By Ken Valenti

WESTPORT–Sarah Jessica Parker told a Westport audience on Wednesday night that she’s uneasy about receiving awards, “but when a library calls, my response, my instinct, is to say yes, no matter what.”

So there she was on stage at the Westport Library’s Trefz Forum before 650 community members, celebrated as the 26^th honoree of the library’s annual BOOKED for the evening event. Best known for portraying Carrie Bradshaw in the groundbreaking television series “Sex and the City,” the Emmy Award-winning actor is also a producer, publisher and an advocate for libraries. 

Going to the library

“I hear more and more people talk about going to the library, needing the library, that it’s a place where they’d consider more,” she said in an onstage conversation with former Westport Library Executive Director Maxine Bleiweis. She added, “it’s really nice to see libraries are so populated and feel so necessary to communities

In a wide-ranging discussion, Parker spoke of her love of books, her first memories of reading and visiting her childhood library in Cincinnati, informal book clubs with her daughter and more.

Parker as publisher

Bleiweis asked her about other literature-related roles. In 2023, Parker launched SJP Lit, a literary imprint of Zando focused on underrepresented voices. She previously served as the editorial director for SJP for Hogarth. This year, Parker is one of five judges for the prestigious Booker Prize. While that means reading about 170 books vying for the award, Parker is “cheating a little bit” by reading a book of her own choice – “Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy,” by Julia Ioffe.

Combining her involvement in movies with her love of libraries and books, she is an executive producer of an upcoming documentary, “The Librarians.” Due for release next month, the film follows librarians in Texas, Florida and other states as they unite to fight book banning.

Arts can save a student

Parker talked about all those roles – and being a mother. Bemoaning the loss of funding for the arts in many public schools, she talked about the benefits all children gain from the arts, whether or not they pursue careers in the creative fields.

“Exposure to the arts can save a student,” she said. “That doesn’t mean they’re going to want to be an actor or a musician or an artist or a visual artist or anything. It’s just another way of children telling you who they are as people, as students, even academically. So let your child imagine and play and have fun and be creative, and encourage it.”

Past honorees

“BOOKED for the evening” annually honors an individual whose work nurtures a love of learning and enhances an understanding of the world. Previous recipients include 2024 guest of honor Billie Jean King, as well as Tom Brokaw, E.L. Doctorow, Wendy Wasserstein, Martin Scorsese, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Oscar Hijuelos, Alan Alda, Frederic Chiu, Itzhak Perlman, Shonda Rhimes and Laura Linney.

High-level affair

The evening began with a cocktail hour, catered by Marcia Selden Catering, where attendees noshed on miso-glazed cod, lemon shrimp, mini lobster rolls and more. They were excited for the opportunity to support the library and the arts – and to see the guest of honor.

“I feel like I learned everything I need to know about love, sex and friendship from her,” said Michelle-Lee Rabinowitz.

“I like her style,” said Cecilia Hatton. “I like who she is…she’s natural. She’s a great influence.”

The celebration began with an hour-long tribute to Parker featuring a video exploring her life and career and tributes from many. Tony-award-winning Broadway star Kelli O’Hara sang a melody of “Cockeyed Optimist” from South Pacific and “Tomorrow” from Annie, accompanied by renowned pianist Dan Lipton. Two-time Tony Award winner James Naughton and Zando publishing founder Molly Stern praised Parker from the stage, while a series of video tributes came from “Sex and the City” co-stars Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon; New York City Ballet Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan; and a host of authors from Parker’s literary imprint, including Kim Coleman Foote and Alina Grabowski; among others.

And the praise continued after the conversation.

“Your talent, your vision, and your unwavering commitment to the arts and to libraries and the books and authors remind us that stories, whether on the page, on the stage, or on the screen, have the power to impact our lives,” Executive Director Bill Harmer told her at the end of the ceremony, presenting her with the award. “So on behalf of everyone here tonight, everyone in Westport, thank you for showing us what’s possible when we dare to tell our stories with honesty and heart.”

Library card and NYT crossword puzzle

Harmer also presented her with two additional gifts – a Westport Library card and a crossword puzzle with Parker as the subject, created for her by Robyn Weintraub, a crossword constructor for the New York Times and the New Yorker. It was also presented by New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz, another previous BOOKED honoree, who was in the audience.

A fan of the Times crossword puzzles, Parker told Shortz, “This will put me in good stead with a lot of people who do the puzzle in pen.” 

When she asked Harmer if she really would be able to use the library card, Harmer encouraged her to do so.

“It does mean that you are officially one of us,” he said. “And we couldn’t be happier about it.”