Library Live

Junior Jam: Noisy Toys
2019-11-30 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Children’s Library
Junior Jam – our jam-packed music sessions for 4-8 year olds!
With an exciting theme each month – from Space Travel to Loop the Loop – help your little ones develop their musical skills in a fun, friendly and accessible way.
Sessions are free and take place at the Children’s Library at Manchester Central Library. Places are limited (20 children per session) so sign up in advance to secure your spot.
Two 50-minute sessions will take place at 10am and 11am.
All instruments are provided.

Prostheses in Antiquity: Everything You Never Knew You Wanted to Know
2019-11-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
A variety of different types of prostheses were used by the Greeks and Romans to replace various missing body parts. In this talk, we shall consider the following questions: How common – or uncommon – were prostheses in classical antiquity? Who made them? How and why did they make them? Who used them? How and why did they use them? And how were they – and their prostheses – viewed by other members of ancient society as a result?
The Manchester Classical Association presents Dr Jane Draycott (University of Glasgow), expert on disease, disabilties and prosthetics in the ancient world. Dr Draycott will give an illustrated presentation followed by discussion with the Manchester Classical Association Chair, Dr April Pudsey of Manchester Metropolitan University.
All talks in this series are free and open to the public. Please join us for light refreshments from 5.30pm, and take the opportunity to speak with members of the Manchester Classical Association, and find out more about our work promoting Classics and Ancient History around the region. https://www.manchesterca.org.uk/
This talk will be jointly hosted with the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies.
Refreshments from 5.30pm. Dr Draycott’s talk begins at 6pm and will be followed by discussion, and an informal Q&A with the audience

Explore your Archive Week
2019-11-25 15:00 - 2019-11-29 16:00
Visit Central Library and help us to create our own cabinet of wonder. In these sessions we will showcase material which you may not normally have the chance to see. Help us search for hidden gems from our collections to add to our wonderful new treasure.
Free – please drop in

Listening Lunch
2019-11-25 12:30 - 13:30 | Performance Space
Grab a sandwich and head to the Performance Space for a relaxing lunchtime listening to clips from Central Library’s sound archives.
Unlocking Our Sound Heritage is a new audio preservation project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Tapes the project has recently digitised include classical music, radio drama, life stories, folk music, celebrity interviews and Irish jigs – we’ve got it all! And as part of the Explore Your Archives campaign we’ve put together an hour-long playlist showing off the best bits of the sound archives.
Come for five minutes or the whole hour – all welcome. The Unlocking Our Sound Heritage team will be on hand to introduce you to the project and explain how you can get involved.
Drop-in – no booking required

Roving Robots Coding Workshop
2019-11-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Media Lounge
Do you want to learn how to code? Come along to our new series of coding workshops for all. Families, adults, grandparents, in fact anyone aged 8 years and above is welcome to join us in learning how to code these cute and friendly robots.
Free – please drop-in

2084 - An Immersive Experience
2019-11-22 08:00 - 2019-12-14 17:00
SORRY, DUE TO HIGH DEMAND ALL PERFORMANCES HAVE NOW SOLD OUT
AN IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE INSPIRED BY ORWELL’S CLASSIC
The Ministry of Truth is recruiting…
​Enter the dramatic world of Manchester Central Library after hours and embark on an immersive journey inspired by George Orwell’s dystopian novel.
This new immersive theatre production takes the audience inside a totalitarian state that monitors every act, word and thought of its citizens. In our era of social media and digital corporations – when everyone is tracked, analysed and influenced – Orwell’s compelling vision has never been more pertinent. 2084 puts the audience at the heart of this iconic story and explores how fragile are the freedoms that we take for granted.
Welcome to the Party.
REVIEWS OF PREVIOUS 2084 PERFORMANCES
​”With major dystopian vibes and a brilliant new story, explore Manchester’s Central Library in a way never before experienced.” Whatsonstage
​”The company has fused the imposing physicality of Manchester’s Central Library with the appalling horror of George Orwell’s dystopian nightmare to create a thrilling piece of theatrical entertainment.” GM Reviewer
“Disturbing and engrossing” Number 9 Reviews

Story Selector
2019-11-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Jewish Museum Pop-up Space
Children’s storyteller Robin Simpson will be performing the exciting, curious and fascinating stories behind objects in Manchester Jewish Museum’s story selector machine. Come along and help him decide the direction the stories go and see the objects behind the stories.
Suitable for families
Free – please drop in

Capturing the Crescents
2019-11-16 13:00 - 14:00 | Performance Space
A Photographic Journey through Hulme in the 1980’s – 90’s, and how I survived and thrived by Richard Davis
A talk and book signing by photographer Richard Davis….
‘I arrived in Hulme in 1988, having left behind Birmingham so I could study Photography at Manchester Polytechnic. For the next five years Hulme was Home and I loved every single second of it. Talk about Right Place, Right Time, – Manchester, or should I say Madchester, felt like the centre of the universe and Hulme even more so. There wasn’t really a plan to document my time there via Photography, it just sort of naturally happened and years on, I’m so glad I did…….this is my story.’
Free – please drop in

Tom Moore & Archie Moss
2019-11-13 18:30 - 20:00 | Performance Space
Accordion/Viola/Electronics duo debuting brand new material from their upcoming album to be released in 2020.
Widely regarded as two of the best players, innovators and performers in traditional folk amongst a precociously gifted generation, their finely-crafted arrangements wield a rare potency. Now, having toured with with some of the biggest and brightest acts in the British folk scene, they reconvene to perform as a duo.
Whilst intrinsically borrowing from English and other European Traditional Dance music, sonically Moore and Moss have their heads firmly in the present, understanding the values of contemporary music and art making.The distinct pulse, energy and group-intuition of trad-music haunts their playing as they continue to push the creative boundaries for English instrumental music, listening and responding to the world around them as much as their musical ancestors.
Doors: 6pm; Performance start: 6:30pm

Best of Manchester Animation Festival
2019-11-13 10:00 - 12:30 | Performance Space
Celebrate 5 years of UK’s biggest animation festival as they showcase the winners of past years editions in two specially curated screenings. Introduced by the festival team, these two shows give you the chance to see something different!
10-11am – Programme 1 (cert. 18);
11.30am-12.30pm – Programme 2 (cert. 15)
Free – please drop in

Janine Booth Book Launch: The Big J vs The Big C
2019-11-12 18:30 - 20:00 | Meeting Room 1
The Big J vs The Big C: Issues, Experiences and Poems in the Battle Against Breast Cancer
With special guest poet Laura Taylor.
Poet, author and activist Janine Booth was part of the ranting poetry movement of the ‘80s,
performing as ‘The Big J’. In late 2016, she discovered a strange indentation in her right breast and
was subsequently diagnosed with breast cancer. In this collection of candid journal extracts, poetry,
meticulous research and substantive politics, Janine details her journey from detection and
diagnosis, through surgery, to ‘getting over it’.
“This book is a must for all health care workers – doctors, nurses, students, caterers, cleaners, porters
– the team needed by patients facing The Big C.” – Dr Coral Jones, GP & Chair Hackney South and Shoreditch Labour Party
“I picked up this book expecting to be educated, entertained and amused. I put it down having ticked
all of those boxes. The NHS is quite literally the best thing there is in the entire world. We must never
stop fighting for it.” – Kate Smurthwaite, comedian & activist
“Full of clarity, worry, humour, explanations about how capitalism hampers medical practice and
love, praise and commitment to the NHS. It demystifies and humanises the cancer experience and
inspires and entertains the reader.” – Morning Star
Janine Booth is a Marxist, trade unionist, Labour Party member, socialist-feminist, supporter of
Workers’ Liberty, autistic, bi, author, poet, disaffected middle-aged woman. She works on London
Underground and is active in the RMT trade union, having previously represented its London
Transport members on the union’s National Executive. Janine is Chair of the union’s Disabled
Members’ Advisory Committee and a member of the TUC Disabled Workers’ Committee. She writes
and delivers trade union training, particularly on equalities issues, and speaks widely on socialist
politics, history, disabled people’s rights, autism and neurodiversity.
Published by Flapjack Press
www.flapjackpress.co.uk
Shortlisted Best Northern Publisher, Northern Soul Awards
“Publishes the most cutting-edge poetic performers.” – Writing Manchester

Made In Manchester: In Conversation with Malcolm Garrett
2019-11-11 17:30 - 18:30 | Seminar Suite, Floor Two
As a graphic designer, Malcolm Garrett’s work for bands such as Buzzcocks and Duran Duran established him as one of the most influential figures of the 80s. He was one of the first graphic designers to recognise the potential of digital media and he has been at the forefront of exploring its frontiers ever since. In 2000, he was the first Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) in the field of interactive media.

M123 meet-up
2019-11-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Media Lounge
Are you a resident in the city centre? If you have a M1, M2 or M3 postcode, come along to our new monthly meet-up in the Media Lounge. Be the envy of your friends by creating bags using mixed media. Pop along and meet your neighbours, chatting is encouraged and little ones can come along too!
Free-please drop-in

Reading faces and hands: The science of speechreading and sign language
2019-11-09 11:00 - 14:30 | Archives+ Ground Floor
Join us for a free event exploring how language is more than just what we hear. Seeing the face of someone talking helps us understand what they are saying. Signed languages, such as British Sign Language (BSL), use hand and body movements to ‘say’ anything that can be expressed in spoken language. Take part in fun activities to discover how seeing the person is important in communication.
Free – register here

Retro Silent Disco
2019-11-08 20:00 - 23:59
Hurrah. The next Retro Silent Disco is on Friday 8th November. The day the Christmas Markets open in Manchester! Spend the early evening soaking up the festive atmosphere in Albert Square, then dance the night away in the fabulous Central Library.
Don’t worry, we won’t be overdoing the Christmas songs that early in November. We’re planning to party with the best retro hits from the 60’s to the 90s!
8pm till midnight. Over 18’s only. Bar open all evening.

EY3 Media: A Manchester Phenomenon
2019-11-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Performance Space
Founded by Nik Nagarkar of the internationally critically acclaimed grime and dubstep collective Virus Syndicate. EY3 Media was birthed as a record company to go on to become one of the leading 360 creative and digital agencies in the UK.Nik will talk us through the unusual journey from the underground music industry into the blue chip corporate boardroom.

Our Town Hall
2019-11-07 08:00 - 2020-01-31 17:00 | Lower Ground Floor Exhibition Space
This exhibition showcases the Our Town Hall project on the major refurbishment to Manchester Town Hall, taking place until 2024. During this time, a series of creative projects that connect the people of the city with the Town Hall will run – engaging new networks of artists, organisations, communities and international partners to work together.
Free – please drop-in

Word Central - Open Mic Night
2019-11-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Performance Space
Open Mic Poetry and Spoken Word hosted by Tony Curry.
Wednesday 6th November at Manchester Central Library, St. Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 5PD.
6pm – 8pm [doors open 5.30pm] – Free Entry.
We have two special guest poets in November, Emma Purshouse and Steve Pottinger, members of
the Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists collective in Wolverhampton.
Emma’s debut collection Close was published last autumn and follows on from her volume of
children’s poems, I Once Knew A Poem Who Wore A Hat, which won the Rubery Prize in 2017.
In the past twelve months she has won both the Making Waves poetry competition and the Shambala
Festival poetry slam. She will also be included in the Common People anthology for emerging
working-class writers and is currently responsible for an ongoing, multi-artist project by Multistory in
Sandwell, West Midlands.
Steve is a born story-teller. His latest collection a fine fine place was published in autumn 2017, and
followed on from the acclaimed more bees, bigger bonnets. This year he was one of the winners of
the Bread & Roses poetry competition and has worked closely with the CWU on delivering spoken word and poetry for their members. Steve has entertained audiences throughout the UK and you can expect poems on subjects from the personal right through to the global, with a wild detour via
outrageous dreaming.
Open mic spots for November are available to book from Wednesday 16th October via
mail@flapjackpress.co.uk.
N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes maximum and allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis.
If the open mic slots are already filled you will be offered a space on the reserve list.
In association with Manchester Libraries and Flapjack Press.
www.facebook.com/WordCentral
www.twitter.com/@WordCentralMcr
www.flapjackpress.co.uk

How Children Think
2019-11-06 10:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Join us for our family fun day all about how children think about the social world. There will be fun activities to discover how children reason and co-operate with their friends and family! Take part in FREE story time sessions with puppets. music and crafts. Suitable for children aged 0-8 and their adults

Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration
2019-11-02 13:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Come and join us in a unique and special ancient Mexican celebration Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead). In Mexican culture it is believed that during this time of the year your lost loved ones come back to visit. Family and friends gather together to honour their relatives and friends by cooking their favourite dishes, dancing, playing music, and telling their favourite stories. Visiting their graves and create elaborate beautiful decorated altars in their homes to welcome them. This is all a part of celebrating the cycle of life.
This exciting event will feature traditional dances performed by Colibri Mexican Folkdance UK, followed by a craft workshop for children where they can have lots of fun participating in Day of the Dead themed activities. During the workshop there will also be a free screening of a children’s film on this theme.
An authentic example of a typical Mexican altar (ofrenda) that is present in every Mexican households at this time of the year will also be on display in the Archives+ area on the ground floor of the library for 3 weeks.
Free drop-in, suitable for all ages

Safe Homes and Better Futures for LGBTQ & Young People: 30 years of akt
2019-11-01 09:00 - 2019-12-31 17:00 | Lower Ground Floor Link
Founded in Manchester by former foster carer and straight ally Cath Hall in 1989, akt (formerly The Albert Kennedy Trust) now works to support LGBTQ+ young people facing homelessness across the UK. This portrait exhibition celebrates faces from throughout its lifetime, including patrons, ex-service users, mentors, carers and Cath herself.
Free – please drop-in

Brilliant Balance Workshop
2019-10-31 13:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Come and balance objects, yourself and other people with the Circus House group. Skills covered include spinning plates, tight-wire and acro-balance. 2 sessions at 1.30-2.30 and 3-4 pm, plus free craft activities.
Suitable for 4-12 year olds
Free drop in but places are limited

Black Then, Black Now: Black History Month 2019
2019-10-30 11:00 - 20:00, 2019-10-28 11:00 - 20:00 | Performance Space
The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust and Big People Music present 3 days of history, 3 days of futurity on the 1st, 28th and 30th October.
Come and experience black culture, what it means, and why unifying a social movement forward is crucial to how we define a legacy.
We encourage you to be open about the experiences that shape your concept of blackness, as the movement continues to expose narratives that reshape the social stereotype of what black history was, to what it is.
Over the three days, events will include a series of art performances and workshops curated from real life stories of the diaspora surrounding food, creativity, art, health and wellbeing. Keep an eye on the Eventbrite, website calendar and social media platforms (@aiucentre) for individual events.
All BHM events are FREE, but please head over to the Eventbrite page as some events have limited places and require booking

Get Ready for Halloween!
2019-10-29 14:00 - 16:00 | Media Lounge
Looking for inspiration for a Halloween outfit? Why not drop in to our Media Lounge and have a go a creating those important witches hats, wands and more? We will assist by using sewing machines for the finishing touches.
Free – family drop in

The Escape Act: A Holocaust Memoir
2019-10-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Jewish Museum Pop-up Space
Join us for this hybrid talk / performance, led by academic and artist Stav Meishar. Stav will discuss the lives of Jewish circus artists during Nazi regime, their legacies and their fates, as well as the process of transforming real stories into her stage work. The talk will be woven with excerpts from Stav’s theater-circus show, The Escape Act – A Holocaust Memoir’.
For queries, contact Laura at: laura@mancesterjewishmuseum.com
Free (collection after talk – pay what you wish)

First Person – Theatre Performance
2019-10-28 14:00 - 16:30
Two players enter a virtual world and compete for the ultimate prize: happiness. Made especially for public spaces and influenced by video games; First Person is a quirky fusion of fast paced promenade theatre and physical performance. Grab your headphones, predict your winner and cheer them on. Part of the Big Imaginations Festival. 30 min performance at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.
Suitable for 4+
Free drop in, but places are limited
(Wear comfortable shoes)

Sunday Spooktacular
2019-10-27 16:00 - 20:00
As part of Manchester’s Halloween in the City weekend, we are celebrating with a totally Spooky Sunday at Manchester Central Library.
We have many tricks and treats planned for those children brave enough to enter the haunted library!
Marvel at the magical drag queen storytellers
Discover the demonic disco
Create some creepy crafts
Watch a fearsome film
Take the trick or treat trail
Suitable for (very brave) children aged 7-12.
All children must be accompanied adults and all adults must be accompanied by a child. We don’t want anyone getting scared on their own!
To find out what else is happening at Halloween in the City visit www.visitmanchester.com/Halloween

Vaster than Empires - Poems about Vegetables
2019-10-26 14:30 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Grey Hen Press invites you to the book launch of ‘Vaster then Empires’ their latest poetry anthology.
Love them, sometimes loathe them, vegetables are such a part of our daily lives it can be hard to take a fresh look. Within the covers of this book you will find a market stall of beauty and desirability which will change the way you look at your 5- a- day.
‘A feast of an anthology! Funny, educative, sexy and thought-provoking, a group celebration of the humble vegetable quickly turns to pure deliciousness. From aubergine to artichoke, salsify to turnip — there’s something here for every poetry palate.’ Helena Nelson
The event will feature poets Alison Chisholm, Kerry Darbishire, Rosemary Doman and Joy Howard who will be reading from the anthology and discussing their work.
Free event. Everyone welcome.

Living Library
2019-10-26 13:00 - 16:00 | Media Lounge
A campaign that aims to change the record on ageing – Talking About My Generation – hosts people aged 50 and over, from different walks of life, who will share their personal stories that challenge age-related prejudice and stereotypes. Visitors can browse the bookcase of titles and choose the book they want to read. However, in the Living Library, books are people, and reading consists of a conversation.
Free – please drop in
