Miss one of our programs? Use the drop down at right to view CPLF programs from past years,
or check out this collection of CPLF programs and events.
Community Night with the Library
Cryin’ for Daylight: Honoring Voices of the Land, with photographer and historian Louise O’Connor
Join us for a special program featuring award-winning photographer and historian Louise O’Connor, whose book Cryin’ for Daylight captures the voices and vernacular of Texas ranchers with striking authenticity. More than a record of rural life, O’Connor’s work shows how language carries culture, identity, and memory. Using direct quotes and rich storytelling, she preserves a fading oral tradition—expressions, humor, and wisdom passed down through generations–and reveals how everyday speech reflects values like hard work, independence, and connection to the land. In an era of rapid change, O’Connor’s work reminds us that language is not just how people communicate—it’s how they live, remember, and belong.
Local History Lecture
The Muckraker: How the Radical Lincoln Steffens Won the Hearts (If Not the Minds) of Carmel, with journalist Joe Livernois
Lincoln Steffens was one of America’s most influential muckraking journalists—a fierce critic of political corruption and a relentless advocate for reform. Through works like The Shame of the Cities, he exposed graft in city governments and helped define the Progressive Era’s demand for accountability. In his later years, Steffens settled in Carmel-by-the-Sea, bringing his radical ideals to this quiet coastal town. Carmel offered him a place to reflect, write his memoirs, and engage in spirited debate with the town’s artists and intellectuals. Despite his uncompromising views—he remained a vocal socialist and internationalist—Steffens was warmly received. His neighbors may not have shared his politics, but they respected his integrity and wit. In Carmel, the muckraker found a home, and the town, in turn, embraced the rebel in its midst.
Join us for an engaging exploration of the poetry and life of Robinson Jeffers, whose stark, powerful verse challenging the political and cultural norms of his time is even more relevant today.
Join University of Washington professor and co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public Jevin West as he addresses the issue of misinformation and provides strategies to discern genuine information from falsehoods.
Join CSUMB Professor of Communications Patrick Belanger as he explores varying ideas about how to reinvigorate public communication and enrich deliberative democracy.
Join one of America’s foremost experts on GPS, former Stanford professor, current distinguished engineer at Google and member of NASA’s GPS advisory board, Dr. Frank van Diggelen, to learn more about this story of science and subterfuge, the myriad ways GPS impacts our lives, and how this technology might be used in the future.
Henry Meade Williams Local History Lecture Series
Sponsored by the Frank & Eva Buck Foundation and Robert & Lacy Buck
Timeless Treasures: Honoring Cultural Heritage Through Architectural Preservation with Kent Seavey and Seth Bergstein
7:00 PM, Carpenter Hall at Sunset Center
Historic cottages and buildings with architectural significance contribute to Carmel’s unique charm. Join architectural historians Kent Seavey and Seth Bergstein as they discuss the landmark buildings of Carmel and the importance of historic preservation to maintain community character.
Jack London, Upton Sinclair, Mary Austin, Robinson Jeffers, George Sterling, Sinclair Lewis: As writers, they found artistic refuge and inspiration in Carmel. Join writer and publisher Vince Emery as he explores their literary legacy.
Join actor Taelen Thomas and Professor Susan Shillinglaw for a deep dive into the life of Shakespearean-trained actor Herbert “Bert” Heron, who oversaw the construction of the Forest Theater in 1910 and established the Carmel theater scene. This program will feature dramatic readings from Heron’s letters.
Discover the lives of two extraordinary musical visionaries, the Carmel women who inspired David Gordon’s historical book Carmel Impresarios: A Cultural Biography of Dene Denny and Hazel Watrous.
Henry Meade Williams Local History Lecture Series
Sponsored by the Frank & Eva Buck Foundation and Robert & Lacy Buck
Jane Gallatin Powers and the Ladies of the Club: How the Women Artists of Early Carmel Shaped its Destiny with Erin Lee Gafill
7:00 PM, Carpenter Hall at Sunset Center
Henry Meade Williams Local History Lecture Series
Carmel’s True Beginnings: The Vision of James Franklin Devendorf with Jack Galante – Henry Meade Williams Local History Lecture
