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 BFI with National Lottery funding, a national tour of these state-of-the-art VR experiences will be visiting both Manchester Central Library and Wythenshawe Forum Library for a full week each this June.
Amongst the thrilling programme of VR experiences on offer, visitors to the libraries will be able to immerse themselves in experiences such as Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway, The Philharmonia Orchestra’s The Lark Ascending, Monoliths XR, PhaseSpace and Berlin Blitz.
Prepare to embark on an exciting digital journey with us and experience the headsets at Central Library between Saturday 7 June to Thursday 12 June, and Wythenshawe Forum Library between Saturday 14 June and Thursday 19 June.
Manchester Libraries are one of the nine library services in England selected to participate in the groundbreaking Digital Spaces program. This innovative initiative, in collaboration with Arts Council England, BFI, with National Lottery Funding, and The Space, is launching in 2025 and promises to revolutionise digital engagement and accessibility in our libraries.
For more details and to book a FREE session head to librarylive.co.uk.
Happy 110th Birthday Didsbury Library!
This month saw the 110th birthday of Didsbury Library. There was a full week of celebration ending with the big birthday bash on Saturday 17 May, attended by the Lord Mayor, Ward Councillors and Councillor Hacking.
Read more at our Manchester Libraries blog.
Festival of Libraries – Look for a Book
Next month sees the Festival of Libraries which features events in libraries in Manchester and Greater Manchester. The festival began this month with the exciting Look for a Book activity.
Read more at our Manchester Libraries blog.
British and Irish Sound Archives Conference – Central Library
Central Library had the honour of hosting the British and Irish Sound Archives conference recently in May. This 2 day professional conference attracted many organisations from the heritage sector who collect and preserve sound archives and oral histories. David Govier from GM Sound Archives, part of Manchester Archives, organised a packed programme supported by the whole Archives team.
In total 65 guests from across the UK and Ireland took part in workshops, archives tours, and a hands-on look at the amazing variety of sound heritage material we hold here at Archives+. Feedback was excellent, participants really enjoyed the sessions and learnt so much with highlights including the Piccadilly Radio project; tape cleaning and preservation; oral histories from George House Trust and a singalong with folk singers showcasing the Paul Graney sound archive.
Business Events in the Generator
May has been a busy month at both Generator locations. One of the key highlights was a workshop series at Generator Royal Mills, where entrepreneurs and business owners explored topics such as lean startups, market research, financial strategies, revenue models, and pitching for success. Following the positive feedback from January and strong demand to run it again, we hosted another session on using ChatGPT for business. Once again, it was well received and praised by attendees.
Another standout event was our monthly networking evening, which brought together a diverse mix of new and returning entrepreneurs. It created a welcoming space for collaboration and meaningful connections, while also introducing attendees to the wide range of support available through Generator, Manchester Libraries and our partner organisations.
We were also excited to collaborate with law firm Buckworths and host Michael Buckworth for an informative session on the legal essentials and winning strategies for pre-seed fundraising. This workshop aimed to equip founders with the legal knowledge needed to thrive in today’s competitive landscape and understand how to build investor FOMO (fear of missing out). And most importantly, we welcomed new members at both hubs and are looking forward to greeting even more in the coming month.
Access All Ages – Libraries at The Bridgewater Hall
Manchester Libraries recently took part in a big event at The Bridgewater Hall. The event ‘Access All Ages’ was organised by Intergenerational Music Making (IMM) alongside Intergenerational England. As a partner who has worked with IMM multiple times in some of our libraries in North Manchester, library staff were invited to hold a stand in the ‘marketplace’ of the event, and then later to join in with the show!
To find out more and see more photos of the event, check out our Manchester Libraries Blog.
VE Day Celebrations – Archives+
An important date in the Archives+ calendar was 8 May as they celebrated 80 years since Germany’s unconditional surrender to the Allies and the end of World War II in Europe. To mark the occasion, staff from Central Library organised two handling sessions to share items from the archives with the public and show the impact of the war on the local communities on the Home Front.
One of the most popular objects we had on display was The Stork Wartime Cookery Book, which contains lots of advice on how to cook despite rationing; it also provides detailed instructions on how to salvage your meal when you’ve had to leave the house unexpectedly because the air raid sirens went off! Library staff also shared some fantastic images of how VE day was celebrated locally, and visited Fallowfield library as part of their celebrations to share items from the archives with library visitors.
VE Day Celebrations – Forum Library
The Forum Library recently hosted a heartfelt coffee morning in honour of VE Day, bringing the community together to reflect and remember. The event was graced by a representative from the Royal British Legion, whose presence offered a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during wartime.
The library was adorned with British memorabilia, creating a warm and nostalgic atmosphere. Guests enjoyed tea, coffee, and cupcakes while sharing personal stories, many of which served as powerful moments of connection, healing, and understanding.
The morning concluded with a two-minute silence at 12, as attendees joined together in a moment of gratitude and remembrance. It was a moving and memorable event that truly captured the spirit of VE Day.
Liquid History – Central Library
Central Library staff have recently had the pleasure to work with Fiona Brehony, an artist-researcher whose practice explores the relationship between Cultural Heritage, memory, and visual and written narrative. Fiona’s latest project focuses on the history of rivers in Manchester and the role of waterways in shaping the life of the city.
Fiona’s interactive workshop series has attracted over 50 members of the public who have been responding to archives material creatively, using embroidery, music and other forms of artistic expression. These sessions were very engaging at the intersection of libraries and archives, and one that we’d hope to deliver again soon.
Visits to the Whitworth Art Gallery – Longsight Library
Over the coming weeks Darren, one of the managers at Longsight library, has taken primary classes from Longsight, Moss Side and Hulme for special class visits to Whitworth Art Gallery to look at the work of Romani Polish artist Małgorzata Mirga-Tas. Darren, who is an artist outside of his library work, wanted to run the sessions to show younger children how much there was to see inside the city’s art galleries for free every day. So far, sessions have taken place with years 4 and 6 from St Joseph’s Primary in Longsight.
“I spend a lot of time in the galleries of Manchester and realised that a lot of children who I meet at the library have never been inside this wonderful space which is within walking distance of their homes. So I put together a fun session where we look at the work of Mirgas-Tas, who uses waste fabrics to make incredible portraits of Romani people, and then we spend time making our own collaged portraits using pattern and colour. The Whitworth Gallery (and schools producer Steven Roper in particular) have been really generous with their space so we have been able to run the workshops at no cost to schools”.
Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast
‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ takes listeners behind the shelves of our city’s much-loved libraries. Presented by the Central Library’s own Alan Lynch, every month the podcast lifts the lid on a treasure trove of insider tips, exclusive interviews, book reviews, and much more.
Listen to Episode Five: Stanley Chow
Build a Business – Events Across the City
Our highlight event this month, Meet the Foodies, brought together food business owners who have carved out their own unique spaces and are revolutionising the vibrant culinary world. The online London panel at the Business & IP Centre were joined live in Manchester by Ricky Leung from Malay Malay Home, who shared his experience in starting and growing food businesses both in the UK and Hong Kong. Plus, everyone sampled some of Malay Malay Home’s menu too! Delicious!
To celebrate the reopening of Chorlton Library, the Build a Business Team hosted a pop-up business support stall, engaging with entrepreneurs and start-ups across South Manchester. Set against the backdrop of the library’s splendid Carnegie architecture, the event marked our most successful pop-up of the year. Staff connected with numerous new businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs, many of whom expressed strong interest in our upcoming programme of business workshops.
Following a request from members of UHBA, our monthly business meet-up included a special tour of Archives+ and Central Library. Thank you to Angela from Archives+ who guided the group, pointing out the hidden gems of Central Library, followed by a visit to the strong rooms and a chance to see the beautiful and rare library treasures. These included the oldest treasure, the Codex Justianus (12th century) and the tiniest treasure Children’s bread! UHBA meet at Central once per month. If you are from the Hong Kong Business community please join us on 13 June, more information on Eventbrite.
Assheton of Middleton Project – Archives+
Participants of the Assheton of Middleton project have been enjoying a range of activities at Central Library. A group of dedicated volunteers were immersed in paleography, historical research and preservation with this fascinating collection of documents relating the Assheton family, who ruled as lords and ladies of the manor of Middleton near Rochdale from 1197. Everyone involved enjoyed reading, transcribing and interpreting historic documents at a session led by paleography expert Sarah Hitchen. Conservator Eugenie Karen from Manchester Archives demonstrated how decay, mould and insect can damage paper and parchment documents, and explained how repackaging archive material can prevent this.
A field trip to St Leonards parish church in Middleton was colourful and rich in detail of this historic area – confirming much of the stories revealed by our own collection such as the life of the Black Knight Sir Ralph Assheton and his descendants. More events across Greater Manchester are planned early this summer including schools workshops and public talks at Middleton Library and Central Library.
National Hedgerow Week Storytime – Brooklands Library
A recent Storytime session at Brooklands Library was a great success, thanks to the generous support of the Tree Council for National Hedgerow Week. Families enjoyed a nature-themed story, followed by a creative craft activity using beautifully designed bookmarks, information booklets, and colouring sheets provided by the Tree Council.
These resources also helped us create an eye-catching educational display in the library, which has been enjoyed by visitors of all ages. This session was one of our highlights this season and proved especially popular with our Storytime families.
Deaf Awareness Week – Central Library
For this year’s Deaf Awareness Week in May, members of Central Library staff were invited to attend a special training day organised by Manchester Deaf Centre. Established in 1846, Manchester Deaf Centre is the largest local organisation of its kind in Greater Manchester and offers a variety of services, including drop-in info sessions for the deaf community, BSL courses, BSL storytime sessions, youth groups, and much more. On the training day, staff attended some thought-provoking presentations on how to make our services more accessible to the deaf community, and had a wonderful tour of the Deaf Museum and Archive. Library staff can’t wait to put into practice everything they’ve learnt!