Mark your calendars for the first NewberryFest on Saturday, July 20! The Newberry will invite the public into the library for a day of festivities that will entice long-time supporters and newcomers alike.
Throughout the day, visitors will enjoy a series of talks by Newberry curators, researchers, and community partners, all designed to help you navigate the many offerings of the library.
Start the day with our popular Newberry 101 session where our skilled librarians will provide tips and tricks on how to begin research in the collection. If you’ve always wanted to explore your curiosity in the Reading Rooms but were unsure where to start, this session is for you. Throughout the day we’ll give you a glimpse of upcoming projects like Indigenous Chicago (Fall 2024) and bring you face-to-face with treasures and the latest acquisitions from our collection. Two exhibitions will be open: A Night at Mister Kelly’s and Chicago Style: Mike Royko and Windy City Journalism, each staffed with docents to answer visitor questions. Guided tours of the historic building (including access to area that are typically off limits to the public) will be offered throughout the day, and a small used book sale will give guests the chance to take some new reading material home with them.
“This new program will connect visitors to the Newberry’s staff, collection, and activities in a fun and engaging way,” explained Vince Firpo, Vice President for Public Engagement. “Our goal is to demystify the Newberry and show people how much we have to offer and how easy it is to get involved in the life of the library. I hope we’ll attract many first-time visitors and encourage them to visit us time and time again.”
As a supporter of the Newberry, we hope you’ll think about your friends and acquaintances who haven’t been to the Newberry in a while, or perhaps ever before, and bring them along for what’s sure to be a fun-filled day.
In addition to NewberryFest, we are excited to offer more summer programs than ever before. On June 13, we will host a Mister Kelly’s Cabaret Night at Winter's Jazz Club (465 North McClurg Court), recreating what it would have been like to attend the famed Gold Coast nightclub that is the subject of our latest exhibition, A Night at Mister Kelly’s.
Programs featuring Rose Miron, Director of the Newberry’s D’Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies, and Northwestern University’s Bill Savage, co-curator of Chicago Style: Mike Royko and Windy City Journalism are also in the works. Details will be up on our website soon.