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
Nature Writing Workshop
Saturday, November 22, 2025 • 10:00am - 11:30am
Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St) (Meeting Room #4347)
Nature has inspired countless pieces of poetry and prose over the course of time and space; writing about nature puts us in intimate touch with our own inner landscapes, while filling us with awe and reverence for our natural world. If you have ever...
Ages: Adult, Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds, Senior Citizen
Registration full. Join the waitlist >
Display- Honoring Booker T. Spicely
Monday, December 01, 2025 • 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St) (Main Library - Auditorium - Upper Corridor 2nd Floor)
Display will be presented in association with: Honoring Booker T. Spicely: A Family Conversation
Honoring Booker T. Spicely: A Family Conversation
Monday, December 01, 2025 • 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Main Library (300 N. Roxboro St) (Main Auditorium)
...
Ages: Adult, Emerging Adult: 18-24 Year Olds, 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
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