Sarah Jessica Parker To Receive Honor At Westport Library Event

WESTPORT, CT — Sarah Jessica Parker, the Emmy Award-winning actor, producer, publisher, and businesswoman, will be honored on Sept. 10 at the 26th edition of "BOOKED for the evening," the Westport Library's signature fundraising event.

Tickets for the event will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Aug. 12. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available on the BOOKED for the evening page or by contacting Development Director Robin Powell at rpowell@westportlibrary.org.

"Sarah Jessica Parker is not only an esteemed actor and successful producer," said Bill Harmer, the library’s executive director, in a statement. "She is also a powerful voice speaking about the importance of reading and of literature, and the important role that libraries play as American civic institutions. We could not possibly be more delighted to have her coming to the Library, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce her to all her fans and admirers in Westport."

Previous award recipients include 2024 guest of honor Billie Jean King, as well as luminaries such as Tom Brokaw, E.L. Doctorow, Calvin Trillin, Wendy Wasserstein, Pete Hamill, Martin Scorsese, Arthur Mitchell, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Halberstam, Oscar Hijuelos, Adam Gopnik, Will Shortz, Patti Smith, Barry Levinson, Jon Meacham, Nile Rodgers, Lynsey Addario, Ron Chernow, Alan Alda, Justin Paul, Frederic Chiu, Itzhak Perlman, Shonda Rhimes, and Laura Linney.

BOOKED for the evening annually honors an individual whose work reflects the purpose of the Library: to nurture a love of learning and to enhance our understanding of the world.

From the BOOKED for the evening announcement:

Parker, a notable advocate for literature and libraries, has built a distinguished career both as an entertainer and champion of the written word. In 2023, she launched SJP Lit, a literary imprint focused on underrepresented voices, and she previously served as editorial director for SJP for Hogarth. She currently serves as a judge for the Booker Prize and received the PEN/Audible Literary Service Award earlier this year.

Her commitment to literature extends beyond publishing. Parker has served as honorary chair of the American Library Association’s Central Book Club and as a board member of United for Libraries. She also executive produced The Librarians, a film about the fight against book bans which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

“Reading fiction is the gateway to other cultures, traditions, smells, sounds, personal triumphs, and disappointments,” Parker said. “It is the transport to empathy, compassion, and greater understanding of lives wonderfully different from my own.”

As an actor, Parker has won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards. She currently stars as Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO series And Just Like That, the acclaimed revival of Sex and the City. Her film credits include L.A. Story, The Family Stone, Honeymoon in Vegas, State and Main, Ed Wood, and Footloose. Through her production company, Pretty Matches Productions, she developed HBO’sDivorce, in which she starred for three seasons and received a Golden Globe nomination.

Parker has also maintained a strong presence in theater since 1976, when she debuted on Broadway in The Innocents. She most recently starred opposite Matthew Broderick in the revival of Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite, earning a nomination for Best Actress at the 2024 Olivier Awards.

Through her literary work, Parker has championed diverse voices and stories. SJP Lit’s recent titles include They Dream in Gold by Mai Sennaar, Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski, A Quitter’s Paradise by Elysha Chang, and Coleman Hill by Kim Coleman Foote. With SJP for Hogarth, Parker published A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza, Golden Child by Claire Adam, and Dawn by Selahattin Demirtas.

Throughout Parker’s work, her advocacy for intellectual freedom and library access has been unwavering.

“To censor a book is to limit imagination, curiosity, connection, empathy and inspiration,” she said during her PEN America Gala acceptance speech. “Libraries aren’t just buildings with shelves. They are a beacon. They are warm in the winter and cool in summer, and they are sanctuaries of possibility. They are a heartbeat of the neighborhood.”

In addition to her career, advocacy, and literary work, Parker served on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities during the Obama administration and is currently vice chairman of the board of directors for the New York City Ballet.

BOOKED for the evening with Sarah Jessica Parker
Wednesday, September 10
8 p.m.
Trefz Forum, The Westport Library
Ticket on-sale: Tuesday, August 12, 10 am
Sponsorship opportunities available now