big news- tons of programming - great book selections

Hartford Public Library Partners with Community Solutions:

$3.7 Million Grant Awarded To Support State-of-the-Art Job Training Center at Historic Swift Factory

“These federal funds are crucial to achieving our goal of creating a space where North Hartford residents of all ages can have access to life-changing educational and job training opportunities. Hartford Public Library President and CEO Bridget E. Quinn

A partnership between Hartford Public Library and Community Solutions was awarded a $3.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to build a state-of-the-art job training center that will be co-located with a full-service library branch at the historic Swift Factory in North Hartford.

"We are incredibly grateful to our partners at Community Solutions as well as our congressional delegation for their support of our grant application and are eager to get to work on this project.” Bridget E. Quinn

Learn more about this exciting project HERE

During Autism Awareness Month

We Celebrate Beautifully Diverse Voices

The Reason I Jump

Naoki Higashida

New York Times Bestseller

NPR-Best Book of the Year List

A simply beautiful book. Naoki shares his unique point of view on autism and life. His insights are so so strange, and so powerful that you will never look at the world the same way again.

“Extraordinary, moving, and jeweled with epiphanies.”—The Boston Globe

The Rosie Project

Graeme Simsion

International Bestseller

This is a story of an extraordinary man with Asperger's learning to live in an ordinary world and looking for love.

It’s truly one of the funniest and most poignant novels I’ve read,'

—Nicholas Kristof, New York Times Newsletter

Watch free with your library card

A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism

Narrated by Oscar winner Kate Winslet and directed by Oscar nominee Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, this inspiring film follows one woman's quest to unlock her autistic son's mind.

You can watch the movie HERE (and many more for free with your library card at Kanopy).

A Mother's Courage does not sugarcoat autism, or celebrate it, or cure it. The movie's strength lies in that it shows the heart-wrenching reality of what families have to go through" -- Huffington Post

Watch the trailer HERE.

National Poetry Month programming continues

Words in Clay, Words on Paper

an ArtWalk exhibit by

James Finnegan and Michelle Cotugno

Downtown Library, Third Floor

500 Main St.

Through April 24th

Blackout Poetry

Tuesday April 19th, all day

Albany Library

1250 Albany Ave.

Create a combination of poetry and art. For teens and adults

Ekphrastic Poetry

Saturday April 23rd: 10:30-11:30 am

Burr Mall, 550 Main St.

Ekphrastic poetry is writing poetry inspired by artwork. Write poetry with artist Rafael Osés about the Stegosaurus sculpture located in Burr Mall. All ages welcome. Materials will be provided. Register HERE.

Art Amplified

Saturday April 30th: 2-3 pm

Downtown Library, Atrium

GRANDE FINALE of Poetry Month

Poetry performances from Sadejah Blake and Ghazi Omair, storytelling from Jedda Williams and dance performances from Spectrum In Motion Dance Theatre.

The Future is Latinx Art Exhibit at

Park Street Library @ the Lyric.

April 8 - May 31.

Opening reception & artists talk

April 22 4:30 pm

603 Park Street

The exhibit features three emerging artists from Connecticut whose work envisions the Latinx future: Adrian Martinez Chavez, Rafael Concepcion and Alejandro De La Guerra.

“In the face of great uncertainties, the artwork of Chavez, Concepcion, and De La Guerra exudes permanence and dignity.” Julia Wintner, curator of the exhibit and coordinator of gallery and museum services at Eastern Connecticut State University

Learn more HERE

*The fall of the equestrian statue of the dictator Somoza García, ousted in 1979 recreated by Alejandro De La Guerra (pictured above).

Make art at home.

With just your library card you have access to countless video instructed DIY art and craft projects at all different levels of skill.

Try it out HERE

We're looking for our 2023 Baby Grand Jazz Performers.

Learn more & apply HERE

P.S. missing Baby Grand Jazz this week?

Enjoy some of of our incredible past performances HERE

Hartford Reads in Color

"The word 'love' is most often defined as a noun, yet we would all love better if we used it as a verb," Bell Hooks

We lost Bell Hooks back in December. Hartford Reads In Color is pleased to feature this profound book that shares her thoughts on all forms of love.

Come share your perspective on this important book while listening to others share their viewpoints.

Sunday, April 24 2pm - 3pm

Virtual: Via Zoom (Zoom details Following registration)

Join Our Team!

We've got many great opportunities in various different departments.

Join a team of great colleagues and help us make a difference in our community!

*We're especially looking for security guards. Learn more HERE

Check out our openings HERE.

Vaccine Clinics & Free Covid Tests!

We're distributing at-home COVID-19 test kits and N95 masks to city residents.

Locations and more info HERE

Vaccine Clinic:

Downtown Library

500 Main St. April 16th,

Ages 5 and up

List of all upcoming clinics HERE.

Important Announcement

All Hartford Public Library Branches will be closed on Good Friday (Friday the15th) as well as Easter Sunday - April 17th

Due to the holiday there is no Baby Grand Jazz this week.

“What would you like?"

"A skinny decaf latte."

This is a ridiculous form of coffee, but I did not point it out.”

― Graeme Simsion, The Rosie Project

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