Regarding the origins of the Salant Room at the New Canaan Library, Richard Salant, longtime New Canaan resident and president of CBS News, was passionate about the First Amendment, news in general and libraries in particular.
After he retired, he approached the New Canaan Library’s then-director, David Bryant, with the idea of endowing an area for current newspapers, periodicals and commentary on the news in memory of his longtime CBS colleague, reporter and commentator Eric Severaid.
Mr. Bryant was deeply enthusiastic about the idea and subsequently suggested his own office become the space for it. Soon after, in 1993, Mr. Salant died abruptly. His family, friends and colleagues raised funds to endow an annual lecture in his name and to refurbish what had been the director’s office with shelves and furniture suitable to its purpose of displaying and storing current newspapers and periodicals as well as his books on the First Amendment along with a pair of television sets and some computer terminals.
The Salant Room has been a well-utilized spot in the current library building, and this year’s Salant lecture will be on March 8th at 4 pm. The speaker will be Brian Lehrer, Peabody Award-winning public radio host on WNYC.
Pat Stoddard
Thank you Pat Stoddard. It is truly an inspiring room.
Libby Butterworth
This is wonderful history that Ms. Stoddard discusses. Thank you! I didn’t know, and will plan on attending to hear Brian Lehrer.
Hope we can work together to keep the beautiful Salant Reading Room as part of the cultural center of our town, right in the landmark 1913 Library building that is currently planned for demolition.
Do you have a list of all the annual speakers – Salant?