Library | 261 Barbour Street | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

For more fun and engaging programs and events, click the buttons below!

Book Recommendations

My Name Is Barbra

Barbra Streisand



Audiobook of the Year 2025 | NPR Books We Love 2023

"That combination of fastidiousness and looseness, mixed with Streisand’s natural humor, makes for a deliriously entertaining autobiography that gathers heft from the sheer breadth of its author’s experiences and achievements. This is a gift."

—Publishers Weekly

Find it HERE in our catalog

Also available as an audiobook

The Korean Vegan Cookbook

Joanne Lee Molinaro

James Beard Foundation Award Winner 2022

"The deep connection between food and family shines through in Molinaro's enticing collection, which is highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about Korean cuisine and culture."

—Library Journal



Find it HERE in our catalog

"Men are allowed to have passion and commitment for their work ... a woman is allowed that feeling for a man, but not her work."

—Barbra Streisand, My Name Is Barbra

Babies, Books, and Bagels

Calling all new and seasoned parents! Join us at Albany Library for a welcoming parent support group for families with children ages birth through five. Come for bagels, stay for support and connection and leave with new friendships.

Registration is required. Please include your child in the registration form.

Saturday, May 2 | 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Albany Library

1250 Albany Avenue

Missed this session?

From one Library to the next! Learn about the beneficiary process, including how to prepare and details to share with your beneficiary facilitated by Sharae Salmon of Coverage Clarity Consulting. 

Registration is required.

Tuesday, May 5 | 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Camp Field Library

30 Campfield Avenue

Fraud Watch

Come learn how to stop criminals in their tracks, facilitated by a volunteer presenter from AARP Connecticut. In this session, you'll learn the psychology behind ID theft, the most common fraud/scams, tips to protect yourself, and what to do if you think you may have become a victim.

Tuesday, May 12 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Dwight Library

7 New Park Avenue

Tuesday, May 12 | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Camp Field Library

30 Camp Field Avenue

Same Space, New Name

Same space, new name. HPL's Center for Contemporary Culture at our Downtown Library has been officially renamed to Travelers Center for Arts & Culture.

Big Read

Drum roll, please! The Big Read lineup for programming for this week and next. Big Read runs until Wednesday, May 20.



Thursday, April 30:

Creative Writing Workshop

Ropkins Library | 1750 Main Street | 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Taste Buds Explosion

Park Street Library @ the Lyric | 603 Park Street | 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 6:

Stories and Spices

Dwight Library | 7 New Park Avenue | 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 12:

Food, Art & Healing

Downtown Library, Travelers Center for Arts & Culture (formerly known as the Center for Contemporary Culture) | 500 Main Street | 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

HPL’s Big Read is centered around Bite by Bite by acclaimed author Aimee Nezhukumatathil and the companion children’s book Anni Dreams of Biryani by Namita Moolani Mehra and Chaaya Prabhat. The Big Read is a dynamic, citywide reading initiative that promotes community connection through literature.

For a full list of programs and events, click HERE.

Resources & Services

Fight Hunger: 

Facing food insecurity? Here's help:

• Text "211Food" to 898211
• Enter your zip code when prompted
• Identify an open food pantry near you
• For more information, click HERE.

Free Medical Rides: 

HPL + Bus or Car Rides = FREE rides to medical appointments for Hartford residents 18+. Contact us or have your provider contact us to schedule transportation to your next verified medical appointment. This service is for those who do not have a transportation benefit through their insurance provider. Please call: (860) 840-1264 for more information.

Your support makes a difference.