One writes novels that explore family secrets, identity and the complicated ties between parents and children. Another has built a following with romantic stories about second chances and finding love in unexpected places. The third draws on Indigenous and Mexican American heritage to weave together folklore, poetry and fiction.
On Nov. 5, all three come together for an annual event celebrating the Worcester Public Library.
Bestselling authors Celeste Ng, Annabel Monaghan and Jennifer Givhan headline the Worcester Public Library Foundation’s “Celebrate Our Library!” fundraiser, bringing three distinct literary voices to an evening devoted to supporting one of the city’s most important public institutions.
The event, 5:45-9 p.m
The event, 5:45-9 p.m. at the main library, 3 Salem Square, features an author discussion, cocktails, food, a fundraising auction and recognition of a longtime library supporter.
The gathering comes at a time when libraries serve purposes that extend well beyond lending books, providing access to information, educational reect
For the Worcester Public Library Foundation, the annual celebration is an opportunity to raise money for those rewriters whose books fill library shelves
This year’s featured authors represent a broad range
This year’s featured authors represent a broad range of contemporary fiction, from literary examinations of family and society to romance, speculative storytelling and works informed by cultural identity.
Ng, whose novels have reached international audiences, is the author of “Everything I Never Told You,” “Little Fires Everywhere” and “Our Missing Hearts.”
Her fiction frequently explores the tensions between family expectations and individual identity, along with questions of race, belonging and the ways larger social forces shape private lives.
Little Fires Everywhere, a novel about two families
“Little Fires Everywhere,” a novel about two families whose lives become entangled in suburban Ohio, was adapted into a television miniseries starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.
Ng, a graduate of Harvard University who earned her Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Michigan, has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship and a Pushcart Prize. Her essays and fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian and other publications.
Joining her is Monaghan, whose contemporary romance novels have found an enthusiastic readership through book clubs, bestseller lists and summer reading recommendations.
Her books include Nora Goes Off Script, Same
Her books include “Nora Goes Off Script,” “Same Time Next Summer,” “Summer Romance,” “It’s a Love Story” and “Dolly All The Time.”
Monaghan’s stories often follow women navigating relationships, personal reinvention and the unexpected turns of adulthood, combining humor with emotional depth.
“For the most part, my books are about regular women doing regular things in the midst of finding life changing love,” Monaghan told the Worcester Guardian. “I think readers connect with them for the same reason I like writing them—we can see ourselves in the chaos of these ordinary moments and cheer for the protagonist as she finds her voice in it all.”
Her work has appeared on reading lists
Her work has appeared on reading lists from Good Morning America, Today, Cosmopolitan and other national outlets. A graduate of Duke University with an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Monaghan spent 25 years in the suburbs of New York City and now divides her time between Connecticut and Florida.
For Monaghan, the opportunity to participate in a fundraiser for a public library carries particular meaning.
“Libraries mean everything to me,” she told the Worcester Guardian. “They were a no-judgement zone when I was learning to love books by reading everything that was not on my school’s reading list.”
She also sees libraries as institutions
She also sees libraries as institutions with a vital role in preserving knowledge and making different perspectives accessible.
“Today I see libraries and librarians as the guardians of the truth. Libraries are a place where humanity is recorded and bound so that all voices can be heard and we can keep learning from each other.”
The third featured author, Givhan, brings a different literary perspective to the program. A Mexican American and Indigenous poet and novelist from the Southwest, Givhan draws on cultural traditions, mythology and questions of identity in her writing.
Her novels include River Woman, River Demon, Jubilee,
Her novels include “River Woman, River Demon,” “Jubilee,” “Trinity Sight” and “Salt Bones.” She has also published five full-length poetry collections.
Givhan has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and PEN/Rosenthal Emerging Voices. She holds graduate degrees from California State University, Fullerton, and Warren Wilson College and lives with her family in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Together, the three authors offer an opportunity to explore how different literary genres can illuminate common experiences, from family relationships and personal identity to resilience, love and belonging.
The discussion will be moderated by Stephanie Pasha,
The discussion will be moderated by Stephanie Pasha, president of both the Worcester Public Library Board of Directors and the Worcester Animal Rescue League.
Pasha, who received the American Library Association Trustee Citation in 2026, is also a writer and maintains a Substack publication.
Beyond the author program, the evening will recognize someone whose support has helped sustain the library’s work.
Lisa Kirby Gibbs will receive the 2026 Dr
Lisa Kirby Gibbs will receive the 2026 Dr. Richard E. Greene Founders Award, presented annually to an individual or organization demonstrating dedication to the mission of the Worcester Public Library Foundation.
The foundation selected Gibbs in recognition of her years of generous support for the library.
The evening will also include a fund-a-need auction, giving attendees an opportunity to contribute directly to the foundation’s efforts to support library re
Celebrate Our Library! is the foundation’s signature annual
“Celebrate Our Library!” is the foundation’s signature annual fundraiser, supporting the Worcester Public Library’s mission of encouraging lifelong learning, expanding access to knowledge and protecting intellectual freedom.
The event is supported by a range of local businesses, educational institutions and community organizations, with major sponsors including Beacon Bank, The Hanover Insurance Group, The Kirby Foundation and Saint-Gobain.
Tickets are $175 per person and include cocktails, food prepared by Simply Delicious Catering, the author program and a book by one of the featured writers.
Celebrate Our Library! takes place Thursday, Nov
“Celebrate Our Library!” takes place Thursday, Nov. 5, from 5:45 to 9 p.m. at the Worcester Public Library Main Library, 3 Salem Square.
Tickets and additional information are available at wplfoundation.org, by emailing execdir@wplfoundation.org or calling 508-799-1656.
