ART

OPEN BOOK “All the Knowledge of the World: Libraries and Other Book Places” is an exhibit of photographs collected in honor of the chairwoman of the board of the New York Public Library, Catherine Marron, assembled by a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art, Donald Marron. Mr. Marron was inspired to start collecting photographs of libraries once his wife was named chairwoman. Through tomorrow Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Gagosian Gallery, 980 Madison Ave., between 76th and 77th streets 212-744-2313, free.

TYPE IT OUT “Key Promises” by Jean Shin is a gallery-wide installation made entirely from hundreds of deconstructed computer key caps that wrap around the gallery walls. The exhibit also features “Duet,” a video installation of two keyboards typing simultaneously to each other. Through Saturday April 7, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Frederieke Taylor Gallery, 535 W. 22nd St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 6th floor, 646-230-0992, free.

DANCE

ON TOE New Choreographers on Point presents Ballet Builders, an annual presentation of works by ballet choreographers selected by panels from America and Canada Ballet Builders is intended to nurture young talent working in North American dance companies Among the featured performers are a member of Minnesota Dance Theatre, Jennifer Hart, who stages “Everything That Grows,” a duet to music by Beethoven; the artistic director of American Repertory Ballet of New Jersey, Graham Lustig who presents the duet “Etoile Po laire” to music by Philip Glass, and the artistic director of Dance Repertory Theatre in Austin, Tex. David Justin, whose “Solemn Opus The Journey of Lost and Found” to music by Shostakovich, is danced by an ensemble of five. Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 3 p.m., French Institute/Alliance Francaise, Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St., between Madison and Park avenues, 212-355-6160, $25.

DRAWINGS

HOMAGE TO AN ARTIST The title of an exhibit of drawings by Michael Landy, “H2NY,” refers to “Homage to New York,” Jean Tinguely’s selfdestructing machine constructed in the garden of the Museum of Modern Art over a period of three weeks in March 1960. Set into motion for 27 minutes on March 17, 1960, the machine shook, and burst into flames but failed to fully self-destruct. Selections from the exhibit include “H.2.N.Y. Homage to New York Reappears after 46 years at Museum of Modern Art Sculpture Garden” (2006), above. Through Saturday, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Alexander and Bonin Gallery, 132 Tenth Ave., between 18th and 19th streets, 212-367-7474, free.

FAMILY

EDUCATIONAL SURVIVAL Actor John Lithgow reads from his children’s book “Mahalia Mouse Goes to College” (Simon & Schuster), about a mouse and her family that live in the basement of a Harvard dormitory and are in desperate need of food. Mahalia undertakes the risky journey to the cafeteria, but just as she pilfers some cheese, she is swept up in a backpack and finds herself in advanced physics class. Mr. Lithgow included part of the story in a commencement speech he delivered to Harvard University graduates in 2005. Today, 3 p.m., Central Park Dairy, mid-park at 65th Street, 212-794-6564, free.

FOR YOUNG MINDS The New York Public Library Teen Advisory Group’s Meet the Author reading series presents Brent Hartinger, who has written “The Geography Club” and “The Order of the Poison Oak” (HarperCollins), among other books for young readers. The Teen Advisory Group consists of interested teenagers who meet with young adult librarians each week to recommend materials they would like the library to provide in the Midtown Teen Central library location. Today, 4 p.m., Donnell Library Center, 20 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-621-0633, free.

MUSIC

THE HAYDN FAMILY The Trinity Choir continues with the church’s program, “An Early Musical Tour of Europe,” with a performance of works by the Haydn brothers. The choir performs Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass” and Johann Michael Haydn’s “Requiem” with the Rebel Baroque Orchestra. Tonight, 6 p.m., Trinity Church, 89 Broadway at Wall Street, 866-468-7619, $20 general, $15 students and seniors.

POETRY

SPOTLESS MIND A poet and a cochairwoman of the MFA Writing Program at Bard College, Caroline Bergvall, presents “Data Loss and Memory: Poetics of the Digital Era,” a talk that considers the varieties of material storage and data loss that contemporary poets encounter and recent aesthetic responses to technological memory and erasure. Tonight, 7 p.m., Poets House, 72 Spring St. at Crosby Street, 212-431-7920, $7.

TALKS

DIGGING THROUGH THE DIRT “Uncovering the Past: Experts Tell Us Where We’ve Been” is a four-part lecture series presented by the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan. An archaeologist at the University of Minnesota, Andrea Berlin, discusses “The Phoenicians and the Maccabees: Excavations at Tel Kedesh, Israel,” which was a site of political and social interactions among Jews, Phoenicians, and Greeks during the second century B.C.E. Tonight, 7 p.m., JCC, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th Street, 646-505-5708, $15 general, $10 members.

THE COMING WORLD As part of its ongoing “Platform” series, Lincoln Center Theater presents a talk with playwright Christopher Shinn. Mr. Shinn discusses his most recent work, “Dying City,” a three-character drama about grief and violence set in New York City, and in the shadow of the Iraq war. The play opened this month. Playwright John Guare is moderator of the event. Tomorrow, 6 p.m., Vivian Beaumont Theater, lobby, 150 W. 65th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, 212-362-7600, free.

CHAT WITH A CURATOR “Crosscut: Current Practices and Contemporary Art” is the fourth in stallment in the Riverhouse Con temporary Art & Design Series The associate curator of contemporary art at the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, Joan Young, discusses artists’ use of un usual mediums, as well as the art viewing experience within both a traditional and a home setting The deputy director of P.S. 1 Con temporary Art Center, Brett Littman, is curator of the event Tomorrow, 7 p.m., 4 World Financial Center, Riverhouse Sales & Discovery Center, 250 Vesey St. at North End Avenue, 888-300-1732 free.

To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com, placing the date of the event in the subject line.