Providence Public Library

In 1999, Joe Hurley, a retired newspaper reporter from Connecticut came to the startling realization that he knew almost nothing about the other side of the state, even though Connecticut is small enough to fit in the back pocket of Colorado or Nebraska. That year, Joe walked across Connecticut on Route 6 to give News-Times readers, and themselves, a better picture of their home state. Later, Joe noticed that Route 6 stretched all the way to California – it was…

Go back in time in our 1950s-era auditorium and gather center stage around the baby grand. Listen to jazz played by a master, become acquainted with classic jazz and learn how to listen to jazz. This Master class meets 3 times, February 1, 8 and 29. It features international jazz recording artist, Greg Abate. A gifted and critically acclaimed saxophonist, flutist and composer, Greg has recorded more than 16 CDs and is an Adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode…

Go back in time in our 1950s-era auditorium and gather center stage around the baby grand. Listen to jazz played by a master, become acquainted with classic jazz and learn how to listen to jazz. This Master class This Master class meets 3 times, February 1, 8 and 29. It features international jazz recording artist, Greg Abate. A gifted and critically acclaimed saxophonist, flutist and composer, Greg has recorded more than 16 CDs and is an Adjunct Professor of Jazz…

RI Museum Of Science and Art Workshops: A series of Cut-Paper Animation Workshops, a blended learning opportunity for the children of Providence, will take place at five libraries in the city from February through April. Youth at PPL as well as the Wanskuck, Olneyville, Washington Park and Rochambeau branches of the Providence Community Libraries will learn how to transform still pictures, actual reproductions of images from PPL’s Collections of patents, textiles, periodicals, and more into animated shorts. The shorts will…

Part of our Junk Drawer Robotics Series! Use ramps to experiment with friction on a variety of surfaces and objects. Join us for a variety of hands on robotic workshops for children and their families. Ages 6 and up - Limited to 10 participants - Registration is required. Instructor James McHenry is a student at Cranston West High School in the Robotics program. He hopes to become an engineer. He has always been interested in science and has participated in…

Part of our Junk Drawer Robotics Series! Construct a race car using rubber bands, wheels and straws. On your mark, get set, RACE! Instructor James McHenry is a student at Cranston West High School in the Robotics program. He hopes to become an engineer. He has always been interested in science and has participated in Science Olympiads at Western Hills Middle School, Space Camps at the Museum of Natural Science and ID Tech Camps at MIT and Carnegie Mellon. James…

Part of the Jazz Master Class series. On the third night and final of class, Don Gregory, PPL’s Tech Instructor, will help us put what we've learned into action: we will learn how to create a playlist of our personal jazz favorites using your mobile phone, tablet or laptop or ours!

Ages 13 – 17 – Seats are limited – Registration Required How do current and past trends influence the patterns, fabrics and silhouettes of tomorrow's "it" bag and "must have" items? In this course, students will learn how to read the future by looking at past and current fashion trends. They learn the importance of research, how to illustrate the fashion figure, and the skills needed to create a head-to-toe look – made entirely out of paper! Students create two…

Go back in time in our 1950s-era auditorium and gather center stage around the baby grand. Listen to jazz played by a master, become acquainted with classic jazz and learn how to listen to jazz. This Master class meets 3 times, February 1, 8 and 29. It features international jazz recording artist, Greg Abate. A gifted and critically acclaimed saxophonist, flutist and composer, Greg has recorded more than 16 CDs and is an Adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies at Rhode…

Having a children's book published in today's tough market can seem like an impossible dream. But in reality, getting your book idea into shape and into print can hinge on just the right advice from a pro. Do you need an agent? Should you connect with an artist? What about self publishing? In a two-session seminar, nationally-known author, Peter Mandel, will pass on the insider's tips you need to know in order to create a marketable first book and get…

RI Museum Of Science and Art Workshops: A series of Cut-Paper Animation Workshops, a blended learning opportunity for the children of Providence, will take place at five libraries in the city from February through April. Youth at PPL as well as the Wanskuck, Olneyville, Washington Park and Rochambeau branches of the Providence Community Libraries will learn how to transform still pictures, actual reproductions of images from PPL’s Collections of patents, textiles, periodicals, and more into animated shorts. The shorts will…

Ages 13 – 17 – Seats are limited – Registration Required Looking at vintage 1920s flapper style and all things shimmering, students will address the concept of “casual chic” during the time period portrayed in "The Great Gatsby" and "Downton Abbey." Inspired by this era, they’ll create today's interpretation on miniature dress forms, using a variety of accessible materials including artist papers, fabrics, feathers, beads and jeweled embellishments. Students will have access to the library’s non‐circulating Special Collections materials to…

Ages 10 and up - Limited to 10 participants - Registration is required Join us for this three-part series of Mindstorm workshops. Groups of two will team up to complete a variety of tasks using Lego robotics.

What is genealogy? How do you start to build your own family tree? This workshop will cover the basics to get you started.

Ages 13 – 17 – Seats are limited – Registration Required Teens will create glamorous, wearable headdresses inspired by the opulence of the roaring ‘20s, using a variety of materials – including rich, velvety lamé fabrics, beading, feathers and “jeweled” embellishments – to mimic the styles and flair of the period. Students will have access to the library’s non‐circulating Special Collections materials to inspire their own work. Work created in class will be displayed at the Providence Public Library.

Ages 13 – 17 – Seats are limited – Registration Required Teens will create glamorous, wearable headdresses inspired by the opulence of the roaring ‘20s, using a variety of materials – including rich, velvety lamé fabrics, beading, feathers and “jeweled” embellishments – to mimic the styles and flair of the period. Students will have access to the library’s non‐circulating Special Collections materials to inspire their own work. Work created in class will be displayed at the Providence Public Library.

Imagining Worlds: A six-week short fiction workshop offered by the Providence Public Library in conjunction with Portals: an exhibition of artifacts from the Library’s Special Collections, meeting Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 pm, March 23, 30, April 6, 20, 27 and May 4. The details of the imagined worlds of our short stories give them zing. Whether set in the world of today, or at an historical moment, or in a futuristic society on another planet, we create our written worlds through…

During King Philip’s War between the Wampanoag leader Metacomet (King Philip) and the English Colonists, the town of Providence was destroyed by a Native American coalition on March 29, 1676. Providence was one of two major English settlements burned to the ground - the other was Springfield, Massachusetts. A look to the past with this discussion of the burning of Providence and Roger Williams’ conference with the Indians in 1676.

Imagining Worlds: A six-week short fiction workshop offered by the Providence Public Library in conjunction with Portals: an exhibition of artifacts from the Library’s Special Collections. Meeting occur on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 pm, March 23, 30, April 6, 20, 27 and May 4.

Instructor: Candace French Ages 13 ‐ 17, 9am ‐ 3pm RISD campus https://www.provlib.org/TeenSquadFFreg Looking at iconic “fashionistas” from the 1950s like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, and iconic changes to the status quo like Christian Dior's “New Look” and Coco Chanel's suit, students explore what defined this era’s fashions. They create today's interpretation on miniature dress forms using a variety of accessible materials including artist papers, fabrics and embellishments. This class will meet at RISD in a one day intensive…

A celebration to launch Providence 2050: Visualizing Tomorrow — a digital audio exhibit that envisions the future of Providence through the ideas and voices of young leaders currently working in the city. Meet the participants, enjoy a signature cocktail, and participate in a conversation with some of our interviewees where we’ll explore two main themes that emerged from the interviews: Innovation: Providence as a place to take risks Inclusion: Providence as a place that celebrates social justice 5:30 pm –…

What if time travel were possible? What if you could hire a company to dispose of any and all pests, including human ones? What if very intelligent children were raised in a closed, controlled environment designed to enhance their native abilities? Using both contemporary and classic short stories, Dr. Joan Glazer, Professor Emerita from Rhode Island College, will lead the discussion of this speculative fiction.

A six-week short fiction workshop offered by the Providence Public Library in conjunction with Portals: an exhibition of artifacts from the Library’s Special Collections, meeting Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 pm, March 23, 30, April 6, 20, 27 and May 4.

Instructor: Taylor Polites, Novelist Imagining Worlds: A six-week short fiction workshop offered by the Providence Public Library in conjunction with Portals: an exhibition of artifacts from the Library’s Special Collections, meeting Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30 pm, March 20, 30, April 6, 20, 27 and May 4.

Instructor: Lloyd Kaplan A four-part workshop series, meeting Mondays from 6:30-7:30 pm, April 11, 18, 25 and May 2. Delve into the influence of Black Americans on the music of this country with Lloyd Kaplan, professional musician and member of the faculty of both Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Coastal Carolina University and the University of Rhode Island. Kaplan will begin this four-part series with Blackface Minstrelsy in 1828, then look at how the blues came about, including the important…

“Starting in 1893 Ladd Observatory at Brown University began transmitting time signals from precision pendulum clocks that were synchronized to observations of stars. The signals were used by local businesses such as jewelers and factories. The signals were also transmitted to the fire stations throughout Providence which sounded signals at exactly noon and 8:30 pm every day.” Michael Umbricht is the Observatory Curator where he researches the history of science and technology to engage the public with Brown University’s historic…

Cost: $50 – includes bus ride, admission and guided tour and lunch Register early – Space is limited! Deadline: April 8, 2016 Bus leaves from Route 117 Park & Ride – Free Parking! In collaboration with the Rhode Island Center for the Book, Providence Public Library invites you to join us on a trip to the New England Air Museum. Read the 2016 Reading Across Rhode Island book, The Wright Brothers by David McCullough and expand your knowledge of the…

Join fellow community members and enjoy a performance by Living Literature! This year's performance is based on the Reading Across Rhode Island selection, The Wright Brothers by Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough. Living Literature is a collective of RI-based performing artists, who have been celebrating the written word through readers-theatre style performances of non-dramatic literature, since its inception in January, 1996. Living Literature has created well over 100 presentations based on poems, stories, novels, plays, essays, biographies, articles, and oral histories, in…

You’ve outlined the basics, your family tree is growing, and you’re looking to advance your research skills. This workshop will give you some tips to take you to the next level. (Part of a genealogy series.)

A celebration to launch Providence 2050: Visualizing Tomorrow — a digital audio exhibit that envisions the future of Providence through the ideas and voices of young leaders currently working in the city. Meet the participants, enjoy a signature cocktail, and participate in a conversation with some of our interviewees where we’ll explore two main themes that emerged from the interviews: Innovation: Providence as a place to take risks Inclusion: Providence as a place that celebrates social justice 5:30 pm –…

A four-part workshop series, meeting Mondays from 6:30-7:30 pm, April 11, 18, 25 and May 2. Delve into the influence of black Americans on the music of this country with Lloyd Kaplan, professional musician and member of the faculty of both Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Coastal Carolina University and the University of Rhode Island. Kaplan will begin this four-part series with Blackface Minstrelsy in 1828, then look at how the blues came about, including the important early figures involved.…

Cost: Free Registration is required as seating is limited Providence Public Library Conference Room (3rd Floor) What if time travel were possible? What if you could hire a company to dispose of any and all pests, including human ones? What if very intelligent children were raised in a closed, controlled environment designed to enhance their native abilities? Using both contemporary and classic short stories, Dr. Joan Glazer, Professor Emerita from Rhode Island College, will lead the discussion of this speculative…

Cost: Free and Open to All; Seating is limited, please register Meeting Room (3rd Floor) Join RIFPC in partnership with Providence Public Library for an evening of illuminating conversation around topics in food, climate, and health. Refreshments provided. The World Health Organization notes, “Climate change affects the social and environmental determinants of health – clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter.” This panel will explore narratives at the intersection of climate change, food systems, and health. Dive…

Instructor: Rasheedah Phillips, Author and Creator of the AfroFuturist Affair (https://www.afrofuturistaffair.com/) In this workshop and discussion, we will explore the history of linear time constructs, notions of the future, and its contrast to indigenous African traditions of space, time, and the future. We will explore alternative temporalities embodied by such cultural movements as Afrofuturism, and DIY theories as black quantum futurism, and their use as practical tools for exploring reality and shaping past and future narratives. Workshop participants will consider…

Over 100 Years ago, the social anxiety we see in our hyper-mediated world of today, was already well on its way during the electric revolution of the late 19th century. Dreams Rewired presents a collection of films from the 1880s to the 1930s, many rare and previously unscreened, that trace contemporary obsessions and anxieties back to the birth of the telephone, television and cinema. The earliest electronic inventions were as revolutionary, inspiring and alarming to the public as the internet…

Things to Come, 1936, Drama Directed by William Cameron Menzies Written by H.G. Wells Starring Raymond Massey, Edward Chapman, Ralph Richardson United Kingdom 100 minutes A global war begins in 1940 and lasts for decades, destroying cities, inducing plagues and fascist regimes, leaving the few survivors to live in underground cities. The first space travel is imminent as Wings Over the World, a group of pacifist, scientists and thinkers plan to build a utopian society on the ruins of the…

Francine Jackson, Ladd Observatory “In August of 1853, two trains collided in Central Falls, Rhode Island. This incident not only was the first of its kind ever to be photographed, but it also became the impetus for the complete restructuring of time.” Francine Jackson is the Staff Astronomer for Ladd Observatory, and writes weekly notes on astronomy topics for the facility. She also does programs for the URI Planetarium. In addition, she is secretary/publicist for the Blackstone Valley Historical Society,…

Providence Public Library Auditorium (3rd floor) Dr. Who and the Daleks, 1965 Directed by Gordon Flemyng Written by Terry Nation and Milton Subotsky Starring Peter Cushing, Roy Castle, Jennie Linden Tardis, a time machine disguised as a police telephone box is accidentally activated by its inventor, Scientist Dr. Who. Inadvertently, he and his companions are transported through time and space to the planet Skaro, inhabited by a peaceful race called the Thals. Upon their arrival, The Thals are under threat…

This event features a carnival of short stories and surprises by local artists and writers based on the PPL Special Collections!​ ​Plus the release of the giant, full color, Special Collections-themed issue of the Providence Sunday Wipeout!!!

Attend a film screening of Daniel Moshel's Login 2 Life (2011) as part of Portals: History of the Future Film Series.