HELP US PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

Please join us at one of two one-hour interactive sessions with our architects. They have put together imaginative and inspiring visuals for the future of all our spaces. These sessions focus especially on the Main Library and Harry Bennett Branch.

We would love to hear from you about reimagining our spaces as we draft a new facilities master plan.

Thursday, May 25 at 10 a.m. Harry Bennett Branch
Tuesday, May 30 at 6 p.m. Main Library

Register here

FAMILY PROGRAMS

The Tiny Art Show
Submissions for the Tiny Art show have closed.
Community artists of all ages have their work on display at various locations through June 17.
Harry Bennett Branch opening reception takes place on Wednesday, May 17 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

PROGRAMS

Happening Today!
Haitian Heritage Month Program
An Afternoon with Djuly Fleurant
Saturday, May 13 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
South End Branch
Author Djuly Fleurant discusses her book anD, the words from a broken girl. The memoir offers a personal tour of Djuly’s life, which included surviving an earthquake that left her home country of Haiti at shambles, to living in the Connecticut suburbs.
    
U.S. Citizenship Course
Monday, May 15 and Thursday, May 18 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.
    
English Language Learners
Easy English for Beginners: Side by Side
Let's Talk: Conversation Groups
Sessions Via Zoom
Tuesday, May 16
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 17
High intermediate: from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Beginner: from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Evening Sessions in Person
Tuesday, May 16 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 16 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 16 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.
    
New! Play Dungeons & Dragons
Tuesday, May 16 from 6 to 7:45 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Lower Level Community Area
An introductory tabletop adventure playing the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset. Participants will band together to take on the roles of fantastical heroes who brave dangerous situations with swords, spells and wits. No experience necessary. Ages 18 and older. Registration required.

A Conversation with Bozoma Saint John
Tuesday, May 16 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom
Bozoma Saint John, a powerhouse entertainment marketing executive and global influencer, will discuss her bestselling memoir The Urgent Life. Written after losing her husband, Peter, to cancer, the book reflects on how coping with multiple devastating losses motivated her to live with more urgency. The conversation will be moderated by Ruthie Hubbard, a marketing executive and Stamford resident. Registration required.
    
Canasta Club
Wednesday, May 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Beginners and experienced players are invited to play canasta, a fun cross between bridge and rummy.

Understanding Social Security
Wednesday, May 17 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Collecting Social Security is not as simple as reaching a certain age and filing for benefits. Learn how Social Security works and how to maximize your self, spousal and survivor benefits. Registration required.

Presented in partnership with Wealth Bridge Advisory Services, LLC.

Ballroom Dance Workshop
Wednesday, May 17 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 fourth 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.
    
Mah-Jongg Club
Thursday, May 17
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Experienced players are invited to come play the popular tile-based game of Mah-Jongg.

Beginners welcome the first Thursday of each month.
    
Make a Will for Free
Thursday, May 18 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.

Classic Movie Matinees
Friday, May 19 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Jason and the Argonauts
The adventures of the legendary Greek hero and his quest to find the Golden Fleece, highlighted by his battles with various monstrous creatures. Starring Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack and Gary Raymond. Rated G.
    
Oscar Movie Festival
Friday, May 19 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
An intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Baker. Starring Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield and Cherry Jones. Rated PG-13.

Haitian Heritage Month Program
Panel Discussion: The Crisis of Instability in Haiti from 1804 to 2023
Saturday, May 20 from 2 to 5 p.m.
South End Branch
Expert panelists Frantz Antoine-Leconte, Julien Jumelle and Bernac Celestin will discuss the island nation's history of political instability, its repercussions and possible solutions. Book signing to follow. Refreshments will be served.
    
Silent Book Club
Saturday, May 20 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Harry Bennett Branch
Read the book of your choice in the quiet camaraderie of others at the monthly gathering of our Silent Book Club. Perfect for introverts and those who just want a quiet place to read.

Old Folkies Acoustic Singalong
Saturday, May 20 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Weed Memorial & Hollander Branch
An afternoon of toe-tapping finger-snapping acoustic delights with Dr. Ev, who will take requests. Weather permitting. Light refreshments will be served.

BUSINESS, CAREERS & TECHNOLOGY
    
Basic Microsoft Word
Thursday, May 18 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Third Floor Technology Center
Learn how to navigate Microsoft Word, create and save a document, and format text. Registration required.
    
Basic Microsoft Powerpoint
Saturday, May 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Third Floor Technology Center
Create and save presentations, design slideshows and insert images and text. Registration required.

Artificial Intelligence for Dummies
Saturday, May 20 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Main Library, DiMattia Building
Third Floor Technology Center
An introduction to artificial intelligence and how it is impacting our lives. For teens and adults. Registration required.

COMING SOON!
    
Yale Science in the News Presents:
The Weird and Wonderful Immune System
Tuesday, May 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Main Library, Dimattia Building
Lower Level Community Area
Yale graduate students take us on a complex and exciting tour of the human immune system, exploring how it works and stays balanced and the ways it can cause havoc with destructive diseases like diabetes. For teens and adults. 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 June 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.
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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]