# Event Details - **Event Name**: Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom - **Event Start and End Date**: Tue, 13 Oct, 2026 at 07:00 pm – Tue, 13 Oct, 2026 at 08:00 pm (-04:00) - **Event Description**: Psychologists and authors Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom in conversation with Paul Bloom about things we can all do to be more social.About this EventThis evening will explore the “the liking gap” – how strangers would like us more than we think if we tried to connect. Make the most of your Connect IRL experience by coming before or staying after the featured event. Grab a drink or snack at the bar. This evening's workshop will be announced shortly so stay tuned for that. Try out one of the engagement activities available, including this event's Conversation Station: The Bus Stop Challenge, where you can take a moment or two to connect with a stranger in the most ordinary of small-talk settings.*****Join us in the Toronto Reference Library's Appel Salon for Say Hello to Reconnecting, with psychologists and authors Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom in conversation with Paul Bloom.Why do we walk past dozens of strangers a day, headphones in, eyes down, when a two-minute conversation could brighten both of our afternoons? At this event we'll find out what's actually stopping us and then test it. You'll learn what the research says about how strangers respond to being approached, why our predictions are so consistently wrong, and how to start the kind of small, low-stakes conversation that adds up to a bigger life. Then you'll get a chance to have one.Why do so many of us underestimate the power of a simple "hello"? What is the "liking gap," and how does it keep us from connecting with people who would genuinely enjoy meeting us? And in an age of texting, remote work and screen-mediated relationships, what do we lose when we avoid the small, unscripted moments that once wove strangers into our daily lives?Nicholas Epley, a University of Chicago psychologist, has spent his career studying this gap. In A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection, he argues that connection is a choice we make based on expectations of how others will respond — expectations that skew far too pessimistic. Gillian Sandstrom, Professor in the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex, takes it further in Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How "Small" Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life, tracing her own path from self-described introvert to leading researcher on talking to strangers.Come ready to say hello.Q&A and book signing to follow. Books available for purchase.About this event’s guests:Dr. Gillian SandstromDr. Nicholas EpleyDr. Paul BloomRead More:Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How "small" Talk Can Add Up to a Big LifeA Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and ConnectionThe Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning***Connection Workshop (to be announced soon) | 5:30 - 6:30 pm (TBC)Try out one of the engagement activities available, including this event's Conversation Station: The Bus Stop Challenge, where you can take a moment or two to connect with a stranger in the most ordinary of small-talk settings.The Bus Stop Challenge | 5:30 – 6:30 pm & 8:00 – 9:00 pmSet up like a familiar TTC platform or bus shelter, this station drops you into the most ordinary of small-talk settings. Draw a prompt card with a simple mission (ask a stranger's opinion, compliment something, trade a recommendation) and see how fast a short, unscripted exchange can turn a stranger into a familiar face. It's the “liking gap”, live and in action. is not your average series of events, workshops and activities, but a real chance to connect with other Torontonians in meaningful and sometimes unexpected ways. Through conversation stations meant to spark one-on-one conversations, or hands-on engagement activities and workshops before the featured event, participants can explore the value of connection and community.***PLAN YOUR VISIT:Location: Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street), 2nd floorTime: Doors open 5:30pm, Onstage event starts 7:00pm.Tickets: Free registration required.Ticket policy: We oversell these events to ensure that the greatest number of people have an opportunity to attend. Tickets guaranteed until 6:45pm or until capacity is reached. Seating first come, first served.Bar: Beer/wine available for purchase (debit/credit only).Accessibility: TPL is committed to accessibility. If you are Deaf or have a disability and would like to request accommodation for this event, please contact accessibleservices@tpl.ca or 416-393-7099 at least three weeks prior to the event.***Information Collection Notice: The personal information on this form is collected by the Toronto Public Library under the Public Libraries Act, sections 20(a), 20(c), and 20(d). The information will only be used for event and program registration, delivery and evaluation. Registrants may be contacted to fill out a brief survey following the program. Questions about how the library handles your information can be directed to Answerline staff at answerline@tpl.ca, 416-397-5981, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M4W 2G8. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/toronto/say-hello-to-connecting-ft-nicholas-epley-and-gillian-sandstrom/100001998799295499 - **Event Categories**: workshops, contests, health-wellness, art, literary-art, science-fair, meetups - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Doors Open At: 5:30 PM - Duration: 1 hour - Location: Bram & Bluma Appel Salon - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: CAD ## Event venue details - **city**: Toronto - **state**: ON - **country**: Canada - **location**: Bram & Bluma Appel Salon - **lat**: 43.6719543 - **long**: -79.38650289999998 - **full address**: Bram & Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, Canada ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/239b5c70f236edd33172bec6e5951b5f167c1b6557a38193b84549533775fef6-rimg-w1200-h600-dc8858a8-gmir.jpg?v=1789492681 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom being held? - **A:** Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom takes place on Tue, 13 Oct, 2026 at 07:00 pm to Tue, 13 Oct, 2026 at 08:00 pm at Bram & Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, Canada. - **Q**: Who is organizing Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom? - **A:** Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom is organized by Toronto Public Library. - **Q**: What has been the experience of attendees at Toronto Public Library's events? - **A:** Attendees have given Toronto Public Library a rating of 5/5 based on reviews from early attendees on AllEvents. Toronto Public Library has a verified profile on AllEvents where you can read reviews and explore their upcoming events. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Toronto, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Say Hello to Connecting ft. Nicholas Epley and Gillian Sandstrom sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Say Hello to Connecting ft. 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