Message from the CEO

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. Your library card is not only your ticket to check out books and movies, but also offers access to our many databases. Discover your ancestors with Ancestry.com or learn a language with Pronunciator. We also circulate museum passes, rolling pins, telescopes and even sewing machines. Do you want to learn to play the ukulele? Check one out at the library for your first couple of lessons to see if you really like it.

Speaking of trying new things, stop by on September 9 during Arts & Crafts on Bedford for our MakeFest, a celebration of makers and creativity. Play a retro video game or make a custom button. And don’t miss the Friends book sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. outside the library. If you don’t have a library card, it’s the perfect day to get one. You might just want to check out a book or two during your visit. 

--Alice Knapp, CEO

Holiday Hours

The library will be closed Sunday, September 3 and Monday, September 4 for the Labor Day holiday. Visit us anytime online at fergusonlibrary.org. 

Friends Author Series

Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee

Meet Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee September 12. He will discuss his book The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human, the story of how scientists discovered cells, began to understand them, and are now using that knowledge to create new humans. The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Siobhan Dolan, Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stamford Health.

A reception will be held at 6 p.m., followed by the program from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for general admission, $25 for Friends members. General admission tickets include a Friends membership through December 2023. All guests will receive a copy of The Song of the Cell. Book sale and signing by Elm Street Books. Purchase tickets here. Presented in partnership with Stamford Health.

Save the date: On October 5 we welcome back famed chef Jacques Pépin, who will talk about his new book, Cooking My Way. Purchase tickets here.

Read a Challenged Book

One of our roles as a book sanctuary library is to collect and protect endangered books. With book bans and challenges on the rise nationwide, standing up for the freedom to read is more important than ever. Intellectual freedom is the cornerstone of our democracy and one of the Ferguson Library’s foundational principles.

We have created a created a special collection of banned and challenged books to ensure our community has access to these materials, some of which are award winners and classic literature.

Take a look at the Challenged Book display at the Main Library and make up your own mind about what you want to read. We have additional copies of the books on display if you would like to borrow one.

Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Memorial Lecture

Richard A. Robinson, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, will discuss the elements of leadership and what it takes to be a respected and productive leader at the inaugural Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Memorial Lecture Saturday, September 30 at 1 p.m. at the Main Library. Register here.

Library Receives Mental Health Awareness Grant

The University of Massachusetts Network of the National Library of Medicine has awarded the Ferguson Library a $9,400 grant to curate a series of programs and resources promoting mental health awareness. Starting this fall, we will be offering a Mental Health & Wellness Series, including programs such as art therapy, stress management, yoga, meditation and more. Look for new books in our collection on the subject of mental health and keep an eye on our calendar and weekly e-newsletter for more information.

Art Exhibit Opens October 3

Our fall art exhibit, Connecting Nature and People, launches October 3 at 6 p.m. with an opening reception at the Main Library. The juried show, curated by the Stamford Art Association, features works by local and regional artists. The exhibit will be on view through January 18, 2024.

Library’s Passport Office Celebrates

25 Years of Service

We make it easy to get a passport. The Passport Office at the Main Library is open seven days a week by appointment and on a walk-in basis. We also offer passport services at the Harry Bennett Branch Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for walk-ins only. We take photos, too! Please check the passport page for hours or call 203 351-8298 for more information.

25th Anniversary Celebration

Join us on Saturday, September 2 at the Harry Bennett Branch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for an anniversary celebration. We'll be offering snacks and prizes to anyone who submits a passport application that day.

  Digital Library: Ancestry.com

Discover fascinating details about the lives of your ancestors with Ancestry.com library edition. Easily search birth, death, marriage, probate, military and immigration records, and use the downloadable charts and forms to organize your research. Ancestry.com now features the recently released 1950 U. S. Census and is constantly adding great new content from international genealogical sources. It is available for use on-site at any library location.

Friends of the Ferguson Library

Arts & Crafts on Bedford

Start your holiday shopping early! Stop by the Book Shop table at Arts & Crafts on Bedford Saturday, September 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They’ll be selling beautiful arts, crafts, gardening and kids’ books outside the Main Library during this annual street festival.

Friends Volunteer Appreciation Event

Are you a Friends member or volunteer? We want to say thank you! Please come to a special appreciation event Tuesday, September 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Harry Bennett Branch. Enjoy good food and meet others who are passionate about the library.

Bag Sale

Don’t miss the Book Shop's Bag Sale Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, October 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Harry Bennett Branch. Fill a bag with books for $15. Includes all books and media.

Staff Recommends:

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Tribe: Portraits of Cuba by Carlos Manuel Álvarez

The Boy Who Reached for the Stars by Elio Morillo

The Dominican Kitchen: Homestyle Recipes That Celebrate the Flavors, Traditions, and Culture of the Dominican Republic by Vanessa Mota

as Madres by Esmeralda Santiago

Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of “Latino” by Héctor Tobar

Library Hours

Main Library

96 Broad Street

Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

Weed Memorial & Hollander Branch

1143 Hope Street

Monday, Wednesday & Thurs, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Harry Bennett Branch

115 Vine Road

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

South End Branch

34 Woodland Avenue

Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Passport Services

Appointments at the Main Library take precedence and are recommended. For more information or to make an appointment, visit our Passport page or call 203 351-8298.

Main Library Passport hours:

Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Sunday 1 to 4 p.m.

Harry Bennett Passport hours:

Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

(WALK-IN ONLY at Harry Bennett)