Weekly Events

Kids    Teens    Adults    All Ages

Craft Circle by the Hearthside
Sundays At 2-3pm

Digital Advice with Expanded Hours in March
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
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.

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. 

Friendship Bracelet Making with June
Four Week Session, Thursdays, February 16 - March 9 At 3:30-4:30pm

Create friendship bracelets with youth expert June B.! June has been making bracelets for years, and sharing the craft with family and friends is one of her favorite activities! After teaching her 8-year-old brother how to make bracelets last summer, then attending a fall craft night at the Manchester-by-the-Sea library, she thought it would be fun to offer this class to the youth community. The library will supply the materials and snacks so bring yourself and some friends. Registration is required. Sessions build upon each other but you can register for whatever technique(s) interests you. 

F.E.E.D. Families Exploring Equity & Diversity Stories and Activities

7 Week Series Begins Monday, February 27 At 3:30—4:15pm

Families and children ages 3.5 - 5 are invited to share stories and activities with educator and diversity trainer, Lindsay Banks and Manchester Public Library Children's Librarian, Carol Bender. Registration is encouraged but not required. Click Here to register or for more info. 

Virtual Events

Kids    Teens    Adults    All Ages

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

Online Safety Presentation (Virtual)

Tuesday, February 28 At 2—3pm

Robin Putnam, Events & Outreach Manager from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, will present on online safety. The presentation will include information about the Office and what we do. It will also cover how to be safe online whether it be on your smart device, social media or online banking, phishing emails, and general protection from scams and identity theft. Register to recieve a Zoom link.

The College Application & Selection Process – A Parent’s Perspective (Virtual)
Wednesday, March 1 At 7—8pm

If you have children in high school who will eventually be applying to college, this webinar is for you. There is much to consider, both from the parent’s and student’s perspective. Hear some useful tips from Frank Marino, a Tewksbury parent who has sent four students to college. Learn how to narrow your search of schools, important items to consider, athletics in college, time management for the student, and more. The goal of the presentation is to help make the college application and selection process more enjoyable. When handled properly, the experience can be an exciting adventure for you and your children. Come prepared to share your stories too!

NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 24 hours of the program, so sign up even if you can't make it. This program is made possible by a partnership with the Tewksbury Public Library.

"Dirtbag, Massachusetts": An Evening with Isaac Fitzgerald (Virtual)
Tuesday, March 7 At 7—8pm

Join us for a very special author event! Isaac Fitzgerald has lived many lives. He's been an altar boy, a bartender, a fat kid, a smuggler, a biker, a prince of New England. But before all that, he was a bomb that exploded his parents' lives-or so he was told. In his memoir "Dirtbag, Massachusetts", Fitzgerald, with warmth and humor, recounts his ongoing search for forgiveness, a more far-reaching vision of masculinity, and a more expansive definition of family and self. 

Fitzgerald appears frequently on The Today Show and is also the author of the bestselling children’s book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Esquire, The Guardian, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, and numerous other publications. He is Boston born, raised in Athol, and currently lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. The discussion will be moderated by Daniel Ford, host of The Writer's Bone Podcast.

This live online event will be held on the platform Crowdcast. To register, first create a Crowdcast account or sign in with Twitter, Facebook, or Google. After you have signed in, click the "Save My Spot" button and use the password below.

The registration link is: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/an-evening-with-isaac and the password is: dirtbagmass

This program was made possible through a partnership with The Reading Public Library and a coalition of libraries from throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

In-Person & Hybrid Events For All Ages

Kids    Teens    Adults    All Ages

Diversity Book Group : “I Am Still Here"
Tuesday, February 21 At 5:30-6:30pm

Reading  “I am Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness” by Austin Channing Brown. Physical book copies available at the circulation desk. March's read is "Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War: by  Howard W. French.

Mystery Book Group
Friday, February 24 At 10:30—11:30am

The Manchester Mystery Book Group meets on the last Friday of the month at 10:30 AM. We will discuss "Mission Hill" by Pamela Wechsler in February. Physical copies will be available at the circulation desk in late January or you can check out a free audiobook through the Hoopla app. Use your MBTS library card to sign up for Hoopla for free. New members are always welcome. For the date, times, and book of the month during 2022 please Click Here.

Afternoon Kids Movie: Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse

During School Vacation On Friday, February 24 At 1:00—3:00pm

Join us in the Children's Room for an action-packed afternoon with this 2018 animated, super-hero story featuring Miles Morales. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action.  AND you'll be in the know for when the much anticipated sequel is released in June 2023.  Rated PG for mild language, frenetic action violence, and thematic elements. Snacks provided, but please bring a closed drink. Recommended for ages 8+.  All kids under the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult. 

First Friday Movies at MBTS
Friday, March 3 At 5:30—7:30pm

Movies at the library have returned! 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 a picnic lunch and non-alcoholic beverages. This month we will be screening The Fabelmans, MPAA rating: PG-13; for some strong language, thematic elements, brief violence and drug use. "Young Sammy Fabelman falls in love with movies after his parents take him to see The Greatest Show on Earth. Armed with a camera, Sammy starts to make his films at home, much to the delight of his supportive mother." A feel good movie directed by Steven Spielberg and nominated for an Academy Award. 

Discover Tarot
Saturday, March 4 At 2—3:30pm

How can a deck of cards tell you the story of your life? Tarot began as a game but has evolved into so much more. It illuminates our life path through pictures and helps us navigate how to move forward towards our true destiny. Join tarot teacher, Laura Campagna, for a fun workshop to learn how to read tarot. No experience necessary. Participants will connect with their intuition and gain confidence in reading for themselves or friends. You can bring your own Tarot deck, if you have one or the library will supply you with a deck. Please also bring a journal and pen or pencil. This program is for ages 12 - Adult and registration is required.

Author Chat with Chuck Wisner ("The Art of Conscious Conversations")
Monday, March 6 At 6—7pm

In "The Art of Conscious Conversations: Transforming How We Talk, Listen, and Interact" long-time leadership coach and consultant, Chuck Wisner, provides sage insight regarding how to let go of deeply held beliefs and conversational patterns, become more conscious of internal dialogues, word choice, interactions, and intended or unintended consequences in order to have better, effective, successful conversations for better, happier, more successful relationships at home, out on the town, or in the office. Librarian, Maddy Willwerth will converse with Chuck about his book and expertise in our newly renovated space. Registration is required and coffee and tea will be provided.

About the Author: Chuck Wisner is a highly sought-after thinker, coach, and teacher in the areas of organizational strategy, human dynamics, and leadership communication excellence. He has spent twenty-five years as a business and personal consultant and a trusted advisor to leaders in high-profile companies across industries. His methods are anchored in years of leading-edge research, theoretical development, and the practical application of the foundations of conversations. Chuck is currently working as an advisor with leaders and their teams at Google, Ford, DTE Energy, and Tesla (all Fortune 200 companies). His client list has included PSEG, Harvard Business School, Toyota, the Detroit Mayor’s Office, General Motors, Shell, and Chrysler Motor Company. Chuck lives in New England with his wife, Kata, an artist. They have two sons, who are living their creative dreams in New York City.

Free Digital Library Resources For When your Are on Vacation or Planning to Travel

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.

A to Z World Travel is a comprehensive, informative, and fun e-content travel database offering free and exclusive tourist and culture information on more than 160 of the top travel destinations in North America and around the globe. For Manchester residents, use your library card number to log in.

The National Geographic's Virtual Library includes 1888 through the current issue. Plus National Geographic Kids and National Geographic Traveler.

Highly effective 14 languages-learning app uses audio lessons, interactive exercises and readings. Rocket Languages is an online language-learning course offers practical and powerful downloadable lessons, games and more that will encourage learning any new language at your own pace! This resource is sponsored by the Friends of the Manchester Library.