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P H o t o g r a P H i c m o m e n t s 1 3 3 ing the Teen Leader Program, a youth development pro- gram that prepares teens for the work place, and the Homework Club, which utilizes teen leaders to help stu- dents with their homework. For younger visitors, the library includes early education stations for children ages 3 through 9, that provide literacy games in Spanish and English, in addition to puzzles, play kitchen sets and state- of-the-art computers. The library has had incredible success with its art and music programs. Hundreds of people gather every Sunday between January and May for the library's Baby Grand Jazz series. Residents are also encouraged to explore the library's ArtWalk, featuring works of artists who live and work in MetroHartford. Hartford Public Library welcomes 860,000 visitors per year, seeking the staff's expertise. "There's something for every age group, from the very youngest to the oldest," Poland said. Due to challenges in funding, rising operating expen- ditures and growing community demands, the library has diversified its revenue streams through grants and indi- vidual and corporate giving. For example, One Big Summer Night, the library's annual gala, is now one of the most anticipated events on Hartford's social calendar, raising nearly $150,000 in 2011. The gala has featured a noted author, an elegant reception, live and silent auc- tions and a summer supper, all to raise money for the library's literacy programs. Featured authors have includ- ed Wally Lamb, Julie Powell, and most recently Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, stars of MSNBC's Morning Joe. Today the Library's online catalog and website make its holdings accessible to users wherever they are. The Library's collections themselves reflect the profoundly democratic and all-encompassing nature of the institu- tion. Numbering more than a million, the library's collec- tions range from venerable artifacts of our culture to popular materials that entertain and inform the everyday lives of a contemporary population. All these things, taken together, make Hartford Public Library an irreplaceable and multifaceted institution. A useful way to understand the Library is to consider its beginnings and subsequent evolution. It has been very much a creature of time and place, bearing the imprint of its origins but always, like any living organism, coping with struggles and problems while adapting to an ever changing environment. Top: A window into a place like no other, a world of opportunity. Bottom: New Americans are drawn to the Library to learn English, to acclimate themselves and their families to the American culture, and to be embraced by their new community in Hartford. The PiTa GrouP Bradley e. ClifT