What's Going On - February 2024

From The Desk of the Executive Director

You won’t often hear me say this, but January was terrific! Our Annual Appeal event featured Stephan Tieszen, Second Principal violin at the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Stephan was so amazing we’re hoping to do more with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. And the food – what can I say. Eva makes a mean cake!

The next night Ife Michelle Gardin held our first meeting of the Social Justice Reader fellowship, welcoming nine new students into this program. If first impressions count for anything, it is going to be a great group.

So check out the programs for February, described below, including a film we will show that gives Valentine’s Day a little extra sparkle. You can count on us for a chance to meet up with like-minded folks for jazz, bridge, or story-sharing. We look forward to seeing you!

Jan

Click here to donate to the Institute Library's 2023-2024 Annual Appeal

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.

Programs and Events

Friday, February 9th

6:00p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

A Valentine from The Institute Library to all who want it....

A library member saw this movie at a film festival and felt strongly that the community here would want to see it, so we've arranged for a Valentine's Week screening of The Age of Love.

This event is free and open to all; please RSVP by clicking here.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17th

THE NEW GRAND TOUR:

A Cabin Fever Getaway

with painter

James Lancel McElhenney

3:00 - 5:00

Noted painter James Lancel McElhinney returns to the Institute Library to

relieve your

mid-winter cabin fever.

Come hear this fine artist -- and engaging raconteur -- speak of his travels, his work, and how travel changes the way we think about the world and what we see around us.

Tea and light refreshments will be served. No RSVP is required, and this event is open and free to all who wish to attend.

NEWS FROM THE GALLERY UPSTAIRS:

ATTENTION ARTISTS

The Gallery Upstairs at the Institute Library

wants YOU in the mix.

Celebrate Women’s Herstory month in style:

Please note: this is FREE and OPEN

TO ALL LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE, ALL GENDERS, IDENTIFICATIONS and AGES!

LOOK BOOK WILL BE

ON EXHIBIT

March 14- May 25^th 2024

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

ON THE OPEN CALL

FOR THE SPRING SHOW

The Next production by our friends at the

New Haven Theater Company

opens this month!

Cry It Out by

Molly Smith Metzler

February 22 & 29 @ 7:30 p.m.

February 23, 24, & March 1, 2 @ 8:00 p.m.

BUY TICKETS HERE

enter code LIBRARY to receive 10% off ticket price

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?)

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!

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, February 12 at 7:00 p.m.

(subject to change; please reach out to us for schedule confirmation)

Friday Happy Hour Jazz |

Fridays in February |

5:30-7:00 p.m.

An Eclectic Selection From Our Vinyl Collection

February 2 -- John Coltrane

February 9 -- The Art Ensemble of Chicago

February 16 -- Independent LP labels Strata-East and Black Saint

February 23 -- The World Saxophone Quartet

then, coming up in March:

MARCH 1 -- The Afro-Semitic Experience

Although always subject to change as to artistic spotlight , Friday HappyHour Jazz will continue a swinging tour of that great American art form, “LP Jazz”, meeting at 5:15 or so every Friday, in the third floor music room, to consider, contemplate and appreciate the wonders in the Collection.

Friday Happy Hour Jazz is, as always, a BYOB, BYO Snack evening; the crowd's always appreciative and always excited to see what people bring. Updates to the schedule, including inclement weather closures, 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.

Friday Happy Hour Jazz is

presented with support from Jazz Haven

www.jazzhaven.org

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.

Any questions about Story Sharing

should be directed to co-ordinator

Arnie Pritchard via email:

apritchard01@snet.net

The next Story Sharing evening will be Thursday, February 8, 2024.

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.

The Operations Manager's Offering:

Some of you may be aware that at the tag end of January, long-awaited plastering work began in our Biography Room. We are thrilled about this, and are happy to keep the plasterer in Bit O'Honeys while he's working, but this work does mean that our visitors shouldn't be hanging out in the Biography Room when the work is happening. It's just messy in there.

Fortunately, the fact that the Gallery is between shows means that we are able to set up ad hoc work spaces up in the Gallery (thank you, accommodating curators!) We have set up long work tables, put decent chairs around the tables, and so if you need work space where you can spread out papers and so on, it's totally here waiting for you -- on the third floor. For now.

One special note:

on Wednesday, February 7th,

a miniature film shoot will be happening in the Music Suite, and so it will not be available for public use from noon until about 3 p.m. Thank you for understanding and being accommodating.

There's a lot happening this month; no need to feel cooped up in your house or apartment when you can come here and enjoy a moment of your own mid-winter Enchanted April.

Onward, friends.

--Eva

Above is a stack of

recent acquisitions!

Zoom in to read the spines.

We have here biographies and some recent novels. One or two of you will nod happily,

seeing books you requested.

Come and get 'em, folks!

Wanna reserve a title?

Call us at

203-562-4045 or

email Eva@InstituteLibrary.org

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