What's Going On - December 2023 | | |
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From The Desk of the Executive Director | |
We’ve begun the holiday season with a rip-roaring near disaster when our heating system failed just before our holiday party. It was a cold, cold week at the Institute Library, but at the eleventh hour (3:15 Friday afternoon), the heat came on, and Malachi Dre Beasley and the Yale Alley Cats put on a stellar show!
This has matched up beautifully with this year’s Annual Appeal. It is a reminder that, although
we have a bond to repair our lovely but aging building and mechanical systems, it does not cover the cost of repairs and maintenance – or fuel or staffing or program costs or collection development. For this, we rely on our wonderful community of fellow lovers of the eclectic. I hope you can find time this holiday season to support the library by donating to the annual appeal. Help us keep the lights on and the doors open. We would love to extend our hours and can only do this if enough kind souls help us raise the funds.
And, as always, your membership helps tremendously. If you are enrolled at $30, won’t you consider increasing your member to $65? Or give a membership as a gift, a great stocking
stuffer!
Wishing you all peaceful holidays surrounded by loving friends and family,
All the best,
Jan
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An Important Note about Driving and Parking on Chapel Street:
The east bound side of Chapel Street (across from the Library) is closed to traffic for the nonce. Traffic detours around the block (along Church Street to Elm to Orange to Chapel), and there is no street parking on our block of Chapel. This detour is to accommodate the construction of two buildings currently under construction. The west bound side of Chapel remains open. We expect traffic and parking to be restored to something approaching normal in late winter/early spring 2024. Regardless: We are open! There are many parking garages, including two on State Street, one and a half blocks from the library. Please call us if you have any concerns.
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Holiday Schedule
As is traditional, the staff and volunteers of the Institute Library
will take a well-deserved break at the end of December.
The Library will close on December 22nd (after Friday Night Jazz)
and remain closed until
Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
We wish all of you a happy holiday of your choice, as you see fit,
and a very merry New Year.
(Friday Night Jazz will happen on December 29th -- see below for details).
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NEWS FROM THE GALLERY UPSTAIRS: | |
Mysterious Circumstances is still hanging in the Gallery, and will be on view until January 24th, 2024. Do not miss seeing this show! | |
DOWNTOWN BRIDGE:
The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Bridge Game at
847 Chapel Street
If you'd like to be added to the email list of players (because sometimes the schedule has to change), please reach out to
Eva Geertz: Eva@InstituteLibrary.org
The secret population of
closet bridge players
and aspiring bridge players
in our midst
now meet Second Mondays
(but there is talk of a second night maybe?)
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The evenings start at 7:00 and run about 90 minutes. We've got several tables available, and decks of cards, and even score pads! | |
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Folks who haven't played in years, folks who are just starting to learn to play,
and expert old hands -- all are welcome!
Hoping to see you here - we are organizing now for:
Monday, December 11th at 7:00 p.m.
(subject to change; please reach out to us for schedule confirmation)
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Friday Happy Hour Jazz |
Fridays in October | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
December 1 -- Preempted by the Institute Library Holiday Party!
December 8 -- Two great 60s Big Band sessions: Oliver Nelson’s Afro-American Sketches” and the Kenny Clark/Francy Boland Big Band “Fire, Heat, Soul and Guts”
December 15 -- Bobby Hutcherson
December 22 -- Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
December 29 -- This will be the launch of Frank’s Fabulous Fifty, 50 LPs Frank considers to be under appreciated masterpieces. All are from the period, 1953 - 1985 in which all good music was released on long playing records, even the jukebox 45s.
Join a congenial little group up on the third floor of the Institute Library to listen to recordings you forgot about or never knew about and stick around a bit to discuss the music! BYOB beverage and treat.
Updates will be provided via the internal Jazz email list. Want to be added to that list? Let us know!
Please consider making a $5 donation when you come to Friday Happy Hour Jazz.
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Story Sharing
at
The Institute Library
Second Thursdays monthly from 7:00 - 9:00
Have you ever thought you had a story you wanted to tell? If you're a person on this earth, the odds are, probably yes. Everyone's got a story to tell, and this program might be how you start to tell it to the world.
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Any questions about Story Sharing
should be directed to co-ordinator
Arnie Pritchard via email:
apritchard01@snet.net
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People share stories at any stage of development,
from maybe-this-is-a-story first tries
to polished pieces.
Maybe your story is about a personal experience; maybe it's a favorite folk tale, or a story you made up to tell your child, or a family legend. Maybe it's something else entirely! Those who wish it get feedback from the group. People may also come just to listen. The meetings are laid-back and mellow. Anyone may join the Story Sharing group at any time; no experience is required.
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The Operations Manager's Offering:
The end of November and start of December had a distinct chill up here at 847 Chapel Street. Our furnace, which is quite elderly and more than a little forgetful, decided it had had enough and refused to work. The Library's internal temperature held at a steady 48 degrees for several days, which was less than delightful.
Nevertheless, we persisted: The doors were opened, and volunteers decked halls while we waited for our determined furnace guy, Bobby, to coax the beast in the basement into good behavior. At 3:15 on Friday, December 1st, just a couple hours before we expected guests to arrive for our Holiday Party, the heat came on.
This kind of thing is -- I'm sorry to say -- how things often go around here. We have a challenge that seems impossible to face; nevertheless, we persist. The Bobbys of the world work with us; we put on extra sweaters; we load in food and drink and are simply determined to not let problems stop us from doing what we do. And no one does it like we do.
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Got questions? Email Eva@InstituteLibrary.org | |
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If you are stuck for a gift idea for one of your favorite people, do consider giving them a membership to the Institute Library. Membership prices start at a relatively humble $30/year, and membership here has many virtues:
- Library membership does not take up permanent space in anyone's house
- Membership cards look cool
- we've got so many books a bookish person is likely to want to read, and super-comfy chairs to laze in
- you're supporting New Haven's oldest independent literary and cultural organization
- We are happy to do a nifty little card-in-an envelope thing for you so you don't feel like you're giving someone just another gift card
- Library membership is not illegal, immoral, or fattening
- AND THERE'S MORE, but I don't want to sound pedantic.
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Hours of Operation
Closed Sunday & Monday | Tuesday-Friday: 11:00-5:00 | Saturday: 12:00-2:00
Location
The Institute Library, 847 Chapel St, New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 562-4045
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