Our Events

Special Event

Happy Hour, November 2023

Wednesday, November 15, 2023 - 5:30pm to 7:00pm | Members' Room | for members and their guests | free of charge | drop in
End your day with wine and light refreshments in the beautiful Members' Room. Library members and their guests are welcome.
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The Writing Life

Writing Life Daytime Talk: Targeting and Querying a Literary Agent with Ralph White

Tuesday, November 21, 2023 - 3:30pm | Whitridge Room | for members only | free of charge | registration required

The founder of the Columbia Fiction Foundry discusses the components of the query letter (for fiction) and the proposal letter (for nonfiction), centering on why that agent was selected and how the author’s project compares with the agent’s recent projects. The core of Ralph’s presentation will be how to cull the Publisher’s Marketplace database for projects comparable to the author’s, and how to integrate those comps in the query or proposal for optimal impact.

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Special Event

Closing: Thanksgiving 2023

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - 5:00pm Thursday, November 23, 2023 - 5:00pm Friday, November 24, 2023 - 5:00pm | holiday closing

This Thanksgiving, the Library closes at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 22 and is closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24. Otherwise we observe normal hours.

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Special Event

Closing: Thanksgiving 2023

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - 5:00pm Thursday, November 23, 2023 - 5:00pm Friday, November 24, 2023 - 5:00pm | holiday closing

This Thanksgiving, the Library closes at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 22 and is closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24. Otherwise we observe normal hours.

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Special Event

Closing: Thanksgiving 2023

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - 5:00pm Thursday, November 23, 2023 - 5:00pm Friday, November 24, 2023 - 5:00pm | holiday closing

This Thanksgiving, the Library closes at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 22 and is closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24. Otherwise we observe normal hours.

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Reading Group

Fully Registered: Another Half Year with Henry James, taught by Jane Mallison

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, November 29, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, January 31, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, February 28, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, March 27, 2024 - 11:00am | Whitridge Room | for members only | $100 for the six sessions | registration required
“Never say you know the last word about any human heart.” That’s one of the great sentences of this great writer, Henry James (1843-1916). In this seminar – which welcomes both experienced readers of James and novices – we discover many more.
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The Writing Life

The Writing Life: Prompt! Online with Charlie Allenson

Friday, September 8, 2023 - 11:00am Friday, October 6, 2023 - 11:00am Friday, November 10, 2023 - 11:00am Friday, December 1, 2023 - 11:00am | on the Zoom Meetings platform | for members only | free of charge | registration required
Join your fellow member writers for a fun and stimulating hour+ of prompts, writing, and sharing.
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Reading Group

Let's Read Shakespeare for Fun

Sunday, October 1, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, November 5, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, December 3, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, January 7, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, February 4, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, March 3, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm | Whitridge Room | for members and their guests | free of charge | registration required
We gather monthly to read aloud a play by William Shakespeare in the company of Columbia University lecturer and Library trustee Emily Madison.
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The Writing Life

The Writing Life: Prompt! In Person with Carol Weston

Thursday, September 7, 2023 - 11:00am Thursday, October 12, 2023 - 11:00am Thursday, November 2, 2023 - 11:00am Thursday, December 7, 2023 - 11:00am | Whitridge Room | for members only | free of charge | registration required
Join your fellow member writers for a fun and stimulating hour+ of prompts, writing, and sharing.
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Special Event

Quack! Quack! Questions!

Saturday, October 7, 2023 - 2:00pm Saturday, November 4, 2023 - 2:00pm Saturday, December 9, 2023 - 2:00pm | Peluso Family Exhibition Gallery | open to the public | drop in
Drop by to see our cheery family-friendly exhibition and chat with the expert. You can catch Margery Quackenbush on three select Saturdays answering your questions about Robert Quackenbush and his art in the gallery.
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Reading Group

Seminar: The Personal In A Political World: The Fiction of Magda Szabó, with Nicholas Birns

Thursday, October 5, 2023 - 11:00am Thursday, November 9, 2023 - 11:00am Thursday, December 14, 2023 - 11:00am | Whitridge Room | for members only | $75 per person | registration required
Magda Szabó (1917-2007) is the most famous and most translated Hungarian novelist. This seminar discusses three of her best-known novels spanning 1963 to 1987.
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Special Event

Closing: Christmas 2023

Monday, December 25, 2023 - 9:00am Tuesday, December 26, 2023 - 9:00am | holiday closing

This Christmas, the Library is closed Monday, December 25 and Tuesday, December 26. Otherwise we observe normal hours.

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Special Event

Closing: Christmas 2023

Monday, December 25, 2023 - 9:00am Tuesday, December 26, 2023 - 9:00am | holiday closing

This Christmas, the Library is closed Monday, December 25 and Tuesday, December 26. Otherwise we observe normal hours.

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Reading Group

Let's Read Shakespeare for Fun

Sunday, October 1, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, November 5, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, December 3, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, January 7, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, February 4, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, March 3, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm | Whitridge Room | for members and their guests | free of charge | registration required
We gather monthly to read aloud a play by William Shakespeare in the company of Columbia University lecturer and Library trustee Emily Madison.
Read More >

Reading Group

Fully Registered: Another Half Year with Henry James, taught by Jane Mallison

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, November 29, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, January 31, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, February 28, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, March 27, 2024 - 11:00am | Whitridge Room | for members only | $100 for the six sessions | registration required
“Never say you know the last word about any human heart.” That’s one of the great sentences of this great writer, Henry James (1843-1916). In this seminar – which welcomes both experienced readers of James and novices – we discover many more.
Read More >

Reading Group

Let's Read Shakespeare for Fun

Sunday, October 1, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, November 5, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, December 3, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, January 7, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, February 4, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, March 3, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm | Whitridge Room | for members and their guests | free of charge | registration required
We gather monthly to read aloud a play by William Shakespeare in the company of Columbia University lecturer and Library trustee Emily Madison.
Read More >

Reading Group

Fully Registered: Another Half Year with Henry James, taught by Jane Mallison

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, November 29, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, January 31, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, February 28, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, March 27, 2024 - 11:00am | Whitridge Room | for members only | $100 for the six sessions | registration required
“Never say you know the last word about any human heart.” That’s one of the great sentences of this great writer, Henry James (1843-1916). In this seminar – which welcomes both experienced readers of James and novices – we discover many more.
Read More >

Reading Group

Let's Read Shakespeare for Fun

Sunday, October 1, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, November 5, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, December 3, 2023 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, January 7, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, February 4, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm Sunday, March 3, 2024 - 2:00pm to 5:00pm | Whitridge Room | for members and their guests | free of charge | registration required
We gather monthly to read aloud a play by William Shakespeare in the company of Columbia University lecturer and Library trustee Emily Madison.
Read More >

Reading Group

Fully Registered: Another Half Year with Henry James, taught by Jane Mallison

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, November 29, 2023 - 11:00am Wednesday, January 31, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, February 28, 2024 - 11:00am Wednesday, March 27, 2024 - 11:00am | Whitridge Room | for members only | $100 for the six sessions | registration required
“Never say you know the last word about any human heart.” That’s one of the great sentences of this great writer, Henry James (1843-1916). In this seminar – which welcomes both experienced readers of James and novices – we discover many more.
Read More >

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Today's Events

Exhibitions

The Library showcases our historic collections and the literary culture of the city with themed public exhibitions on the second floor. Exhibitions are offered for six to twelve months, and both members and nonmembers are welcome to drop by any time the Library is open.

Current Exhibition: