Events

Monday, November 2, 2026

Big Read Movie Night

6-8 PM

Hosted by
Holman Branch of the Tippecanoe County Public Library
627 South Street
Lafayette, IN 47901

The Purdue English Big Read invites you to a community movie night featuring Never Let Me Go (2010). The film will be introduced by Dr. Maren Linett, Professor of English and Director of Critical Disability Studies. This film, based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, is a dystopian science fiction set in alternative England that explores the themes of friendship, memory, and what it means to be human as it follows Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, who become entangled in a love triangle.

Wednesday, November 25, 2026

Podcast Episode #2: Teaching Klara and the Sun

More information to follow! :)

Past Events:

Thursday, September 10, 2026

5 Things to Know about Klara and the Sun (Lecture, Q&A)

5:30-6:30 PM

Hosted by West Lafayette Public Library
208 W. Columbia Street, West Lafayette

Join us for the kickoff of this year’s Big Read! Enjoy free books, snacks, and good conversation as we dive into Klara and the Sun with Professor Michael Johnston

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Eclectic Book Club: Klara and the Sun

10-11:30 AM

Hosted by
Holman Branch of the Tippecanoe County Public Library
627 South Street
Lafayette, IN 47901

Thursday, October 22, 2026

Catch and Release: Crafting Beaded Suncatchers

12-2 PM

Celebrate the joy of sunlight! Participants will design and craft their own unique suncatchers using beads and wire. All materials are provided—just bring your creativity and leave with a beautiful, personalized keepsake.

Friday, October 30, 2026

Podcast Episode #1: Can a Machine Tell Us How It Feels: Empathy, Personhood, & AI in Klara and the Sun

In this episode, Assistant Director C.J. Tenniswood is joined by Lila Alonso, Kyle Alvey, and Emily Crider, as they explore how Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun invites readers to question what it means to feel, to be human, and to have empathy. From Klara’s distinctive manner of seeing the world and her connection to the sun, to the novel’s portrayal of artificial friends, social inequality, and genetic modification, this conversation considers how Ishiguro’s ambiguities speak to today’s debates about AI, personhood, and our responsibilities toward the beings—and technologies—we create.