Did you know that the average person throws out approximately 5 pounds of trash a day? The Manchester-by-the-Sea Sustainability Committee and the Manchester Public Library invite you to join us in the Earth Day 2023 Zero Waste Challenge. 

MBTS residents, families and groups can bring whatever trash you collected between April 28- May 5 at 3-5PM on May 5 to the Sustainability Committee table at the library to have your trash weighed. 

he household with the lowest weeklong trash accumulation will receive the honor of being Manchester-by-the-Sea’s 2023 Zero Waste Champion! Prizes include a 7 Seas Whale Watch gift certificate, and everyone gets a Captain Dusty coupon. Register at bit.ly/mbtszerowaste 

The Friends of the Manchester Library have announced the dates for collecting all those books you have been saving for their annual used book sale on August 5. Bring your books to the Manchester Middle High School parking lot on April 29, May 20 or June 10 between 9AM-12PM. Please only donate books you would be willing to buy.

Please do not donate the following: 
Encyclopedias, Textbooks, Magazines or Pamphlets, Foreign Language books, Self Help books, Coffee Table books, Travel Guides older than 2018, moldy, wet, torn, yellow or damaged books.

Thank you!

Weekly Events

Kids    Teens    Adults    All Ages

Digital Advice with Expanded Hours
Mondays: Appointments At 11:30am, 12pm & 12:30pm & Drop-In From 1-2pm

Alternating Thursdays: Appointments At 6pm          

Registration is required for the 3 appointments on Monday and the 1 appointment on Thursday. Click Here to register. 

Dungeons and Dragons
Tuesdays 3:45-5pm

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.

Mindfulness Meditation
Every Other Thursday At 11am-12pm

Alida Bryant is a Dharma Leader and meditation instructor under the guidance of Anam Thubten Rinpoche. She has been meditating for over 30 years (still very much a beginner!) and studying and practicing with lineage holders in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome. There will be guided meditation, some silence, and discussion. Registration is encouraged but not required. Click Here to register or for more info. 

Chess Club in the Teen Loft
Thursdays At 3—4:15pm

Come out and "rook" the house (sorry, chess humor) with club organizers Marcel and Milla and their energetic middle school group of aspiring grandmasters! Ages 9-11 must register for every week you can make it as space is limited!

MBTS Bike and Pedestrian Committee Book Discussion
Thursdays In May 6:00—7:00pm

The MBTS Bike and Pedestrian Committee is excited to be hosting another community book discussion group this May. We'll be reading 'There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster - Who Profits and Who Pays the Price' by Jessie Singer. You can pick up a copy at the library circulation desk or download a digital audiobook on Libby, a free ebook / audiobook service. The meeting will be help every Thursday evening in May at the Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library from 6-7PM so you don't need to finish the book to attend the discussion. Registration is encouraged but not required. 

In-Person & Hybrid Events For All Ages

Kids    Teens    Adults    All Ages

College Essay Brainstorming Workshop
TUESDAY, APRIL 25 AT 6:30—8PM

College will be here before you know it, high school juniors!  Get an early jump on writing your application essays by attending this helpful brainstorming session with local high school English teacher Tracy Stephens. You know you've got great personal stories to share -- get some expert tips on how to put them into words! Registration is required. 

MBTS Reads 2023: Mocktail Happy Hour at the Library
Wednesday, April 26 At 4:00—5:00 Pm

In honor of Lighten Up at the Library, our Manchester Reads theme, fun books, National Library Week, and a proclivity for mocktails, Lori and Sara will present books that have comic stories, characters, and or authors that tickle the funny bone. Join us in-person and enjoy book recommendations and a mocktail or two! Adults only, no need for children to discover what really intelligent, mature, library professionals find funny. Registration is encouraged but not required.

MBTS Reads 2023: 100 Years of Boston Comedy
Thursday, April 27 At 5:30—6:30pm

In-person, veteran arts journalist Nick Zaino explores Boston’s long history of comedy, from vaudeville to YouTube, highlighting some of the personalities that have defined laughter in America for 100 years. 

Zaino has covered comedy as a freelance writer for twenty-five years, twenty-one of those as a correspondent on the comedy beat for the Boston Globe. His bylines have appeared in the Globe, The Los Angeles Times, Boston Magazine, WBUR’s ARTery blog, Mental Floss, Kirkus Reviews, and various other publications.

Mystery Book Group
Friday, April 28 At 10:30—11:30am

The Manchester Mystery Book Group meets on the last Friday of the month at 10:30 AM. April's meeting will occur in the library's reading room & over Zoom. Email [email protected] with any questions or to get connected with the group. We will discuss "My Sweet Girl" by Amanda Jayatissa. Physical copies will be available at the circulation desk. New members are always welcome. For the date, times, and book of the month during 2023 please Click Here.

MBTS Reads 2023: Mushroaming - Hunting Morels in the Pacific North West, Truffles in Italy and Porcini in Colorado
SATURDAY, APRIL 29 AT 11AM—12:15PM

Join local mushroom expert, Gary Gilbert fo an in-person for a whirlwind tour of mushroom hunting around the world. We will demystify their growth patterns in various regions, techniques and what to expect while hunting and harvesting them and even how to cook them in these widespread regions of the world. There will be time for discussion and Q&A.There is limited space so please register. 

Hearthside Book Group: Reading "The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post"
TUESDAY, MAY 2 AT 4:00—5:00PM

Join us in person at the library or on Zoom to discuss the novel The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post a novel by Allison Pataki. Contact Lori Dumont at [email protected] or call 978-526-7711 for further information. Copies of this book are available at the circulation desk, curbside pickup or by home delivery.

Read to Gus, a Certified Reading and Therapy Dog
THURSDAY, MAY 4 AT 3:30, 3:45, 4:00 and 4:15PM

Deb Kaneb and Gus, a Certified Reading Partner and Therapy Dog, are back and looking forward to hearing stories read by YOU!  Reading with a certified reading dog helps to build confidence with a safe, nonjudgmental partner.  Sign up for a 15-minute appointment and make sure to bring a favorite book or allow time to pick out your just right book at the Library. 

This program is especially for those starting to read and that want to little extra practice with our special friend, Gus! 

First Friday Movies at MBTS: A Man Called Otto
FRIDAY, MAY 5 AT 5:30—7:30PM

We will be showing a movie in our newly renovated Reference Room on the first Friday of every month at 5:30PM. We will supply the popcorn. Feel free to bring covered, non-alcoholic beverages. 

The movie this month, A Man Called Otto has a MPA rating: PG-13; for mature thematic material involving suicide attempts, and language. Starring Tom Hanks, "Based on the comical and moving New York Times bestseller, it tells the story of Otto Anderson, a grumpy widower whose only joy comes from criticizing and judging his exasperated neighbors. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unexpected friendship that will turn his world upside down."

Virtual Events

Kids    Teens    Adults    All Ages

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

Lioness of Boston - The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner (Virtual)
MONDAY, MAY 8 AT 7:00—8:00PM

Author Emily Franklin will discuss her brand new novel, The Lioness of Boston, in conversation with author Dawn Tripp, in this ZOOM webinar. The Lioness of Boston is a deeply evocative novel of the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner, a daring visionary who created an inimitable legacy in American art and transformed the city of Boston itself. Click Here for more info and to register.

Check Out Free Virtual 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, movies and TV shows to stream and enjoy along with many other digital resources by using your Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library card.

Morningstar offers access to real-time stock/fund quotes, prices, performance data, analysis, and much more. Morningstar Investment Research Center is a financial services resource that provides beginner or seasoned investors access to even more up-to-date research and online articles and videos to help navigate smart investing, future financial planning, and staying ahead of the market. Use your MBTS library card to access.

MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free.

Free legal forms, covering hundreds of subjects and issues. Thousands of free, legal forms available with more forms being added daily. Official, State Specific, Federal, Business, Personal, Real Estate and General forms covering hundreds of legal subjects and issues. Warning: Public users should consult an attorney in their state for serious legal matters.