Message from the CEO

I am delighted to announce that our honoree for A Novel Affair 2023 is Ferguson Library Trustee Polly O’Brien Morrow and Pitney Bowes.
 
Polly is Senior Program Manager, Global Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy at Pitney Bowes and serves as Vice President of the Pitney Bowes Foundation. Through her work, the Pitney Bowes Foundation has provided significant support to the Ferguson Library since 2005, most notably for consistent funding for Sunday summer hours at the Main Library. Polly has been actively involved with the library since 2016 and has served on the library’s Board of Trustees since 2021, generously sharing her wisdom and deep knowledge of nonprofits.
 
Polly is passionate about LGBTQ+ causes. She is a member of the Pitney Bowes LGBTQ+ council. She serves on the board of Stamford (Connecticut) Pride and helped to form a new Stamford Pride Family Alliance to support family and friends of the LGBTQ+ community. She is also immediate past chair of the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens, where she continues to serve as an advisor and member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
 
I can’t wait to honor Polly O’Brien Morrow and Pitney Bowes with the Ferguson Award on April 20, 2023.

Alice Knapp, CEO

Holiday Hours

The library will operate on a regular schedule, Friday, November 11. All library locations will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23 and will remain closed on November 24 for Thanksgiving. We will operate on a normal schedule the rest of the holiday weekend. Have a happy holiday.

Howard Kaplan Memorial Lecture on Law & Society
Connecticut attorney Josh Koskoff will deliver the Howard Kaplan Memorial Lecture on Law and Society at the Main Library, Wednesday, November 2 at 6:30 p.m. A reception will follow at 7:30 p.m.

Koskoff, a third-generation partner with the law firm Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, will discuss Litigation as a Tool for Change: the Sandy Hook Cases Against Remington and Alex Jones.

The lecture is supported by the Stamford law firm Wofsey, Rosen, Kweskin & Kuriansky and the family of the late Howard C. Kaplan. Kaplan served on the Stamford Board of Representatives, and was a founding member of the Stamford Board of Ethics, president of the Stamford Child Care Center, and director and counsel to the Stamford Land Conservation Trust.

Register

Friends Author Series

The Friends Author Series is delighted to welcome two exciting authors this month.

On November 10, New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis will talk about her new book, The Magnolia Palace, a tantalizing historical novel about the secrets, betrayal and murder within one of New York City's most impressive gilded age mansions. Tickets are $10 for Friends members/$15 for non-members, and include a wine reception before the event.

Registration required.
On November 15, royal biographer Andrew Morton discusses his new book, The Queen, which takes an in-depth look at the late Queen Elizabeth II and explores her influence on Britain and the rest of the world for much of the last century. This program is presented in partnership with the Darien Library.

Registration required.

Both events are in person only.

Tell Your Story Project Resumes

We are resuming our oral history project, Tell Your Story, an effort to capture Stamford's history through the lives of its residents. 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 in participating, contact Frank Skornia at [email protected] or 203 351-8220.

Digital Library

Legal Forms Library
Do you need a legal form for personal or business use? The Ferguson Library has a great database containing hundreds of free forms that can be downloaded and printed. Designed for use by Connecticut residents, the collection includes popular and frequently needed forms in such areas as real estate, wills and trusts, landlord-tenant law, contracts, small business and family law. To get started, grab your library card, visit our databases page at Research & Learn/A to Z Resources. Once in, enter your card number when prompted.

Friends of the Ferguson

Book Shop News
The Friends Book Shop is celebrating the reopening of the Harry Bennett Branch store with a Bag Sale Friday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ten dollars gets you a bright yellow Friends tote bag that you can fill with all the sale books you can carry, including children's and adult fiction and nonfiction.

Enjoy treats from Donut Delight while you shop!

Friends Pub Crawl a Big Success
About 100 guests enjoyed an evening on the town with the return of the Friends' annual Pub Crawl. Thanks to Towne Parlor, Hudson Social, Bar Rosso and ZAZA for participating.