The Westport Library Honors Sarah Jessica Parker At Annual 'BOOKED For The Evening' Celebration

News release from the Westport Library:

WESTPORT, CT — BOOKED for the evening celebrated its 26th edition in the highest of style, welcoming Emmy Award-winning actor, producer, publisher, and businesswoman Sarah Jessica Parker to The Westport Library’s Trefz Forum on Wednesday, September 10.

It was a magical evening, with more than 650 supporters on hand for the Library’s largest annual fundraiser. A cocktail hour, furnished by Marcia Selden Catering, preceded the evening’s main event, which featured a performance by Broadway star Kelli O’Hara (supported by renowned pianist Dan Lipton), remarks from two-time Tony Award winner James Naughton and Zando publishing founder Molly Stern, and a series of video tributes — from TV personality Andy Cohen; Sex and the City co-stars Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, and Mario Cantone; Wendy Whelan, New York City Ballet associate artistic director; a host of authors from Parker’s literary imprint, including Kim Coleman Foote and Alina Grabowski; and many more.

Parker was gracious and eloquent on stage. In conversation with library trailblazer and former Westport Library Executive Director Maxine Bleiweis, she spoke openly about her passion for books, her first memories of reading and visiting her childhood library in Cincinnati, informal book clubs with her daughter, and much, much more. She also demurred at being celebrated on stage, ceding the spotlight whenever possible to the joy of reading and the importance of libraries.

— Photo credit: Photo credit: Dave Dellinger Photography | For The Westport Library

“I prefer not to receive awards, because generally speaking, I don’t believe that I’ve earned them or that I’m deserving or that I’m worthy, so I always like to find someone I can hand the award off to as the rightful owner,” Parker said. “But when a library calls, my response, my instinct, is to say yes, no matter what. The only reason I was slow to say so was simply scheduling. And I thought maybe I could plot a way to not have to be the recipient of any of this, and just simply talk about libraries. But that was not to be — you all had a larger master plan which I could not compete with.”

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.

— Photo credit: Photo credit: Dave Dellinger Photography | For The Westport Library

In that, Parker was an ideal honoree. While best known for playing Carrie Bradshaw, the New York City-based newspaper columnist and fashion icon on Sex and the City and And Just Like That, Parker is also a passionate advocate for books and libraries. In 2023, she launched SJP Lit, a literary imprint of Zando focused on underrepresented voices, after previously serving as the editorial director for SJP for Hogarth.

In addition to receiving The Westport Library Award, Parker received the PEN/Audible Literary Service Award earlier this year, and she is also serving asa judge for the 2025 Booker Prize, a role she spoke of with awe Wednesday evening, while also noting that it has required her to read more than 170 books in a year — “the greatest burden in the world if you’re a greedy reader,” she noted.

— Photo credit: Dave Dellinger Photography | For The Westport Library

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

Parker covered much of that ground and more during her conversation with Bleiweis, three books from her SJP Lit imprint separating them, and closed the evening by receiving a Westport Library card from Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer — “You’re one of us now, and we couldn’t be happier about that,” he said — and also a special gift: a crossword puzzle designed by renowned puzzle constructor Robyn Weintraub and presented by legendary New York Times puzzle master Will Shortz.

— Photo credit: Photo credit: Dave Dellinger Photography | For The Westport Library

“I’m so stunned and embarrassed and completely tickled,” Parker said. “This will put me in good stead with a lot of people who do the puzzle in pen, so thank you. And to everybody here, I’ve said it earlier and it’s worth repeating, thank you so much for your hospitality and for spending this much time. I know it’s because you love your library, and it’s awfully deserving of that. We should have these kinds of communities — libraries that are supported like this — across the country. And it’s enormously inspiring to make sure that’s the case in every town, in every city, in every village, in every parish.”

Harmer said in wrapping up the evening: “Nights like this remind us of the power of the public library and what defines not just this library but every library. At their core, libraries are about lifelong learning and creating access for all — and in the power of libraries to ignite our imaginations.”

— Photo credit: Dave Dellinger Photography | For The Westport Library

Previous BOOKED for the evening 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.

In addition to Marcia Selden Catering, partners for the 2025 BOOKED for the evening celebration were Barn Brew Co., official florist Blossom + Stem Floral Design, Durants Party Rentals, J. McLaughlin, Kindred Spirits & Wine, LaSource, Lux Bond & Green, Smith Party Rentals, and media partner Westport Magazine.