Freedom to Read

Fighting Book Banning and Censorship

"Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me." — Judy Blume


Please join us during Banned Books Week for a free virtual conversation with Hartford Public Library President and CEO Bridget E. Quinn and Deborah Caldwell-Stone, executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation and the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom. This is an important and timely conversation you don't want to miss!


Thursday, September 22nd

7 pm

Free virtual event


Find more information and registration links HERE.

Don't miss the fourth annual Hartford Book Festival!

Three days of writing workshops, poetry readings and more to celebrate local authors, artists and entrepreneurs from Hartford's L.I.T. and Hartford Public Library.


Writer's Workshops

Friday, September 23rd

Noon - 3:30 pm

Downtown Library

500 Main St.


Hartford Book Festival

Saturday, September 24th

10 am - 4:30 pm

Downtown Library

500 Main St.


An Evening Of Poetical Musings

Sunday, September 24th

3-8 pm

Free Center

460 New Britain Ave.


Click HERE for a full list of programs. Register for free HERE.

      Book picks for Hispanic Heritage Month

The Book of Unknown Americans

Christina Henríquez

NPR Great Read


A stunning novel of hopes and dreams and what it means to be American.



"Gripping, memorable. A novel that can make you think and break your heart."  — San Francisco Chronicle


“A remarkable novel that every American should read.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune

By Night in Chile

Roberto Bolaño

New York Times Bestseller


It will have you with the opening sentence. This is gripping and beautiful novel.


"Still his greatest work." — New York Times


"A wonderful torrent of emotion, a brilliant historical meditation, a captivating fantasy. ... Destined to occupy forever a place in universal literature." — Susan Sontag

Featured artist on Hartford Public Library's The Beat:

Gregg Jarrell

Image by: Mark Alston

A pianist with an impressive resume, Gregg Jarrell is part of a generation of classical composers that writes moody, sparse piano pieces with a tinge of jazz theory.


Jarrell trained at the Hartford Conservatory for Music, where at the age of 8 he was one of the youngest students they have ever had. Eager to move on to broader things, Jarrell began absorbing the classics, learning complicated pieces from many great composers.


Listen to his music HERE.


The Beat is Hartford Public Library's growing catalog of local music, curated by professionals, that can be streamed online by anyone with an internet connection. You can download the albums with your library card.


Click HERE to check out The Beat today! 


The Beat will be accepting new submissions from Hartford-area musicians beginning in November. Stay tuned.

That feeling when you sign your very first library card

It's National Library Card Signup MonthGet your library card today!

Connecticut Explored Game Changers:

Pablo Delano and Elena Rosario in conversation

Pablo, a professor at Trinity College who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, will frame the conversation around the colonial Puerto Rico project and Elena, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan, will discuss her research on early Puerto Rican migration to Hartford.


Wednesday, September 21st

6-8 pm

Park Street Library @The Lyric

603 Park St.


Register for the event HERE.

Plants and groceries. Together. For you.

Learn how to create a hydroponic garden in a five-gallon bucket with Levo International and get a free bag of groceries from Connecticut Foodshare


Thursday, September 22nd

3-4 pm

Barbour Library

261 Barbour St.


To register for the hydroponic garden program please call Irene at 860-695-7401

Make something pretty

Fall wreath making


Wednesday, September 21st

4-5:30 pm

Dwight Library

7 New Park Ave.

Hartford Public Schools families: Help us help you.

We want to hear from Hartford Public Schools students, parents and caregivers.



Fill out a brief survey and enter a chance to win an Amazon gift card!


Get started HERE.

Save the date:

Good times coming your way

Hartford Harvest Festival


Celebrate indigenous identity and culture with music, dancing, food and more!


Saturday, October 8th

11 am - 4 pm

Ebony Horsewomen stables at Keney Park

337 Vine St.

 HPL @ CT Forum

How Music Moves Us

Rhiannon Giddens in conversation with Allison Russell


The Connecticut Forum's new season kicks off with an evening of conversation and musical performances featuring Grammy Award- winning musician Rhiannon Giddens exploring the impact music has on our lives and how the music of America intersects with our country's history.


Friday, October 14th

7 pm

The Bushnell

166 Capitol Ave.


 Twenty free tickets will be available HERE for HPL cardholders beginning Monday, September 26th.


P.S. Check out Rhiannon's Tiny Desk concert HERE.

“We're the unknown Americans, the ones no one even wants to know, because they've been told they're supposed to be scared of us and because maybe if they did take the time to get to know us, they might realize that we're not that bad, maybe even that we're a lot like them. And who would they hate then?” ― Cristina Henríquez  The Book of Unknown Americans

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