Navigating The Westport Library website has never been easier.

The homepage for westportlibrary.org has been fully redesigned, with a new look and feel and a fresh design to make finding what you need easier, more intuitive, and more rewarding.

Among the highlights of the new design are a simplified menu and a robust footer so patrons can more easily access the Library’s core offerings. The redesigned homepage also offers a primary content space at the top of the page for increased engagement, more ways than ever before to discover upcoming Library events and existing Library assets, and breakout boxes highlighting current Library content such as reference guides, videos, podcasts, news, and more.

The redesign also creates a user experience that is responsive and accessible, an important element in making sure that the Library’s front-facing digital platform is open to all.

“These changes were all made with our patrons in mind,” said Bill Harmer, Westport Library executive director. “Through months of thoughtful planning and collecting feedback, we worked to create the optimal experience to find what you need as well as all the things we offer that you never knew you needed. It’s a great advertisement for all the services and programs that the Library offers, and the right entry point to engage with us on whatever level you would like.”

Bella's Bartok

Halloween is coming to The Westport Library a few days early this year.

The Library, in partnership with the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, is hosting a Halloween Concert and Costume Ball featuring Bella’s Bartok. The event will be held in the Library’s Trefz Forum on Saturday, October 28. Doors open at 7 pm, with the concert kicking off at 8 pm. 

"Get ready for a hauntingly good time with Bella's Bartok, where music meets mayhem and costumes are your ticket to the freakishly fabulous,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. 

Bella’s Bartok is uniquely suited to perform at this event. Known for their raucous theatrical performances edging at times toward the macabre, the band plays a high energy mix of funk, pop, and folk that will have everyone dancing during their two full sets. 

This nocturnal happening is the adult accompaniment to the Children’s Halloween Window Painting Contest that will be held earlier the same day (also run by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce). Costumes are encouraged, with contests and prizes awarded for the best outfits in multiple categories. Specialty cocktail potions along with beer and wine will be available to allow patrons to pick their own poison. 

“This night is about creativity both on and off the stage, a melding of concepts that I’m sure will get people’s imagination going,” said Matthew Mandell, executive director of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce. “I am a big fan of the band. This will be a fun show!” 

The event is the latest musical collaboration between the Library and the Chamber, including the Supper & Soul events featuring Cris Jacobs, Johnny Folsom 4, and more.

Tickets to the Halloween Concert and Costume Ball are $35 and are on sale now.

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Event Information:

Halloween Concert and Costume Ball Featuring Bella's Bartok

Saturday, October 28

7-10 pm (doors open at 7 pm; concert starts at 8 pm)

Trefz Forum, The Westport Library

Purchase tickets

Dave Briggs (far left) moderates a discussion with Jeremy Schaap (far right) following the showing of Schaap's documentary on the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins at the Library in February 2023.

Jeremy Schaap has enjoyed a long and illustrious career. He hosts both E:60 and Outside the Lines, ESPN’s showcase journalism and storytelling shows. He has interviewed the most famous, controversial, and groundbreaking athletes in sports over the past 30 years, establishing himself as one of the leading journalists in America today. 

On Thursday, September 21, at 7 pm, the renowned reporter will visit The Westport Library to talk about his life, career, and more, discussing the stories behind the biggest stories in sports history and how he forged his path as a pioneer in sports journalism. 

Longtime broadcaster and Westporter Dave Briggs will moderate the conversation. There will be a sports bar set up in the Library’s Trefz Forum at 6:30 pm, ahead of the talk. Register here to attend.

"This event is really a tremendous honor,” Schaap said, “and I am looking forward to speaking with Dave. The Westport Library is a great institution, and it means a lot to me to be able to discuss my career under its roof.” 

One of ESPN’s most respected personalities, Schaap, a Cornell graduate and Westport resident, has been with the network since 1994. ​He has covered most major sports and sporting events, including the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup, the Tour de France, the World Series, the Super Bowl, the US Open, Wimbledon, and French Open, the Men’s and Women's Final Fours, and even chess boxing. 

In that time, Schaap has won two national Edward R. Murrow Awards as well as a Peabody Award, two National Headliner Awards, and 14 national Sports Emmy Awards. 

It was Schaap who conducted the first interview with Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight after he was fired by Indiana University in 2000, and he also conducted ​ the first interviews with Darryl Strawberry, then with the New York Yankees, after he was diagnosed with colon cancer; with Plaxico Burress, of the New York Giants, after he shot himself in a New York City nightclub; and with Manti Te’o, the Notre Dame linebacker, after it was reported that his supposed girlfriend had never existed. 

But it has been Schaap’s reporting on sports issues around the world, especially those at the intersection of sports and society at large, for which he is best known. 

Schaap’s three national Sports Emmy Awards in journalism recognized stories he reported on a Serbian basketball player convicted of a brutal assault, an Israeli soccer team’s anti-Muslim fans, and child fighters in Thailand risking their lives to support their families.  

Schaap also won the national Sports Emmy Award for writing — an award named for his father, legendary sportswriter and broadcaster Dick Schaap — for his profile of chess champion Bobby Fischer. And his work has been honored by, among others, the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications, and the United Nations. 

In 2015, Schaap won the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Award for reporting on human rights and social justice issues, a first for ESPN. That same year, he was honored with a PRISM Award for reporting on addiction issues, for a story about Cowboys’ tight end Jason Witten and his abusive father. And he was nominated for a national News and Documentary Emmy Award for an E:60 profile of a survivor of extreme domestic violence; ESPN had never previously been nominated for a News Emmy Award.  

In addition to his work in front of and behind the camera, Schaap is the author of Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer, and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History, a New York Times best-seller, and Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics. 

Schaap has longstanding relationships with several charitable organizations, including the Greater New York chapter of the ALS Association, which has honored him with its Iron Horse Award; the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, which has honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award; and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, whose annual banquet he emcees. Additionally, the Muscular Dystrophy Association honored him with the Steve Ennis Hope Award in 2017. 

“Jeremy Schaap is one of the premier sports journalists in the world,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “Beyond that, he is a fascinating and engaging professional who has carved out a unique space in the broadcasting landscape. His stories are amazing, but as great as they are, they’re still not as compelling as his personal story. This is an event not to miss for anyone who loves sports and thoughtful, compassionate, in-depth storytelling.” 

Briggs has served as an anchor for NBC Sports, a news anchor for CNN and Yahoo Finance, the weekend host for FOX & Friends, and a digital content consultant for Moffly Media. He currently works as a March Madness studio host for Turner Sports and as vice president for business development for Cann, based in Westport. He also is an active member of the Library’s board of trustees. 

Are you interested in volunteering but don’t know where to start? The Westport Library, The Town of Westport, and The League of Women Voters of Westport have you covered.

On Saturday, September 23, the three organizations will team with to host an adult volunteer fair in the Library’s Trefz Forum.

The fair will run from 10 am to 2 pm and feature more than two dozen local community organizations. Each organization will have a staff member on hand to provide information and answer questions.

“The wide range of volunteer activities at Volunteer Expo reflect the many talents and interests of our diverse community,” said Celeste LaCroix, director of development for the League of Woman Voters of Connecticut and past president of the League of Woman Voters of Westport. “Come, because you know that it's time to give back. Come, and you will be delighted with the array of opportunities.”

Said Bill Harmer, Westport Library executive director: “We hear all the time that people want to give back to the community, but they don’t always know where to start. This is the place. For four hours, we’ll have some of Westport’s most treasured local organizations and nonprofits in one space. It’s a great way to promote volunteerism in our community—and an even better way to find the right organization to fit your interests.”

In addition, the Library will host a volunteer expo for teens on Wednesday, October 4, from 4:30 to 6 pm featuring a handful of local youth organizations to engage teens.

Below is a list of organizations participating (subject to change) in the September 23 adult volunteer fair:

Following much fanfare and plaudits from attendees, the Andrew Wilk Medical Series is returning to The Westport Library, this time with a focus on the brain.

The three-part series will debut on Thursday, September 7, at 7 pm in the Library’s Trefz Forum, with a deep dive into strokes and transient ischemic attacks. That will be followed by a look at headaches and migraines on October 30 and a talk focused on dementia on November 21.

Each session will feature renowned Westport physician Dr. Robert Altbaum in conversation with a fellow expert in the field. Dr. Daryl Story will be the featured guest on September 7, followed by Dr. Dario Zagar on October 30 and Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick on November 21.

The doctors will field questions from the audience after each presentation.

“Andrew and I envisioned the series as a wonderful opportunity to educate the community about important medical topics, emphasizing the newest technologies and treatments,” Altbaum said. “We are thrilled at the positive response by the public and hope to cover a wide variety of medical specialties. The medical field is undergoing an exponential growth in information and there is a lot to share.”

This is the second medical series presented by Wilk, a five-time Emmy Award winner and the former executive producer of Live from Lincoln Center. It follows a focus on cardiovascular health that debuted earlier this year to capacity crowds and rave reviews.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have Andrew leading this series and equally so to have Dr. Altbaum hosting these conversations,” said Bill Harmer, Westport Library executive director. “We entered into the series on cardiovascular health thinking this could be an asset to the community, and it most definitely was. The events were all well-attended, the sessions themselves were engaging and important, and the questions from the audience members were incisive and thoughtful. We look forward to more of the same in this series on the brain.”

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Full series at a glance (all events held in the Library’s Trefz Forum):

Thursday, September 7, at 7 pm
Andrew Wilk Presents: The Brain, Part One
Topic: Strokes and Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA): Maximizing the chance for recovery
Presenters: Dr. Daryl Story and Dr. Robert Altbaum
Click here to register.

Monday, October 30, at 7 pm
Andrew Wilk Presents: The Brain, Part Two
Topic: Headaches and Migraine: Better understanding the diagnosis and the new therapies available
Presenters: Dr. Dario Zagar and Dr. Robert Altbaum

Tuesday, November 21, at 7 pm
Andrew Wilk Presents: The Brain, Part Three
Topic: What’s new in Dementia
Presenters: Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick and Dr. Robert Altbaum

Pinkalicious author Victoria Kann in the Library's Trefz Forum last year.

Victoria Kann is returning to the Library to headline the kids’ component of StoryFest 2023 with a Pink or Treat Halloween book reading and parade.

The famed Westporter and Pinkalicious author will read from her book, Pink or Treat, on Sunday, October 22, starting at 10 am. That will be followed by a Pinkalicious Halloween Parade featuring fun giveaways. Kids and their adults are encouraged to dress up and take part in the parade.

The event is free with registration, and there is also an option to purchase a signed copy of Pink or Treat for $15 — as well as signed copies of many other Kann favorites.

The sixth edition of StoryFest, the largest literary festival in Connecticut, runs October 20-22 and features writers of all forms and from all genres. Best-selling author Neil Gaiman kicks off StoryFest 2023 on Friday evening, October 20, in conversation with Stephen Graham Jones. Saturday features a host of author conversations and panel discussions, closing with a staged reading of Eric LaRocca’s new play, Gentle Hacksaw, with additional events to be announced for Sunday.

In addition to the Pink or Treat Halloween Parade, kids’ events at StoryFest will include a picture book reading on the Library steps on Saturday, October 21, starting at 10 am, with assembled picture book authors, and a Monster Lab where kids can make their own 3D Monster Figurine or a Halloween mask. The Moster Lab event runs from 2 to 4 pm, also on Saturday, in the Hub on the Library’s main level.

“Victoria Kann is a Westport treasure and a friend to kids everywhere,” said Mary Parmelee, Westport Library director or youth services. “All of which makes her the perfect guest for our StoryFest children’s celebration. We encourage kids and their caretakers from Fairfield County and beyond to come out for this special event, as well as to join us on Saturday for the picture book reading and the Monster Lab. They’ll be the ideal complement to a can’t-miss sixth edition of StoryFest.”

An award-winning author and illustrator, Kann co-authored and illustrated Pinkalicious and Purplicious as well as the play, Pinkalicious the Musical. She also wrote and illustrated Goldilicious, Silverlicious, Emeraldalicious, Aqualicious, and Peterrific, and many other titles, and is the co-executive producer of Pinkalicious & Peterrific on PBS Kids.

L to R: Stephen Graham Jones, Neil Gaiman, and Eric LaRocca

Two past favorites are returning in new roles at StoryFest 2023, with Stephen Graham Jones secured as the moderator for the keynote conversation with Neil Gaiman on Friday, October 20, and Eric LaRocca capping a full day of events on Saturday, October 21, with a staged reading of his new play, Gentle Hacksaw.

Both are ticketed events, with additional seats becoming available for the Friday conversation with Gaiman — the acclaimed author of American Gods, Coraline, and The Sandman Series, among many others — on Tuesday, August 22, at 10 am. Tickets will be available at that time on the keynote conversation registration page.

The conversation between Gaiman and Graham Jones is free to the public as part of the Fall 2023 Malloy Lecture in the Arts. Seats are limited for what will be a sold-out crowd of 400-plus.

Tickets for the staged reading of Gentle Hacksaw are $20 and are available for purchase now. Doors open at 7 pm for a reception, where guests can meet the StoryFest authors; small bites will be provided and there will be a cash bar. The performance starts at 8 pm and will be followed by a conversation with the playwright and cast moderated by best-selling author Clay Mcleod Chapman.

Now in its sixth year, StoryFest is the largest literary festival in Connecticut and one of the biggest annual literary festivals in the Northeast. This year’s edition will be held October 20-22. Friday night is the keynote conversation. Saturday features a series of panel discussions and conversations, with the full lineup to be announced in late summer/early fall. Sunday includes a writers’ workshop, a special children’s event, and additional programming, also to be announced soon.

In addition to Chapman, Gaiman, Graham Jones, and LaRocca, confirmed authors for StoryFest 2023 include Angie Kim, Gabino Iglesias, Caroline Kepnes, and Josh Malerman.

“StoryFest is my favorite event we put on all year,” said Westport Library Associate Director of Programming and StoryFest co-founder Alex Giannini. “Neil Gaiman alone is worth the price of admission, but adding in the bonus of Stephen Graham Jones as moderator — what a night it's going to be! Stephen is one of the most unique and compelling voices in fiction today, and he and Gaiman on stage together will be StoryFest magic.

“On top of it all, having the opportunity to close what will be a knockout Saturday with Eric LaRocca’s play is a treat for everyone who makes it out for this year’s StoryFest.” 

Graham Jones and LaRocca both are StoryFest veterans who appeared at last year’s edition as panelists.

Graham Jones is a professor at the University of Colorado and a New York Times best-selling author of some 30 novels and collections, including Mongrels, The Only Good Indians, My Heart is a Chainsaw, and Earthdivers.

Among his many honors include the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Fiction, the LA Times Ray Bradbury Prize, the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, the Western Literature Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award, the American Library Association’s RUSA Award and Alex Award, the 2023 American Indian Festival of Words Writers Award, the Locus Award, four Bram Stoker Awards, three Shirley Jackson Awards, and six This is Horror Awards. In addition, he’s been a finalist for the World Fantasy Award and the British Fantasy Award.

LaRocca is the Splatterpunk Award-winning and the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and The Trees Grew Because I Bled There, a collection of short stories released in March.

Gentle Hacksaw is “a startling new drama of religion, identity, and violence about two high-profile gay men who become embroiled in a verbal cat-and-mouse game of utter cruelty when an unpleasant bargain goes awry. As social graces are discarded and basic human decency is abandoned, both men discover shocking truths about themselves and one another that will forever transform them.”

For more information on this year’s StoryFest, as well as past editions, visit westportlibrary.org/storyfest.

Top row (L to R): Immediate Past President Jeremy Price, President Barrie Rosen, Secretary Melissa Banks; bottom row (L to R): New board members Mark Silverstein, Bob Boroujerdi, and Martina Sze.

The start of the new fiscal year is a time of transition at The Westport Library, bringing with it new programs, priorities, and goals — and this year, a new president and three new members to the Library’s board of trustees.

Starting with the board’s July meeting, held July 19, Barrie Rosen has been elected as the new president of The Westport Library board, taking over for Jeremy Price, who will remain on the board as immediate past president.

Rosen is a longtime advocate for the Library and has served on the board since 2020. A communications executive, she currently leads marketing communications at Consumer Reports after earlier stints at YP (formerly Yellowpages.com), Fox News, News 12 Connecticut, and multiple public relations agencies. She also serves on the board of Staples Tuition Grants.

Before rising to president, Rosen was the secretary of the board. Assuming that role for the current term is Melissa Banks, who joined the board in 2022.

“Barrie’s work since joining the board has been outstanding and exemplary,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “She knows the community and the library so well, providing advice and feedback that are routinely brilliant and always on point. I am incredibly excited to work with her and the other members of the executive committee and the board at large as we continue to grow the Library over the next year.”

Said Rosen: “The Library has always been a special place for me and my family, even before we moved to Westport. It is the only place where you can simultaneously connect with friends, get a private room to work, flex your creative muscle, and enjoy the serenity of the Saugatuck River. It is my honor to give back to an institution that has offered so much to me, and so many others.”

Price steps down after serving two years as president of the Library board, a tenure that featured the full-time return to in-person events as well the fourth and fifth editions of StoryFest; the launch of VersoFest, the Library’s annual music and media festival; two successful BOOKED for the evening programs; and the return of the Malloy Lecture in the Arts — plus Camp Explore, Summer Learning Programs, and this year’s debut of Verso Records, Volume One, the first vinyl record ever recorded, produced, and released by a public library.

“Jeremy has been an indispensable ally in our efforts over the past year, and I cannot thank him enough for all that he has done,” Harmer said. “He is a true partner and a trusted friend, and I’m very glad that his important voice will remain on the board for the coming term.”

The Library’s fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30 each year. Board terms run four years, with each member eligible to serve two terms. The Library board is made up of 20 members in total; 10 are selected by the Library board, and 10 by the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), the town’s legislative body.

Joining the board for the coming term are Bob Boroujerdi, a former partner at Goldman Sachs who most recently served as a managing director at Third Point LLC, an alternative asset manager; Mark Silverstein, an internet technology and media executive who has worked at Spotify, Luminary, and HuffPost; and Martina Sze, the chief development officer at HealthVest, a behavioral healthcare company with a mission of treating all patients, regardless of income.

They replace departing members Rob Haroun, Jenna Markowitz, and Meena Pellerin, all of whom made marked contributions to the Library during their years of service on the board.

“We’re very excited to welcome our three new board members, though that comes with the sadness of saying goodbye to three members who have selflessly dedicated their time and talent to us over the years,” Harmer said. “Rob, Jenna, Meena, thank you for helping guide the Library’s vision during your time on the board, and for your support and counsel. You will be missed!”

Laura Linney (right) and moderator Lynne Meadow

“Tonight, we honor an artist of the highest caliber, Laura Linney.”

With that, Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer presented the 2023 BOOKED for the evening guest of honor with her award, eliciting a standing ovation from the capacity crowd of 450-plus who turned out for the 24^th edition of the Library’s signature fundraising event — and who made this year’s edition the most financially successful BOOKED for the evening in the event’s history.

It was a stunning evening, replete with a cocktail reception, in-person tributes from former New York Times chief theatre critic Ben Brantley, actor John Benjamin Hickey, and playwright Donald Marguiles, and video tributes from actors Jason Bateman, Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeanne Tripplehorn, among others, all celebrating Linney’s life and career.

That was followed by an extended conversation between moderator Lynne Meadow, the longtime artistic visionary behind the Manhattan Theatre Club, and Linney, covering a wide variety of topics that included Linney’s introduction to acting, her process, her love of books, and much more.

“Where the arts and community intersect anywhere, it’s a really powerful and important part of our culture,” said Linney, whose remarkable career includes two Golden Globe and four Emmy Award wins and three Academy Award and five Tony Award nominations. “I think there is a profound need for community and the arts. And I’m so happy to be here and to see so many people here. The arts are essential for culture. They’re medicinal. They help us understand things we didn’t understand before and they make you understand things about yourself that you had no idea of — it’s a profoundly important thing to keep alive.”

Linney emphasized the special place the arts serve not only in her life, but for society as a whole — “Time in the arts is never wasted time,” she said — and how meaningful it was to receive this award from a library, an institution she reveres.

“Books are one of the first aspects of the arts that we all encounter — the small books as a child, things that you have, holding a book in your hand,” said Linney. “So, it’s really a joy to be here. I’ve had, in some ways, my most spiritual experiences in libraries — the library in my college, the library in my high school, the library I created in my home. I love being there. I love being quiet. I love staring at the books and they all talk to me as you remember what you’ve read, what those characters had to say. I find it such a wonderful, calming place to be.”

[Related: BOOKED for the evening 2023 photo album]

BOOKED for the evening 2023 closed with a song from American Idol finalist and Staples High School graduate Drew Angus, who performed a soaring rendition of Time for Me to Fly by REO Speedwagon, and with drinks and dessert in the Hub on the Library’s main level.

“The night was electric,” Harmer said. “It was everything we could have asked for and more. Once again, we realize how honored we are to live in such a vibrant arts community — and in a community that understands the importance of libraries and that supports our mission and goals. That an actress of Laura Linney’s immense talent would feel at home in our space is a testament both to the Library and the people who sustain it.”

“It was, start to finish, a remarkable evening,” said Westport Library Development Director Agata Slattery. “I cannot say enough about the incredible efforts of the BOOKED for the evening committee, led by co-chairs Wendy Brown and Candice Savin, all the Library staff members who have worked for months to make the event come to life, and of course all the patrons who came out to support the Library. We cannot wait to try to top this again next year when we celebrate 25 years of BOOKED for the evening.”

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Photos: Pamela Einarsen Photography

Throughout his basketball career, Chris Paul has shined on platforms big and small, establishing himself as one of the premier point guards in basketball history and entering the zeitgeist through his star turn in national State Farm commercials.

For his next appearance, Paul is coming to a local stage, joining The Westport Library to discuss his life and his new memoir, Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court, an ode to his grandfather and family, with journalist, podcast host, and FOX Sports anchor Lindsay Czarniak.

The event, to be held on Tuesday, June 27, at 8 pm, in the Library’s Trefz Forum, will be livestreamed and recorded as part of Czarniak’s new podcast, Lunch with Lindsay. Paul will be joining virtually, with Czarniak appearing in person. Registration for the event is free and now open.

After the conversation, members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask Paul questions, with priority being given to kids in attendance. Autographed copies of Sixty-One will also be for sale.

“I can’t wait for people to see this side of Chris Paul,” Czarniak said. “I love uncovering the experiences, things, people that connect us all, and I’m excited to bring this podcast to life for a night and to give kids in the community a chance to hear from someone they look up to. His play on the court speaks for itself, but I’m especially pumped because Chris’ story about his inspiration to be the best basketball player he can be is much broader than sports. It’s about the human connection and inspiration. I think we can all relate to that.” 

The event is a partnership between the Library, the Westport Weston Family YMCA, the Y’s Men of Westport/Weston, and the 06880 Blog.

“This is a truly incredible opportunity for the Fairfield County community — and beyond — to hear from one of the true legends of the sport of basketball in our forum,” Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer said. “And we’re thrilled to partner with Lindsay, a Westport resident and one of the country’s foremost sports journalists, on this exciting event. We hope to draw kids and adults far and wide for what we hope will be the first of many such conversations.”

Paul is one of the elite players in basketball history. A McDonald’s All-American as a high school player in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he garnered national attention when he made a run at the North Carolina high school scoring record, just five days after his grandfather died of a heart attack during a robbery at the service station he owned and just a day after the community icon was buried. Paul’s last attempt before coming out of the game was a free throw that he missed intentionally, ensuring that he would finish with 61 points, the same age as his grandfather, who he called Papa. It was six points shy of the state record.

Paul stayed close to home after high school, starring locally at Wake Forest, where he led the Demon Deacons to the No. 1 ranking his sophomore year and earned All-America honors. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets and has gone on to enjoy a distinguished career with the Hornets (2005-11), L.A. Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), and most recently, the Phoenix Suns (2020-23).

The 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year was the first player in league history to register 20,000 career points and 10,000 career assists, having since been joined only by LeBron James. Paul also is a 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA performer (including four times first team All-NBA), and has finished in the Top 3 of the MVP voting on three occasions. In addition, the all-world point guard won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, in 2008 and 2012, and was named to the NBA’s 75^th Anniversary Team.

Czarniak is an award-winning sportscaster known for anchoring SportsCenter for six years and most recently as a FOX NFL sideline reporter, CBS SRX Racing host, and studio host for NBC’s Summer and Winter Olympic Games coverage.

This year, Czarniak launched her new series Lunch with Lindsay in partnership with Shawn Johnson’s FamilyMade Media network, where she has sat down with icons across sports and entertainment, including country music star Eric Church, NASCAR standout Chase Elliott, and Indy500 champion Josef Newgarden, among others.

Neil Gaiman, the prolific and admired author whose work includes American Gods, Coraline, and the graphic novel series The Sandman, will be this year’s keynote speaker at StoryFest 2023.

The sixth edition of StoryFest, The Westport Library’s annual celebration of reading, writing, ideas, and community, will be held October 20-22.

Gaiman will headline opening night on Friday, October 20, in the Library’s Trefz Forum. The festival will also include panel discussions and additional events on Saturday, October 21, and Sunday, October 22, with scheduled authors Angie Kim, Gabino Iglesias, Stephen Graham Jones, Caroline Kepnes, Eric LaRocca, Josh Malerman, and many, many more.

The free registration for the keynote address will go live to the public on Tuesday, June 20, at 9 am. The complete lineup and schedule for StoryFest 2023 will be announced this summer.

The largest literary festival in Connecticut and one of the biggest in New England, StoryFest drew more than 800 participants and 40 authors to the Library for its 2022 edition — an impressive collection of writers that included New York Times best-selling author Isaac Fitzgerald, Kirkus Prize recipient Saeed Jones, and famed fantasy writer Naomi Novik.

This year’s StoryFest keynote is doubling as the Fall 2023 Malloy Lecture in the Arts, following the spring edition that featured artist and former Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler. The Spring 2023 Malloy Lecture was held in conjunction with VersoFest, the Library’s annual music and media festival.

The Malloy Lecture in the Arts, delivered free to the public since 2002 thanks to the generosity of Westport artist Susan Malloy, highlight individuals who have had significant cultural influence and whose work has enhanced the understanding and appreciation of the arts.

“It is a heady task to deliver both the StoryFest keynote and the Fall 2023 Malloy Lecture in the Arts, but without question Neil Gaiman is the person for the job,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “Few writers can match his cultural influence, output, and undeniable storytelling skill. Beyond that, he is a captivating and engaging speaker. We couldn’t be happier to welcome him to the Library and are delighted that our community will get to experience his magic in person.”

Renowned for his stage presence and oration, Gaiman routinely sells out large venues throughout the United States. Following his early work as a journalist and biographer, Gaiman achieved fame — and cult status — with The Sandman series, which ran for 75 issues and earned him nine Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards and three Harvey Awards. In 1991, Sandman was recognized with the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story, making it the first comic ever to receive a literary award.

Following Sandman, Gaiman turned to novels, producing The New York Times best-sellers Good Omens (1990), Neverwhere (1995), Stardust (1999), American Gods (2001), and Anansi Boys (2005), as well as the short story collections Smoke and Mirrors (1998) and Fragile Things (2006). American Gods was honored with both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, and Smoke and Mirrors was nominated for the UK's MacMillan Silver Pen Awards as the best short story collection of the year.

Gaiman also has written a number of celebrated children’s and young adult books, including Coraline (2002), The Wolves in the Walls (2003), Odd and the Frost Giants (2008), The Graveyard Book (2008), and Crazy Hair (2009), among others. 

Coraline won the British Science Fiction Award, the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the American Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award; Crazy Hair was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal; and The Graveyard Book won the UK's Booktrust Prize for Teenage Fiction and the 2010 UK CILIP Carnegie Medal, as well as the Newbery Medal, the highest honor given in U.S. children's literature, and the Locus Young Adult Award and the Hugo Best Novel Prize. With those honors, Gaiman became the first author ever to win both the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal with the same book. 

Unsurprisingly, given their popularity and acclaim, Gaiman’s books have been adapted for film and theater. Stardust and Coraline were both made into feature films, with Coraline winning a BAFTA Award and earning an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film. Coraline was also adapted as a musical, and The Wolves in the Walls was developed into an opera by the Scottish National Theatre in 2006.

Gaiman traces much of his success back to libraries, of which he is an avowed fan, making him the perfect fit to open StoryFest 2023 and serve as the guest speaker for the Fall 2023 Malloy Lecture in the Arts.

“I wouldn’t be who I am without libraries,” Gaiman said on his website. “I was the sort of kid who devoured books, and my happiest times as a boy were when I persuaded my parents to drop me off in the local library on their way to work, and I spent the day there. I discovered that librarians actually want to help you: They taught me about interlibrary loans.”

Past StoryFest participants include New York Times best-selling authors Mitch Albom and Michael Lewis; National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds; Pinkalicious author/illustrator Victoria Kann; Goosebumps author R.L. Stine; young adult superstars Nic Stone, Tiffany Jackson, and L.L. McKinney; and Emmy Award winner Sheila Nevins.

In addition to Butler, previous Malloy Lecture programs have featured Philippe de Montebello, director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; distinguished playwright Arthur Miller; artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude; musicians Joshua Bell and Frederic Chiu; U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins; Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation; author Joyce Carol Oates; cartoonist Roz Chast; actor Christopher Plummer; stage, film, and theater star John Lithgow; preeminent classical dancer Jacques d'Amboise; music legend Clive Davis; author Salman Rushdie; Falsettos: In Conversation; Bernstein on Broadway; playwright, actor, and educator Anna Deavere Smith; and Tony Award-winning actress Kelli O’Hara in conversation with renowned American theater director Bartlett Sher.

Hip hop icon, musician, producer, and artist, Dooley-O holds a signed copy of "Verso Records: Volume One"

Verso Records: Volume One, the debut album from Verso Studios at The Westport Library, got a proper introduction Saturday night, June 3, with 200+ fans packing the Library’s Trefz Forum to celebrate the first vinyl record ever recorded, produced, and released by a public library.

The album is now officially on sale, available at the Library Store, online via Bandcamp, through the Verso Records website, and soon at local record stores around the area. The bright yellow vinyl sells for $22 and includes a digital download. A $10 digital-only version is also available.

“I am thrilled to be celebrating this momentous achievement for Verso Studios,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “This is a historic snapshot of the current Connecticut and tri-state area music scene. This album is eclectic, powerful, fun, and shows the world what community and vision can do when we band together.”

Harmer and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal kicked off the event, welcoming the attendees and emphasizing the historic nature of this can’t-miss event.

“This is an example of Westport at its best, Connecticut at its best,” Blumenthal said from the stage, standing in front of the Trefz Forum’s 18-foot videowall, cane in hand as the result of an injury he suffered earlier this year. “I grew up for a number of years in Westport, and there is a quality to the vision and vibrancy of this community, a commitment to artistic achievement and culture that helps power culture throughout the state of Connecticut. … I had surgery about seven weeks ago, but not even a broken leg could keep me away tonight.”

And with that, it was on to the music. Five of the bands featured on the album performed: Folk/Americana artist Kierstin Sieser (Middletown) kicked things off, followed by Lulu Lewis duo Dylan Hundley & Pablo Martin (NYC), indie rock mainstay Ports of Spain (New Haven), and hockey rockers The Zambonis (Bridgeport), with The Problem With Kids Today (New Haven) closing out the evening.

Remarks and introductions to the bands were made by a variety of emcees, including record artist Sheneta Nicole, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club — Frantz also wrote the liner notes for the record — and legendary drummer and Norton Records founder Miriam Linna, whose label covered the record release in advance of the celebration.

Other outlets to cover the release of the record include Pitchfork, the American Library Association, Yahoo News, The New Haven Independent, and CT Public/WNPR, to name just a few.

"A library with a record label? Shazaam!” wrote Linna. “It took a small town library to make the impossible happen. … Westport Library sets the trend. … Benjamin Franklin got the ball rolling over 200 years ago in the United States, and what a concept they are — vestibules of knowledge, free to everyone, growing with the people, for the people! And the people want vinyl records!”

Verso Records: Volume One culls 12 live tracks from Connecticut and tri-state area artists, recorded by Audio Studios manager and in-house sound engineer Travis Bell at the Library’s Verso Studios.

The record features a diverse array of talent across all genres (rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, hip hop, folk, indie) heralding the oft-unsung heroes of the region. Standout tracks include indie-rock band Daniprobably’s “Cowboy,” produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Peter Katis (Interpol, The National, Kurt Vile, Sharon Von Etten); futuristic hip-hop from MIGHTYMOONCHEW with “Jus Bcuz,” produced by influential hip-hop icon Dooley-O; and Alexandra Burnet & The Stable Six’s lush, ethereal, eight-piece arrangement of the meditative “You’re Okay,” plus many others. 

Danielle Capalbo from Daniprobably, Dooley-O, and Burnet were among the many local musicians in attendance to ring in the album Saturday night.

“It’s special to make a record in a library,” Capalbo said on the CT Public show Where We Live, “because you’re surrounded by ideas, surrounded by beautiful words, beautiful concepts. And The Westport Library is a uniquely beautiful space with wonderful, supportive people. … This is the most amplified I’ve ever felt as a musician in terms of the energy and excitement for the project, so kudos to The Westport Library for that.”