Notice: The Library will be closed to the public for renovations from Monday, February 6 - Friday, February 10. We will reopen on Saturday, February 11 at 10AM. Curbside pickup will be available on Monday the 6, Tuesday the 7 and Friday the 10 during our normal open hours. During the closure, virtual and offsite programing will still occur. Check our events page for details.

Virtual Events

All virtual events require registration. Click on the events to register.

Abolition's Foot Soldiers: Female Anti-Slavery Societies in Antebellum MA 
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 AT 7-8PM

For at least the past three decades, scholars have argued that slavery's abolition would not have happened without interracial collaboration between politically-minded women. From 1830-1865, an interracial and transnational group of women insisted that the struggles for women's liberation and abolition were linked. They rooted their activism in their shared passion for religion, writing, reading, and teaching. They defended their activism from those who called their actions unbecoming for women by saying that their efforts were part of their duty as women and mothers. The abolitionist mother did not want her child to bear witness to the atrocities of slavery and therefore would do what she could to end it. In this talk, Dr. Jaimie Crumley will show that the efforts of the anti-slavery women in Massachusetts demonstrate the distinctively feminist contours of antebellum abolitionism. Further, she will assert that learning from the successes and failures of antebellum female anti-slavery societies can inform contemporary feminist organizing.

Bio: Jaimie D. Crumley, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Gender Studies and Ethnic Studies at the University of Utah. She is the 2022-2023 Research Fellow at Old North Illuminated in Boston, MA. Jaimie studies race, gender, and religion in the eighteenth and nineteenth-century Northeastern United States. Her dissertation, "Tried as by Fire: Free African American Women's Abolitionist Theologies," situates eighteenth and nineteenth-century Black women as proto-Black feminist abolitionists who rooted their politics in Biblical theology. Jaimie has received research fellowships from the Center for the Study of Women at UCLA, the Institute for Citizen's and Scholars, the Boston Athenaeum, and the American Congregational Library. 

This program is made possible by a partnership with the Reading Public Library and the Reckonings Project.

Online Safety Presentation (Virtual)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 AT 2—3PM

Robin Putnam, Events & Outreach Manager from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, will present on online safety. The presentation will include information about the Office and what we do. It will also cover how to be safe online whether it be on your smart device, social media or online banking, phishing emails, and general protection from scams and identity theft. Register to recieve a Zoom link.

In-Person & Hybrid Events For All Ages

Seaside Saturday with Julie Arthur 
Saturday, February 11 At 10-11am

Join Ms. Julie for Seaside Saturday at the Library every 2nd Saturday, where participants will enjoy themed stories, activities and crafts! This program will be outside or in the Children's Room depending on the weather. Please register on their website or call: www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com / 978-468-5489.

This program is sponsored by our friends at Early Childhood Partners CFCE, who offer FREE playgroups, workshops, community events, advocacy, and support for families and children age 0-8.

Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care awarded to Hamilton-Wenham RSD. All educational and non-academic programs, activities and employment opportunities at Hamilton-Wenham RSD are offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, age and/or disability, and any other class or characteristic protected by law. 

Cookbook Throwdown
Saturday, February 11 At 11:30 Am—12:30 Pm

On the 2nd Saturday of every month we will share recipes from a cookbook from off our library shelves. February's pick is "One-pan wonders : fuss-free meals for your sheet pan, Dutch oven, skillet, roasting pan, casserole, and slow cooker" by the editors at America's Test Kitchen. Love a meal with minimal cleanup!

Sign up for a recipe in the library or online below and bring your dish to be sampled on Saturday, February 11th along with any utensils needed. Please call Maddy Willwerth at 978-526-7711 if you have any questions.

Hearthside Book Group
Tuesday, February 14 At 4-5pm

Join us in person at the library or on Zoom to discuss the novel "The Sweetness of Water" by Nathan Harris. Contact Lori Dumont at [email protected] or at 978-526-7711 for further information. Copies of this book are available at the circulation desk, curbside pickup or by home delivery. 

TAB (Teen Advisory Board)
Tuesday, February 14 At 5:30-6:30pm

Meets the second Tuesday of every month at 5:30-6:30 Earn community service hours while having fun planning events and preparing take and make kits for your friends and the community! Registration is required.

Diversity Book Group : “I Am Still Here"
Tuesday, February 21 At 5:30-6:30pm

Reading  “I am Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness” by Austin Channing Brown. Physical book copies available at the circulation desk. March's read is "Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War: by  Howard W. French.

Teen Writers Workshop

Friday, February 17 At 5:30—7:00 Pm 

Come write! Anyone in grades 7-12 is welcome to join the Teen Writers Workshop. Play games, write to prompts, share your stuff, and become a part of the local writing community. Snacks provided! Registration Required.

Curious Creatures: A Live Animal Program

During School Vacation On Thursday, February 23 At 1:00—1:45pm

Curious Creatures is New England's original interactive and educational live animal show featuring a wide selection of critters. Ideal for ALL kids who love animals. 

Afternoon Kids Movie: Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse

During School Vacation On Friday, February 24 At 1:00—3:00pm

Join us in the Children's Room for an action-packed afternoon with this 2018 animated, super-hero story featuring Miles Morales. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action.  AND you'll be in the know for when the much anticipated sequel is released in June 2023.  Rated PG for mild language, frenetic action violence, and thematic elements. Snacks provided, but please bring a closed drink. Recommended for ages 8+.  All kids under the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult.  

Weekly Event

Craft Circle by the Hearthside
Sundays At 2-3pm

Digital Advice
Mondays: Appointments At 11am And 11:30am & Drop-In From 12-1pm         

Registration is required for the 2 appointments at 11 and 11:30AM. Click Here to register. 

Dungeons and Dragons
Alternating Tuesdays 3:30-5pm

For Ages 11-18. Most Tuesday and registration is required. Click Here for more details and to register. 

Tai Chi Class
Wednesdays At 9:45-10:45am

Safety Registration Form must be completed before 1st session. Fill out the form here. 

Shut Up and Write!
Wednesdays At 10:30 Am-12pm

Virtual over Zoom and registration is required. Email [email protected] for the zoom link.

Stories & Songs in the Children's Room
Wednesdays 10:30-11am

For our youngest patrons and thier caregivers, ages birth-6. Registration is required and space is limited. Click Here to register.

Mindfulness Meditation
Every Other Thursday Beginning February 16 At 11am-12pm

Alida Bryant is a Dharma Leader and meditation instructor under the guidance of Anam Thubten Rinpoche. She has been meditating for over 30 years (still very much a beginner!) and studying and practicing with lineage holders in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Beginners and experienced meditators are welcome. There will be guided meditation, some silence, and discussion. 

Registration is encouraged but not required. Click Here to register or for more info. 

Friendship Bracelet Making with June
Four Week Session Begins Thursday, February 16 At 3:30-4:30pm

The first session starts during school vacation! Create friendship bracelets with youth expert June B.! June has been making bracelets for years, and sharing the craft with family and friends is one of her favorite activities! After teaching her 8-year-old brother how to make bracelets last summer, then attending a fall craft night at the Manchester-by-the-Sea library, she thought it would be fun to offer this class to the youth community. The library will supply the materials and snacks so bring yourself and some friends. Registration is required. Sessions build upon each other but you can register for whatever technique(s) interests you. 

F.E.E.D. Families Exploring Equity & Diversity Stories and Activities

7 Week Series Begins Monday, February 27 At 3:30—4:15pm

Families and children ages 3.5 - 5 are invited to share stories and activities with educator and diversity trainer, Lindsay Banks and Manchester Public Library Children's Librarian, Carol Bender. Registration is encouraged but not required. Click Here to register or for more info. 

Free Digital Library Resources

We are always open online where you can check out our free to use digital collection! There you can find a great selection of eBooks, Audiobooks, and movies and TV shows to stream and enjoy along with many other digital resources by using your Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library card.

Check out some of the popular options below! To see more free resources visit our Virtual Library page.

Gale Legal Forms includes a link for fast and easy access to free tax forms organized by state. Free legal forms, covering hundreds of subjects and issues. Thousands of free, legal forms available with more forms being added daily. Official, State Specific, Federal, Business, Personal, Real Estate and General forms covering hundreds of legal subjects and issues. Warning: Public users should consult an attorney in their state for serious legal matters.

Breaking news, analysis from U.S. and the world; covering politics, economics, markets, life, arts. The Manchester Public Library now offers online access to The Wall Street Journal!  Get the latest national news, business, and economy information and even access to WSJ Magazine, all from the comfort of your own home! You will need your library card to login. After creating an account, you will be able to start reading articles immediately.  Your access will be available for the next 3 days. After 3 days, simply come back and click the above link again, and login as an existing user with the same username and password you originally created.  You will never run out of free articles to read!

Not sure what to read next. Get recommendations for your next great read with NoveList Plus. You will need your library card to login for advanced features.