Gladiatorial games occupied a complex place in Roman society, combining ritual, violence, entertainment, and political display. Originally associated with funeral ceremonies, these contests gradually developed into major public spectacles. Julius Caesar was instrumental in increasing their scale and using them to strengthen his public reputation. Join Reference Librarian Flannery for an examination of the origins, development, and cultural significance of gladiatorial combat in Ancient Rome.

The American Revolution, a landmark documentary by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, examines how our nation’s founding was at once a war for independence, a civil war, and a world war that impacted millions. We are pleased to present screenings of all six episodes in their entirety for America 250. Episode Two: An Asylum for Mankind (May 1775 – July 1776) Delegates from all thirteen colonies convene for the Second Continental Congress at the Pennsylvania State House in…

Named a Best Book of 2025 by the New York Public Library, The Art Spy is a riveting and stylish saga set in Paris during World War II that uncovers how an unlikely heroine infiltrated the Nazi leadership to save the world’s most treasured masterpieces. Best-selling author Michelle Young's narrative nonfiction book is based on troves of previously undiscovered documents about Rose Valland, a female Monuments Man who has mostly been written out of the annals despite bearing witness to…

Renowned clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and founder of the Conscious Parenting movement Dr. Shefali presents TWO new hands-on guides for 21st-century parenting: one provides a pathway forward to reclaim how daughters are seen, supported, and raised; and another radically reimagines how boys are understood, nurtured, and raised. This program is being co-sponsored by New Canaan CARES, and Dr. Shefali will be in conversation with actor, parent, and New Canaan local Allison Williams. Raising Conscious Daughters: Building Confidence, Courage, and Inner…

The American Revolution, a landmark documentary by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, examines how our nation’s founding was at once a war for independence, a civil war, and a world war that impacted millions. We are pleased to present screenings of all six episodes in their entirety for America 250. Episode Three: The Times That Try Men’s Souls (July 1776 – January 1777) General George Washington and his Continental Army move to defend New York City as British…

From the earliest days of the Revolutionary War, the Stockbridge Militia Company, formed by the Mohicans of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, fought with distinction in George Washington’s Continental Army. Hear about the Stockbridge Militia, their role in the War of Independence, and their subsequent forced removal from western Massachusetts by the early 1780s. Seeing action from the 1775 Siege of Boston (Breeds Hill aka Bunker Hill), Battle of Valcour Island with Benedict Arnold, the American Victory at the Battle of Saratoga, Battle…