Library Live

Film Friday
2025-08-29 14:30 - 16:00 UTC | Performance Space
Does Friday afternoon and cinema sound like a good combo to you?
Then join us at Manchester Central Library for a free film screening with themed crafts!
We may even have popcorn!
Suitable for children up to 12 years old. No need to book, free to drop in from 2.30pm. Film screening starts at 2.30pm.
Friday 29 August. 2.30-4pm. Performance Space.

Wonderland Sunday Funday at Central Library!
2025-08-31 12:00 - 16:00
Not quite ready for the end of the holidays? Join us at Central Library for a special end-of-summer extravaganza brought to you by Z-Arts and Manchester Libraries!
*FULL PROGRAMME*
Yoga and movement sessions for children
Performance Space (Ground Floor)
Start times: 12pm, 1pm
Storytimes
Performance Space (Ground Floor)
Start times: 12.30pm, 1.30pm
Bessie’s Bees (Storytime)
Children’s Library (Lower Ground Floor)
Start time: 12pm
Wonderland family gig: Yemi Bolatiwa and her band
Performance Space (Ground Floor)
3-4pm
Face painting, crafts and carrot trail: THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON!
Why not dress up for the occasion? Costumes encouraged – whether you’re a mischievous Cheshire Cat or a dapper White Rabbit!
Bring your sense of wonder, a big smile, and your whole crew for a family-friendly adventure that’s sure to be madly memorable!
FREE ENTRY! JUST DROP IN

Japan Week
2025-09-04 10:30 - 2025-09-08 16:30 | Performance Space
Join us for Japan Week to learn more about leading Japanese destinations from EXPO 2025 in Osaka, as well as hidden gems that will inspire your next visit. You can also view incredible exhibitions and performances from Japanese artists and join workshops to give yourself a taste of traditional Japanese culture right here in Manchester.
Free – drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Conversation Club
2025-09-11 13:00 - 14:30 | Ground Floor (Handling Tables)
Would you like to improve your English conversation skills? Join our friendly group, improve your English, and meet new friends. Suitable for adults.
Free – drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

From Page to Stage: 20 Years of Manchester Literature Festival
2025-09-12 08:00 - 2025-12-16 17:00 | Wolfson Reading Room
Feast your eyes on two decades of literary magic with From Page to Stage, a photographic exhibition celebrating Manchester Literature Festival’s 20th anniversary. This intimate collection of photos charts the Festival’s journey from its early days to becoming one of the UK’s most distinctive literary events. Through striking images, we revisit the unforgettable moments and remarkable voices that have shaped the Festival – from award-winning novelists and poets, to leading songwriters and musicians, activists and change-makers.
Featuring brilliant photos of homegrown favourites Lemn Sissay, Jeanette Winterson, Jackie Kay and Simon Armitage alongside much loved cultural figures Johnny Marr, Guy Garvey, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Vivienne Westwood, these images tell a story of inspired ideas, playful conversations and communities brought together. From intimate readings to bold, genre-defying events, the exhibition captures the energy, diversity and creativity that defines Manchester Literature Festival.
Come and join us in celebrating 20 years of bringing literature to life.
Image copyright: Jon Parker Lee.
Free – drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

An Evening with Kathy Reichs
2025-09-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Performance Space
​Join #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs for a rare visit to the UK to celebrate over 25 years of her bestselling series.
​Best known as the inspiration behind Fox Television’s longest-running scripted drama, Bones, Kathy will be in Manchester for a one-night-only. She’ll be discussing her career as an author and forensic anthropologist, how she crafts her smash-hit stories and what it takes to plot and pen a murder.
​Hosted by Sunday Times Best Seller, Clare Mackintosh, join us for an evening of stories.
​Every book + ticket comes with a copy of Fire & Bones, which Kathy will sign and dedicate on the day.
​
About the book: Fire & Bones

​It’s never easy working fire scenes.
Called to Washington, DC to analyse the victims of a mysterious arson attack, Tempe quickly finds her misgivings justified. The fire site is in Foggy Bottom, a neighbourhood with a colourful history, and as the pieces start falling into place, the property’s ownership becomes more and more suspicious.
Sensing a good story, Tempe teams up with a new ally, telejournalist Ivy Doyle. Delving into the past, the duo learns that back in the Thirties and Forties, the home was the hangout of a group of bootleggers and racketeers known as the Foggy Bottom Gang. Though interesting, this fact seems irrelevant – until the son of one of the gang members is shot dead at his farm in Virginia.
When another Foggy Bottom Gang-linked property burns to the ground, claiming one more victim, what might have been a coincidence starts to look more like targeted attacks. As she and Ivy dig deeper, Tempe’s instincts point towards the obvious: somehow, her every move since coming to Washington has been anticipated in advance. And every path forward brings with it a lethal threat.
​About Kathy Reichs

​Kathy Reichs’s first novel, Déjà Dead, published in 1997, won the Ellis Award for Best First Novel and was an international bestseller.
​To date, she has written twenty-four novels featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Kathy was also a producer of Fox Television’s longest-running scripted drama, Bones, which was based on her work and her novels. One of the very few forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Kathy lives in Charlotte.

Time Travellers Tea Room
2025-09-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Lwr Ground Floor – Manchester Histories Hub
Join Manchester Hstories for Time Travellers Tea Room, a monthly gathering where we explore the personal stories, memories and everyday objects that shape Manchester’s rich and diverse heritage.
These relaxed sessions are open to anyone with an interest in the past, whether you’re a lifelong Mancunian, new to the city, or simply curious about local history. Each session offers an opportunity to:

Share personal or family stories
Bring in objects and explore their histories
Learn how to use local archives
Connect with others and discover shared experiences
Contribute your ideas to future Manchester Histories projects

Come and meet new people, uncover old stories and celebrate the living histories of our city, all over tea, coffee and biscuits.
The sessions are free to attend and open to all. Capacity is limited to 15 participants, so booking is encouraged. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Free – booking required here

Central Library’s Big Language Celebration
2025-09-13 13:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Do you speak more than one language? Want to find out more about the languages spoken in Manchester? Then join us for an engaging exploration of our foreign language archives, where visitors can uncover stories, documents, and cultural treasures from Manchester’s amazingly diverse communities.
Performance Schedule
1.30pm Welcome by the Portuguese Consulate
1.45pm Irish storytelling with Neysa Killeen
2pm Portuguese poetry reading with Eugénia Azevedo and José Dias
2.15pm Irish storytelling with Neysa Killeen
2.30pm Greek poetry reading with Mandy Kotsopoulou, Iason Andreadakis, Doreta Boultouka and Spyros Pantos
2.45pm Irish storytelling with Neysa Killeen
3pm Prose and poetry reading in Hungarian with Dr Szilvi Naray and Zotmund Jakab
3.15pm Irish storytelling with Neysa Killeen
Free – please drop in
Please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Children’s Voices and Archives for Community Action: the Marcus Rashford Mural Collection
2025-09-15 13:00 - 14:00 | Archives+ Ground Floor
Join us as we offer a rare glimpse into this significant collection, much of which is created by children. Read their messages, thoughts and feelings as they voice their inspiring stand, united against bullying and racism.
In 2021 following a missed EUFA penalty, a community-funded mural in Withington of local footballer Marcus Rashford was defaced with racist messages. The community responded with heartfelt messages of support for Marcus which snowballed into a collective demonstration of solidarity and a united stand against racism and online hate. Manchester Archives carefully collected these messages which now form an unique collection and has inspired the creation of an educational resource for children and communities. This will be centred on themes of community action, empathy and the power of the collective.
Free – please drop in
Please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

An evening with Katherine Rundell
2025-09-15 18:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
We are delighted to welcome bestselling author Katherine Rundell to Manchester to celebrate the release of The Poisoned King!
The mesmerising follow-up to Rundell’s Waterstones Book of the Year 2023-winning Impossible Creatures finds Christopher embroiled in an elaborate rescue mission as he returns to the magical world of the Archipelago.
Katherine joins us at Manchester Central Library for a talk, audience Q&A and signing. Please note that Katherine will sign all books bought from Waterstones on the day of the event, but due to time restraints and to make sure that all readers have a chance to get their book signed, Katherine will only be able to sign one book brought from home
About The Poisoned King
The dragons call out, and the ratatoskas tell of murder.
Come with us now. There is justice to be done.

Return to the Archipelago – the secret place in our world where all the creatures of myth still live and thrive, for a rescue mission like no other. The Poisoned King is the second book in the epic Impossible Creatures fantasy series from bestselling author Katherine Rundell.
When Christopher Forrester is unexpectedly woken by a miniature dragon chewing on his face, his heart leaps for joy. For months he’s dreamed of returning to the Archipelago. But he did not know it would involve a rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, or a plan to enter a dragon’s lair. Nor did he imagine it would involve a girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket and a ravenous hunger for justice…
About the author
KATHERINE RUNDELL is a multi-million-bestselling author whose novels for children have won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Costa Children’s Book Award, among many others. Impossible Creatures was Waterstones Book of the Year 2023, and in 2024 Katherine was named the British Book Awards Author of the Year and Impossible Creatures won the Children’s Fiction Book of the Year. She is a Quondam Fellow of All Souls College and a Fellow of St Catherine’s College, Oxford, where she works on Renaissance literature. Her books for adults include Super-Infinite, winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize. Very occasionally she goes climbing across the rooftops of Oxford, late at night.

Reading, Rhyming, Remembering: Children's education from the Past
2025-09-18 13:30 - 15:00 | Archives+ Ground Floor
Explore how children learned Pre-20th Century and Early 1900s, through images, storybooks, rhymes, and moral tales. A fun and nostalgic exhibition for schools and families—where learning met imagination!
Discover the storybook world of early childhood learning at Manchester Council’s Heritage Open Day. This special exhibition showcases a rich collection of children’s books published Pre-20th Century and Early 1900s with some older material from the previous centuries, offering a fascinating glimpse into how young minds were shaped through literature. From 17th-century spelling books and moral tales to 19th-century fairy stories and educational chapbooks, the display reveals how storytelling, rhyme, and repetition were central to teaching reading, values, and imagination. Visitors will encounter beautifully illustrated texts, religious tracts, nature guides, and playful primers that reflect the evolving techniques used in schools and homes. Whether it’s Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Aesop’s fables, or Victorian nursery rhymes, each book tells a tale of how children once learned to navigate the world. Ideal for families, educators, and literature lovers, this event invites you to explore the roots of children’s education and the enduring power of books to inspire, instruct, and delight.
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

Saturday Spectacular: Lowry Takeover
2025-09-20 12:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Come join the Lowry at Central Library and get involved in some fantastic fun for all the family. Enjoy arts and crafts, interactive storytelling and engaging workshops. There will also be the chance to watch family classics on the big screen, and more!
Free – more info to follow
Please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Ghastly Stories for Gruesome Gremlins -EVENT CANCELLED
2025-09-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Children’s Library
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.AND WILL BE RESCEHDULED IN THE FUTURE
A Spooky & Silly Storytelling Show for 7+ told by Gav Cross. Gav does not believe in ghosts, has never seen a ghost, doesn’t think there are monsters under his bed. But he cannot get enough of the stories that give him the chill. Expect gasps and giggles and maybe even a chill down the back of the neck? Suitable for ages 7+
Free – just drop in.
Please consider making a donation if you can here or at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes in Central Library

Libraries 175: Celebrating 175 years of the Public Libraries Act 1850
2025-09-22 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 | First Floor
Pop in and view this fascinating exhibition at Central Library – Libraries 175: Celebrating 175 years of the Public Libraries Act 1850.
175 years ago the Public Libraries Act was passed, which allowed Local Authorities to raise taxes to fund free public libraries. The borough of Manchester was the first borough in the country to open a free public library under the new Public Libraries Act. Manchester Free Library opened on 6th September 1852 at Campfield.
Commenting on the exhibition, Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure said:
‘Libraries are more than books and always have been. They play an important role at the heart of our communities, providing huge opportunities for learning and community engagement. The legacy of the Public Libraries Act reminds us that we need to keep investing in these vital spaces and adapting them to make them relevant for the communities they serve. Libraries have always been places of inspiration which is why they deserve our continued support.’
Neil MacInnes, OBE, Head of Service, Libraries, Galleries and Culture said:
‘Manchester has a proud history of investing in its libraries. We work hard to ensure they remain relevant to our communities, adapting and changing to the current needs and we will continue to look after and promote libraries for future generations. They are and will continue to be the heart and soul of learning, development and nourishment and long may they remain so.’
Free – please drop in.
Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Mystery International Film Screening
2025-09-22 17:30 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Welcome to the sixth edition of Manchester Central Library’s International Film Club’s Mystery Screening series.
Event Details:
• Doors open: 17:00
• Introduction to the film: 17:25
• Film starts: 17:30
• Entry: Pay what you can (recommended donation of £3)
• Popcorn: FREE!
• Drinks: Grab a coffee, tea, or soft drink from the fully stocked café!
To celebrate half a years’ worth of screenings, we’ll be revisiting all of the countries we’ve already visited in the film club so far. As we usually have five films to pick from this month will be no exception, the only difference is that the five films have all been selected from the winning countries we’ve had before.
We’ve made it easier to vote. You can now select your favourite film on the order form! Just fill in your details as usual, on the next page you can then select which of these five films you want us to screen.
This month’s contenders are:
Heart of Glass (1976, Germany)
A minor work from one of the major voices in international cinema, Werner Herzog’s Heart of Glass is an oft overlooked, spellbinding look at an 18th century town’s slow descent into madness as they try to discover the secrets of ruby glass that are lost of the death of the master glassblower. The legend says this film was shot with the cast entirely under hypnosis – for real- to create the alien, detached feel of the piece.
The Given Word (1962, Brazil)
A man’s donkey falls sick in this didactic faith vs judgement story about a man keeping his pact with his religion after he promises to carry a cross like Jesus across the country if his donkey is cured. Vicious at the folly of man and the corruption of religious institutions, Duarte’s film is an underseen gem of Brazilian cinema.
The Red Spectacles (1987, Japan)
From the director of the seismic anime classic Ghost in the Shell, Mamoru Oshii’s The Red Spectacles, is a live-action foray into a future world full of political turmoil, barbaric police juggernauts and conspiracy – all presented through a cartoonish, light-hearted riff on the noir films of the 40s. The first in the directors mammoth Kerberos saga, one of the most tonally fascinating sci-fi series from Japan.
Hit The Road (2021, Iran)
A family embarks on a long road trip to drop their eldest son off on a journey he won’t be retuning from, along the way we learn of the deep family bonds through laughter and tears and the beautiful yet dangerous landscapes they have to endure. A touching debut from a second-generation Iranian film director.
Exiled (2006, Hong Kong)
Bitterness, brotherhood, honour and dishonour ripple through every splendidly staged shot in Johnnie To’s modern crime classic that stands as a testament to a new era in Hong Kong filmmaking. Anchored in the camaraderie – and duplicity- of its ensemble cast, Exiled is pure cinema – focused on camera movements, action and powerful performances.

Not just any old iron! Afternoon Lecture
2025-09-23 13:00 - 14:15 | Performance Space
Manchester Town Hall has been closed since January 2018 for an extensive restoration programme that will repair and upgrade the building to modern standards. The work will include the conservation of many of its original heritage features.
Our series of Heritage Lectures aims to shine a light on some of the fascinating work that’s been going on behind the scenes. We’ve already heard about the work on our paintings, mosaic flooring, clock, stained-glass windows, organ, furniture, the Albert Memorial, Albert Square and the original lighting.
Join us in Central Library for a chance to hear from Will Jones and Peter Meehan of Heritage Project Contracts. The lecture is free to attend but please book your place.
In this lecture we’ll be learning about the conservation, preservation and restoration of historic ironwork, some of which can be seen around the building: from the dizzying heights of the golden ball that tops our clock tower and cast iron brattishing on our complex series of roofs, to the enormous – and very cumbersome – portcullis gates in the basement.
Tuesday 23 September2025, The Performance Space, Central Library
Session #1 – 12.45pm arrival for a 1pm start (ends 2.15pm)
Session #2 – 5.15pm arrival for a 5.30pm start (ends 6.45pm)
The lecture is free but you’ll need to book your ticket online.

Not just any old iron! Evening Lecture
2025-09-23 17:30 - 18:45 | Performance Space

Crafting Connections - Autumn Workshops
2025-09-24 14:00 - 2025-11-26 16:00 | Lwr Ground Floor – Manchester Histories Hub
Following a hugely positive response to our spring and summer workshops, Manchester Histories is delighted to offer a brand-new series of 10 weekly (every Wednesday) crafting connections sessions this autumn.
These workshops bring people together through fun, hands-on heritage-inspired activities like weaving, singing, sketching and storytelling. Designed with well-being and connection in mind, each session offers a chance to try something new, spark memories, and share experiences in a relaxed and friendly setting over a brew.
Previous participants described the workshops as “uplifting” and “inspiring,” with many saying they helped them reconnect with their creativity, meet new people, and reflect on their own histories.
While especially suited to people aged 55+, these sessions are open to anyone who enjoys creativity, learning about shared history, and conversation.
Free – every Wednesday – book here

Crime Central Returns!
2025-09-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Get it in your diaries!!

Crime Central returns 24th September with a monster! Jo Furniss, Louisa Scarr, KJ Whitle and Michael Wodd will all be joining Rob Parker at Manchester Central Library. Don’t miss it!
Bringing the best from all over!
Featuring the best and brightest crime writing talent both locally and from around the country – the big names are all coming to Manchester!
Go behind the scenes!
Showcasing blockbuster bestsellers, emerging talent and industry insiders, Crime Central will share the real story of what goes on in the crime world.
Meet your favourite authors!
With giveaways, audience interaction, book signings, the chance to ask questions and more – while bringing a crime fiction buzz back to this great northern city.

Northern Publisher's Fair
2025-09-27 11:00 - 15:30 | Performance Space
The Northern Publishers’ Fair returns this autumn with its biggest celebration yet of independent publishing, taking place on Saturday 27th September 2025 from 11am to 3:30pm at Manchester Central Library’s Performance Space.

Organised bi-annually by Fly on the Wall Press, this free-entry event will showcase the diverse landscape of independent publishing across the North, featuring 16 publishers and literary agents spanning genres from literary fiction and poetry to children’s books and non-fiction. Attendees can browse and purchase books directly from publishers including Manchester University Press, Carcanet, Comma Press, Dead Ink Books, and Peepal Tree Press, among others.

New Networking Opportunities for Writers

This autumn edition introduces “The Chatty Table,” a dedicated networking space where aspiring and established authors can connect with industry professionals. Emma Layfield from Children’s Book North Agency and Clare Coombes from Liverpool Literary Agency will be available throughout the day to discuss publication journeys and offer guidance to writers at any stage of their careers.

Emma Layfield will also be available to speak with children’s book illustrators.

“We’re thrilled to expand the fair’s offering to include more direct support for emerging writers,” said Isabelle Kenyon. “The addition of agent consultations alongside our established publisher showcase creates a comprehensive literary community experience.”

Author Signings and Literary Discovery

The event will feature book signings with participating authors, giving readers the opportunity to meet the creators behind their favourite titles while discovering new voices in contemporary literature. Publishers will be on hand to discuss their catalogues and recommend titles across all genres.

Ear Soup - Acoustic Food for the Soul
2025-09-27 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
Join us in the Henry Watson Music Library for one hour of musical magic.
Free – drop in. Please make a donation to support our Library Live cultural programme at one of our cash or contactless donation boxes or online

Word Central
2025-09-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Performance Space
Word Central Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word.
Presented by Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries.
Doors open 5.40pm and free entry.
Hosted by Tony Curry with special guest Lisa Moore.
Book your open mic slot from noon on Tuesday 16th September via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk.
N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer – it is essential that you stay within this timeframe.
Performance slots are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis from the stated booking time. If they are already filled you will be offered a place on the reserve list.
Our special guest Lisa Moore is a Salford-born spoken word artist, actor, writer, and scriptwriter whose work blends sharp humour with bold feminist themes. Her debut poetry collection, And She Dances (Big White Shed, 2023), has been praised by leading voices including Henry Normal, Kate Fox, and Ellen Taylor. She is now preparing to publish her second collection, Pickled Women, and will feature her full Pickled Women show at Morecambe Poetry Festival 2025.
Event host Tony Curry is a performance poet, playwright and workshop facilitator. Raised in Crawley by English and South African parents, he has lived and worked in Manchester for three decades, running literature-in-the-community projects with a specific leaning towards mental health and wellbeing. His play, The Teddy Bear, was staged at Manchester’s Contact Theatre, whilst his solo spoken word shows include Brit Boy, Complicit Relations, Moving and The Odyssey, performed at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre. Tony has recently toured his solo show Tall Tales for All Men, adapted from his collection Tall Tales for Tall Men Who Fall Well Short (Flapjack Press, 2012), at the Brighton Fringe and Chorlton Arts festivals.

Macdara Yeates and Jennifer Reid
2025-10-01 08:00 - 17:00 | Henry Watson Music Library
Join us for a special performance featuring Macdara Yeates and Jennifer Reid trading ballads and broadsides on related topics to illustrate the shared cultures of Dublin and Manchester and the song traditions that would have been active in the two cities in the industrial revolution.
Macdara Yeates is an Irish folk singer. Born and raised in Dublin, Yeates is one of a crop of artists associated with the recent resurgence of young folk talent in the Irish capital, alongside acts such as Lankum, Ye Vagabonds, and Landless. In 2012, Macdara became a founding member of The Night Before Larry Got Stretched, a monthly Dublin folk gathering, counting such luminaries as Lisa O’Neill, Ian Lynch and Radie Peat (Lankum) among its earliest attendees. Following the release of Traditional Singing from Dublin, Macdara was nominated for two RTÉ Radio One Folk Awards, including a nomination for ‘Best Folk Singer’ alongside Ríognach Connolly, Cathy Joran and Christy Moore.
‘Macdara Yeates is a mighty chanter‘ – Christy Moore
Jennifer Reid is a performer of nineteenth century Lancashire dialect and Victorian broadside ballads. Folk music has lost its way, and people have lost track of their geographical heritage. The working classes made music as a provocation and this is a tradition Jennifer continues.

“Lancashire dialect and Victorian Broadside ballad singer Jennifer Reid is brutally honest, powerful and authentic. Reid deserves our attention and embodies the gritty, honest truth of folk music. Reid reminds us that the streets, pubs and alleyways is where folk lives and not behind the glass of the studio.” – Folkmylife.co.uk

Jennifer plays the character of Barb in Shane Meadows’ period drama The Gallows Pole. She has supported Pulp, John Cooper Clarke, for Chanel’s prestigious Metiers d’Art show, and is in the second year of touring with Eliza Carthy. In April 2025, she toured Aotearoa’s north island to critical acclaim and rave reviews.

‘She is singing our belonging to our land, history, ancestry, with streetwise modernity’ – Casey Orr
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

Names, Traditions and Meanings Exhibition Launch
2025-10-02 15:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
Come and join Amani Creatives CIC at the launch of The National Heritage Lottery funded FUMBO Exhibition and event to explore the heritage of naming traditions of African communities in North West England. Enjoy free music, dance and drumming workshops, face painting and African cuisine. Exhibition runs 2-31 October 2025 near the café area, ground floor.
More info: Amani Creatives | African Arts [amanicreatives.wordpress.com]
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

ABBA: Over 50's Party!
2025-10-04 13:00 - 15:00 | Performance Space
SORRY, THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT.
IT’S THE ABBA OVER 50’S PARTY!
Take a chance on a super trouper afternoon at Central Library. Two hours of Abba classics to celebrate Older People’s Day!

Featuring the fab solo Abba tribute artist ‘One of Us’!
Mama Mia * Money Money Money * Fernando * Super Trouper * SOS * One of Us * * Take a Chance * Lay Your Love On Me * Gimme Gimme * Thank You For The Music * Dancing Queen * Does Your Mother Know * Voulez-Vous * Chiquitita *
All over 50’s and family and friends welcome. Tables seat 8 people so larger groups may not be seated together.
As an extra treat, we’ll be offering free hot drinks and cake at the interval. You can also get a discount on a range of food and drinks at the Central Library Cafe.

Fun Palaces
2025-10-04 13:00 - 15:00
Join us for this free family event where people come together to share their skills, passions and interests! Meet a professional beekeeper, get involved with some ABBA-themed crafts, and much more! Visit www.librarylive.co.uk for more info.
Free entry – just drop in.

Full Volume Episode 9 ft. Kate Mosse, Jackie Kay, & MLF25
2025-10-06 - 2025-10-31 | Online
Full Volume returns for something of a Manchester Literature Festival Special this October.
With the festival now marking its 20th Anniversary, host Alan Lynch chats to the acclaimed author Kate Mosse about her two upcoming appearances at Central Library this month, and gets the scoop on her latest book ‘Feminist History for Every Day of the Year’.
There’s also a candid interview with MLF Co-Director Cathy Bolton, who shares her personal highlights from the last 20 years of the festival, while offering her top tips for the 2025 edition that’s due to take over multiple venues across the city between 11-26th October.
Elsewhere, Gary Parkinson heads down to Chorlton Library to sit down with former MLF star and esteemed Scottish poet, playwright and novelist Jackie Kay. Listen out for a reading of her classic poem ‘George Square’.
In honour of National Coming Out Day 2025 on 11th October, some of the Manchester Libraries staff share their own experiences of coming out, featuring a range of stories that are sincere, warm hearted, and humorous.
Plus, there’s plenty of What’s On Tips for the month ahead, and top preview picks to help you navigate the wealth of events on at the Manchester Literature Festival.
Tune-in and turn it up!
Stream it on all major services here:
https://push.fm/fl/actjsf7o-80012-96971-32630-87408-90983

Cultural Welcome Week - 6-12 October
2025-10-06 - 2025-10-13 | Ground Floor
Calling all students!
Manchester Central Library is getting involved with the Oxford Road Corridor’s #CulturalWelcomeWeek.
With events in venues up and down Oxford Road 6-12 October, at Central Library we’re inviting new students to the city to come and join us for a host of FREE activities…
Share your passions for Manga and Anime, Chess, Board Games, Crochet, and Music, at our Central Library Clubs – open to all.
Practice your English and meet new mates at our Conversation Club (ESOL).
Or get a sneak peak behind the scenes of one of Manchester’s most iconic buildings with special guided tours for students throughout the week.
Please come and say hello to Central Library and make it your new home from home!
Welcome to Manchester!
The full itinerary can be found below:

Let’s Talk Money – Exclusive Book Launch and Talk
2025-10-07 17:45 - 19:30 | Performance Space
As part of our Black History Month celebrations, we’re proud to welcome Tynan Matembe. This award-winning money coach, global speaker and passionate advocate for financial inclusion will be launching her new book, Conquer Your Financial Giants: Proven Steps to Master Your Money and Build Wealth.
Free – booking advised via Eventbrite

Manchester Literature Festival presents Simon Armitage
2025-10-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Performance Space
Poet Laureate and Festival favourite Simon Armitage returns to Manchester Literature Festival to read from his two new collections, Dwell and New Cemetery.
In Dwell, inspired by the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, Armitage brings to life the fragile homes of animals and insects, blurring the lines between human and creature, nature and artifice. Rich with riddle, folklore and environmental insight, the poems are a vibrant celebration of life’s ingenuity, beautifully complemented by illustrations from Beth Munro.
New Cemetery, written during lockdown walks near his West Yorkshire home, is a lyrical and often wry reflection on mortality, loss and landscape, beginning with the transformation of a local beauty spot into a graveyard and reflecting the changing world.
Born in West Yorkshire, Simon is Professor of Poetry at the University of Leeds, a celebrated translator, novelist, playwright, and recipient of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. His collections include Seeing Stars, The Unaccompanied and Magnetic Field.
Don’t miss this chance to hear one of Britain’s most beloved poets live. Presented by Manchester Literature Festival and supported by Library Live.
Book tickets here or click ‘Book Now’ below
