Make Mine Manga Exhibition
Central Library is hosting a Make Mine Manga exhibition which started on 18 July and will run until 18 August. The exhibition shows the origin of Manga and showcases Manga artists. The exhibition encourages people to share their thoughts and drawings and to also use the props to take selfies and is proving popular. The Festival of Libraries has also enabled us to offer 4 Manga drawing workshops in the summer with a Japanese Manga artist.
“This was so unexpected. I went to the London manga Expo and this is a lovely slimmed down version”
“This exhibition is beautiful”
Digital Exclusion and the Cost of Living
Earlier this year, Councillor Hacking attended the House of Lords inquiry into digital exclusion and the cost of living. Manchester City Council were invited to the inquiry in recognition of our excellent digital inclusion work, notably the only local authority in attendance. The inquiry produced its report last month, which concluded that “The Government must publish a new digital inclusion strategy and establish a new cross-government unit with direct input from Number 10”.
One of 5 key recommendations in the report was “the Government’s digital inclusion strategy refresh should include support for place-based in-person initiatives to help those who cannot navigate online access to essential services. This could include boosting the role of libraries, community centres and local amenities as inclusion hubs, in partnership with businesses”.
The Digital Inclusion team, part of the library service, continue to work with VCSE organisations to promote digital inclusion in Manchester. For more information please take a look at Manchester’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan.
Libraries Mean Business: Democratising Entrepreneurship 2.0
Last week saw the publication of a new report about the Business and IP Centre. It was launched at the House of Lords, and amongst the guests was the BIPC Greater Manchester manager Jonathan Ebbs. Manchester featured prominently as Jonathan gave a speech about our work and the success of working with our colleagues across the UK.
The Democratising Entrepreneurship 2.0 report reveals the national impact that the Business and IP Centre Network has had over the last three years and how the BIPC Greater Manchester based in Manchester Central Library continues to support entrepreneurship and economic recovery at a local level and contributing to a payback of £6.63 for every £1 of public money spent across the BIPC Network. 96% of existing businesses supported are still trading.
See the report and read more at our Manchester Libraries blog!
School’s out and the Summer Reading Challenge is in!
Ready, Set, Read! launched earlier in July with a series of very special sports-themed launches. Councillor Hacking and Councillor Douglas joined Acacias Community Primary School and author Priscilla Mante at Central Library before heading off to the National Football Museum for more sports themed activities. Priscilla also visited three local libraries to share her books with children and author James Campbell treated Lily Lane school to a special visit too. Forty-two primary schools are part of our programme to automatically join pupils as library members and to the Challenge – that’s 18,000 children!
The Challenge to read six library books over the summer is designed to keep children engaged in reading and learning. Libraries are offering a range of free fun activities in the holidays and there is also a book review writing and drawing competition. You can find out more on the Manchester Libraries blog.
Development Trust – New Trustees on Tour!
Manchester Central Library Development Trust the charity that supports cultural and educational programming and archives work in Manchester Libraries, including branch libraries welcomed recently appointed new Trustees and Associate Trustees Neil MacInnes (MCC Head of Libraries, Galleries, Culture and Youth Services) and Brendan O’Shea (Trust Chair) led a special behind the scenes tour of Central Library. The tour was an opportunity for the new recruits to explore hidden gems in the venue and to get to know Trust and libraries staff before getting down to business in the autumn, helping to develop support for the fantastic activities, like family fun days, that take place in Central Library and our vibrant branch libraries.
Following a successful recruitment campaign, the Trust expands its membership from four to seven non-paid Trustees who together all bring excellent skills and experience, and much enthusiasm and love for Manchester Libraries and the work of the Development Trust.
Find out more about the new recruits at our Manchester Libraries blog.
Manchester Metropolitan University Celebration
The Poetry library at MMU hosted a celebration of the Comino project which was the result of a collaboration of cultural venues, poets and schools. Central Library staff worked with East Manchester Academy who visited the library for a tour and a workshop to inspire the work they created on protest poems. The poems are now exhibited in the poetry library.
“Pat Walters gave each Comino Foundation Trustee a copy of the poems written as part of the Comino Poet in Residence Partnerships 2022/23 and I’m writing to say that I was bowled over by the eloquence of the pupils at the East Manchester Academy”.
Tiny Tots and Toddler Time Graduation at Brooklands Library
Local families and library staff had a lovely end of term Tiny Tots and Toddler Time session at Brooklands Library. Over 20 families attended the library for their final session of this term and 10 children received a graduation certificate as it was their last session before they start school in September. Children enjoyed listening to the story about Bumblebear, a bear who goes to Bee School, and is very happy there! After the story, everyone joined in with a sing song together and various crafts, the event ended with the Graduation ceremony.