• Crochet and Chat Club

    Ground Floor (Handling Tables)

    Do you want to learn how to crochet and make new friends? Why not come along to our new monthly group? Free - drop in - please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library.

  • Can You Dig It? Britannica Summer Challenge

    Lower Ground Floor

    Join us for Britannica Education’s “Can You Dig It?” Summer Reading event. This fossil-tastic drop-in event will provide a fun, dinosaur-themed activity kit to every attendee and the opportunity for children to explore Britannica Library to discover cool facts!  Free entry, just drop in.  Please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of […]

  • The Puppet Folk Experience!

    Manchester Libraries are so excited to welcome the wonderful Puppet Folk Experience to Central Library this August. It's going to be the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational show!! The Puppet Folk Experience is a joyful live show combining acoustic music and beautifully crafted puppetry. Musician Andy and puppeteer Liam bring songs, characters, and playful storytelling together […]

  • Film Fridays

    Recurring
    Performance Space

    Unleash the musical theatre kid in you with this programme of music-themed films! Watch a family classic on the library’s huge screen, get involved in music-themed crafts and find out how you can take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. Suitable for children up to 12 years old.  Free entry, just drop in.  Please make a donation to support […]

  • Colouring to Music

    Recurring
    Children's Library

    Join us for a relaxed colouring session in the children’s library. Let yourself be transported by the music and use the materials provided to create your next masterpiece. Perfect for those who want to discover the Summer Reading Challenge at their own pace.  Free entry - just drop in.  Please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or […]

  • Manchester Literature Festival presents An Evening with Mieko Kawakami

    Performance Space

    Join us for an unmissable evening with one of Japan's most celebrated young novelists.   The Booker-shortlisted author of Heaven and Breasts and Eggs, Mieko Kawakami makes a rare visit to the UK to launch Sisters in Yellow, a gripping, stylish noir set in Tokyo’s shadowy underbelly.   Hana is fifteen, hopeful and living in a tiny Tokyo apartment with her mother, […]

  • Summer Reading Challenge Singing Puppet Craft Fun!

    Lower Ground Floor

    Join artist Caroline for a fun, free Summer Reading Challenge activity! Get ready to sing, play, and create! Warm up your vocal cords and bring your puppet to life in this exciting craft session! Suitable for ages 4-11.  Free entry, just drop in.  Please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our […]

  • LEGO Club

    Recurring
    City Library

    Do you love Lego? So do we! Drop in, pick your favourite bricks and build anything that takes your fancy. From castles to spaceships, the possibilities are endless! No need to book in advance. First come first served. Suitable for ages 4 and above. Free – just drop in. Please make a donation to support […]

  • Pride Storytime

    Children's Library

    Kick off your Pride weekend early with a special family story and craft session at Manchester Central Library. Join us for a fun and interactive storytime with songs, rhymes and Pride-themed picture books. Then get crafty! Create your own protest signs and noise-makers, to celebrate in style and make your voice heard! We will also have a […]

  • Film Fridays

    Recurring
    Performance Space

    Unleash the musical theatre kid in you with this programme of music-themed films! Watch a family classic on the library’s huge screen, get involved in music-themed crafts and find out how you can take part in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. Suitable for children up to 12 years old.  Free entry, just drop in.  Please make a donation to support […]

  • Manchester Literature Festival presents Emily St. John Mandel

    Performance Space

    Bestselling Canadian author Emily St. John Mandel joins us to discuss her electrifying new novel Exit Party – exploring parallel worlds, political unrest and blurred realities.   In a near-future Los Angeles emerging from conflict, Ari Walker and her friend Gloria are going to a party.  But the party becomes the site of something inexplicable, drawing Ari into a mystery that will haunt her across […]