The Louise & Hugh Johnson Lecture series began in 2017 and hosts well-known regional and national authors. This series is held at the Ipswich Country Club (148 Country Club Way, Ipswich). These events are free and feature a cash bar and free light refreshments.
The Johnson Lecture Series is made possible by a permanent endowment by Louise & Hugh Johnson. The Johnson endowment was left to and is managed by the Friends of the Library and is intended to enrich the lives of Ipswich residents. Louise and Hugh loved life. They loved books, nature, friends, good food, and each other. They lived together in Ipswich. Louise was very involved with the Ipswich Public library, the garden club, bird watching, and poetry. Hugh had a background in publishing, loved to fly fish, and cherished Jane Austen’s novels (his favorite being Emma).
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this author series was postponed.