Photographs: top left, contributed; top right, Julie Bidwell; bottom, contributed
What do historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham, journalists and authors Tina Brown and Fareed Zakaria, business leader Indra Nooyi and athlete Pete McBride all have in common?
They, along with others, have been featured in Greenwich Library’s Signature Series programming, which offers four headline events annually, bringing speakers to the community discussing topics pertinent to living in our world today.
Now, thanks to a transformative $5 million endowment from Greenwich philanthropists Lynne and Richard Pasculano—the largest endowment the library has received in 20 years—the newly renamed Lynne and Richard Pasculano Signature Series will be a sustainable event for generations to come.
“This gift works with our mission of fostering thoughtful discourse and discovery,” says Joseph Williams, director of the library. “The Pasculanos’ generosity underscores the changing role of libraries as cultural and educational cornerstones of the community.”
The gift is in alignment with the Pasculano’s support of education and the arts. “We are committed to the programs for the community at Greenwich Library,” says Lynne. “Supporting the Signature Series means that the library will be able to continue to bring in incredible thought leaders and encourage important conversation for many years to come.”
Lisa Mandel, the library’s director of development, explains that the Signature Series came about during the library’s Reimagine Renovation project, a multiyear endeavor that began in 2019, which, with the help of community input, impacted every floor of the library.
“Greenwich is an incredibly dynamic community with a desire to keep abreast of the world and the issues we face,” Lisa says. She explains that since up to 50 percent of the library’s collection is digital, it is no longer just a home for books but a place where people come to connect with ideas and each other.
The Signature Series takes place in the 288-seat Berkley Theater, part of the Reimagine project, with state-of-the-art audio and video, tiered seating, more aisles for easy access and a raised and extended stage.
Williams says that more than 2,200 programs are offered annually at the library, including author talks; children’s early literacy programming; technology, entrepreneurship and investing programs; book groups; business services; meeting spaces; 3D printing and robotics workshops and concerts. There is also a café—a perfect place to work or meet.
“We live in a divided time, and part of the answer is to draw people together—neighbors and the community—into one space,” Williams says. “This is the chance to mitigate some of these divisions.”
CENTER STAGE
The first 2025 event of the Lynne and Richard Pasculano Signature Series took place in February and featured Thomas Friedman, the award-winning New York Times columnist and political commentator.
To honor Earth Day, the next event will feature Nikon Ambassador and National Geographic photographer and filmmaker Ami Vitale. Her career is a testament to her dedication to documenting and addressing global crises, focusing on the stories of individuals living on the front lines of war, climate change and extinction.
The next Signature Series will take place Thursday, April 24, at 7 p.m., in the Berkley Theater at Greenwich Library. Tickets are free; contact the library at (203) 622-7900 for more information.