Event includes: A Lecture at Fairfield University and The Library’s Annual Meeting

The weekend of Nov. 12 and 13 "will be full of the things Pequot Library does best – lectures and thoughtful discussions about books, readings and the importance of special, historic Libraries to the communities they serve," according to a statement.
Things get started at 4 p.m. Nov. 12 "when Robert Gross, Draper Professor of Early American History at the University of Connecticut at Storrs, will speak on “The Reading Revolution Then and Now: the New American Nation and the History of Books” in the Diffley Board Room at Bellarmine Hall on the campus of Fairfield University," the statement said.
"Gross, a nationally-recognized authority on the history of the book, has served on the editorial board for the multi-volume History of the Book in America published by the University of North Carolina Press and co-edited the second volume of the series, "An Extensive Republic: Print, Culture, and Society in the New Nation, 1790-1840," (2010)."
"Gross’s lecture is part of Pequot Library’s executive director Daniel Snydacker’s course titled “From Codex to Kindle: The Art and History of the Book” this semester at the University. It is free and open to the public, and is sponsored in part by a generous grant from the Visual and Performing Arts Department thanks to its chair, Marice Rose," the statement said.
On Nov. 13 at 3 p.m., Pequot Library will hold its Annual Meeting at the Library at 720 Pequot Ave., in Southport. After a short business meeting, the guest speaker at the meeting will be William Hosley, who is back by popular demand after a wonderful talk during Pequot Library’s Art Show last month, the statement said.
At the Annual Meeting, Hosely’s talk is titled, “More than Books: Libraries, Community & Historic Preservation.” This program traces almost 200 years in American library practice with a special focus on New England and its many municipal, historic and specialty research libraries. As a museum scholar, preservationist and photographer, Bill Hosley has visited hundreds of libraries. Hosley is fascinated by the architectural grandeur, mission and eloquence of the libraries built during the first wave of library formation from the 1870s-1920s. "At a time when few communities had art museums, historical societies, or other ways of preserving civic treasures," Hosley notes, "these libraries did it all - one stop shopping for cultural enrichment, preservation, community memory and - of course - books and reading." It also speaks to changes in mission and practice of libraries today and how their role as "third places" benefits from the quality of ambience and place so apparent in historic libraries. This tour and discussion of library history reminds us of the richness of our heritage and the commitment of our communities to life-learning and access to ideas.

"William Hosley, the principal of Terra Firma Northeast, is an independent scholar and cultural resource consultant. He was formerly Director of the New Haven Museum and Connecticut Landmarks and, prior to that, curator and exhibition developer at Wadsworth Atheneum." Hel "has lectured throughout the country and served as a content specialist for PBS, BBC and CPTV film documentaries," the statement said.

"The Annual Meeting is also free and open to the public. A reception will follow each lecture where the ideas spill over into a lively discussion." For more information about both these programs, visit the Library’s web site at www.pequotlibrary.org, or call the Library at 203-259-0346.
Editor's note: All information in this post was contributed.