Pequot Library

Library services and circulating collection:pequot Library curates a circulating collection of more than 110,000 items, with books for adults, children, and young adults, plus media items like audiobooks, adding 1,585 new items in 2022-2023. Pequot circulated 24,523 items from its collections to the public, with 44% of those items being children's and young adult materials. See schedule o for continuance of program service accomplishmentspublic programs and community outreach:in 2022-2023, Pequot Library offered a total of 459 programs and events to patrons of all ages, including 16 school programs, which reached over 500 students. Year-round programs include author talks, exhibitions, musical and live performances, workshops, book clubs, scholarly presentations, lectures, school and university student tours, walking tours of historic southport, and numerous children's literacy programs. The Library also collaborates with the two other public libraries in town, local schools, and countless peer organizations in the area. Community programs have expanded to include online exhibitions and virtual author talks. Pequot designs these programs and exhibitions using its notable special collections as inspiration. Special event fundraisers include used book sales, a party inspired by the Kentucky derby, the southport garden stroll, and other events unique to Pequot Library like author talks and community art shows. In 2022-2023, program attendance totaled 21,168; 22,931 patrons utilizing Library services in person and when combined with 54,000 web users visiting the Library's website, Pequot served a total of 98,099 patrons.pequot further serves the community through the books for teachers program, supported by grant funding from the renee b. fisher foundation. This program allowed the Library to provide free books to 181 teachers in bridgeport, new haven, stratford, norwalk, derby, and ansonia who shopped at the annual summer book sale.special collections and exhibitions:the special collections is part of the original legacy of Pequot Library. Virginia marquand monroe, in collaboration with her husband, elbert monroe, and her advisor, reverend william holman, carefully selected and gifted to the Library an extraordinary collection of americana materials centering on the founding of the nation. Mary catherine hull wakeman, another southport philanthropist, also funded and contributed an incredibly valuable portion of the Library original collection. In 2022-2023, Pequot Library's special collections exceeds 30,000 rare books, manuscripts, and documents from the 15th century and earlier to present, that help illuminate the history of the local area and beyond. Nearly 2,000 of the rare published works and manuscripts are currently on long-term loan to yale university's beinecke rare book and manuscript Library. Current and recent exhibitions of the special collections have included the lure of the garden: the enduring desire to work and shape the land; alphabets, bedtime stories, and cautionary tales: children's books and the shaping of american identity; and the book beautiful: selections from the private press movement.