News
Hartford Stage Tickets for "Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express" will be available Monday, February 5.
February 15 – March 18, 2018
Adapted for the Stage by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Emily Mann

Eight Suspects, One Thrilling Ride: The exotic Orient Express is about to go off the rails! With a locomotive full of suspects and an alibi for each one, it’s the perfect mystery for detective Hercule Poirot, n’est-ce pas? Wax your mustache and hold on to your passport—adapted from Agatha Christie’s masterpiece, two-time Tony-nominated playwright Ken Ludwig and multi-award-winning director Emily Mann will take you on a suspenseful, thrilling ride aboard the legendary Orient Express!

Running time is 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission. The show is recommended for patrons ages 12 and older.

Each of the seven branches of Hartford Public Library will have a two-ticket pass per eligible show. Hartford residents who are Hartford Public Library cardholders can check online to see where passes are available, but they must ask for them in person at any of the seven Library locations. 

Once you have reserved the tickets at a Library branch, you must confirm the seats by calling the box office at Hartford Stage, 860-527-5151.
Black History Month: Poetry
February 5, 5:30-7:00 pm
Park Branch

To kick off black History month celebration, professional Poet Clementine will visit the Park Branch to talk about Black History month, present her own poetry works, and provide guidance on poetry writing to the audience. This is a family program, geared for all ages.
Nutrition 101
Thursday February 8, 11:30 am-12:30 pm
Barbour Branch

Part of the Food Preparation & Tasting Series with a UCONN Nutrition Educator

Learn how to shop for and make nutritious meals and snacks, all for better health and quality of life.
Upcoming Classes
Downtown Library
FREE COMPUTER CLASSES 
  • Microsoft Excel 
  • Intro to computers
  • Internet Basics
  • Keyboarding & Mousercise  

Begins week of February 13
FREE SPANISH CLASSES
Level 1: Wednesdays, 6:00-8:00 pm, begins Feb. 13 

Level 2: Thursdays, 6:15-7:30 pm, begins Feb. 19 
ArtWalk Artist Talk:
 Robert Charles Hudson
The Door Of No Return
Saturday, February 3, 11:00 am
ARTWALK

Join us for an artist talk with the current featured ArtWalk artist Robert Charles Hudson.

Hudson says of his work: As an artist I journey through my memories for inspiration. This show, The Door of No Return, was inspired by the memory of my sister, Barbara Hudson. She first told me about The Door of No Return through her personal journey to the Ivory Coast where she experienced “The House of Slaves,” a pagoda-like structure where enslaved Africans were kept before their cruel journey to a new world...With my work, I am re-envisioning the last scene before they embarked on this horrific journey to the unknown...The story of this journey is a story of faith. If our collective memory teaches us anything, it is that our history repeats.
Take Your Child to the Library Day!
StoryFaces with Christopher Agostino
Saturday, Februar y 3, 2:00 pm

Audience volunteers are brought on stage and face painted to illustrate the stories as he tells them, fully engaging the audience with skillful spoken word performance combined with his unique visual art. There will also be games, crafts, and activities all day!
Baby Grand Jazz Series: Sinan Bakir
Sunday, February 4, 3:00 pm
Center for Contemporary Culture

Turkish guitarist/composer Sinan Bakir is noted as a virtuoso player and a masterful composer by the music critics and his peers. Sinan’s early musical experience started with mandolin lessons followed by an audition leading to the Ankara State Opera Children’s Choir. His all original debut album “On My Way”(2009) with bassist Thomson Kneeland and drummer Mark Ferber, followed by a quartet recording titled “Tales and Stories”(2012) with pianist Warren Byrd. Both albums received critical praise. Bakir teaches and performs as a soloist and in groups.

Pianist Tim Peck is Artist-in-Residence and Director of Contemporary Music at Pomfret School, a coeducation boarding and day school, where he guides students through a centuries-old musical conversation, teaching courses in Contemporary Music, musicianship, composition, and music production.Tim received his Master of Music in Modern American Music from the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA.​

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 2:00 pm. 

Since its start in 2002, Baby Grand Jazz has continued to grow and draw more people to the series every year. With this increase in popularity, we have heard your feedback and are here to serve. Hartford Public Library now offers new overflow accommodations within the Library where you can view the livestream of every Baby Grand Jazz performance. Come to rooms 140 and 141 to watch. They will be available until filled to capacity.

HPL will livestream all concerts and post them for later viewing on its website. Visit www.hplct.org for more details.

This series is made possible by the Kaman Foundation.
A special thanks to all of our donors and sponsors who help make these programs possible.
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Upcoming
Free GED Prep Course

Thursdays 1:00-3:00 pm and 6:00-8:00 pm
Drop in (no registration required) for a free informational session about the options available for adults to earn a high school degree and learn about a free online GED Test Preparation Course.
College Counseling

Saturday, February 3, 11:00 am-1:00 pm
Are you planning on going to college or do you have a college-bound teen? Come into Albany Branch and speak with a college counselor about all things college, including financial aid information, college essay help, and high school to college advice.
Now You Know: NOTAN

Tuesday, February 6 , 3:30–4:30 pm
Notan is a Japanese paper craft that explores line and shape, light and dark and positive and negative space. Join us for a relaxing hands-on project that can be as simple or complex as you would like to design it. 
Animation Film Festival

Thursday, February 8, 3:30-4:30
Come and learn how to create your own movie in 30 minutes. Enjoy a small film festival with program participants at the end.
Winter Olympics

BARBOUR BRANCH
Week of February 5th
The 23rd Winter Olympic Games will be held February 9 - 25, 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Come to the library while we gear up to celebrate the games and the athletes. There will be indoor Olympic games and crafts celebrating this international event that happens every four years. 
Hartford Public Library | 860.695.6300 | hplct.org