Libraries Update – September 2026
Digital Inclusion – Helping Manchester Get Connected
Over the last 10 months, the Digital Inclusion team has distributed 200 refurbished smartphones to 50 community organisations through Hubbub and Virgin Media O2’s Community Calling programme, helping residents access essential services, stay connected, build digital skills and improve their wellbeing. Alongside free mobile data, calls and texts, the devices have supported people to access employment, healthcare, housing and education, while strengthening the capacity of local organisations.
Feedback from organisations across the city highlights the transformational impact that access to a smartphone can have, creating greater confidence, independence and opportunity for Manchester residents. From photography projects and staying in touch with family overseas, to tracking butterfly species in local parks to support conservation efforts, residents across the city share their experience of receiving a refurbished smartphone in our recent case study covering the impact of the programme.
Read more at the Manchester Libraries blog.
New Sunday Library Openings Have Begun!
We have continued to increase library opening hours, and Sunday openings have begun in 4 libraries this month.
The following libraries will be open on Sundays from 27 September each week from 12-4: Chorlton Library, Longsight Library, Newton Heath Library, Withington Library.
Three libraries co-located with leisure centres have increased their library staffed hours: Abraham Moss Library, Arcadia Library, Hulme High Street Library.
The following libraries will be open on Sundays from January 2027 each week from 12-4: Manchester Central Library, Didsbury Library , Forum Library (Wythenshawe), North City Library.
New Sunday Library Openings at our Manchester Libraries blog.
VR Experiences at Manchester Libraries
Manchester Libraries brought immersive digital experiences to communities across the city this September through a series of free Virtual Reality (VR) sessions delivered as part of the national Digital Spaces programme. Manchester is one of nine library services participating in the initiative, which aims to enhance digital engagement and accessibility in libraries through innovative technology.
Hosted at Longsight Library, Gorton Hub, Abraham Moss, New Moston, The Avenue and Newton Heath Library, the drop-in sessions gave residents the chance to experience state-of-the-art VR headsets and explore a range of fascinating virtual worlds. Experiences included Hold the World with Sir David Attenborough, Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway, the Philharmonia Virtual Orchestra’s The Lark Ascending, Monoliths, Doorstep Duets, and a collection of community-focused films.
The programme also supports Manchester Libraries’ involvement in the new Libraries Digital Network, helping residents develop confidence with digital technologies while showcasing the library service as a place for innovation, creativity and discovery.
Read more at our Manchester Libraries blog.
Social Enterprise Day Proves a Resounding Success
Social Enterprise Day was a fantastic success, bringing together aspiring and established social entrepreneurs for a day of learning, networking and collaboration. Attendees described the event as “really informative”, “very useful and insightful”, and praised the practical advice, excellent presentations and opportunities for knowledge sharing. One participant even commented they were “100% keen for more events like this”.
The event also featured a delicious lunch provided by Bounceback Food CIC, whose innovative model helps tackle food poverty by providing free meals to those in need for every meal purchased. This was a popular talking point, with attendees appreciating both the food and the social impact behind it.
Many valuable connections were made throughout the day, with participants expressing a strong desire to continue building relationships and sharing ideas. In response to this feedback, we are delighted to be launching a regular monthly Social Enterprise Networking Group in November, creating ongoing opportunities for collaboration, support and networking across the social enterprise community.
Thank you to all our speakers for sharing their expertise and experiences, and to everyone who attended and helped make the event such a success.
People’s Emergency Briefing: Film Screening at Manchester Central Library
Central Library hosted a community screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing, a new film produced by the National Emergency Briefing. The initiative aims to increase public understanding of the climate and nature crisis by presenting the challenges facing the UK alongside practical, positive responses. The film brings this information together in an accessible format designed to encourage discussion and engagement within local communities.
Around 60 people attended, including Councillor Sarah Wakefield, Councillor Anthony McCaul and representatives from Amnesty International UK joined us to discuss the evidence presented in the film and the next steps we can all take to tackle the climate crisis.
If you’d like to organise your own screening of the film, please visit the National Emergency Briefing website for more information.
New Archives Catalogue!
Manchester Archives are very excited to launch our brand new Archives catalogue which went live on Wednesday 30 September and is free to use online by everyone, whether they’re at home, in our Libraries or on the move. Using the new catalogue system is the starting point for everyone to discover our collections. Including collections from both Manchester Archives and Greater Manchester County Record Office held here at Central Library, it’s up to date and really easy to use – searching by name, place, collection reference or subject is very user friendly.
We have archives of all kinds here at Central Library from prisons and workhouses, businesses, photographs, maps, letters and lots more. Having a face-to-face encounter with authentic historical items is for everyone, not just professional researchers and our new Archives Catalogue will help people unlock our collections and discover more of what they’re interested in.
The new catalogue makes it easier than ever to book time in the Search Room and view original archive materials, simply by searching the catalogue and following the online booking links. Visitors are encouraged to explore the collections and share their feedback on the new service.
Manchester Libraries Podcast
July’s issue of Full Volume features an exclusive interview with author David Nolan in honour of ‘Punk Day‘ at Central Library (the 50th Anniversary of Sex Pistols’ iconic gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall), World Cup predictions from the Manchester Libraries team, the low-down on this year’s ‘Read To The Beat‘ themed Summer Reading challenge, archive clips from the Piccadilly Radio Archive, and more…
Listen to Episode 18: Wythenshawe Forum – Creative Space Special!
Chorlton Book Festival 2026!
Chorlton Book Festival celebrated a shared love of literature as part of the National Year of Reading, with a vibrant programme of events bringing together stories, creativity and culture. The festival featured an exciting mix of authors, poets, historians and artists, attracting strong attendance and positive feedback from residents of all ages.
Highlights included an interesting history walk around Beech Road led by Andrew Simpson, engaging performances from Artful Playground featuring songs, stories and music for younger audiences, and a Family Fun Day packed with arts and crafts activities for everyone to enjoy.
Throughout the festival, Chorlton Library was a hub of activity, creativity and learning, celebrating the joy of reading and storytelling in all its forms. The programme showcased the library’s role as a welcoming community space where people can connect, discover new ideas and enjoy shared cultural experiences.
Creative Space Brings Arts, Music and Wellbeing to Wythenshawe
September was another exciting month for the Creative Space at Forum Library Wythenshawe, hear more at this month’s Full Volume podcast! Popular Beatification poetry workshops returned, using mixed media to inspire and illustrate the fun skill of writing poetry. The Drum Therapy Collective have begun their bi-weekly rhythm-based wellbeing activities and music therapy sessions, while Acoustic Attitude brought live folk music to the library with a well-received performance evening.
With the start of the new school term, several thriving youth projects returned, including Music Evermore, Expressive Artz, TV Acting School, and Wythenshawe Youth Theatre back. The Creative Space has also welcomed two new organisations, Odd Arts and Young Identity to their programme. Odd Arts uses theatre and creative arts to support young people’s confidence, wellbeing, self-esteem and personal development. Young Identity, a literature and performance charity, helps young people develop their creative writing, spoken word and performance skills through free workshops, mentoring, publishing opportunities and live performances.
Read more at the Manchester Libraries blog.
A Special Celebration of La Pimpa at Central Library
Central Library welcomed 150 children and adults from Manchester’s Italian community and beyond for a special celebration of the much-loved Italian children’s book character, La Pimpa (known as Timpa in English). Created by renowned Italian comic book artist Altan, the red-spotted white dog has delighted generations of young readers since first appearing in 1975.
This family friendly event featured screenings of Pimpa’s adventures on the library’s big screen, alongside themed craft activities and storytime sessions delivered in both Italian and English. The celebration provided an opportunity for families to enjoy stories together while sharing Italian language and culture. The event was delivered in partnership with Italian Kids, a Sale-based association that organises regular activities and meet-ups for Italian families with pre-school and school-aged children. The successful collaboration highlighted the role of libraries in bringing communities together through reading, storytelling and cultural experiences.
Business Support at the Generator
September saw a range of activities at Generator, bringing together entrepreneurs, business owners, creatives and community members to learn, connect and grow.
At Generator St Peter’s Square, the latest Breakfast Club explored the importance of accessibility in business. Led by Courtney Pesche from Words Apart, the session encouraged discussion around creating more inclusive products, services and customer experiences, while giving attendees the opportunity to share ideas and build new professional connections.
At Generator Royal Mills, entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners took part in Planning Your Enterprise: Strategy, Value and Profits, delivered in partnership with Manchester Community Central. The workshop provided practical guidance on business models, value propositions and long-term planning, helping participants strengthen their approach to sustainable growth.
Generator also continues to host the State of Mind exhibition at St Peter’s Square. Presented by HoneyCombs Hub alongside Ukrainian artists Karolina Kanska and Daria Protsenko, the exhibition explores anxiety as both a personal and social experience. Following a successful launch event that brought together artists, entrepreneurs and local residents, the exhibition remains open to visitors until the end of November.
Hello Saturday Crafts at North City Library
Children were warmly welcomed back after the summer holidays at one of North City Library’s popular Saturday craft clubs. This month’s activity took an exciting journey beneath the waves, with young participants creating their own colourful 3D ocean scenes.
Using a range of craft materials, children designed sea sculptures featuring marine animals swimming through rolling waves, bringing their underwater worlds to life with plenty of creativity and imagination. The session was filled with enthusiasm as families enjoyed a fun, hands-on activity together while developing new skills and making new friends.
The regular Saturday craft clubs continue to provide a welcoming space for children to explore their creativity, learn through play, and enjoy free activities at the library. The ocean-themed workshop was a fantastic way to celebrate the return of the clubs after the summer break, with lots of impressive creations taken home at the end of the session.
National Lottery VIP Visitors
Central Library was pleased to welcome guests from National Lottery Heritage Fund and Department for Culture Media and Sports for a visit highlighting the impact of heritage funding on Manchester’s archive collections and services. Hosted by David Govier and Alison Gill, the tour of the Archives including a Searchroom visit to explore projects recently funded by Heritage Fund and hear about their impact on communities within Manchester and Greater Manchester. The group explored the highlights including the collections oldest archives,12th century Assheton of Middleton papers, which libraries were able to purchase with Lottery funding. Pop and radio archives such as Piccadilly Radio which capture Oasis and Spice Girls interviews were also viewed and are were among nearly 2000 sound clips which are accessible to the public.
The visitors, led by Louise Sutherland, Head of Engagement at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, were particularly interested in some of the Archives’ more unusual collections, including comedy theatre props from LipService Theatre, featured in a recently funded digital archive project, as well as the much-loved Local Images website, which provides free access to the photographic history of Manchester’s streets.
European Day of Languages at Central Library
Central Library marked the European Day of Languages, a Council of Europe initiative promoting linguistic diversity and language learning, with a special family event delivered in partnership with Instituto Cervantes Manchester and the Dante Alighieri Society Manchester.
The event welcomed 20 families in our children’s library, with Gruffalo-themed storytimes and crafts in French, Italian, Spanish, Polish and English. A special thank you goes to the amazing storytellers who helped to bring the event to life, including library staff member Anna (Polish storytime) and library volunteers Gaia (Italian storytime), Gaelle (French storytime) and Maria (Spanish Storytime).
