Events

Press February 20, 2024

Decorative Background Swoosh

Photo caption: “Twenty-seven attendees packed the library to hear Dr. David J. Roberts MD, SVP of Operations Community Division Mass General Brigham, speak about how food, shelter and loneliness affect our health and what can be done to support efforts to meet these basic needs. This program is a part of the Manchester Cultural Council and the MBTS Library’s speaker series. Next speaker will present on 3/21 at 5:30PM. Register at bit.ly/mbts_aep”  

Manchester Public Library Launches New eCard Service  

No library card? No problem! Residents can now sign up online for an electronic library card.  

Signing up for an electronic library card (eCard) has never been easier. Thanks to Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library’s membership in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium (MVLC), Manchester residents who do not yet have a library card can now register online for an eCard that provides immediate access to the library’s electronic collections.  

With an MVLC eCard from, Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library residents gain free access to more than 65,000 eBooks, digital audiobooks, and online magazines, as well as numerous local and statewide electronic collections for entertainment, study and research such as Overdrive, Rocket Languages, and Consumer Reports.  

MVLC eCards can be converted to a full library card, which allows card holders to borrow, and place holds on physical materials, by visiting the library. For more details and to apply for an MVLC eCard visit https://manchester.mvlc.org/manchesterecard. Contact the Manchester Public Library at 978-526-7711 for more information. 

Help Us Plan the Library’s Next Chapter  

The library’s community survey is open again for a short time, so don’t wait to share your hopes, dreams and needs for your public library. Take the survey at https://manchester.mvlc.org/survey   

Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library is preparing a grant application for the next round of construction grant funding from the state. To apply for the grant, which is due next Spring, we are preparing a Library Building Program, a planning document which identifies what the community wants and needs from their library in the next few decades. To begin that process, we need lots of community feedback. We want to hear from everyone, whether you are a library user or not. We will use this survey to inform not just the construction grant but also our next strategic plan. Visit manchesterpl.org/future-plans-at-the-library/ to get updates on the process. 


News & Events for Kids and Families

*To register for the programs below and more: manchesterpl.org/events or call 978-526-7711 

*All About Me Collage 

Saturday, February 24 AT 2:00—3:00PM 

Rip up magazines to make a work of art that’s all about you.  Join Miss Audrey on February 24th at 2 pm and make your own one-of-a-kind craft! This program is for ages 7-12. 

Winter and Spring Storytime 

Wednesdays 10:30—11:15AM 

Join Miss Audrey for storytime for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers! We’ll share books, songs, and games. Join us every Wednesday starting January 24th at 10:30 am. This program runs through to April 24th. 

News & Events for Teens and Young Adults

*To register for the programs below and more: manchesterpl.org/events or call 978-526-7711   

*Graphic Novel Club 

Wednesday, February 28 at 4:00—4:45PM 

Join the graphic novel club! We meet once a month from January to June. Explore new and new-to-you graphic novels with friends, snacks and activities! We will be discussing “Ghost Book” by Remy Lai. Ask at the front desk for your copy now! This program is for grades 4-7, and registration is required for each monthly meeting. 

News & Events for Adults 

*To register for the programs below and more: manchesterpl.org/events or call 978-526-7711  

Free Friday Movies at MBTS Public Library 

Friday, February 23 at 6:00—8:00PM 

We will be showing a movie in the Reference Room on the 4th Friday of every month at 6:00PM. We will supply the popcorn. Feel free to bring covered, non-alcoholic beverages. The movie this month has a MPAA Rating: R; for violence.  

*Discussion with Romance Authors Hazelwood, Payne & Williams (Virtual) 

Monday, February 26 at 7:00—8:00PM 

Authors Ali Hazelwood, Nikki Payne, and Denise Williams will discuss their latest romance novels in this unforgettable panel discussion followed by audience Q&A. 

This program is made possible through a partnership with Tewksbury Public library and will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. 

Diversity Matters Book Group: “Native Son” 

Tuesday, February 27 at 1:00—2:00PM 

February’s Diversity Matters book group will be “Native Son” by Richard Wright.  

About the Book: “Set in Chicago in the 1930s, Native Son is the story of Bigger Thomas, a young Black man caught in a downward spiral after killing a young white woman in a brief moment of panic. Written with the distinctive rhythm of a modern crime story, this formidable work is both a condemnation of social injustice and an unsparing portrait of the Black experience in America, revealing the tragic effect of poverty, racism, and hopelessness on the human spirit.” – Harper Collins 

Physical book copies available at the circulation desk and as an ebook and digital audiobook through the Hoopla app. You can use your Manchester library card to signup for Hoopla for free. Email mwillwerth@manchesterpl.org for more info and to get connected to the group.  

*Celebrating the 30th Book Anniversary with Author Laurie R. King (Virtual) 

Tuesday, February 27 at 7:00—8:00PM 

Wow, can you believe it’s been 30 years since the amazing Sherlock Holmes retelling, “The Beekeeper’s Apprentice” came out? And that the newest in the series, Book #18, “The Lantern’s Dance”, just came out?! Join us with author Laurie R. King as we discuss the origin story to this series, the taking on of an icon, the twists and turns of storytelling, and the impact (cultural, social, political, etc) of Holmes and Russell on our collective consciousnesses!  

Laurie R. King is the New York Times bestselling author of 30 novels and other works, including the Mary Russell-Sherlock Holmes stories (“The Beekeeper’s Apprentice” was chosen as one of the “20th Century’s Best Crime Novels” by the IMBA.) She has won the Agatha, Anthony, Creasey, Edgar, Lambda, Macavity, Wolfe, and Romantic Times Career Achievement awards, has an honorary doctorate in theology, and is a Baker Street Irregular. In 2022, she was named Grand Master by Mystery Writers of America. She co-edited (with Lee Child) the new handbook from Mystery Writers of America, How to Write a Mystery, and has a new contemporary series with SFPD Inspector Raquel Laing, beginning with “Back to the Garden”. 

This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and made possible through a partnership with the Ashland Public Library, in partnership with many other MA libraries. 

*The Economic Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine (Virtual) 

Wednesday, February 28 at 7:00—8:00PM  

Author and professor Christine Abely will discuss her brand new book, “The Russia Sanctions: The Economic Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine”. Learn about the international trade measures and sanctions deployed against Russia in response to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Explore how sanctions have affected, and will continue to affect, global trading patterns, financial integration, and foreign policy in novel ways. In particular, examine the effects of sanctions on energy, food, fertilizer, the financial system, and the global use of the US dollar, including trends of de-dollarization. Understand the steps that must be taken to make sanctions more effective by promoting financial transparency worldwide. Christine Abely is an assistant professor at New England Law in Boston. She previously practiced international trade and sanctions law and is a licensed customs broker. Her work has appeared in The Hill, Just Security, and numerous academic journals. 

This program is made possible through a partnership with Tewksbury Public library and will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. 

Hearthside Book Group  

Tuesday, March 5 at 4:00—5:00PM  

On Tuesday, March 5 join us at 4:00 PM in person at the library or on Zoom to discuss “The Daughters of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War” by Catherine Grace Katz. 

“The brilliant untold story of three daughters of diplomacy: Anna Roosevelt, Sarah Churchill, and Kathleen Harriman, glamorous, fascinating young women who accompanied their famous fathers to the Yalta Conference with Stalin in the waning days of World War II.” 

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, curbside pickup, by home delivery, and on Libby. 

Connect with the MBTS Public Library 

www.manchesterpl.org 
linktr.ee/manchesterpl 
facebook.com/manchesterbytheseapl 
Email: info@manchesterpl.org 
Phone: 978-526-7711 

Public Wifi: MBTSLibraryWifi / Password: library1887