A monthly series of short and provocative conversations on a wide array of topics will be offered to patrons of the Henry Carter Hull Library through December, in conjunction with TED talks and TEDx talks.

The first talks, free and open to the public, will be offered on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m., according to Lynn Hidek, the program coordinator, and will focus on “the power of the individual.” The event will include a TED talk, conversation will local experts and community members, along with coffee and snacks, according to the event’s Facebook page.

The other talks will be offered on the third Tuesday of each month as well. Hidek said the talks were offered last year and that they were well received.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for folks to get together and hear from all the great minds around us,” Hidek said.

According to its website www.Ted.com, “TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference where technology, entertainment, and design converged, and today covers almost all topics—from science to business to global issues—in more than 100 languages. Meanwhile, independently run TEDx events help share ideas in communities around the world.”

The program at the Hull Library is called TEDxHCHLibrary: A Community Conversation, and has an associated Facebook page that can be accessed through the Henry Carter Hull Library Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hchlibrary and selecting “events.”

The talks typically run from about an hour to an hour and a half. The other Tuesday dates for the program are Oct. 17, Nov. 21, and Dec. 19. Hidek expects the program to pick up again in January 2018, but said the individual programs and themes for 2018 have not yet been determined.

Each month of the program this year will feature a different theme. The theme for October is “making better habits.” In November it will be “thoughtful travelers.” In December it will be “science.”

The talks will include a wide range of subject matter including a talk from the controversial Edward Snowden, a former Central Intelligence Agency employee who leaked classified information from the National Security Agency to warn people about the extent of global governmental surveillance. Another talk will focus on the story of an individual who sailed around the world alone.

Hidek called the series a “user-driven program,” and said future talks will try to be in response to topics recommended by people in the community.

Hidek says she hopes that attendees who come to the talks are “exposed to something really new and thought provoking.”

“I encourage everyone to come,” said Hidek. “Everyone is welcome.”

The events are all free and no registration is required. For more information, call the library at 860-669-2342 or visit the library at 10 Killingworth Turnpike in Clinton.