CrimeCONN Mystery Lovers' Conference
Saturday May 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium

Annual CrimeCONN Mystery Lovers' Conference. Presented by the Friends of the Ferguson Library and the Mystery Writers of America/NY chapter, this day-long conference features authors and real-life crime fighters who will examine the future of this popular genre. Join us to investigate the shape of things to come!

CrimeCONN is a hybrid event with in-person and Zoom ticket options available. Tickets are $60 per person; $45 for MWA and Friends members, seniors and students. Livestream registration is $25 per person. Buy Tickets Here.

Worldfest 2023: One City, Many Cultures
Sunday, May 7 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
Celebrate the rich cultural traditions and vibrant heritage of Stamford's diverse community through dance, music and food that represent a variety of different countries.
Presented in partnership with En Vivo con Maricarmen, Maya Restaurant and the Mayor's Multicultural Council.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

Be Part of the Tiny Art Show

Community artists of all ages display their work in May. Opening receptions will be celebrated Wednesdays, May 3 at the Weed Memorial & Hollander Branch and May 17 at Harry Bennett, both from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and May 10 at the Main Library from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
    
Happening Today!
This program has a wait list.
Woodworking Workshop: Build a Birdhouse
Saturday, April 29 from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Lower Level Community Area
Master woodworker Mark Andreas will teach basic techniques needed to assemble a birdhouse using pre-cut pieces of wood. All supplies provided. One birdhouse per family. Grades 6 and older. Attendees younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration required.

PROGRAMS

Happening Today!
Friends of the Ferguson Library Collectible Book Sale
Saturday, April 29 from 10 to 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Find signed copies, classics, first and special editions for children and adults, unique publications on art, cooking and history, vinyl records, decorative objects and more. Proceeds benefit the library.
    
U.S. Citizenship Course
Monday, May 1 and Thursday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Third Floor Technology Center
Six-week study course for the U.S. Naturalization Test. Students must read, write and comprehend basic English. Applicants 50 and older with 20 years of legal, permanent residency, or 55 and up with 15 years of legal, permanent residency, could be excused from the English literacy required. Registration required.

A Conversation with Carla A. Harris
Monday May 1 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
Harris will discuss her latest book Lead To Win, a practical advice-filled touchstone for anyone who wants to influence and lead others to make positive change. The senior client advisor at Morgan Stanley, was appointed in 2013 by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women's Business Council. She is also chair of the Morgan Stanley Foundation. Registration required.

Presented in partnership with the Women's Business Development Council.
    
English Language Learners
Easy English for Beginners: Side by Side
Let's Talk: Conversation Groups
Sessions Via Zoom
Tuesday, May 2
New students from 12 to 12:30 p.m.
High beginner: from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Low intermediate: from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Advanced: from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 3
High intermediate: from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Beginner: from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Evening Sessions in Person
Tuesday, May 2 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
Registration not required. New students welcome.

Tech Tips for Older Adults
Tuesday, May 2 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
South End Branch, Second Floor Program Room
Free weekly tech help with our experienced bilingual English and Spanish team.
    
Community Mindfulness Project: Meditation
Tuesday, May 2 at 12 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
This 45-minute session will include a 30-minute guided meditation to help reset your nervous system and support your emotional and physical well-being. Please arrive five minutes early.
    
Canasta Club
Wednesday, May 3 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Beginners and experienced players are invited to come play canasta, a fun cross between bridge and rummy.

Asian Film Festival
A Celebration of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month
Tokyo Godfathers
Wednesday, May 3 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Three homeless Tokyo residents find an abandoned baby in the trash on Christmas Eve and set out to find the parents. Starring Toru Emori, Yoshiaki Umegaki and Aya Okamoto. Rated PG-13.
    
Ballroom Dance Workshop
Wednesday, May 3 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
Learn to dance like a pro with dance instructor Simone Assboeck, who will lead the second session of a four-part workshop covering the basic steps of the sexy salsa and fast-paced hustle. Singles welcome; partners will be rotated. No prior dance experience necessary. Attendance required at each session. Registration required.

Conversation About Art:
Spring Has Sprung
Wednesday, May 3 from 6 to 7 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
A discussion about two paintings that changed art history; the 1866 still life Spring Bouquet by Pierre Auguste-Renoir and Doris Lee’s 1959 landscape Blossom Time.
Helane E. March Rheingold, a docent at the Neuberger Museum of Art and an arts enrichment facilitator in the Stamford Public Schools, will lead the conversation. Registration required.
    
Mah-Jongg Club
Thursday, May 4
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Experienced Players
1 to 2 p.m. Beginners
Harry Bennett Branch
Play mah-jongg with us. Beginners to advanced players welcome.

Death Cafe
Thursday, May 4 from 2 to 3 p.m. via Zoom
A discussion about increasing the awareness of death to help people make the most of their finite lives With Sahara Farrugio, a licensed funeral director specializing in advanced planning.. Death Cafe is not grief support or counseling.

Make a Will For Free
Thursday, May 4 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Second Floor Study Room
Create your will in as little as 15 minutes. No prior experience or preparation necessary. Must be a U.S. Citizen, 18 or older, and have an email address. Registration required.

Presented in partnership with Just in Case Estates.

Navigating Special Education
Thursday, May 4 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
Peggy S. Bud and Tamara L. Jacobson will discuss their book, Navigating Special Education: The Power of Building Positive Parent-Educator Relationships. Here, they share their five-part communication model to provide educators and parents a deeper knowledge of every aspect of the special education process so they can form trusted, proactive alliances.
Book sale and signing will follow presentation. Also available via Zoom. Registration required.
    
Classic Movie Series
Friday, May 5 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
An ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims. Starring Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb and Rod Steiger. Not rated.

Oscar Movie Festival
Turning Red
Friday, May 5 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Screening of the Oscar-nominated animated feature about a 13-year-old who keeps transforming into a giant panda every time she gets excited. Starring Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh and Ava Morse. Ages 8 and older. Rated PG.

Crafting with Cricut
Saturday, May 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Third Floor Technology Center
Observe how the library's Cricut, a smart cutting machine, works with an easy-to-use app to design and personalize custom cards, unique apparel and other everyday items. Ages 15 and up. Registration required.

BUSINESS, CAREERS & TECHNOLOGY
    
Happening today!
Excel LOOKUP
Saturday, April 29 from 2 to 3 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Third Floor Technology Center
Learn how to use the Excel LOOKUP function to view and compare data. Must be familiar with Windows and be able to use a mouse and keyboard.
Basic experience with Excel necessary. Registration required.

Build a Keyword Resume
Wednesday, May 3 from 4 to 5 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Third Floor Technology Center
Learn how to incorporate keywords from job descriptions into your skills, competencies, credentials and previous work experience. Bring your resume to this session. Registration required.

COMING SOON!

Joe R. Sexton Lecture Series:
James M. Scott, Author of Black Snow
Thursday, May 11 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
As part of the annual lecture series, Scott will discuss his latest book, Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo and the Road to the Atomic Bomb. Drawing on first-person accounts, the author reconstructs the March 10, 1945 American attack on Tokyo, which represented a significant moral shift for America, marking the first time military commanders deliberately targeted civilians. Registration required.

Friends Author Series:
Actor and Author Andrew McCarthy
Thursday, May 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
Bestselling author, actor and '80s Hollywood Brat Pack member Andrew McCarthy will discuss his new memoir Walking With Sam: A Father, a Son, And Five Hundred Miles Across Spain. Moderated by John Breunig, Editorial Page Editor of the Advocate and Greenwich Time.

Tickets are $15 for Friends members, $25 for others (includes a Friends membership). Registration required.

ONGOING AT THE LIBRARY

Art Exhibit:
Celebrating Women in Life and Art
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Dudley N. Williams, Jr. Auditorium
This exhibition, launched during Women's History Month in March, features works by local and regional artists. On view through June 8.
Co-sponsored by the Stamford Art Association.

Artwork: Mother of Modern Dance by Gigi Barrett
    
Covid-19 Vaccination Clinics
Tuesdays through Fridays in May and June from 1 to 5 p.m.
Lower Level Community Area
Free Covid-19 vaccines and boosters are available to adults and children from 1 to 5 p.m. No appointment necessary. Please bring your vaccine and insurance cards if you have them. In addition to primary vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna Bivariant boosters will be available Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays through April 30.
This clinic is offered in partnership with the Stamford Health Department and Griffin Health.
    
Tell Your Story Project
We have resumed our oral history project, Tell Your Story, an effort to capture Stamford's history through the lives of its residents. If you are a long-time resident and would like to share memories of growing up in Stamford, please let us know. We welcome photos and other memorabilia, too. You can experience the stories we have collected so far by visiting the Ferguson Library Digital Archive at fergusonlibraryarchive.org. If you are interested, contact Frank Skornia at [email protected] or 203 351-8220.

We Can Help Your Book Club
Need a suggestion for your book group discussion or help locating copies? We're ready to support your book group with a variety of resources. The library has a well-curated book discussion collection, with multiple copies of each book. We can also get books for you if we don't have the title and share resources about how to have a successful book discussion. And of course, our readers advisory services can help you find your group's next great read.

For book group services, contact Anthony Marrocolla at [email protected].
    
Digital Navigators  
Do you need technology assistance? Have an issue with your laptop, or a new device that needs to be set up? The Ferguson Library’s Digital Navigators are here to help!

Digital Navigators operate by appointment only. Please call 203-351-8221 to set up and appointment.

By registering for programs, you may receive occasional emails about
upcoming events at the library. You can opt out at any time.

LIBRARY RESOURCES

Just finished reading an amazing book and don't know what to read next? Complete this form and a librarian will send you three suggestions based on your response. We will reply to your email within 24 hours.

Notary Services
Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
Weed Memorial & Hollander Branch
Our notary public is available to notarize your paperwork for free. By appointment only. For information or to make an appointment, call 203 351-8292.

Entrepreneurs-in Residence
Starting a new business? Looking to expand your current business? Have an idea and don't know where to start?
Our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence are available by appointment to help early stage entrepreneurs conceptualize and grow their ideas into companies. Book an appointment. For more information, call 203 351-8221.

Book-A-Librarian
Reserve up to one hour with a librarian for information or technology assistance, including assistance with our virtual resources like e-books, e-audiobooks and movie streaming. Complete this form to make an appointment.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Documentary Screening & Panel Discussion
The Right to Read: The Greatest Civil Rights Issue of Our Time
Monday, May 15 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Avon Theater
272 Bedford Street, Stamford

When a child can’t read, their chances of incarceration, homelessness, and unemployment increase. This documentary explores efforts to demand better reading instruction in the Oakland Unified School District.

Presented by Synergy1Holdings LLC in collaboration with the Alliance for Black Achievement and the City of Stamford. Screening will be followed by a panel discussion.

Sponsored by First Bank of Greenwich
    
Person-to-Person Mobile Food Pantry and Casework
Schedule subject to change
 - Yerwood Center - 90 Fairfield Avenue: Mondays from 11 a.m.– 1 p.m.
 - Stamford Manor - 26 Main Street: Mondays from 2 to 4 p.m.
 - Ferguson Library South End Branch - 34 Woodland Avenue: Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
 - Quintard Manor - 18 Quintard Terrace: Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
 - DOMUS - 82 Lockwood Avenue: Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
 - Building One Community - 75 Selleck Street: Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m.
 - DOMUS - 82 Lockwood Avenue (Subject to change): Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
PLEASE NOTE: All clients must wear face masks inside P2P buildings and P2P on Wheels.
[More information]

Library Hours

Main Library, DiMattia Building
96 Broad St., Stamford
Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 1 - 5 p.m.

Harry Bennett Branch
115 Vine Road, Stamford
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Wednesday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

South End Branch
34 Woodland Ave., Stamford
Monday through Thursday 10 – 5:30
Saturday 10 – 2

Weed Memorial & Hollander Branch
1143 Hope St., Stamford
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday 12 - 7 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Curbside Pickup Available
Curbside Pickup is available for Ferguson Library cardholders.
[More Information]

Phone Service
Main Library Borrowers Services: 203 351-8261
Main Library Adult Services/Reference Desk: 203 351-8221
Youth Services: 203 351-8242
Harry Bennett Branch: 203 351-8292
Weed Memorial & Hollander Branch: 203 351-8285
South End Branch: 203 351-8280

Online Chat (Look for the Chat with us button on our website.)