Pequot Library Announces January Programs & Events

News release from Pequot Library:

FAIRFIELD, CT — Pequot Library holds a number of January programs that are free and open to the public and will appeal to attendees both young and old. Of particular note, New York Times style reporter Guy Trebay appears in conversation with Chris Frantz of Talking Heads fame on Jan. 11 at 2:00 p.m., and bestselling author and artist Anna Marie Tendler appears for a Meet the Author on Jan. 18 at 2:00 p.m. Please read on for more details.

On Jan. 4 at 2:00 p.m., you’re invited to Pequot Library History Day: An Afternoon with Wes Haynes and Cecily Dyer. This program is organized in conjunction with the current exhibition, A Community Treasure: Pequot Library Turns 135, and occurs on the final day that it will be on view. Special Collections Librarian Cecily Dyer will give an expansive talk illustrating the founding of Pequot Library. Historic preservationist, nonprofit administrator, and Pequot Library board member Wes Haynes will detail the unique facets and architectural characteristics that make Pequot Library and its peers throughout the state so significant.

On Jan. 11 at 10:00 a.m., enjoy a docent-led tour of the library, and architectural gem listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recipient of the 2018 Connecticut Treasures Award. Learn about the history of the library, founded in 1889, while exploring the building’s iconic Tiffany & Company stained glass windows, original steel stacks, glass floor, reading room, and original fireplaces. To arrange a private tour for a book club, garden club, or other civic group, please email publicprograms@pequotlibrary.org.

Meet the Author: An Afternoon with Guy Trebay and Chris Frantz comes on Jan. 11 at 2:00 p.m. Trebay has chronicled culture, both high and low, for decades, writing for The New Yorker, the Village Voice, Interview, Esquire, and Artforum. He has served as a style reporter and critic for The New York Times for the last two decades. In his new memoir, Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of ’70s New York, Trebay details his upbringing, as well as the unique zeitgeist of 1970s New York City. He'll be in conversation with Chris Frantz, drummer for both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m., the public is invited to watch the Bridgeport Public Schools Debate League. Teams from Bridgeport middle and high schools will debate issues related to civil rights.

On Jan. 18 at 2:00 p.m., don’t miss Meet the Author: Anna Marie Tendler. Join this New York Times bestselling author for an important and timely discussion regarding gender, mental health, and more. Her new memoir, Men Have Called Her Crazy, was recently released to rave reviews from New York Magazine, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Tendler will be in conversation with Shannon Kelley, Director of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Fairfield University.

The Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestra competition takes place on Jan. 25 at 1:00 p.m. Be wowed by GCTYO’s most accomplished musicians as they vie for a $500 prize and the chance to perform as soloist at the Spring Concert.

Also on Jan. 25, at 3:00 p.m., join the library for the Opening Reception of The Tinderbox of the Civil War: 1830s Abolitionism in Connecticut. Enjoy a conversation and gallery tour led by Special Collections Librarian Cecily Dyer. The Tinderbox of the Civil War: 1830s Abolitionism in Connecticut reveals forgotten stories of the abolitionists who opposed racial injustice through political organizing, education, and legal means, all while facing fervent opposition and mob violence. The exhibition features publications from Pequot Library’s Special Collections including Catherine Beecher’s 1837 response to Angelina Grimké’s abolitionist efforts; the Charter Oak anti-slavery newspaper; and reports from the local trials of educator Prudence Crandall and the freedom seekers of the Amistad. This exhibition will remain on view from January 25 to May 10, 2025.

Pequot Library, in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium, presents three virtual author talks during the month of January. On Jan. 15 at 7:00 p.m., tune in for The Magic of Found Family: In Virtual Conversation with Author TJ Klune, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Extraordinaries, and more. Notes on Modern Irrationality with Bestselling Author Amanda Montell takes place on Jan. 23 at 2:00 p.m. Montell is the author of the acclaimed books Wordslut, Cultish, and The Age of Magical Overthinking. On Jan. 28 at 1:00 p.m., don’t miss An Inside Look at Working with a Literary Agent: A Virtual Conversation with Seth Fishman. Fishman is a Vice President and Literary Agent at The Gernert Company.

Check Pequot Library’s website for more information on ongoing and regular meet-ups and programs, almost all of which are free and open to the public. You’ll discover gems such as Music and Movement for Wigglers, Teen Advisory Board, and the Knitingales.