A Novel Affair scheduled for April 7

The Ferguson Library will hold its major fundraiser, A Novel Affair, Thursday, April 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. as an in-person event. The library will honor long-time Friends of the Ferguson board member Ann Sexton with the Ferguson Award.

A Novel Affair is the Ferguson Library’s signature benefit, raising critical funds to help provide library services to the Stamford community. The event will be held at the library. Proof of COVID vaccination is required to attend.

Ann Sexton has been a board member of the Friends of the Ferguson Library since 1983, serving as president four times. In 1986, she helped launch the Friends’ Books for Babies program, which provides a picture book to every baby born at Stamford Hospital, about 2,000 books a year. Books for Babies, which became a national model, is still going strong under Ann’s leadership.

Ann is also deeply involved in the programs of St. Leo’s Church in Stamford, and leads a local book club, now in its thirty-sixth year. She started her career as a high school English teacher, then, realizing her passion was libraries, earned her masters in library science and spent many years as a school librarian before retiring and joining the Friends as a volunteer. Ann lives in Stamford and is a published author of children’s literature.

“I feel honored to be included with the past recipients of the Ferguson Award,” Ann said. “The library has been such a big part of my life for so many years and it's been a wonderful experience to serve on the Friends board and help support the library.”

Tickets to A Novel Affair are $125. The Book Club rate is $100 and Junior Professional tickets (age 35 and under) are $75. Registration will open in early February. For sponsorship information, please contact Linda Avellar at linda@fergusonlibrary.org or 203 351-8208.  

A Novel Affair 2021, which was a virtual event, raised $230,000 to benefit the library. The funds helped purchase books and provided support for services such as technology training, job skills workshops and children’s early literacy programs.