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The Manchester Mothers' Club held a Read-a-thon to benefit the Children's Room - The MMC raised $6,000 - Spring 2008

Wedding in the Stacks

On Feb. 8, 2008, Assistant (Beverly) City Clerk Kathy Connolly married Tom Daniel and Jim Zaremba, with their son Elior Zaremba looking on. The family is regular Mother Goose Story Time attendees and chose the Library for the ceremony.

America Honoring Her Fallen Brave

The Trustees admire "America Honoring Her Fallen Brave," rescued from the basement crawl space. (Feb. 2008) Inscription on back reads "J Henry Haseltine Rome 1867." From left, Ric Rogers, Dorothy Jodice, Tim Browne.

Young Adult Librarian

Eileen Fitzgerald was hired as Young Adult Librarian, as part of the Teens n' Tweens grant. (Dec 2007)

Library Awarded a $20,000 Grant

Sara Collins, Children's Librarian, received a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. This competitive grant is for two years and focuses on improving services to the teens n' tweens of the community. The grant will be used for new materials, including graphic novels and video games, programs such as Dance,Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, and a Young Adult Librarian to help administer the grant. Eileen Fitzgerald was recently hired in this position. (Fall 2007)

Mystery Statue in Crawl Space may be a Civil War Era Treasure

The marble statue in the Library's crawl space, once sat in the Circulation Hall, around 1960. It was a gift to the Library from Mrs. William Hooper in honor of her husband. The name "J. Henry Haseltine, Rome 1867" is inscribed on the back. If genuine, the work is named America Honoring Her Fallen Brave. The Trustees plan to display it this winter for Manchester Reads 2008.

Reference Room Renovations - Fall 2007

Outdoor sign replaced - April 2007

Capital Campaign News - April 2007

Manchester Public Library received $2,700 from the Public Libraries Fund, a matching award from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, based on raising $54,000 before Dec. 31, 2006. To date the Trustees have raised almost $70,000. Work on the Reference Room is scheduled to begin in May. During renovations the Reference Room will be closed. The front and side entrances will remain open, but patrons will have to walk around outside to reach the other rooms of the building. The work is expected to take one month.

Readers' Advisory Grant $10,000 - 2007

The Manchester Public Library received a Library Services & Technology Grant for Readers' Advisory for 2006-2007. This federally funded grant will improve services to patrons by promoting Readers' Advisory skills of the Library Staff. The Grant will support training, purchase materials, and provide for programs. Click here to view some of the material provided by the Grant.

Library's Own Volunteer is Town Volunteer of the Year - 2007

Volunteer of the Year 2007

Joe Wrobel was named Volunteer of the Year for working thousands of hours over the past 30 years at the Library. Joe is the sole shelver of adult books in the library and has been for a generation of readers.

Joe with Selectmen and Ginny Noyes, Employee of the Year.

from left, Tom Kehoe, Ginny Noyes, Joe Wrobel, Sue Thorne, Dawn Ghohs, and Bryan Gubbins.

Joe Wrobel and Family Joe surrounded by family, daughters and wife Nancy.

New Circulation Hall 2006

The Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library has remodeled its Circulation Hall thanks to the generous donation of the late Mary Deland de Beaumont, a resident of Manchester who had been a long-time library volunteer. A design committee representing the Library Trustees, the Friends of the Library, and the Library Director helped the architect firm of Adams & Smith (Swampscott, MA) plan the renovation. The library was designed by Charles F. McKim in 1886 and the circulation hall was originally a Civil War Memorial. Frank Adams and Richard Smith created a modern circulation hall which emphasizes the historic elements of the room, eight marble plaques, Tiffany stained glass window, and large Sevres vase. Tucker Library Interiors of Manchester, NH, built the custom desk and bookshelves. The countertop is Vermont mottled purple slate, which blends well with the brick interior of the room. This project is the first major change to the library’s interior since the Children’s Room was added in 1965.

Library Projects Summer/Fall 2005 & 2006

Re-pointing the stone facade (historic masonry restoration)

Repairs to slate roof and copper gutter

Spring 2005

Patron using wireless connection in library A wireless network connection was added to the library in May thanks to Adelphia Cablevision. Patrons may use their own laptops to connect to the Internet and the Library's Homework Center computer is now on-line.

New Dogwoods planted by Manchester Friends of Trees

Three new Dogwoods were planted by the Friends of Manchester Trees, in the back yard, finishing last year's landscaping project.

Library Facelift - Fall 2004

from left to right, Alex McMullin, Mary Trambauer, Kitty Crocker Palmer, and Sam Crocker

The front doors of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library have had a facelift. The expert refinishing job was done courtesy of Crocker's Boat Yard. The Trustees wish to thank Sam Crocker and Kitty Crocker Palmer for their generosity and Alex McMullin, Mary Trambauer, and Rich Crozier for their work in bringing these beautiful doors back to glowing. This improvement is part of an effort by the Library Trustees to make the Library more inviting.

The library grounds were landscaped fall 2004. Lolly Gibson helped the Trustees plan the design and Pallazola Brothers did the work. The walkway now goes from the front door to the Children's Room entrance. Benches were given in memory of Virginia Hug, Nancy Myer, and Dr. James H. Clifford.

Customer Service Workshop 2004

The Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library staff always strives to serve patrons in a friendly and knowledgeable fashion. On Saturday, September 11, 2004, the staff, guided by Susan Babb and Mary Behrle of the Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System, examined library service. Strengths identified include that size of town which allows for personal service, the library is open beyond the number of hours required by the state, the building is beautiful, the library employs four professional librarians and support staff that includes a teacher, a nurse, and a businessperson, and the Library Trustees are very supportive. Weaknesses identified were that the building is too small for the services we offer and wish to offer, that there is a lack of planning time, the Internet has produced high demand, and the stress of staff having to multi-task. The library staff examined various opportunities and challenges.

Three areas identified for improvement are communications among the staff, promotion of services to the Manchester community, and telephone traffic such as moving phone calls to appropriate staff members for service and reference. The library staff decided on activities that should strengthen these areas.

Construction in the Library Winter 2003-2004

Please pardon our appearance. The library is getting a new heating/air conditioning system.

Mother Goose Asks Why Grant $10,000 - 2003

The Children's Room is pleased to announce that we have received a $10,000 Mother Goose Asks Why? grant from LSTA federal funds through the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners. 2003

The Adult Services Department of the library was awarded a LSTA grant for a Community Reads Program. 2003 Click here to read more about it.

Clock Restoration Project 2001

The Friends of the Library raised $10,000.00 in 2001 to restore the original, Hotchkiss designed clock. The clock was custom made by the Seth Thomas Clock Company of Connecticut. The clock is powered by hand-wound weights, and relies on electricity only for illumination of its face. The restoration was completed by the firm of Mitchell and Bosworth in Concord, New Hampshire.

Customer Service Grant - $5,000 - 2001

The Library received a grant from the Board of Library Commissioners to improve customer service to the community. Staff workshops, customer surveys, and a series of focus groups helped the Library staff respond to the needs and desires of the community.

Homework Center Grant - $10,000 - 2001

The Library established an after-school Homework Center with the help of an LSTA grant from the Board of Library Commissioners.