Unveiling Our Favorite Fictional Library Heroes: Celebrating National Library Week 2024!

by the NHFPL Communications and Marketing Team | Originally published April 7, 2024 It’s National Library Week 2024 and we’re celebrating by recognizing some of our staff’s favorite fictional library workers! We held an informal staff poll asking the question “Who is your favorite library worker from literature, stage, and screen?,” and the responses were … Continued

Celebrate Autism and Neurodiversity with the New Haven Free Public Library

Libraries play an important role in promoting inclusivity and celebrating diversity in all its forms. Neurodiversity is no exception. The term “neurodiversity” is used to describe the differences in human brains and behavior. Neurodivergence includes a variety of different conditions including but not limited to ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more. Since April is Autism Acceptance Month, let’s take a moment to highlight some of our programs and services that benefit the neurodivergent community in New Haven.

Unveiling NHFPL’s Top Reads of 2023!

Hold onto your reading glasses!

As we step into 2024, it’s time to reflect on the literary adventures that captivated New Haven readers last year. We’re thrilled to share with you the Top 50 most popular books borrowed from the Library in 2023!

This list offers a fascinating glimpse into the literary landscape of the Elm City, showcasing the diverse tastes and interests of our community. So, grab your favorite reading nook and cozy up as we unveil the reads that kept New Haven turning pages in 2023.

New On Shelf – December 2023

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due – A Book to watch out for in December This month, Marian Huggins, Mitchell Branch Manager talks about a title she purchased for her branch. One of the latest books purchased for the Mitchell Branch is The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. I was never truly a horror fan, but the storytelling is … Continued

Our Summer Beach Read Picks!

It’s that season when many begin their annual pilgrimage to local (and distant) beaches and attempt to achieve that summer glow!  What better way to entertain yourself while working on that tan than with a new summer beach read?    Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Happy Place by Emily Henry The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand … Continued

The Results are in for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards

by Jennifer Gargiulo, Manager, Ives Squared It’s that time of year again, where Goodreads bombards it’s users with requests to vote on the Goodreads Choice Awards. Now, I’m all for book awards…I have even participated in and chaired awards committees. So while I’m not super fond of the way this particular award is selected, in … Continued

Black and white photographs of Fyodor Dostoevsky, Boris Pasternak, Anna Akhmatova, Alexander Solzhentisyten, Nadezhda and Osip Mandelstam, Maxim Gorky, and Mikhail Bulgakov

Lessons on Social Commentary and Censorship From Russian Literary Classics

Written by Julia Chamberlain In March of 2022, the University of Milano-Bicocca canceled a planned course in Russian literature as an act of protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Although the university quickly reversed its decision, the debate alone points to a disquieting comfort with censorship. No one can doubt the sincerity of the … Continued

What is fanfiction and is it worth reading?

By Rose Simpson, Community Technology Librarian Maybe you’ve been in a situation like this before: you just finished a popular young adult novel and you want to read more books like it, but you’ve already read all the similar books the librarians recommend. Or perhaps your favorite series just finished and you’re so excited about … Continued