Summer Reading Challenge, Story Garden
1 July – 13 September Manchester Libraries is inviting you to join 1,000’s of children in this summer’s reading challenge! Can you borrow and read six library books between now…
Category Libraries
Announcing Quiet Storm as this year’s primary to high school Transition Read
We’re thrilled to announce that Quiet Storm by local author, Kimberly Whittam, is Read Manchester’s primary to high school Transition Read chosen title for a second year. Quiet Storm was…
Citizens Advice at Manchester Libraries
Libraries at the Heart of Community Advice: How Citizens Advice Manchester Hubs Are Reaching Manchester Residents At Citizens Advice Manchester, we know that libraries are more than just places for…
Manchester Libraries Wins Culture and Creativity Award!
Manchester Libraries have been announced as the winner of the Culture and Creativity category at the prestigious Libraries Connected Award 2025 for the Wythenshawe Forum Library Creative Space. The award…
Library of the Month: Longsight Library
Longsight library on the busy A6 (Stockport Road) was built in the mid 1970s using a lot of breezeblocks and had tiny windows. However, a £2.3m refurbishment in 2010 saw…
Early Years Transition Read 2026
Manchester City Council and Read Manchester are pleased to announce this year’s transition read to support children starting school reception classes in September. Moving up to school is a big…
Libraries Update June 2025
We’re thrilled to share that Manchester Libraries has won the National Library of the Year Award at the 2025 British Book Awards! This incredible honour recognises our inspiring partnership with…
Libraries Update – May 2025
Digital Spaces VR Headsets are Coming to Manchester Libraries! Get ready to be amazed by our new collection of VR experiences right here in your local library. Supported by the…
Empathy Day Festival – jump into someone else’s story!
“Empathy is something we need every day, not just when a friend or family member is sad.” (Manchester school pupil) From the 2nd – 12th June, Manchester Libraries will be…
Access All Ages at The Bridgewater Hall
Manchester Libraries recently took part in a big event at The Bridgewater Hall. The event ‘Access All Ages’ was put on by Intergenerational Music Making (IMM) alongside Intergenerational England. As…
Refugee Week at Manchester Libraries
Between 16th to 22nd June 2025, Manchester Libraries will be hosting a range of activities as part of Refugee Week. The theme for Refugee Week this year is ‘Community as…
Stanley Chow on latest Manchester Libraries Podcast
Brought to you by the recently awarded ‘Library of the Year’, Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast is back for a fantastic fifth episode. Filled with all kinds of facts, features…
Cool Spaces
From 1st June until 30th September, most of our libraries will act as ‘cool spaces’ during times when Manchester is experiencing a heatwave – which is when the temperature hits…
FESTIVAL OF LIBRARIES LOOK FOR A BOOK, 27-30 May
Manchester Libraries and Read Manchester are thrilled to be part of the Festival of Libraries Look for A Book activity again this year! Five hundred copies of Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock’s…
Manchester Libraries wins Library of the Year Award!
Manchester Libraries has won Library of the Year at the British Book Awards 2025, for its partnership with Blue Peter Book Club. The revival of the Library of the Year…
VR Headsets coming to Wythenshawe Forum & Central Library this June
Get ready to embark on an exciting digital journey with Wallace & Gromit and Vaughan Williams this Summer. For two weeks in June, Manchester Libraries will be hosting state-of-the-art VR…
Libraries Update – April 2025
Official Reopening of Chorlton Library On Saturday 5 April, I was delighted to officially re-open Chorlton Library with the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Paul Andrews. Hundreds of people came…
Holiday Activities for Older Children
Gorton & Longsight Library children and young people had a fantastic time this Easter break with the brilliant range of activities on offer. Activities included Minecraft, Edison & Lego Robots.…
Library of the Month: Hulme High Street Library
It’s exciting to be the library of the month for April. Hulme High Street Library, was the first “branch library” of Manchester’s free library, which was the country’s first free…
Festival of Libraries June 2025
Returning for its fifth year, and winner of Best Event at the Manchester Culture Awards in 2024, Festival of Libraries is the biggest festival of its type in the country,…