Upcoming and Past Programs
Below is a list of upcoming programs presented by the Concord Free Public Library's William Munroe Special Collections.
You can visit the William Munroe Special Collections playlist on YouTube to view a selection of past programs, including Stories from Special Collections, a virtual series that highlights the rich holdings of the Concord Free Public Library Corporation’s William Munroe Special Collections through stories about Concord’s people and places from a variety of guests, including Concord residents, scholars, researchers, and curators.
All events are held in the Goodwin Forum, Main Library, 129 Main Street, Concord, MA 01742
November 7, 2026, 6:00 PM -- Joel Myerson Annual Lecture Presented by Professor Daniel Shealy
Please join us for the annual Joel Myerson Lecture: "'I turn my adventures into bread and butter ': Louisa May Alcott's European Grand Tour," presented by Professor Daniel Shealy.
A reception will follow the event in the Rotunda. The Concord Free Public Library Corporation generously sponsors the series.
Please register for in-person attendance HERE and to view the presentation on Zoom HERE
November 12, 2026, 6:00 - 7:30 PM -- The Walden Experiments: The Science of Henry David Thoreau - with Robert M. Thorson
Please join us for an evening with Professor Robert M. Thorson: a public lecture with readings, followed by Q&A and book signing, for his forthcoming book, The Walden Experiments: The Science of Henry David Thoreau, to be published in September 2026 by Princeton University Press.
This event is co-sponsored by The Thoreau Alliance and The Walden Woods Project.
Please register for in-person attendance HERE.
This fall, the Center for the Study of World Religions, the Concord Free Public Library, and the Thoreau Alliance are launching a new collaborative series of public conversations in Concord. Beginning with an inaugural conversation on October 13, the series brings CSWR Transcendentalism scholars into conversation with writers, scholars, artists, and broader audiences, exploring questions that connect Transcendentalist thought and practice with contemporary intellectual, cultural, and public life.
November 18, 2026, 6:00-7:00 PM -- Whose Stories Does the Landscape Hold? A Conversation on Transcendentalism & Contemporary Life
This conversation, "Whose Stories Does the Landscape Hold?," features Elise Lemire, Rochelle Johnson, and Simon Cox.
Co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School and The Thoreau Alliance.
Please register for in-person attendance HERE.
December 9, 2026, 6:00-7:30 PM -- Ideas and Their Peoples: A Conversation on Transcendentalism and Contemporary Life
This conversation, "Ideas and Their Peoples: Intellectual Cultures of the Native Northeast," features Ryan Carr, Linda Coombs, Scott Pratt, and Kiara Vigil. Moderated by John Kucich.
Co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School and The Thoreau Alliance.
Please register for in-person attendance HERE.