Libraries Update – September 2025

LGBT Histories in Focus – Archives+

Archives+ staff felt honoured to host the Unison North West LGBT group who paid a visit to Manchester Central Library to view the Archives+ collections and exhibitions. Eileen Best and around 20 Unison members were keen to discover more about the LGBT archives, and Neil MacInnes OBE, Head of Libraries, Galleries and Culture  gave a warm welcome to the group. Neil reiterated both Greater Manchester and Manchester City Council’s commitment to supporting diverse communities, and reflecting everyone’s experiences in the archives.

Library staff spent almost two hours showcasing the current exhibitions of artefacts, documents and oral histories relating to George House Trust 40yrs of HIV Activism and the LGBT Foundation’s 50th Anniversary celebration which are both very engaging and on display until the end of 2025. This was followed by an exclusive tour of the Archive strongrooms and a chance to view a selection of our LGBT collections in the Archives search room. Feedback from the group was very positive, they were really enthusiastic about their visit and fascinated to experience up close the city’s earliest LGBT history.

See Myself in Books Competition Winners

Library staff were thrilled to announce the winners of our design a bookmark competition which was launched as part of Read Manchester’s See Myself in Books Festival earlier this year. Children were invited to create a design which expressed the theme of diversity and inclusion in books. Our three winners will see their winning designs created into bookmarks and gifted to children visiting libraries in the autumn term. The bookmarks will also be used during next year’s See Myself in Books Festival which is already being planned for next year.

You can read more about the competition at the Manchester Libraries blog.

Business Support at the Generator

September has been a very busy month at the Generator, with three sold-out workshops, an open day, and our monthly Networking Evening. The event space, at the Royal Mills branch, has welcomed a variety of bookings, including various podcasting sessions (hosted by Generator members), the first of many upcoming external events over the autumn period, and two fully booked workshops ‘Starting your own Podcast’ and ‘Enhancing your Google Business Profile’.

Through each workshop, attendees had the opportunity to engage in a learning session, followed by a Q&A with the speakers and some relaxed networking, drawing the sessions to a close. Highlights included a guided walk-through of the podcasting equipment, where attendees trialled the RODE console and microphones, available to all Generator members.

Meanwhile, at the St. Peter’s Square location, signups for the open day were invited to a free day of coworking in the office! The team kept busy welcoming new faces to the space, introducing our flexible workspace options and the business support on offer, hand in hand with Central Library’s Business and Intellectual Property Centre.

To sign up to upcoming events, or find out more, get in touch at generatormcr.org or email generator@manchester.gov.uk

Creative Space Highlights – Forum Library

We had the immense pleasure of welcoming performers all the way from Japan to the Creative Space and Forum Concourse. This was part of the Manchester City Councils Japan Week which was a huge success. It provided unique and unforgettable opportunities for people to immerse themselves in Japanese culture, it was truly an honour to witness Japanese culture in person which included origami and calligraphy sessions as well a Teiko drumming and Samurai performance. The hospitality and pride in their culture were truly inspiring.

A series of new acting sessions, ‘Scene to Screen’ are now available every Monday and Tuesday evening in the Creative Space. Wythenshawe’s very own Andy Ellis is running the classes and said: “My career began at 15 when I was cast in Shane Meadows BAFTA winning film “This is England”. Since then, I have appeared in a number of TV shows, films and animation projects – When looking at venues to run my classes from I knew I wanted to keep them local and the creative space at Wythenshawe forum was my first port of call, I have recently discovered the space and think it is a fantastic venue with so much opportunity and scope to showcase the amazing talents from the area and beyond”.

Big Language Celebration – Central Library

Central Library staff celebrated Manchester’s linguistic diversity by hosting a wonderful event supported by Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham. The celebration was part of a project promoted by Natalie Braber, Professor of Linguistics at Nottingham Trent University. In collaboration with Professor Braber, who approached Manchester Central Library earlier in the year to engage our community groups, and exploring language as heritage.

Following consultation with Migrant Support and the Hungarian Consulate, staff focused on how migration influences perceptions of native languages. This theme was explored through two creative workshops led by artist Sophie Gardiner, where participants expressed their relationship with their mother tongue through art.
Professor Braber also visited the library to lead a session with the Central Library Conversation Club, a group that meets twice a month to practise English in a welcoming environment.

Finally, the project culminated with a wonderful language celebration, where representatives from the Hungarian, Portuguese, and Romanian Consulate, Colibri Mexican Folkdance, the Chinese Music Classroom at Chetham’s School of Music, and others, shared their linguistic heritage through language-themed activities. 

A Celebration of Language, Community, and Childhood – Central Library

Manchester Central Library proudly took part in Heritage Open Days 2025, the UK’s largest festival of history and culture. This year’s programme featured three free events that invited visitors to explore the city’s rich archives and uncover stories connecting past and present. Big Language Day celebrated Manchester’s diverse linguistic heritage, offering a fascinating look at the languages that shape the city. Children’s Voices and Archives for Community Action showcased items from the Marcus Rashford Mural Collection, including artwork and letters from children inspired by Rashford’s stand against online bullying and racism after Euro 2020. The final event, Reading, Rhyming, Remembering: Children’s Education from the Past, curated by Archive Officer Aimah Naqvi, featured a nostalgic exhibition and hands-on activities using materials from the 1800s. Visitors were invited to step back in time and explore how children learned in the past. The events were warmly received, with participants describing them as enlightening, enjoyable, and a wonderful way to connect with Manchester’s heritage.

Building Stronger Communities Together Exhibition – North City Library

North City Library hosted a wonderful launch event for Afrocats new exhibition displayed in the library. To raise awareness and to make the event special, they invited the local community to celebrate the opening night with them. The event included a film screening, refreshments, and the opportunity for the artists to see their work displayed for all visitors to see. The exhibition features are created from a range of painting, zines and ceramics, it was created to celebrate creativity and to share stories from the North Manchester community.

Feedback was positive, and included comment such as:

“I learnt that we have a lot more in common than we think regardless of race, gender and upbringing”

Feedback included: “I never knew children’s books could be so rich in history. It was like opening a time capsule.”

Build a Business – Community Outreach

September was a month dedicated to community outreach, marked by the teams inaugural ‘Meet the Ukrainian Business Community’ event. The team introduced attendees to Business & IP Centre Manchester’s impressive £5 million collection of business databases, all freely accessible. These resources are designed to support both budding entrepreneurs and established businesses looking to grow. The event also featured dedicated networking time, giving Ukrainian entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect and share experiences. Staff were especially pleased to welcome the United Hong Kong Business Association, who delivered an insightful presentation about their business activities in Manchester and beyond.

The Build a Business team were also thrilled to join the South Asian community at Platt Fields Park for the Manchester Mega Mela this month. Despite facing a weekend of wind and heavy rain, their pop-up stall sparked many engaging conversations about starting a business, and the team made some fantastic new connections. By hosting and attending events like these, it reaffirms the commitment to making Build a Business inclusive and accessible to all communities across Manchester. The aim is always to empower individuals with the tools, resources, and support they need to take their first steps into entrepreneurship.

How Manchester Libraries Yarn-Bombed the Women’s Rugby World Cup

The Women’s Rugby World Cup is one of the most important fixtures in this year’s sport’s calendar, and Anna Putek, Delivery Assistant at Manchester Central Library, was thrilled when she heard that Manchester would be one of the host cities. A big supporter of women in sport and an amazing crocheter, Anna mobilised the crafting community at Manchester Central Library (and beyond) to create an amazing tribute to the players. With the support of the Rugby Football Union and MCR Active, Anna and her volunteers used the equivalent of nearly 2 miles of yarn to knit and crochet rugby balls, red roses and red and white bunting to be displayed in libraries and galleries for the duration of the tournament. Library staff spoke to thousands of people about the work that libraries do, and even met a few celebrities in the process!

Read more about this amazing story at the Manchester Libraries blog!

The launch of Chorlton Book Festival 2025

Chorlton Book Festival (CBF) turned 21 this year and delivered a brilliant programme of events for all to enjoy. There were a number of engaging author talks, two family fun days, a special Storytime and even a bake off. One of the launch events included a talk by Jackie Kay renowned poet, playwright, biographer and children’s author! Jackie shared personal stories and read from her much-loved work, she performed to a sold-out audience at the beautifully restored Chorlton library. A special highlight included when Jackie read her poem; ‘Dear Library’. For the first time this year, CBF also hosted ‘A Great Bookish Bake Off! – library staff received some amazing entries from adults and children who recreated their favourite book covers in cake form. Hopefully this will become a regular addition to the CBF line-up!

Japan Week – Gorton Library

Gorton Library & Hub marked Japan Week with a vibrant programme of beautiful and imaginative activities. The first began with a serene tea ceremony, where participants learned the significance of turning the teacup 90 degrees – so its most decorative side faces away, allowing time to appreciate its beauty at the end of the ritual. Visitors also enjoyed origami, miniature flower making, and traditional calligraphy, all offering a peaceful and meditative start to the week.

The next event brought a dramatic shift in energy, with lively samurai demonstrations and powerful drumming performances that blended rhythm, movement, and storytelling in unforgettable ways. The performances were not only visually striking but also deeply engaging, drawing in members of the local community and Gorton Hub staff, who joined in with enthusiasm. The week’s events created a joyful and connected atmosphere, celebrating Japanese culture through both quiet reflection and dynamic expression.

GM Digital Archives Project Share Project Learning at ARA25 National Conference

Representatives Michelle Owen and Jan Hicks from The Greater Manchester Archives and Local Studies Partnership (GMALSP) including Archives+ attended the Archives and Records Association (ARA) Annual Conference on 28 August which this year was held at Bristol. Whilst there, they delivered a presentation to share information about their most recent project Practical Digital Preservation in Greater Manchester funded by The National Archives Resilience Fund. The project allows local authority archives across Greater Manchester to purchase equipment and software to preserve at risk digital archives. The presentation was really well received, generating increased interest from professional archivists and heritage specialists and resulting in further invitations for presentations about digital archive preservation to professional learning events. 

Summer Holiday Roadshow and visits for Manchester Ancestors

Volunteers from Archives+ partner Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society (MLFHS) were really busy through the summer even though their usual home Central Library was closed during August. Knowing that their Helpdesk would still receive lots of requests from members of the public seeking help with their family history research, the amazing team of volunteers led by their energetic Helpdesk coordinator Leslie Turner planned to take their services on tour with a programme of 12 roadshows to libraries across Manchester.

The team offered 1-2-1 sessions at libraries using the free computers and free access to Ancestry and Find My Past which are available in all Manchester Libraries along with many other free genealogy sources. Library staff, family history researchers and members of the public were introduced to a wide range of FH information with further help and support being available via published guides about how to begin their family tree and where to locate other types of historic records. The purpose was to give expert help to FH searchers but also to show everyone how easy (and addictive) family history can be with the help of free resources at their local library.