Tag: NHFPL

October Community Engagement Workshops at the New Haven Free Public Library

by Rory Martorana, NHFPL Public Services Administrator for Communications and Adult Services

Every few years, the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) crafts a Strategic Framework—a roadmap of initiatives designed to bring our Mission, Vision, and Values to life. These frameworks are built on the insights and ideas shared by you—the residents of New Haven and visitors to NHFPL—to meet the city’s informational, cultural, and educational needs.
We need your help to make this project successful. Share feedback on what our community needs. Tell us what you love, what we might do differently, and your thoughts on new and innovative programs you would like to see at NHFPL. Your input will help guide our goals and services for the next three years.

Community Engagement Workshops Schedule for October:

  1. Oct. 1, 6-7:30 p.m. at Wilson Branch, 303 Washington Ave. (Spanish)
  2. Oct. 2, 6-7:30 p.m. at Stetson Branch, 197 Dixwell Ave. (English)
  3. Oct. 8, 6-7:30 p.m. at Ives Main Library, 133 Elm St. (Mandarin)

Registration is required and refreshments will be served. Each workshop is limited to 25 participants. For more information and to register, call 203-946-8130, ext. 101.

Check our planning progress at http://nhfpl.org, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok @nhfpl for the latest updates, details on Community Engagement Workshops, and more. Let’s work together to create a better future for New Haven.

Save the Date! Fall Community Engagement Workshops at the New Haven Free Public Library

by Rory Martorana, NHFPL Public Services Administrator for Communications and Adult Services

The New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL)’s 2025-2028 Strategic Framework planning has begun! Every few years, the NHFPL crafts a Strategic Framework—a roadmap of initiatives designed to bring our Mission, Vision, and Values to life. These frameworks are built on the insights and ideas shared by you—the residents of New Haven and visitors to NHFPL—to meet the city’s informational, cultural, and educational needs.

We need your help to make this project successful. Join us at one of our ten Community Engagement Workshops (presented in one of three languages) to share feedback on what our community needs. Tell us what you love, what we might do differently, and your thoughts on new and innovative programs you would like to see at NHFPL. Your input will help guide our goals and services for the next three years.
Community Engagement Workshops Schedule:

September 9, 6-7:30 p.m. at Mitchell Branch, 37 Harrison
Street (English)
September 19, 6-7:30 p.m. at Fair Haven Branch, 182
Grand Avenue (English)
September 23, 6-7:30 p.m. at Ives Main Library, 133 Elm
Street (English)
September 24, 6-7:30 p.m. at Wilson Branch, 303
Washington Avenue (English)
September 26, 6-7:30 p.m. at Fair Haven Branch, 182 Grand
Avenue (Spanish)
September 28, 1:30-3 p.m. at Ives Main Library, 133 Elm
Street (English)
September 30, 6-7:30 p.m. Virtual, Zoom (English)
October 1, 6-7:30 p.m. at Wilson Branch, 303 Washington
Avenue (Spanish)
October 2, 6-7:30 p.m. at Stetson Branch, 197 Dixwell
Avenue (English)
October 8, 6-7:30 p.m. at Ives Main Library, 133 Elm Street
(Mandarin)

Registration is required and refreshments will be served. Each workshop is limited to a maximum 25 participants. Call 203-946-8130, ext. 101 for more information and to register. Check our planning progress at http://nhfpl.org, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok @nhfpl for the latest updates, details on Community Engagement Workshops, and more. Please spread the word to your neighbors and local loved ones. Let’s work together to create a better future for New Haven! Let’s work together to create a better future for New Haven!

Passport Services to Become Available at the New Haven Free Public Library

by Gina Bingham, New Haven Free Public Library

The New Haven Free Public Library is pleased to announce passport services will be available at the Ives Main Library. The NHFPL Passport Office is open to public appointments at the Main Ives Library located at 133 Elm Street. Services include processing new U.S. passports or passport cards and photographs for both U.S. and international passports.

Services are available in both English and Spanish.

The Ives Main Library Passport Office will be open by appointment Wednesdays, 3-7 p.m.; Thursdays, 3-7 p.m.; Saturdays, 11-3:30 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 203-946-2280 or online at https://nhfpl.org/passports. Application forms can be downloaded from the Department of State website travel.state.gov, can be picked up at the library, or can be requested when making an appointment.

City Librarian and New Haven Free Public Library Director John Jessen said, “Increased accessibility was central to our decision-making as convenient access to passport services is becoming more important than ever. It made sense to add a passport office to our list of services because of our centralized location, and we can offer hours outside those provided by other passport offices. As many residents already use the library as a source of information when researching travel or asking questions about government services, this makes a passport office an ideal addition to the robust services of the New Haven Free Public Library.”

For questions regarding the Library’s passport services, passport fees, and information on how to apply, visit our website at nhfpl.org/passports or call 203-946-2280.

Lynda.com gets an upgrade

Previously named Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning has returned as an upgraded platform with double the number of courses available in six more languages. Choose from thousands of online courses to learn in-demand skills from real-world industry experts. You can find course recommendations tailored to your interests so you know exactly what to learn next. LinkedIn Learning tracks the courses you have in progress and lets you set weekly goals to help make lifelong learning a part of your regular routine.

To log in you will need your library card number and your PIN (the last four digits of your library card number).

Libraries Expand In-Person Services

by Gina Bingham, NHFPL

The New Haven Free Public Library has expanded its in-person services with limited hours for technology use and short browsing visits at the Ives Main Library, Fair Haven Branch, Mitchell Branch and Wilson Branch. The Stetson Branch will continue to offer curbside services until further notice.

The following services will be available:

  • Picking up holds and requests
  • Opening or renewing a library card
  • Browsing and checking out new materials for all ages (limit to one 30-minute session per day)
  • Using a library computer by appointment (limit to one 90-minute session per day)
  • Photocopying/printing and faxing (self-service)
  • Check out of Wi-Fi hotspots and Chromebooks to New Haven residents with adult cards
  • Research assistance

In addition to offering materials on-site and through curbside pick-up, the Library provides access to virtual programming, e-books, e-audiobooks, streaming video, information resources, and research assistance by phone and chat via the Library website nhfpl.org.
The Library has implemented a number of visitation and safety guidelines:

All patrons over the age of two are required to wear a mask and maintain a six-foot distance from others at all times. Due to a limited occupancy rate, it is recommended that visitors make an appointment ahead of time by calling the location they wish to visit.

No food or drink will be allowed in the Library to ensure that masks are worn at all times for the safety of customers and Library staff.

Access to computers is available with a 90-minute time limit. Library staff may not be able to provide extensive assistance. Should visitors have any special needs, please call ahead to alert staff for possible options.

New Haven residents can get library cards over the phone or in person at our locations. Please call any branch for assistance. NHFPL no longer charges late fees for materials returned.  Material replacement fees for lost materials can be paid via debit/credit cards online or inside a branch with cash, check or card.

Ives Main Library, 133 Elm St., (203) 946-8130. Call for information about all the branches, or visit nhfpl.org.

NHFPL Launches Laptop Lending Program

by Gina Bingham, NHFPL

The New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) announces the expansion of its mobile Wi-Fi hotspot lending program to include a laptop lending program, expanding free internet and computer access to patrons beyond the five public service locations.  Wi-Fi hotspots and Chromebook laptops are available for 3-week loan periods to adult (18+) NHFPL cardholders who are residents of New Haven and have accounts in good standing.  Devices not returned to the library within the 3-week loan period will be deactivated and a replacement fee will be charged to the borrower.

“The New Haven Free Public Library is committed to removing barriers to digital access and ensuring free internet access is accessible to all our patrons,” said John Jessen, City Librarian. “We are proud to further our work towards equitable access to technology to help bridge the digital divide within our city. While we realize that this is not a magic bullet, we support Mayor Justin Elicker’s efforts to bring connectivity to the entire City and want to deeply thank our partners at the State Library of Connecticut and at Verizon and T-Mobile for their contributions in ensuring all citizens of New Haven can more easily participate in the digital and civic life of the city.”

The Library’s Chromebooks were provided through funding made available by the State of Connecticut as part of the CARES Act.  Customers may call any New Haven Free Public Library location to reserve a Chromebook, a hotspot, or both with instructions available in English and Spanish.  Presentation of a valid photo ID and library card is required.

[To check out a laptop from the downtown Ives library, please call (203) 946-8130, ext. 114. For a laptop from a branch library, please call that branch directly.]

Ives Gallery Open Call for 2020, Submission Deadline: Oct. 31, 2019

Lauren Bisio, New Haven Free Public Library

The New Haven Free Public Library seeks proposals for exhibitions in the Ives Gallery to take place during 2020.

The Ives Gallery is proud to exhibit work that reflects and celebrates the rich diversity of greater New Haven’s cultural community.

The Library is excited to receive proposals from the greater New Haven community. Eligible applicants include:

  • Individual, pairs or groups of artists
  • Independent curators
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Public or Private K-12 Schools, Colleges, Univer-sities as well as associated teachers and students

Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of members from the New Haven Free Public Library and the New Haven arts and culture community. During review of proposals, panelists will consider the following:

  • Artistic experience
  • Work is appropriate for Ives Gallery and public community
  • Work reflects the diversity of the community and/or provides opportunity for community enrichment or engagement
  • Exhibitor(s) has/have sufficient pieces for a gallery show
  • Quality and completeness of application

For more information and to download the Guidelines and Proposal, please visit nhfpl.org/ives-gallery-open-call.

ConnCAT and the NH Free Public Library Partner to Bring Culinary Excellence to the Green

The Connecticut Council for Arts and Technology (ConnCAT) and the NH Free Public Library (NHFPL) announced their newly minted partnership which enhances food options and brings culinary opportunities to New Haven’s nine squares.

Through this partnership, ConnCAT’s Orchid Cafe will open its doors in Ives Squared on the New Haven Green. This second location is set to bring the fruit of ConnCAT’s Culinary Arts Academy to the downtown area. Orchid on the Green opened August 12, and a grand opening celebration is slated for Monday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m.

“Our mission at ConnCAT has always been to assist community members in their efforts to grow, develop and improve their circumstances,” ConnCAT President and CEO, Erik Clemons said. “Supporting the community with job opportunities, entrepreneurial guidance and authentically welcoming spaces remain at the core of the work we do, and we’re excited to integrate that work into the long-standing mission of the NH Free Public Library. This partnership will allow us to deepen our commitment to New Haven while ensuring that community members have consistent access to Orchid’s nutritionally rich menu and social-ly responsible mission.”

“We are excited to welcome ConnCAT and its culinary arts café, Orchid on the Green, to Ives Squared, the library’s renovated space for 21st-century learning, entrepreneurship and civic engagement,” City Librarian Martha Brogan said. “The café is the social engine of Ives Squared, promoting the exchange of ideas in a convivial and relaxed atmosphere with an inventive food and beverage menu. With ConnCAT as our partner, we look forward to deepening our programmatic and service collaboration in support of our shared community values.”

Orchid Café’s premier location was established in 2017 as a full–service breakfast and lunch restaurant that provides training opportunities for participants in the ConnCAT Culinary Arts Academy. The culinary arts program trains adults in the areas of food and beverage operations, entrepreneurial skills, baking and pastry arts, and advanced culinary skills. Graduates also receive the national Food Service Protection Manager certification. The program is targeted to low-income individuals from New Haven, with approximately 25% formerly incarcerated individuals.

Orchid on the Green is an innovative opportunity for the two mission-driven organizations to grow, collaborate, and continue developing the pipeline of local talent.

Enjoy a 10% discount with your NHFPL library card and take in the view of the historic New Haven Green.

New Haven Free Public Library Wins National Award

NHFPL Press Release

The New Haven Free Public Library is one of ten recipients of the 2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. This prestigious award is the highest honor given to museums and libraries across the nation. The medal recognizes libraries and museums that provide unique programming and service to make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities.

Nilda Aponte will travel with Martha Brogan, City Librarian and Shana Schneider, NHFPL Board President, to the nation’s capital to accept the award in Washington, D.C. on June 12. Ms. Aponte serves as a community ambassador in the Fair Haven neighborhood for NHFPL’s signature partnership program with the Long Wharf Theatre.

“It is a pleasure to recognize the 10 distinctive recipients of the National Medal of Museum and Library Service,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew. “Through their programs, services, and partnerships, these institutions exemplify the many ways that libraries and museums are positively transforming communities across the nation.”

“We are thrilled to receive this award, which honors our 132-year legacy and early attributes that still ring true today: a welcoming front door for all, a fighting spirit to serve as the people’s university, a catalyst for civic improvement, a drive to innovate tempered by fiscal restraint, and a love of humanity,” said Martha Brogan, City Librarian.

We were nominated to receive this award by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy who wrote that “NHFPL goes above and beyond in terms of community involvement, in both the quantity and quality of its programming. In the 21st century, patrons require more and different things from their libraries than they once did. NHFPL has fully embraced this reality and established itself as an indispensable hub of culture and innovation.”

This award belongs to you, our community. We look forward to sharing this honor with you when we return from Washington. As a winning institution, we will receive $5,000 to enhance our programming. Additionally, this summer StoryCorps will visit NHFPL and capture stories from our community and preserve at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

New Haven Free Public Library Tapped as Finalist for National Award

by Ashley Sklar, NHFPL Public Services Administrator

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced that the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) is among the 30 finalists for the 2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.
The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to their communities. For 25 years, the award has celebrated institutions that demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service and are making a difference for individuals, families, and communities.

“The 30 National Medal finalists showcase the tremendous ability of libraries and museums to serve as vital community resources,” said IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew. “The Institute of Museum and Library Services is honored to recognize these leading institutions.”

Open to all, the NHFPL is a community pillar of learning, exploration and inspiration. Through community engagement, inclusive growth, and equity of access to resources and opportunities, the NHFPL builds connections as one city with one future.

“We are honored that the New Haven Free Public Library is a finalist for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, and appreciate the inaugural nomination by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut,” said City Librarian Martha Brogan. “We proudly share this nomination as recognition of our home, the community and the City of New Haven.”

“Share Your Story” about NHFPL on social media. IMLS is encouraging community members who have visited the NHFPL to share their story on social media. Please visit www.facebook.com/USIMLS or www.twitter.com/us_imls and use #IMLSmedals and #myNHFPLstory.

National Medal winners will be announced later this spring. Representatives from winning institutions will be honored for their extraordinary contributions at the National Medal Ceremony on June 12 in Washington, D.C.

To see the full list of finalists and learn more about the National Medal, visit the IMLS website www.imls.gov.

Ashley Sklar, nhfpl.org, [email protected], (203) 946-8835.

New Haven Free Public Library Augments Outreach to Residents in Need of Basic Services

by Ashley Sklar, NHFPL

A Community Engagement Award from the National Network of Library of Medicine (NNLM) will allow the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL) to expand its successful partnership with Liberty Community Services (LCS) beyond Ives Library to the Fair Haven and Wilson Branch Libraries starting this winter. The All of Us grant effectively doubles the hours of LCS counselors on-site at NHFPL locations and also provides funds to augment the library’s print collections on health and wellness in English and Spanish.

The goal of the NNLM grant is to strengthen health literacy and increase access to high-quality free health resources in partnership with public libraries. Integral to the NNLM grant, LCS staff members inform their library clients about MedlinePlus.gov, a freely available federal government website that aims to provide “information on health conditions, wellness issues and more in easy-to-read language.” The NNLM promotes public libraries’ vital role as trusted sources of health and wellness information in the community. Building towards that trust, NHFPL continues to foster its successful partnership with LCS, now in its sixth year. LCS offers one-on-one consultations at Ives Main Library for those with basic needs (jobs, food, shelter, and health and wellness issues), conducting 976 appointments and serving 563 individuals in 2018.

City Librarian Martha Brogan praised the collaboration, asserting that “NHFPL and LCS will continue to seek stable funding sources to sustain their productive partnership and to extend services to all five locations.”

Liberty Community Services Hours at NHFPL:

Ives Main Library, 133 Elm St.
* Mondays to Fridays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (last appointment at 2:30 p.m.)
* Saturdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (last appointment at 12:30 p.m.)

Fair Haven Branch Library, 182 Grand Ave.
* Thursdays, 5-7 p.m.
* Alternating Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (March: 9, 23; April: 6)

Wilson Branch Library, 303 Washington Ave.
* Tuesdays, 5-7 p.m., Alternating Saturdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (March: 2, 16, 30; April: 13, 27)

Ashley Sklar, Public Services Administrator, NHFPL, www.nhfpl.org, [email protected], office: (203) 946-8835.

Download Films for Free on Kanopy and Hoopla!

All you need is your library card from the New Haven Free Public Library!

Kanopy showcases more than 30,000 titles, including award-winning documentaries; acclaimed, rare and hard-to-find titles; classics films; and world cinema with collections from The Great Courses, Kino Lorber, and PBS among many others. Users are able to access Kanopy through a variety of devices and platforms, including Roku, Apple TV, iOS and Android.

Hoopla offers a huge collection of films, TV shows, educational videos, documentaries, music, audiobooks, e-books and comic books to enjoy straight from your browser, tablet, or smartphone! Easy to use with your library card — and no waiting!

Assortment of Library Events for New Haven Big Read 2018

by Eleanor Montgomery, New Haven Free Public Library

An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book.

The 2018 Big Read centers on Claudia Rankine’s book Citizen: An American Lyric, with related free events offered throughout greater New Haven. Citizen is a genre bending, award-winning, work of art combining lyric prose with internal monologues, visual art, slogans, photographs, quotes, a screen grab from YouTube, and film scripts. It is a touchstone for talking candidly about racism. Events are as follows.

Urban Experience Book Discussion Series Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
June 2, 12-1 p.m. Wilson Library, 303 Washington Avenue
New Haven NHFPL Librarian Marian Huggins will lead this discussion on Citizen by Claudia Rankine.

Film and Discussion: Whose Streets?
June 4, 5:30 p.m. Ives Main Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven
An account of the Ferguson uprising as told by the people who lived it. The filmmakers look at how the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown inspired a community to fight back and sparked a global movement. Discussion with Festival Fellows to follow.

Citywide Youth Coalition and Arts & Ideas Dinner & Dialogue: Internalized Racial Oppression and Exploring Citizenship Town Hall
June 7, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Ives Main Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven
Last June, our high Festival Fellows hosted a standing-room-only Town Hall meeting on gun violence. Join them this year as they explore the themes of Citizen, opening up a public discussion about the continuing epidemic of racial inequity in America.

Art Responding to Citizen Series
June 9
Hoodies: Katro Storm and Nasty Women CT Art Installation June 10, Artivism: A Workshop with Juancarlos Soto New Haven Green Art workshops and exhibition on the New Haven Green.

The Word Citizen Poetry Jam at Arts & Ideas
June 13, 7:30-9 p.m. First & Summerfield United Methodist Church, 425 College Street, New Haven
Select students and teachers from The Word’s New Haven Public Schools Citizen residencies will perform their poems and raps.

Racial Imaginary Ideas Program
June 16, 1:30 p.m. Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel Street, New Haven
Inspired by Claudia Rankine’s building of an extraordinary “Interdisciplinary Cultural Library” to provide a platform for artists and scholars to explore the idea of race. Essayist, poet, and curator of the Racial Imaginary Leronn P. Brooks will be joined by poet and lawyer Monica Youn for a discussion of this new model of art curation, collaboration, and its role in lifting voices that are otherwise unheard through galleries and museums.

Citywide Youth Coalition Dinner & Dialogue: Healing from the Trauma of Racism
June 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Ives Main Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven
Learning and experiencing healing practices.

For more information about these library programs, please contact Eleanor Montgomery at [email protected] or (203) 946-8130, Ext. 312.

Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series

Marian Huggins, New Haven Free Public Library

From November 2015 to the present, the Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Group is still going strong. We meet at the Wilson Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library. Sometimes there are twelve of us, sometimes four. Regardless of the number of attendees, we always have a lively discussion. The next meeting is Jan. 6, 2018 at noon, when we’ll be discussing Wesley Lowery’s book, They Can’t Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America’s Racial Justice Movement.

The Urban Life Experience Book Discussion Series is not necessarily about urban themes or urban people (although often this is the case) but the Wilson Library is an urban library, and many of us live in urban locations. For clarity, the books we read are not urban literature or “street lit.” Most of the books we choose are non-fiction, although we have read two novels: Ben Winter’s Underground Airlines and Paul Beatty’s The Sellout. We normally choose books that have to do with African American history and social justice issues. Many of our sons, grandsons, nephews, and friends have fallen through the cracks of the education system or have had experiences with over-zealous police officers. Many of us have friends or family members who have had experiences in the criminal justice system. All of us, as citizens, have a stake in the political atmosphere in our country.

The overriding reason we’re in this book discussion group is that we love to read. In the past, most of us have gobbled up any book on the bestsellers lists, whether it had any bearing on our lives or not (and to be honest, I still sneak in some bestselling fiction in between and am sure that the rest of the group does as well). In addition to being book-lovers, most of us are seeking a way to make a meaningful contribution to our communities. Meeting every six weeks or so to discuss a thought-provoking book is the beginning of community building.

Wilson Branch, New Haven Free Public Library, 303 Washington Ave., (203) 946-2228.

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