Join us for upcoming events, classes and programs at Hudson Library & Historical Society! All events are free and open to the public.
Registration required where noted. Did you miss a program? Check out our past event podcasts and videos.
Wednesday, Apr. 17, 6:30 p.m.
Bestselling author and Cleveland resident Thrity Umrigar will discuss her newest book The Museum of Failures, which has been named Amazon’s Best Book of the Month. Publisher’s Weekly opines, “[A] rich and emotionally gripping story about familial love and the destructive power of secrets...Umrigar continues to impress.” This author event is in recognition of the Celebrating Ohio Book Awards & Authors (COBAA) LSTA grant program.
Saturday, Apr. 20, 10-11:30 a.m.
In the second session of this two-part digital photography workshop, commercial photographer Steve Manchook will cover composition, lighting and other rules and tips for taking images that transcend snapshots will be covered. This program is generously funded by the Tom Hauser Arts & Humanities Series.
Monday, Apr. 22, 7 p.m.
Discover the unbelievable saga of the scientists – men and women – who changed underwater exploration forever with biomedical engineer and blast-injury specialist, Dr. Rachel Lance. She will discuss her new book Chamber Divers, which uncovers a story that has been buried in classified records for a generation. Publisher’s Weekly opines, “A riveting account of the daredevil Allied researchers who made advances in underwater warfare possible during WWII…Propulsively narrated and full of moments of astonishing sacrifice, this brings a remarkable history to light.”
Tuesday, Apr. 23, 10 a.m.
The library, in collaboration with the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, will present a virtual livestreamed tour of selected works from the museum’s collection, which houses significant examples of European, Asian, and American art. Learn more about the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner, a radical and free-spirited woman who made it her life's mission to collect art from around the world and build this museum to share it with the public. This is a one-time special streaming event and will not be recorded.
Thursday, Apr. 25, 2 p.m.
Explore the capabilities and limitations of one of the most recognizable AI tools, ChatGPT, created by OpenAI. During this hands-on introductory class, participants will have the opportunity to experience real-time interactions with this generative artificial intelligence tool and review the results together as a group. At the end of the session, you will know how ChatGPT can be useful in your everyday life or work, as well as reasons why you should not always take what it says as fact. Please note this class will be exploring the free version of ChatGPT, model 3.5. This class will not be exploring features available only to ChatGPT Plus members.
Thursday, Apr. 25, 6:30 p.m.
Join the library for an in-person author event with award-winning journalist McKay Coppins, who will discuss his new book Romney: A Reckoning. This in-depth portrait shows a public servant authentically wrestling with the choices he has made over his career. Publisher’s Weekly opines, “[A] probing biography...a penetrating analysis of the ongoing Republican civil war through the eyes of one of its last embattled centrists.”
Saturday, Apr. 27, 10:00 a.m.
This is a one-time special streaming event that will not be recorded.
Virtually explore the ancient Inca capital of Cusco, Peru, with tour guide, Michael Lazo Gamarra, as part of the Hudson Library’s Tour of Peru programming series. Cusco (or Cuzco) was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th Century until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Virtually walk through the streets and learn the rich history of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover more about Cusco’s hybrid culture, architecture, and the important role of the city in the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
Sunday, Apr. 28, 2:00 PM
Alla Boara seeks to bring recognition and new life to Italy's diverse history of regional folk music. The ensemble has received critical acclaim for its originality and accessibility and was recently featured in NPR's "Shuffle" and was predicted to have a bright future by Cleveland Magazine. This program is part of the library’s Folk music series.
Monday, Apr. 29, 10 a.m.
The library, in collaboration with the Cleveland Museum of Art’s award-winning distance learning program, will present a virtual livestreamed presentation on the ancient art of Peru as part of the Hudson Library’s Tour of Peru programming series. This program will highlight selected works from the museum’s Ancient Andean collection, which includes works from many cultures of Ancient Peru and its neighboring regions. Art of the Andes included textiles, ceramics, metal, and wood from cultures such as the Paracas, the Inka, and the Nasca. Discover some of the highlights of this collection; including gold ornaments in the Chavín style and a rare Chimú litter back-rest. This is a one-time streaming event and will not be recorded.
Monday, Apr. 29, 2 p.m.
All individuals interested in using the Hudson Library & Historical Society’s Creativity Lab to independently record their own video projects must first complete this mandatory one-hour orientation training session. During orientation training, learn about the Creativity Lab’s policies and best practices on how to use the video production equipment. Upon completion of the orientation program, participants may register for a two-hour independent session, where they can create their own content.
Tuesday, Apr. 30, 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, April 30, at 7 pm, The Hudson Library’s Goblins & Galaxies, a Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will meet to discuss, This is How you Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone. Red and Blue begin on opposite sides of a time war, but fall in love with each other. Continuing their romance will lead to the complete destruction of the other warring side.
Wednesday, May 1, 6:30 p.m.
Legal scholar and analyst Barbara McQuade will discuss her new book Attack from Within, which shows readers how to identify the ways disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society and how we can fight against it. Publisher’s Weekly opines, “A concise introduction to the threat to American democracy...for those curious about the past and future of political disinformation.”
Thursday, May 2, 10:00 AM
Join the Hudson Library & Historical Society for an in-person gardening presentation with Holden Arboretum’s Vice President of Horticulture and Collections, Caroline Tait. Caroline Tait will present a virtual tour of the English and American gardens that have inspired and influenced Caroline on her own horticultural and design journey. From Great Dixter to Longwood, and from Coton Manor Garden to her client’s green spaces, there’s something in every setting to amuse and delight. This program is endowed by the Friends of the Hudson Library in honor of Eunice Friedman.
Thursday, May 2, 7 p.m.
Pulitzer Prize finalist and author, Tommy Tomlinson, was watching a dog show on television a few years ago when he had a sudden thought: Are those dogs happy? How about pet dogs—are they happy? Those questions sparked a quest in search of a deeper understanding of the relationship between dogs and humans that has endured for thousands of years. Venture inside the dog-show world with the library on Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. where Tomlinson will discuss his newest book, Dogland. Kirkus Reviews opines, “This book wants to lick your face. Let it.”
Sunday, May 5, 2:00 PM
The Hudson Library & Historical Society will hold a live in-person concert with North Coast Winds. Join the North Coast Winds as they explore the parallel stories of how the distinctly American art form of jazz reframed musical possibilities around the globe -- while also tracking the incredibly rich cultural moment for woodwind chamber music to popularize. From jazz’s roots as a Black art form, to remarkable wind instrument virtuosity emanating from the early 20th-century Paris Conservatory, our journey will take us around the world and lead us right back to the melting pot we call home.
Monday, May 6, 1 p.m.
Learn the basics of wreath design and create a seasonal-inspired wreath to take home in this floral class. Space is limited and registration is required for this in-person workshop. There is a $15 materials fee for this class, payable by cash or check. Materials fee can be paid prior to the date of the program at the second-floor reference desk or on the day of the program.
Tuesday, May 7, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for an in-person event with bestselling author Erik Larson, who will discuss his latest book The Demon of Unrest. His book brings to life the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War—a simmering crisis that finally tore a deeply divided nation in two.
Thursday, May 9, 6:30 p.m.
Join the library for an in-person author event with bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini, who will discuss her latest book The Musuem of Lost Quilts. Booklist opines, “This is an outstanding series of novels about a fascinating craft. Quilting, in the hands of Chiaverini, allows us to explore human relationships in all their complexity.”
Wednesday, May 15, 7 p.m.
Discover the story of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard—a long-ignored artist and feminist of eighteenth-century France—with the library on Wednesday, May 15 at 7 p.m. Award-winning author Bridget Quinn will discuss her new book Portrait of a Woman at this virtual author event. The book is a compelling and inspiring look at an artist too long overlooked.
Thursday, May 16, 6:30 p.m.
Join us on Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. for an in-person author event with journalist and author David Ignatius, who will discuss his new book Phantom Orbit. His book addresses our moment of renewed interest in space exploration amid geopolitical tumult.