The American Library in Paris

Story Hour: This is Not My Home (ages 3–5)
2025-03-19 14:30 - 15:30 (Europe/Paris) | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books all about moving, fitting in, and finding your place in the world such as This is Not My Home by Eugenia Yoh and Vivienne Chang (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie and Children’s and Teens’ Services intern Nicole Hoffman will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon on Leonardo da Vinci
2025-03-19 19:30 - 21:00 | Cinéma Le Champo, 51 Rue des Écoles, Paris, 75005, France
This event is currently sold out – join the waitlist here. This event is part of Ways of Seeing, a special series exploring the connections between storytelling, creativity, and the visual world. Join the conversation and attend events featuring cultural luminaries. Learn more →
Join us for an exclusive screening of a highlight reel from the recent PBS documentary Leonardo da Vinci, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon.
This intimate portrait explores the life of the fifteenth-century polymath, delving into his masterpieces, groundbreaking scientific pursuits, and complex personality.
After the screening, stay for a conversation with the acclaimed directors as they discuss the making of the film and the lasting impact of Leonardo’s genius.
About Leonardo da Vinci:
A 15th century polymath of soaring imagination and profound intellect, Leonardo da Vinci created some of the most revered works of art of all time, but his artistic endeavors often seemed peripheral to his pursuits in science and engineering. Through his paintings and thousands of pages of drawings and writings, Leonardo da Vinci explores one of humankind’s most curious and innovative minds.
Directed and produced by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon, written by David McMahon and Sarah Burns, and executive produced by Ken Burns. Important information: This is an offsite, ticketed event at Cinéma Le Champo (51 Rue des Écoles, 75005 Paris).

19:15 – Doors Open
19:30 – Introductions
19:35 – Screening Begins
20:10 – Q&A with filmmakers Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Toddler Time (ages 1–3)
2025-03-20 11:00 - 11:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event for children ages 1–3 and their caregivers features 30 minutes of stories, songs, and rhymes. Stories presented during our Toddler Time programs include short picture books and board books, such as Go to Sleep in Your Own Bed by Candace Fleming and Lori Nichols (pictured here), which will be included in this 20 March event. This session will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie. Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes and help develop your child’s early literacy skills. Stay for play and social time after the event.
The program is entirely in English, as are all of our events for children and teens. No translation will be provided. Each child must be accompanied by an adult chaperone, and chaperones are required to remain with their children for the duration of the program. Parents and caregivers are expected to sit with their children beside them, or in their laps, and participate in the program. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers! Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Les Années Folles at La Coupole
2025-03-20 20:30 - 23:00 | La Coupole, 102 Boulevard du Montparnasse, Paris, 75014, France
Enter the iconic La Coupole dance hall in Paris’s 14th arrondissement and be transported back to the 1920s with a live jazz quartet, dance demonstrations, and a guest list of writers, artists, and friends of the Library. Last year’s inaugural event was a roaring success and the limited number of tickets will sell out quickly.
Les Années Folles at La Coupole!
Thursday 20 March 2025 at 20h30
La Coupole – 102, boulevard de Montparnasse 75014 Paris
Your 100€ ticket includes hors d’oeuvres, champagne, wine, and dessert.
Costumes are highly encouraged!

History Tour: 1920s Edition
2025-03-21 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Did you know that Gertrude Stein had a penchant for pulpy mystery novels? Or that Hemingway attempted to secure a job at the Library for his drinking buddy?
The American Library in Paris invites you to register for a 1920s-focused History Tour. Come visit us in person at 10 rue du Général Camou and discover:

Our origin story, when our Library warehoused a collection of books donated to the Doughboys fighting alongside Allied troops in WWI
The establishment of the American Library in Paris as a private library
The famous writers of the Lost Generation (Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller, and more) who explored our stacks during their time in Paris
Our Paris Library School, which brought American innovations to French libraries in the 1920s

All tours are on Fridays at 11h00, last one hour, and take place in person at the American Library in Paris.
Tours are free of charge and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Please contact us if you wish to reserve for 5 or more people (do not reserve through the site).
For school or group reservations, or for other questions, please email tours@americanlibraryinparis.org.
This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Florence Gould Foundation and the American Center for Art and Culture.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Saturday Series: Game Day (ages 6–12)
2025-03-22 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Learn how to play one of the board games or card games available at the Library, or bring in a game from home to share and play. Library volunteers will help walk you through the rules of the games.
Children between the ages 6–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library. Caregivers are welcome to participate in this event. Please note on the registration form if you plan on attending and playing along. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. The activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. All participants must be able to understand and speak English in order to participate in the program. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Write Your Short Story (ages 8–12)
2025-03-23 14:00 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
Join Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian and YAFF Coordinator Laurine Lucie for a workshop dedicated to creative writing. Participants will begin their short stories, share their work (if they so desire!), and receive feedback from the group. This activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided.
All participants in this workshop will receive information about the Library’s Young Authors Fiction Festival 2025. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Children between the ages 6–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Story Hour: Read the Rainbow (ages 3–5)
2025-03-26 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books all about rainbows, and stories featuring all sorts of colors—from red to indigo and in between. Stories included in this event include picture books such as Sewing the Rainbow: The Story of Gilbert Baker and the Rainbow Flag by Gayle Pitman and Holly Clifton-Brown (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Children’s and Teens’ Services intern Nicole Hoffman will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Seeking Pleasure in a Dying World with C Pam Zhang and Ayşegül Savaş
2025-03-26 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
In C Pam Zhang‘s Land of Milk and Honey, a smog has spread across the world, blocking out the sun. Food crops are rapidly disappearing. A chef escapes her dying career in a dreary city to take a job at a decadent mountaintop colony seemingly free of the world’s troubles. There, the sky is clear again. Rare ingredients abound. Her enigmatic employer and his visionary daughter have built a lush new life for the global elite, one that reawakens the chef to the pleasures of taste, touch, and her own body.
In the conversation, moderated by novelist Ayşegül Savaş, Zhang will explore the themes of pleasure, food, and identity, offering insights into the novel’s exploration of human desire and survival in the face of societal upheaval.
About the speaker:
C Pam Zhang is the author of two bestselling novels, How Much of These Hills Is Gold and Land of Milk and Honey. She is a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree, a Booker Prize nominee, and the winner of the Academy of Arts and Letters Rosenthal Award, the Asian/Pacific Award for Literature, and the California Book Award. She has been a finalist for awards from PEN America, the National Book Critics Circle, and the Center for Fiction. Zhang’s writing appears in Best American Short Stories, The Cut, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. She is a 2024-25 American Library in Paris Visiting Fellow.
Ayşegül Savaş is the author of the novels Walking on the Ceiling, White on White, and most recently The Anthropologists which was longlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award. It was named one of TIME magazine‘s top 10 books of 2024, New York Magazine‘s #1 book of the year, and one of Barack Obama’s favorite books of the year, among others. Savaş has also written the nonfiction work The Wilderness, and the short story collection Long Distance which will be published this year. Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

History Tour at the Library
2025-03-28 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-04 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-18 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
The American Library in Paris invites you to register for a History Tour. Come visit us in person at 10 rue du Général Camou and discover:

Our origin story, when our Library warehoused a collection of books donated to the Doughboys fighting alongside Allied troops in WWI
The establishment of the American Library in Paris as a private library
The famous writers of the Lost Generation (Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, Henry Miller, and more) who explored our stacks during their time in Paris
Our Paris Library School, which brought American innovations to French libraries in the 1920s
The true stories of the brave Librarians who kept the Library open during the Occupation of WWII
How the Library has evolved over its 105-year history into the largest English-language lending library on the European continent

All tours are on Fridays at 11h00, last one hour, and take place in person at the American Library in Paris.
Tours are free of charge and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. Please contact us if you wish to reserve for 5 or more people (do not reserve through the site).
For school or group reservations, or for other questions, please email tours@americanlibraryinparis.org.
This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Florence Gould Foundation and the American Center for Art and Culture.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Teen Night: The Writers Room (ages 12–18)
2025-03-28 19:00 - 21:00 | The American Library in Paris
Explore creative and personal writing beyond the classroom with us! Discover your personal writing voice beyond the classroom. Work together to create creative writing prompts and develop your own writing style. These after-hours events are the cornerstone of teen programming. These participatory programs may focus on writing, art, film or other topics, but always incorporate time for teens to meet and interact. Light snacks are provided. This event will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Intern Nicole Hoffman with the support of Library staff.
Light snacks and drinks will be provided by the Library. Important information:
This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per teen for non-members. Advance registration is required. All visitors are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. After-hours events for teens, such as Teen Nights, require a signed permission slip, which can be downloaded here. One permission slip is needed per academic year (September–July).
Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Saturday Series: Library Playoffs (ages 6–12)
2025-03-29 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Join us for games, movement, and exploration challenges around the Children’s Library! This event will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services staff members with the help of Library volunteers. Comfortable attire is recommended!

Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Story Hour: Spring is Here (ages 3–5)
2025-04-02 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books set in the spring, and stories about the changing seasons, such as This is How I Know by Brittany Luby, illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Children’s and Teens’ Services intern Nicole Hoffman will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Jhumpa Lahiri
2025-04-02 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event is currently sold out – join the waitlist here. This event is part of Ways of Seeing, a special series exploring the connections between storytelling, creativity, and the visual world. Join the conversation and attend events featuring cultural luminaries. Learn more →
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and translator Jhumpa Lahiri discusses her new work for The Cahiers Series, Bone Into Stone.
In this exploration of translation-as-metamorphosis, written after three years collaborating with her friend the classicist Yelena Baraz on a translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses into English, Lahiri focuses on the theme of stones and human transformation. The text of this work resonates alongside the dynamic and colourful paintings of celebrated artist Jamie Nares.
About the speaker:
Jhumpa Lahiri, a bilingual writer and translator, is the Millicent C. McIntosh Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at Barnard College (Columbia University). She received the Pulitzer Prize in 2000 for Interpreter of Maladies, her debut story collection. She is also the author of The Namesake, Unaccustomed Earth, and The Lowland, which was a finalist for both the Man Booker prize and the National Book Award in fiction. Since 2015, Lahiri has been writing fiction, essays, and poetry in Italian: In Altre Parole (In Other Words), Il vestito dei libri (The Clothing of Books), Dove mi trovo (self-translated as Whereabouts), Il quaderno di Nerina, and Racconti romani (Roman Stories). She has translated three novels by Domenico Starnone and is the editor of The Penguin Classics Book of Italian Short Stories. Lahiri received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama in 2014, and in 2019 she was named Commendatore of the Italian Republic by President Sergio Mattarerlla. Her most recent book in English, a collection of essays entitled Translating Myself and Others, was a finalist for the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay.
About The Cahiers Series:
The Cahiers Series is published by Sylph Editions in collaboration with The American University of Paris. The goal of this series is to make available new explorations in writing, in translating, and in the areas linking these two activities. Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Toddler Time (ages 1–3)
2025-04-03 11:00 - 11:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event for children ages 1–3 and their caregivers features 30 minutes of stories, songs, and rhymes. Stories presented during our Toddler Time programs include short picture books and board books, such as Zoe and the Fawn by Catherine Jameson, illustrated by Julie Flett (pictured here), which will be included in this 3 April event. This session will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie. Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes and help develop your child’s early literacy skills. Stay for play and social time after the event.
The program is entirely in English, as are all of our events for children and teens. No translation will be provided. Each child must be accompanied by an adult chaperone, and chaperones are required to remain with their children for the duration of the program. Parents and caregivers are expected to sit with their children beside them, or in their laps, and participate in the program. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers! Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Teen Night: Flash Fiction with Jane Mobille (ages 12–18)
2025-04-04 19:00 - 21:00 | The American Library in Paris
Flash fiction is a complete story, written in as little as six and no more than 1000 words. It contains the four elements of short story—protagonist, conflict, complication and resolution—but sometimes they remain unwritten and are just implied. Using Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street for inspiration, join us as we experiment with flash fiction in a creative setting where you can get to know other members of the community. Light refreshments will be provided!
About Jane Mobille: Memoir writer Jane Mobille is also a Professional Certified Coach with extensive experience coaching teens and young adults. Jane uses the tools of writing and coaching to inspire freedom and confidence in young writers as they learn to put their authenticity or “heart” on paper. Editor of the quarterly AAWE News magazine in Paris, Jane has contributed a number of “Teen Coach” articles to online magazine INSPIRELLE. Important information:
This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per teen for non-members. Advance registration is required. All visitors are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. After-hours events for teens, such as Teen Nights, require a signed permission slip, which can be downloaded here. One permission slip is needed per academic year (September–July).
Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Saturday Series: Treasure Maps (ages 6–12)
2025-04-05 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Learn about treasure seekers and pirates in history, look at examples of fantasy maps, and real maps, then create a fictional world of your own and a treasure map to accompany it. You’ll learn about commonly used symbols used on maps and techniques used by cartographers as you create a treasure map to take home.

Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

U.S. University Admissions: What to Do When with Kazz Regelman (ages 14+)
2025-04-06 15:00 - 16:30 | The American Library in Paris
This information-packed workshop will include: a timeline (starting from as early as 8th/9th grade or as late as 11th grade); how expectations of US and Canadian universities critically differ from European schools; general essay advice; emphasis on extracurricular activities and passion projects for elite admissions; special points of interest and importance for French residents; merit scholarships vs. financial aid; and more.
About Kazz Regelman: Kazz Regelman is a private college counselor who has coached students into acceptances at a long list of institutions, including Stanford, Harvard, Dartmouth, Duke, Johns Hopkins, USC, Cornell, Bowdoin, UChicago, Carnegie Mellon, Barnard, UCLA and other Ivy League, elite, and—most importantly— great-fit colleges. Her students frequently receive merit scholarships based on school selection, strategy, and essays. She is a graduate of Princeton, a Fulbright scholar, National Merit winner, and widely published journalist who founded GetIntoSchools.com with the aim of making the college admissions process both significantly less stressful and more successful. She is bilingual, has lived in Paris for many years, and raised her own children in French and international schools, but she’s also a long-time San Franciscan and deeply knowledgeable about the unique UC application process. Her philosophy is for students to end up at schools that are a great fit for their personality, interests, and goals—schools where they will thrive. Important information: This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per person for non-members, and advance registration is required. All Library users are expected to familiarize themselves with the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Writing Characters from Family with Sheila Kohler
2025-04-08 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
Delve into the intricate process of crafting characters inspired by life and family with Sheila Kohler, author of Once We Were Sisters. Drawing from her poignant memoir about the bond with her late sister and their turbulent family history, Kohler will lecture on the ethics, challenges, and transformative potential of writing from personal experience. Kohler will share insights into evoking vivid, complex characters from family relationships and histories, blending storytelling with an exploration of memory and imagination.
About the speakers:
Sheila Kohler is the author of eleven novels, three collections of short stories and a memoir. Her work has been translated widely abroad and has been awarded many prizes including the O.Henry twice. She has taught creative writing at Princeton since 2007. She was a fellow at the Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers and a frequent visiting writer at the American Academy of Rome. Her novel Cracks has been filmed with Jordan Scott and Ridley Scott as directors and was recently reissued by Open Road. Important information: Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Story Hour: What They Saw (ages 3–5)
2025-04-09 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books all about different perspectives, and new ways to look at the world around us. Stories included in this event include picture books such as They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Children’s and Teens’ Services intern Nicole Hoffman will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

The Crisis of Culture with Olivier Roy
2025-04-09 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
In his latest book, The Crisis of Culture, Olivier Roy argues that the lack of shared cultural understanding in the modern world has resulted in everything becoming explicit codes of behavior, often manifested online. Identities are now defined by personal traits, leading to fragmented sub-cultures seeking safe spaces. The author suggests that the increased focus on identity in political discourse fails to address the underlying crisis of culture and community and proposes that the solution lies in rebuilding social bonds at the grassroots level.
This conversation will be moderated by American Library in Paris 2024-25 Visiting Fellow, David A. Bell.
About the speakers:
Olivier Roy is Professor at the European University Institute (Florence) where he headed the ReligioWest research project (funded by the European Research Council). Mr. Roy received an “Agrégation de Philosophie” and a Ph.D. in Political Sciences. He is the author of The failure of political Islam (Harvard UP 1994), Globalized Islam (Columbia University Press, 2004), Holy Ignorance (Hurst/ Oxford UP, 2010), Jihad and Death (Hurst 2017), In Search of the Lost Orient (Columbia UP 2017), The Crisis of Culture (Hurst/ Oxford UP 2024).
David A. Bell is the Sidney and Ruth Lapidus Professor in the Department of History at Princeton where he recently served as director of Princeton’s Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies. Born in New York in 1961, he was educated at Harvard and the École Normale Supérieure in Paris before completing his doctorate at Princeton in 1991. Before returning to Princeton in 2010 he taught at Yale and Johns Hopkins, where he also served as Dean of Faculty. A specialist in the history of France, he is the author of seven books, including The Cult of the Nation in France: Inventing Nationalism, 1680-1800, The First Total War: Napoleon’s Europe and the Birth of Warfare as We Know It, and most recently Men on Horseback: The Power of Charisma in the Age of Revolution. Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Creating Poetry with Adrienne Eberhard (ages 8–12)
2025-04-12 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Find inspiration, and begin drafting your own original poem with the help of poet Adrienne Ebherhard. Participants will take a look at famous works of poetry before diving into their own writing. Children between the ages 8–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library.
About Adrienne Eberhard: Adrienne Eberhard is a Tasmanian poet and educator. She has taught poetry to students from Grade 1 to University for over 20 years. She has published five collections of poetry, with a sixth, bilingual collection due out in Paris in 2025. As well as writing, she loves being outdoors, sailing, climbing and bushwalking. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

2025 Read-A-Thon Kick-Off Party (all ages)
2025-04-12 14:00 - 15:00 | The American Library in Paris
The American Library in Paris and Message Paris are organizing a Read-A-Thon to encourage vacation reading, and to raise funds for the Library! This kick-off event is open to children and teens who are members of Message Paris or The American Library in Paris. Join us for the kick-off to play trivia, games, and more, then find out how to participate in the Read-A-Thon!

WHY READ FOR THE AMERICAN LIBRARY IN PARIS?
Over a 1-week period, participants are encouraged to read as much as possible and collect donations based on the number of minutes that they read! Donations will be used to support the American Library in Paris, a non-profit English language Library founded in 1920, and the largest English-language lending library on the European continent! It is a place where people gather to explore ideas, build community and connect with other English speakers. As a non-profit, we count on your donations to continue to provide programs, books and services for the English-language community. All participants who turn in a completed Read-A-Thon pack and a donation from at least one sponsor will be entered into a prize drawing. Prizes will be awarded for top readers in each of the following categories: ages 0–3, ages 4–8, ages 9–12, and ages 12–18.

ABOUT MESSAGE PARIS:
Message Paris is the largest association for English-speaking parents and parents-to-be in France! It is an entirely volunteer-run, independent, non-profit association that provides a social and support network to expectant women, new mothers and fathers, and parents of children of all ages. Message Paris is proud to bring you this Read-A-Thon in conjunction with the American Library in Paris! Learn more at www.messageparis.org.

How to participate:

Register for the 2025 Read-A-Thon! Register using the link below.

Download your Read-A-Thon materials. Download your reading log once it is sent to the email address provided.
Find sponsors (like family and friends) who will pledge (or promise!) a certain amount of money for every reading challenge that you complete (for example: 1€ per hour).
Write your sponsors on your pledge sheet. Add each sponsor’s name, address, and pledge amount to your pledge sheet.
Read! Keep a log of your reading during the week of 21–27 April! The more you read the more you raise for the Library!
Collect your pledges.
Tell your friends and family how much you read, and collect your pledges (promised donations).
Submit your pledge sheet at the Library
Turn in donations online or in-person at the Library
Attend our finale celebration to find out the top readers, and raffle winners, to meet other bookworms, and collect your certificate of participation!

Important information: This event is for Library members and members of Message Paris, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Story Hour: Trucks and Trains (ages 3–5)
2025-04-16 14:30 - 15:30 | The American Library in Paris
For this Story Hour, we’ll read picture books all about trucks, trains, and other vehicles. Stories included in this event include picture books such as The Old Truck by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey (pictured here). We’ll also sing songs and practice rhymes.
This program is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. This participatory program is intended to encourage children to actively engage with stories. Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads and Assistant Children’s and Teens’ Services Librarian Laurine Lucie will read books and lead you and your little one in songs and hand-rhymes during a live, interactive session. Plan to join in, sing along, move around, and model movement and listening for your little one. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers!
Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

The End Of Enlightenment with Visiting Fellow David A. Bell
2025-04-16 19:30 - 20:30 | The American Library in Paris
People once believed in a thing called progress. The philosophers of the Enlightenment were the first to formulate this belief systematically, and to predict that science, technology, and wise policy would combine to improve human life. For centuries, despite violent setbacks, the general pattern held. Diseases were conquered, lifespans grew, technology brought countless improvements. Governments provided social safety nets and education for all. Social movements fought for equal rights for everyone. Wealth increased prodigiously, especially in the West.
Today, this belief is broken. Most people have little hope that human life will continue to improve, and they fear the future. The idea that reforms or revolutions can make progress happen is fading. The most successful social and political movements of our day channel resentment, hold out illusory dreams of returning to a lost golden age, and build walls against unwanted outsiders. What happened?
In this special lecture, historian David A. Bell, a 2025 Visiting Fellow at the Library, will trace the idea of progress back to its Enlightenment origins, examine the forms it has taken over time, and explore its relationship to our present predicaments.
About the speaker:
David A. Bell is the Sidney and Ruth Lapidus Professor in the Department of History at Princeton where he recently served as director of Princeton’s Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies. Born in New York in 1961, he was educated at Harvard and the École Normale Supérieure in Paris before completing his doctorate at Princeton in 1991. Before returning to Princeton in 2010 he taught at Yale and Johns Hopkins, where he also served as Dean of Faculty. A specialist in the history of France, he is the author of seven books, including The Cult of the Nation in France: Inventing Nationalism, 1680-1800, The First Total War: Napoleon’s Europe and the Birth of Warfare as We Know It, and most recently Men on Horseback: The Power of Charisma in the Age of Revolution.
David A. Bell is an American Library in Paris 2024-25 Visiting Fellow. Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.
Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.
Evenings with an Author are free and open to the public (with a 10€ suggested donation)
thanks to the generous support of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten of GRoW @ Annenberg.

Toddler Time (ages 1–3)
2025-04-17 11:00 - 11:30 | The American Library in Paris
This event for children ages 1–3 and their caregivers features 30 minutes of stories, songs, and rhymes. Stories presented during our Toddler Time programs include short picture books and board books, such as Finding Things by Kevin Henkes (pictured here), which will be included in this 3 April event. This session will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager Celeste Rhoads. Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes and help develop your child’s early literacy skills. Stay for play and social time after the event.
The program is entirely in English, as are all of our events for children and teens. No translation will be provided. Each child must be accompanied by an adult chaperone, and chaperones are required to remain with their children for the duration of the program. Parents and caregivers are expected to sit with their children beside them, or in their laps, and participate in the program. We ask that all caregivers put away their phones and other electronic devices for the duration of this program. With your help, we hope to inspire children to become lifelong readers! Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children and Teens Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Teen Night: Comedy Films (ages 12–18)
2025-04-18 19:00 - 21:00 | The American Library in Paris
What qualifies as a comedy movie? What makes people laugh? Share your take on these questions and more, then enjoy a film during this event for teens. Vote on the film you’d like to watch when you register for this event. Participate in movie trivia and a game at the start of the evening before we settle in with popcorn and enjoy a screening in the Library’s comfortable reading room. We’ll discuss the film as a group at the end of the night. This event will be hosted by Children’s and Teens’ Services staff with the help of Library volunteers.
Drinks and light snacks will be provided, as well as lots of popcorn. Important information:
This event is free for Library members, and 15€ per teen for non-members. Advance registration is required. All visitors are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. After-hours events for teens, such as Teen Nights, require a signed permission slip, which can be downloaded here. One permission slip is needed per academic year (September–July).
Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.

Saturday Series: Word Games (ages 6–12)
2025-04-19 11:00 - 12:00 | The American Library in Paris
Play rhyming games, spelling games, and more! Library volunteers will help walk you through the rules of the games.
Children between the ages 6–12 may participate in Library programs on their own, while their chaperone remains inside the Library. Caregivers are welcome to participate in this event. Please note on the registration form if you plan on attending and playing along. Important information: This event is for Library members, and advance registration is required. Caregivers are expected to familiarize themselves with the Library Policy for Children and the Rules and Code of Conduct so that we can provide a pleasant library environment for all patrons. The activity is entirely in English, and no translation will be provided. All participants must be able to understand and speak English in order to participate in the program. Questions about collections and programs for children and teens can be sent to the Library’s Children’s and Teens’ Services Manager, Celeste Rhoads: celeste@americanlibraryinparis.org.
