October Libraries Update
A New Creative Space at the Forum Library
On 12 October we officially opened the new Creative Space in Wythenshawe at the Forum Library. The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Paul Andrews and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Carl Behan were our special guests who kicked off proceedings. We had a day full of cultural and creative engagement which was complimented by high-octane performances from Kurtis and Marcus as well as Henry from Music Evermore. It was an excellent opportunity to showcase our performance space, interactive classroom, and podcast/music production studio to the people of Wythenshawe. Our wonderful partners Media Cubs produced an amazing video of the day.
The Creative Space will be a community asset where groups who are charities, CIC’s, or non-profits will not be charged to use any of our spaces. We want to bring cultural opportunities to people’s doorsteps and harness and empower the creativity all around Wythenshawe. Read more at our Manchester libraries blog.
Launch of the Generator at Royal Mills
October was a busy month for the Generator, starting with the official launch of the second site at Royal Mills, Ancoats. The event welcomed local councillors, representatives from local organisations and long-time users of the space to celebrate this new milestone in the Generator project, which will allow us to support even more local businesses.
This was soon followed by another successful open day for Generator Royal Mills, where we welcomed new users to the space and spread the word about the valuable business support available through this project and other library services. At our St Peter’s Square site, we welcomed both familiar and new faces to our monthly networking event, where local freelancers and entrepreneurs connect and share ideas.
Other highlights this month include a session on how to develop a strong personal brand and use LinkedIn to promote your small business, a workshop on how to get started with a business website and our monthly business drop-in session in partnership with the Build a Business programme and the Growth Hub.
The Generator is a project funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Manchester Libraries twin with Ukraine Library
Manchester Libraries have become twinned with Lviv Regional Youth Library in Ukraine. The twinning programme aims to promote information exchange about language, literature, and culture, to develop joint initiatives, connect audiences through exchange of experience, books and digital material as well as celebrating both UK and Ukrainian literature and culture. Read more on the Manchester Libraries blog.
Read Manchester Takes 10
Take 10 is a campaign integral to Read Manchester and Manchester Libraries, encouraging people to take at least 10 minutes out to read for pleasure and mental wellbeing. Take 10 is a core offer of our work and each year we also have a special focus on 10 October, World Mental Health Day. This year the theme of the day was mental health in the workplace and we planned two major bookgifting events. The first was at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital on 8 October where we gave books to children, families and staff in the atrium and also worked with Read for Good and their storyteller in the hospital. A pre-op nurse told us ‘Our children are often scared and this (reading) will be a welcome distraction.’
On 10 October, we gave books to patients and staff at The Christie hospital, including visits to four wards. Books were also sent to their three satellite sites and we had many conversations on how reading supports mental wellbeing and relaxation. In total, around 3,000 books were given out over the two days. A charge nurse commented that ‘it makes a real difference to our patients coming for appointments.’
Additionally, 2,700 Manchester school pupils joined in online sessions with three authors, hosted by the National Literacy Trust, and Read Manchester also gifted book collections to support Take 10 in ten of our primary schools.
Exciting Changes Coming to the Manchester Local Image Website
Our Manchester Local Image website is currently undergoing an exciting transformation! In December 2023, Manchester Libraries were awarded £100,000 from the National Lottery which enabled us to hire a project officer, digitise more photographs and develop an entirely new Local Image website with great new facilities to search, zoom, leave comments and create galleries. With these upgrades, we aim to create a user-friendly platform where people in Manchester and beyond can explore and enjoy our rich visual heritage.
Current Progress
In 2024 Manchester Libraries commissioned Museum Platform and Knowledge Integration to develop our new website. We’ve just completed the design phase and are now in the development stage, with the goal of launching the new website by January 2025. We can’t wait to share this improved platform with you once it’s ready! In the meantime we hope you enjoy our interim offer which is now available until January 2025 at the Local Image Collection webpage.
Home – Local Image Collection
We’re also expanding the Collection by adding newly digitised images from the Manchester City Council Print Collection. This offers a vibrant and varied visual history of life in Manchester, with photos spanning from 1950 to 2000. The images cover a wide range of subjects, including Shopping, Transport, Housing and Events. So far, our team of dedicated volunteers has scanned around 1,000 images, and we’re excited to showcase them on the new website which you’ll be able to see soon – stay tuned for updates!
Black History Month – Honouring Manchester Legend Len Johnson
This October kicked off with a glittering evening in the Performance Space at Manchester Central Library celebrating the life of unsung Manchester boxing champion Len Johnson. Highlighting a community campaign by the Len Johnson CIC to raise awareness about this dedicated local activist and erect a statue in his honour in the city of Manchester, the event featured live music, poetry by Griot Gabriel, a panel discussion, and a performance by Odd Arts of Knock Out Blow , a play exploring Len’s life and history, using it to counter and challenge present-day racism and xenophobia.
Manchester Archives and the AIUET Race Centre presented exhibition material of Len Johnson archives relating to his later political career and involvement with the Pan-African Congress events in Manchester in late 1940s. Also on display were maquette sculptures of the prospective statue of Len Johnson commissioned by renowned sculptor Taslim Martin. Children, staff and parents from St Mary’s CE Primary School in Moss Side attended, handling the archives and learning more about this inspiring but previously hidden figure. Parents and pupils said they had no previous knowledge of this revered local hero who achieved so much both for boxing and to break down barriers for black communities in Manchester.
Fun Palace – Longsight Library
Longsight Library held it’s annual Fun Palace at the beginning of October. Over 600 people attended to join in the variety of activities taking place over the afternoon. This year, RFK Human Rights delivered a fantastic lino printing activity from their new “Illustrated Book of Human Rights”. Dragon’s Voice taught attendees how to write some Chinese characters, and there was also had a fantastic Zen Tangle Arts activity, one attendee said that they “liked it very much as it helps with their mental health”.
Soph Hatfield from The Football Museum delivered an interactive story session, and Anamika showed everyone some great techniques on how to decorate some coasters. There were some Eco themed activities with Climate Conversations and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and The Science & Industry Museum brought along their codable Robo-bugs! Local artist Annette delivered a wonderful exploration of colour activity, and Grace taught people to make some exquisite flowers out of foam. Library staff were so busy, that Save the Children ran out of resources for their brilliant Sock Game that they made with families!
NeuroNetwork MCR – Business & IP Centre
The Business & IP Centre recently began a new collaboration and hosted the first NeuroNetwork MCR event in October. This is a new, monthly networking group for neurodivergent business owners in Manchester, founded by Rebecca Moley of Calm Horizon Coaching. Attendees appreciated the inclusive approach, sharing positive feedback on the event’s thoughtful structure and supportive environment.
Feedback included:
“Well done to NeuroNetworkMCR and the Business & IP Centre for putting on an excellent event. Well catered for us neuro spicy bods, and I learned some interesting stuff in terms of what services are available to us, and also enthused with the idea of building a network”.
Rebecca Moley – NeuroNetwork MCR said:
“I can’t thank the Business & IP Centre enough for making the hosting of my first event with them as smooth and successful as it was. From the initial conversations with Joni, to the practical support on the day from both Joni and Jonathan, they encouraged me all the way”.
“The event was everything that I had envisioned and more, and I think this is the start of something amazing!”
Read more at our Manchester Libraries blog.
New Exhibitions at Archives+
Two exciting new exhibitions launched this October at Archives+ on the ground floor of Central Library:
The Greater Manchester Coalition for Disabled People launched an exhibition of a selection of material uncovered during their cataloguing project of the Disabled People’s Archive, an archive of the social movement and self-organisation of disabled people. This important and engaging display features photographs, documents and artefacts illustrating 40 years of pioneering national and international protests to campaign for independence and independent living, civil rights and social change for disabled people.
The Society of Bookbinders new display features historic artefacts, documents and films from this fascinating profession, showcasing the fine skills needed to create beautiful works from the printed page. Students from Chorlton High School South were engrossed in a book binding activity with Angela from Manchester Archives making stitched pamphlet books and covering folders. The group also received a tour of the Archives Strongrooms featuring a look at the Rare Book collections including our very precious Shakespeare 2nd Folio edition.
Both exhibitions are on from now until December.
Manchester Literature Festival Family Reads
October was a very special month at Central Library, as Manchester Literature Festival took over our Performance Space, bringing nationally and internationally renowned authors to our library. Their rich programme of events also includes family reading activities, with an all-day event taking place on 12 October. We were delighted to have with us Children’s Laureate 2022-2024 Joseph Coelho, who performed poems from his collections My Beautiful Voice and Spooky Poems Aloud.
Around 200 children attended the performances and joined a spooky afternoon workshop where they made spooky spiders with artist Emma Martin. Inspired by Spooky Poems Aloud, Emma also created a spooky trail which adorned our Children’s Library for the day. Children and grown-ups also joined us for our Green Libraries Week crafts and learned how to make wands and house decorations using sticks and autumn leaves. 280 children and adults took part in our activities throughout the day, with an attendant commenting: ‘Great selection of crafts and materials, and good (patient!) instruction! Best craft session we’ve attended in a long time, thank you so much we’ve had a lovely afternoon!’.
Black History Month activities – Hulme High Street Library
Alma Woodsey Thomas was the subject of our Black History Month activities for children and families. We had a fantastic time at Hulme High St Library learning all about such an amazing artist. Alma spent the 30 years of her working life as an art teacher in a secondary school. When Alma retired from teaching, she became a full time professional artist who despite being a woman who grew up experiencing segregation and racism became an amazing abstract artist who went on to have exhibitions of her work in prestigious galleries.
Feedback included:
“Thank you very much for organising the workshop. It is great for Grandma and Grand-daughters.”
Fun Palaces – Central Library
Fun Palaces is an ongoing national and international campaign, nurturing and supporting the potential and positivity of sharing people’s enthusiasms, passions and skills with their own local community. The campaign has an annual weekend of events each October, and this year Central Library welcomed visitors on 5 October, for a fabulous Fun Palaces celebration.
Over 200 children and grown-ups joined for an afternoon of skill-sharing, attendees made pompons and had a go at finger knitting some beautiful necklaces with Simone, we learned how to weave using old fabric scraps with Nayna and challenged ourselves to build tall and sturdy fun palaces with our Lego Club!
To find out more about Central Library’s programme of activities, visit our Library Live website!
Wise Owl Show – Brooklands Library
October Half Term was an exciting and busy time at Brooklands Library! Each day featured crafts and a special film showing, with the week culminating in a fantastic Wise Owl Show. Families were thrilled to experience birds of prey flying around the library, while the Wise Owl Birds of Prey Rescue team gave an engaging, educational talk about these majestic creatures. It was an unforgettable event, giving everyone a chance to see the birds up close and feel the magic as they soared just above their heads, creating a truly memorable moment.
Feedback included:
“Amazing event with owls, very interesting with lots of information, recommended 100%. Thank you!”
“We really enjoyed seeing the owls so close and learning so much about them, highly recommended.”
“Eva and Darcy S. We enjoyed the wise owl show and my daughter enjoyed the flying and facts about the birds amazing show of amazing birds.”
Central Library Storytime Spotlight: Italian
Italian Storytime sessions have been taking place every month at Central Library since March, and are now one of the most beloved features in our storytime offer!
Eighteen children joined the session on 19 October, it was great to see everyone sing and dance to classic Italian nursery rhymes. Favorites included “La Bella Lavanderina” (The Pretty Washerwoman) and “I Due Liocorni” (The Two Unicorns). At the end of the session the children also made Room on the Broom-themed bookmarks, a craft activity that proved to be extremely popular.
Interested in our Italian storytime? Join us for the next session on 16 November, at 11:30 in the Children’s Library at Central Library!
Mindfulness workshop – Avenue Library
Avenue Library hosted a Mindfulness workshop with artist Tina Ramos Ekongo and musician Johanna Leung. The workshop was arranged with all ages in mind, and participants took part in a floor-based art session! Everyone got creative and enjoyed painting their own artwork whilst being guided by some relaxing music. This was followed by the creation of a musical composition inspired by their painting!
One child said:
“Could this lady not visit us every week?!”
Half Term at Central Library
We know how challenging it can be to keep children busy during school holidays, so at Central Library, staff planned a rich and busy programme of activities for families to enjoy! On 24 October children and grownups joined us for a mindful painting to music session led by artist Tina Ramos Ekongo and musician Johanna Leung.
On 25 October, we welcomed families again for a fun science-based session where we discovered just how strong paper can be by using newspapers to build a bridge as well as balloon rockets!
Half Term Family Fun on 26 October was also a resounding success, with 70 children and 30 adults joining us for an afternoon of music, ballgames and crafts in Central Library’s Performance Space.
Last, but not least, we concluded the half term break with our very own Spooky Sunday special, one of the most popular events in Central Library’s calendar, with over 200 children and adults attending every year. We are proud that our families consider Central Library the “Perfect place for school holidays. 10/10’ and we can’t wait to do this all over again in February!”
Blue Peter Badge Trail – Abraham Moss Library
Abraham Moss Library had one of thirteen Blue Peter badges for families to visit, each one featuring a letter that would give them and answer and a chance to win a bundle of the Blue Peter Book Club collection.
One of our lucky winners was Jamie, who came to collect his prize last weekend. Happy reading to Jamie!
