The Library will close on Saturday Dec 24 and will remain closed until Tuesday December 27 at 10AM. As always our digital resources are available 24/7 at manchesterpl.org/resources/all-resources/

Upcoming Library Events

Virtual Events

Kids    Teens    Adults

All virtual events require registration. Click on the events to register.

Author Conversations Featuring: Maureen Johnson (Nine Liars) & Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Final Gambit)
Wednesday, January 4 At 7-8pm

Enjoy a special evening with two of the country's top young adult authors, Maureen Johnson (Nine Liars) is interviewed by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Final Gambit), in this ZOOM webinar.

Maureen Johnson is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including the Truly Devious series, the Shades of London series, Suite Scarlett, and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Her collaborative books include Ghosts of the Shadow Market (with Cassandra Clare), as well as Let It Snow (with John Green and Lauren Myracle), which was also a hit feature film on Netflix. Maureen's books have sold more than three million copies worldwide and have been published in more than thirty countries. She grew up in Philadelphia, graduated from the University of Delaware and has an MFA in Writing from Columbia University. Maureen lives in New York City with her husband and dog.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty acclaimed young adult novels, including The Inheritance Games trilogy, Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series. Jen is also a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science. She received her Ph.D. from Yale University in 2012 and was a professor of psychology and professional writing for many years.

Check out Nine Liars. Published soon on Dec 27, 2022. Check out The Final Gambit.

This program is offered in partnership with Tewksbury Public Library and other MA libraries. 

In-Person & Hybrid Events For All Ages

Kids    Teens    Adults

PJ Family Story Time
Tuesday, December 27 At 6-6:45 Pm

Join Ms. Carol in the Children's Room for stories, songs and a bedtime snack. It's fun to wear PJs and bring your favorite stuffy friend. Registration required.

Family Afternoon Movie: Lyle, Lyle Crocodile
Thursday, December 29 At 2-3:45pm

We've got a fun family flick lined up for you!  Based on the classic children's book, Lyle will charm and sing his way into your heart.  Bring a pillow, blanket, a closed drink container and a friend but DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER because space is limited and this is going to be a sold-out show.  Rated PG for mild peril and thematic events.

Please note that children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult.   

Mystery Book Group
Friday, December 30 At 10:30-11:30am

The Manchester Mystery Book Group meets on the last Friday of the month at 10:30 AM. December's meeting will occur in the library's reading room & over Zoom. Click Here for the Zoom meeting link. (This link will not work until Dec. 30th, 10 min before 10:30 AM) Email [email protected] with any questions or to get connected with the group.

We will discuss "The Long Call" by Ann Cleeves. Physical copies will be available at the circulation desk in late November or you can check out a digital audiobook and ebook through the Libby app. Use your MBTS library card to sign up for Libby for free.

January's pick will be "21 Immortals: Inspector Mislan and the Yee Sang Murders" by Rozlan Mohd Noor. Physical copies will be available at the circulation desk in late December.

New members are always welcome. For the date, times, and more book club resources Click Here.

Comics-Making Workshop
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13 at 4-5:30PM
Four Friday Series: January 13th-February 3rd

Be the star of your own comic! Join Boston-based author/illustrator Jonathan Todd (the upcoming Scholastic graphic novel “Timid,” the online YA graphic memoir “Cecil Hall”) for a four-week workshop covering all the fundamentals of creating autobiographical comics, from writing to drawing to editing. Registration is limited to 20 participants, and art supplies are included. Please register on the Library Events Calendar on January 13 for all 4 weeks as the session build upon each other. 

Weekly Events

Kids    Teens    Adults

Craft Circle by the Hearthside
SUNDAYS AT 2-3PM

Digital Advice
mondays: appointments at 11am and 11:30am & drop-in from 12-1pm         

Registration is required for the 2 appointment. Click Here to register. 

Dungeons and Dragons
Alternating Tuesdays 3:30-5pm

For Ages 11-18. Most Tuesday and registration is required. Click Here for more details and to register. 

Tai Chi Class
Wednesdays At 9:45-10:45am

Safety Registration Form must be completed before 1st session. Fill out the form here. 

Shut Up and Write!
Wednesdays At 10:30 Am-12pm

Virtual over Zoom and registration is required. Email [email protected] for the zoom link.

Stories & Songs in the Children's Room
Wednesdays 10:30-11am

For our youngest patrons and thier caregivers, ages birth-6. Registration is required and space is limited. Click Here to register.

MBTS Literary Libations Writing Group
Thursdays At 7-8pm

Registration is encouraged but not required. Click Here to register or for more info. 

Free Digital Library Resources

We are always open online where you can check out our free to use digital collection! There you can find a great selection of eBooks, Audiobooks, and movies and TV shows to stream and enjoy along with many other digital resources by using your Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library card.

Check out some of the popular options below! To see more free resources visit our Virtual Library page.

Libby: Download eBooks, Audio Books, Streaming Video and Magazines. To sign in, choose your library system from the dropdown menu — Massachusetts-by-the-Sea library cardholders are considered Merrimack Valley Library patrons (MVLC); use your library card number to login. Download or stream across multiple devices using the Libby app. Begining next year you will need your pin to access this resources. Please call 978-526-7711 if you need to reset your pin.

American Ancestors, an online repository for family history research, provides free access to 1.4+ billion records spanning the United States, the British Isles, continental Europe, and beyond, including one of the most extensive online collections of early American genealogical records, the largest searchable collection of published genealogical research journals and magazines, and the only online source for records from Boston's Catholic Archdiocese. The database is maintained by the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Freegal® Music is a free music streaming service. All you need is your library card number and PIN. Freegal offers access to over 16 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. In total, the collection is comprised of music from over 93,000+ labels with music that originates in over 100 countries. Access to Freegal is limited to patrons of the Manchester Public Library. During this time, Freegal is offering 24 hour-per-day streaming to our patrons.