Countdown Starts Now

Fully restored. Fully reimagined. Fully yours.

We are officially counting down the days until the Downtown Library is fully reopened! Join us on Monday, June 1, at 11:00 a.m. at 500 Main Street as we cut the ribbon and celebrate this exciting milestone. We can't wait to see you!

To check what's new, the week-long list of events, and more, click the button.

Upcoming Highlights

Wednesday, May 6:

A two-day spring planting party, on Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, with our friends from the Garden Club of Hartford. Register HERE.

Downtown Library, Terrace | 500 Main Street | 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Friday, May 8:

Create a floral arrangement just in time for Mother's Day.

Dwight Library | 7 New Park Avenue | 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Monday, May 11:

Celebrate Haitian Heritage Month with us as we make empanadas hosted by Guetty Antiste, The Empanada Assassin. Register HERE.

Downtown Library, Classroom 140 | 500 Main Street | 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

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

The results are in!

Book Recommendations

The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath

"It is this perfectly wrought prose and the freshness of Plath's voice in The Bell Jar that make this book enduring in its appeal."

—USA Today

Find it HERE in our catalog

Also available as an eBook

Turtles All The Way Down

John Green

Now streaming on Max!

"A sometimes heartbreaking, always illuminating, glimpse into how it feels to live with mental illness."

—NPR

Find it HERE in our catalog

Also available as an eBook and audiobook

"Your now is not your forever."

—John Green, Turtles All The Way Down

Barbour Groundbreaking

Join us as we break ground on the new Barbour Library. Construction is set to begin this summer.

Free and open to the public.



Wednesday, May 20 | 11:00 a.m.

The future home of the Barbour Library

234 Barbour Street (Lot)

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

Highlighting Memories with Mom

Mother's Day is almost here, and we want to celebrate! Send in a photo of you and your mom or motherly figure in your life, bonus points if it was captured in one of our library locations.

Some photos will be featured in next week's newsletter. Don't miss out on your chance to be featured. All you have to do is reply to this email with your photo and label who is in the photo!

Great Space, Great Name

We’re proud to announce that HPL's Center for Contemporary Culture at our Downtown Library has been officially renamed the Travelers Center for Arts & Culture.

HPL salutes Travelers for their generous leadership gift in support of our Restore. Renew. Reimagine Campaign.   

Big Read

Less than a month of Big Read left! The Big Read lineup for programming for this week and next. Big Read runs until Wednesday, May 20.



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.

Thursday, May 14:

Creative Writing Workshop

Park Street Library @ the Lyric | 603 Park Street | 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Exploring Memory Through Spices

Dwight Library | 7 New Park Avenue | 3:00 - 4:30 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.