Press November 28, 2022
SAVE THE DATES for this Holiday by the Sea Special Events!
FOL Holiday Stroll Book Fair
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2nd, 5:30—8:00PM
New to the Manchester Holiday Stroll this year is a book fair sponsored by the Friends of the Manchester Library in collaboration with The Book Shop of Beverly Farms! The book fair will offer a collection of carefully-selected books for all ages, as well as gift wrap, cards, and more. Something for everyone! Just follow the signs to the First Parish Church Chapel, behind Santander Bank. Be the first in line at 5:30PM on Friday, Dec. 2 to get gifts, stocking stuffers and the hottest new books for the holidays!
The Book Shop of Beverly Farms is generously donating 20% of sales to benefit the Friends of the Manchester Library. The Friends is a volunteer, non-profit organization separate from the library and the library trustees. Its purpose is to financially supplement all those things that make the library such a vibrant part of our community. The Friends are dependent on donations from citizens and fundraisers like this one. Among the many contributions made by the Friends this year are the front garden landscaping, museum passes, Yogibo bean bag chairs for the children’s room, ukelele/bongos/knitting supplies for the Library of Things and the StoryWalk on the library’s front lawn.
MPL Children’s Events:
Holiday by the Sea Special Event!
Diane Edgecomb presents Hearthside Stories for the Young & Young-at-Heart
Saturday, December 3 @ 10:30AM, please register on our website: https://www.manchesterpl.org/events/
Join professional storyteller and Manchester favorite, Diane Edgecomb, by the fire for some festive seasonal stories. Treats will be provided by the Friends of the Library. Thank you to the Friends of the Manchester Library and Manchester Cultural Council for sponsoring this program. The Manchester Cultural Council is a local agency funded by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.”
Read to Gus
Thursday, December 8 @ 3:30PM, 3:45PM, 4PM and 4:15PM,
please register on our website: https://www.manchesterpl.org/events/
Deb Kaneb and Gus, a Certified Reading Partner and Therapy Dog, are back and looking forward to hearing stories read by YOU! Don’t miss out, make sure and reserve your space early!
Seaside Saturday
December 10th @ 10AM
Join our friends from Early Childhood Partners for themed stories, crafts and activities. Please register on their website or call: www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com / 978-468-5489.
SAVE THE DATE! Author Visit with Jean Woodbury on Saturday, December 10 @ 2PM
We are delighted to invite you to join Jean Woodbury author of The Tree in Dock Square, the award-winning picture book in the first Cape Ann Reads Contest. Jean will share her book and signed copies will be available for purchase. All proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Manchester Library. The Tree in Dock Square can be pre-ordered on the Library website through the day of the event: https://www.manchesterpl.org/events/
MPL Teen Loft Announcements & Events:
To register for the programs below and more: manchesterpl.org/events
Make a Candy Lighthouse
December 7, 1-2:30PM
Ages 8-adult: Gingerbread houses are fine, but we live in Manchester-by-the-Sea! Give this seasonal favorite a local twist by crafting a lighthouse with a secret mystery base and plenty of icing and candy. Gorgeous, delicious, and close to home! Space is very limited, so please register soon.
Teen Writers Workshop
December 9, 5:30-7PM
All teens (and nearly-teens) welcome! Join Gwendolyn and a crew of young writers for this monthly Friday night writing party. Sign up today if you are in Grades 7-12 and want to have fun with amusing prompts and writing games, hear what other people are coming up with, and share some of your own stuff (always optional!). Space is limited, so please register on the Library Events Calendar (December 9).
Clay Yeti Luminaria
Friday, December 16, 3:30-4:30PM
Ages 8-adult: Craft a cute yeti with air dry clay. Make the body from a pinch pot and hand build arms, horns and a toothy smile, then paint and voila! Glowing from within is a battery-operated candle that illuminates the face. Registration is required.
MPL News & Events for Adults:
Hot Books & Hot Chocolate
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1st at 11:00—11:30 AM
We are “falling” for some great books this Winter! We’ll provide the hot chocolate for you and we can all chat about the books we have been reading or hearing about. Thursday, December 1st, 11 AM at the hearthside reading room with Lori and Sara as we dish and ditch the good, bad, and ugly books that caught our attention in November. Whether you love gripping thrillers, historical fiction, laugh out loud comedies or romances that never go the way you want, we’ll have something to share. It’s 30 minutes a nice fire and a free comforting drink, relax and chat about books and watch the snow fall, what could be better? See you here and bring a friend!
Abenaki Culture and History (Virtual) REGISTRATION REQUIRED
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1st at 7:00—8:00 PM
On Zoom
Vera Longtoe Sheehan, founder of the Abenaki Arts and Education Center in VT will present her program on Abenaki Culture and History. Vera is a scholar, educator, activist, and artist with almost 30 years of experience developing transformative education opportunities and curriculum materials, as well being involved in education leadership for more than 10 years. She is currently the Director of the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association (2013 – present), the Instructor for “Presenting Abenaki Culture in the Classroom” at Castleton University. Additionally, she is a Museum Educator at the Smithsonian where she delivers culturally responsive programs for K-12 audiences. Vera is an Executive Board Member for the Vermont Humanities Council and on the ACT 1 Task Force (2019 – present) dedicated to ethnic and social equity studies. The focus of Vera’s art is in traditional clothing and twined woven plant fiber bags which require sustainable methodology.
This project was funded by a grant from AARP. This program is offered in partnership with the Chelmsford Public Library and was funded by a grant from AARP. Register at manchesterpl.org/events
Hearthside Book Group
Tuesday, December 6th at 4-5PM
Join us in person at the library or on Zoom to discuss “Caleb’s Crossing” by Geraldine Brooks. Contact Lori Dumont at ldumont@manchesterpl.org or at 978-526-7711 for further information. Copies of this book are available at the circulation desk.
Diversity Book Group meets to discuss “Invisible Child”
Tuesday, December 13th at 5:30PM
We will finish our discussion of “Invisible Child” by Andrea Elliott. Invisible Child was named a best book of the Year by the New York Times Book Review, Time, Atlantic and NPR. Both devastating and illuminating, it is a tale of poverty in an American family through the eyes of a precocious and amazing child. There is still time to read this title.
“How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America” by Clint Smith will be discussed in January and will be available to pick up at the front desk soon.