Happenings at Jefferson Market Library

By Corinne Neary

As our local library users may know, the Hudson Park Library on Leroy Street will be closed this month for updates, so we’re happy to welcome some of their regulars who we may not have seen for a while. We’ve scheduled a wealth of programs to keep everyone busy this month, including book discussions, film screenings, author readings, and theatrical performances. Additionally, if you’re a regular attendee of Hudson Park’s writers’ workshops or book discussions, many of these programs will be happening here at Jefferson Market during the closure.

First, let’s get to our literary events. For our poetry discussion happening Wednesday, March 11 at 4:30 p.m., we’ll be reading W.B. Yeats’ poem, Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen. It was originally published in Irish journals in 1921 as Thoughts Upon the Present State of the World, and later included with its current title in his 1928 volume, The Tower. The title of this poem is the year in which the Anglo-Irish War began, and the work deals with the themes of war and turmoil.

For our novella discussion, which will be held Wednesday, March 18 at 4:30 p.m., we are reading Mexican writer Juan Rulfo’s 1955 book, Pedro Páramo, recently translated from Spanish by Douglas J Weatherford. It tells the story of Juan Preciado, a man who promises his mother on her deathbed to meet Preciado’s father for the first time in the town of Comala. It turns out to be a literal ghost town that is populated by spectral characters. Gabriel García Márquez wrote the foreword for this edition, where he describes that the discovery of the book was profoundly impactful on his life and work as a writer, and that he could recite the entire text from memory.

If you’re feeling the need to sink your teeth into something a bit longer, our book discussion group, meeting Thursday, March 26 at 4:30 p.m., will be tackling Laurie Colwin’s 2021 novel, Family Happiness. From the publisher: “To the rest of the world, Polly Solo-Miller Demarest lives a charmed life. She has a beautiful home, a dashing lawyer husband, and two delightful children. But beneath this idyllic surface, the pressure of being the “perfect flower “of an illustrious family is getting to her…”

All of our book discussion titles are available to borrow at our second floor desk, while supplies last!

I wrote recently that we want to bring more theater to you in 2026. Hopefully you caught Keats’ one-act-play The Cat and the Moon, directed by Alison Armstrong, here last month. She’ll have another performance coming up in May. This month, we’re happy to be showing something very different, After Up: a Neo-Absurdist Dream Play created by Brian P. Glover. It will be performed in our first floor Willa Cather room on Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m. Then, on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m., join us to celebrate downtown writers at the Reunion Reading of the Silver Tongued Devil Anthology. Hosted by Rimes curator Phillip Giambri and Pink Trees Press editor Linda Kleinbub, this event will feature a variety of writers, including poets, storytellers, fiction and memoir writers, spoken-word artists, humorists, and essayists.

For other events, like our Monday and Thursday night film screenings, our craft and chess programs, and much more, please check out our website for the latest information.

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Happenings at Greenwich House

First up is a live jazz performance in the heart of The West Village for only $20. Let’s continue to support working musicians in NYC!

Paul Austerlitz & The Vodou Horn
Saturday, March 21 at 8:00 p.m.
Greenwich House Music School
46 Barrow Street
$20 (At the door)
greenwichhouse.org/music-school
Ethnomusicologist and reed virtuoso Dr. Paul Austerlitz presents an evening of “original jazz music inspired by ritual sounds from Haiti and the Dominican Republic.” Celebrating the release of three new videos, the performance features the rare contrabass clarinet and a world-class ensemble including bassist Santi Debriano (Pharoah Sanders) and Haitian master drummer Jean “Sky” Menesky. Experience a unique fusion of Afro-Caribbean mysticism and contemporary improvisation.

Greenwich House Wellness Tour
We are hosting a Wellness Event at Greenwich House’s Older Adult Centers in March that is open to anyone who is a member. Becoming a member is easy and free. Fill out the form at greenwichhouse.org/network-of-older-adult-centers/joinus/

Greenwich House is bringing vital health and support services to our older adult centers! Take a proactive step toward achieving your health goals with free, confidential support.

FREE On-Site Resources Include:

• GH Mental Health Therapists: Confidential counseling and support
• Case Managers & Outreach: Help accessing benefits and essential services
• Medicare Navigators: Expert advice on coverage and recent changes
• Home Health Aides: Information on in-home care options

Plus stay for the delicious snacks and raffles!

March 3, 2pm-4pm
Our Lady of Pompeii, 25 Carmine Street

March 4, 2pm-4pm
Westbeth, 55 Bethune St

March 5, 2pm-4pm
Independence Plaza, 310 Greenwich Street

March 6, 2pm-4pm
Center on the Square
20 Washington Square North

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