As we wrap up Women's History Month, we're highlighting female philanthropists and can-do thinkers.

Learn all about Virginia Marquand Monroe, the female philanthropist who founded Pequot Library, during Out of the Vault | Founder's Day with Special Collections Librarian Cecily Dyer, on April 27 at 2:00 p.m.

EXHIBITION CONNECTION  

Douceurs, including A Mother’s Remarks on a Set of Cuts by Ellenor Fenn
Philadelphia: Jacob Johnson, c. 1804
Pequot Library Special Collections

Lady Ellenor Fenn (1744-1813) was a British author born into the landed gentry. She published anonymously under the pseudonyms “Mrs. Teachwell” and “Mrs. Lovechild.” She was among a number of British women who spearheaded a new genre of didactic books for children aimed at the gentry and middle-class that they hoped would instill morality, good behavior, and rational discourse in young children and replace “injurious” chapbooks containing fairy tales and other stories that might lead children to believe in the supernatural.

The Douceurs box displayed in our current exhibition, Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children's Books and the Shaping of American Identity, was created in Philadelphia circa 1804 and is likely a pirated adaptation of the British version. The box includes illustrated cards and a number of different books which allow it to be used for children of different ages and skill levels. 

Lady Ellenor Fenn

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Thursday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m.

The New England Primer: A Digital Conversation with Dr. Kyle Roberts and Laura Wasowicz

Pequot Library holds one of the finest collections of The New-England Primer—a book that features prominently in our current exhibition, Alphabets, Bedtime Stories, and Cautionary Tales: Children’s Books and the Shaping of American Identity. The Primer was first printed between 1683 and 1690 and was the first book published for children in the American colonies. It was considered a staple of Puritan New England homes, teaching letters, reading, and religion. Editions printed later varied widely from town to town and over time, reflecting the evolving religious and political views that adults considered important to impart to American children.

Join scholars Kyle Roberts and Laura Wasowicz on for a lively online discussion on the influence and impact of The New-England Primer. The speakers will unpack the fascinating and complex cultural history of the Primer and will discuss some of Pequot Library’s own holdings with Special Collections Librarian, Cecily Dyer.

Dr. Kyle Roberts is the former Associate Director of Library and Museum Programming of the American Philosophical Society Library & Museum and the current Executive Director of the Congregational Library and Archives.

Laura Wasowicz is the curator of children’s literature at the American Antiquarian Society. She assists researchers in accessing relevant titles from the AAS Children’s Literature collection and acquires and catalogs additional titles for the collection. 

Tuesday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Digital Author Talk: Pam Jenoff

Join us for an exciting trip through time as we chat virtually with New York Times bestselling historical fiction author Pam Jenoff about her newest book, Code Name Sapphire! It’s 1942, and Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, Hannah must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.

Click Here to View the More Information About Pequot Library Digital Digest E-Newsletter - March 25, 2023