Humanities events
Our humanities program brings nationally recognized authors and world-class scholars to the library community through events that focus on music, art, local history, religion, literature, and culture. Stay up-to-date on Humanities programming with our monthly newsletter:
Programs are often developed in partnership with our many local arts and humanities organizations, nonprofits, and institutions.
Humanities programming is funded by the Durham Library Foundation.
Upcoming Events
Framing the Dark: Essential Elements in Neo-Noir Fiction
Saturday, January 10, 2026 • 2:00pm - 3:00pm
South Regional Library (4505 S. Alston Ave) (South Meeting Room)
In an era defined by moral ambiguity and rapid change, the crime story is no longer merely a puzzle to be solved — it is a mirror held up to society. Join Katy Munger and Eryk Pruitt, the co-editors of Dark Yonder for Framing the...
Ages: Adult, Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds, Senior Citizen
Martin Luther King Jr. Scavenger Hunt @ Bragtown
Monday, January 12, 2026 • All day
Bragtown Branch Library (3200 Dearborn Dr)
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Ages: Elementary School, High School, Intergenerational, Kindergarten, Middle School, Teen, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds
Martin Luther King Jr. Scavenger Hunt @ Bragtown
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 • All day
Bragtown Branch Library (3200 Dearborn Dr)
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Ages: Elementary School, High School, Intergenerational, Kindergarten, Middle School, Teen, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds
Martin Luther King Jr. Scavenger Hunt @ Bragtown
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 • All day
Bragtown Branch Library (3200 Dearborn Dr)
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Ages: Elementary School, High School, Intergenerational, Kindergarten, Middle School, Teen, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds
Martin Luther King Jr. Scavenger Hunt @ Bragtown
Thursday, January 15, 2026 • All day
Bragtown Branch Library (3200 Dearborn Dr)
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Ages: Elementary School, High School, Intergenerational, Kindergarten, Middle School, Teen, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds
Martin Luther King Jr. Scavenger Hunt @ Bragtown
Friday, January 16, 2026 • All day
Bragtown Branch Library (3200 Dearborn Dr)
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Ages: Elementary School, High School, Intergenerational, Kindergarten, Middle School, Teen, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds
Teaching ABOUT, not THROUGH the Holocaust
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 • 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St) (Main Auditorium)
Join us for a look at how educators today use effective instruction and thoughtful pedagogy to teach the Holocaust and resonant themes of today....
Ages: Adult, Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds, Intergenerational, Senior Citizen
Mayberry Modernism: Preserving North Carolina's Legacy of Modernist Houses
Thursday, January 29, 2026 • 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St) (Main Auditorium)
North Carolina is home to a surprising concentration of world-class, mid-century Modernist residential architecture—a legacy George Smart, founder of USModernist, affectionately refers to as "Mayberry Modernism."...
Ages: Adult, Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds, Intergenerational, Senior Citizen
Meet Teri M. Brown, author of Daughters of Green Mountain Gap
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St) (Main Auditorium)
Join us for a special author event celebrating Teri M. Brown and her compelling novel, Daughters of Green Mountain Gap, which has been selected as a prestigious NC Humanities 2026 NC Reads Pick for March 2026!...
Ages: Adult, Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds, High School, Intergenerational, Senior Citizen
The History of Jigsaw Puzzles in the U.S.
Monday, April 20, 2026 • 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Southwest Regional Library (3605 Shannon Rd)
From their early use in Great Britain to current times, individual jigsaw puzzles tell us so much about the people, the culture and the history of the United States. Join Terra Rodgers of Chestnut and Hemlock Puzzles for insight and appreciation of...
Ages: Adult, Intergenerational, Middle School, Teen, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds
"Quilting: the Great American Art" with Frances O'Roark Dowell
Saturday, April 25, 2026 • 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Southwest Regional Library (3605 Shannon Rd) (Southwest Meeting Room)
You're invited to a presentation by one of Durham County Library's favorite local novelists, Frances O'Roark Dowell. A quilter herself, she penned several books involving the subject. Come learn why Ms. Dowell believes that "quilting...
Ages: Adult, Intergenerational, Tweens: 9-12 Year Olds
Get in touch!
Celeste
Email: choltzmann@dconc.gov
Celeste is a North Carolina native from the small town of Ridgeway. A winding road of customer service jobs and volunteer opportunities fed her passion for serving community and the various members of it. A graduate of UNC Asheville (BA) focusing in the art of printmaking and from NCCU (MLS) focusing in public libraries, she is thrilled to now take on the role of Humanities Coordinator for the exceptional community of the Durham County Library system. If you could only know one thing about her, she'd want you to know that she wants to HEAR FROM YOU! The humanities and libraries share the common thread of community and sharing voices, so please share yours! There may not be enough days in the year to do it all, but your ideas, interests, and suggestions matter!
Pronouns: she/her