Library Live

Debate Club
2020-02-17 17:00 - 19:00 UTC | Seminar Suite, Floor Two
Join young people who want to discuss and debate a range of subjects in this informal setting. This month’s debate club coincides with Refugee Week, and young people will be discussing issues faced by children torn from their home. If you are a young person who has relocated to the UK, come and join us and share your experiences.
Free – please drop in

Unspeakable: John Bercow - In Conversation
2020-02-18 19:00 - 21:00
Blackwell’s Manchester and Manchester Libraries are honoured to be hosting JOHN BERCOW at Manchester Central Library on Tuesday 18th February. The former Speaker of the House of Commons will be talking about his new biography Unspeakable.
About the book:
Unspeakable is John Bercow’s characteristically forthright and incisive account of his unique vantagepoint into British politics. Containing verdicts on many of the leading figures of this era, from Tony Blair to David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson, Bercow explores and explains the ways in which he has sought to democratise the business of Parliament, using the Speakership to champion the rights of backbench MPs and hold the government to account.
In his own words, “I made friends and enemies alike, but from start to finish I sought to do the right, rather than the convenient, thing and to be a decent public servant.” From the start, Bercow tackles head-on his regretted fascination with definably right-wing attitudes and describes his inexorable march to more progressive thinking since his election as Member of Parliament for Buckingham in 1997. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the business of politics and how our democracy is – or should be – run, with fascinating insights into Bercow’s family background and early interest in politics.
When Bercow retired as Speaker of the House of Commons on 31st October, he had become one of the most recognisable and iconoclastic figures in British politics, and had created a vacancy of huge importance. As Speaker since 2009 he had a ringside seat during one of the most febrile periods in modern British history, presiding over the Commons while it had to contend with key issues such as austerity in the light of the financial crisis; the coalition government between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats; and of course the most intractable problem of all – how to deliver on the 2016 referendum decision that Britain should leave the EU.
About the author:
John Bercow was elected as Member of Parliament for Buckingham on behalf of the Conservative Party in 1997. He was elected as the Speaker of the House of Commons in June 2009 and retired on 31st October 2019. He is married with three children.
Tickets for this event are £8 or £25 for a book and ticket bundle (plus booking fee). Doors open at 6.30pm and seating is unallocated. For more information please contact the shop on 0161 274 3331 or email: manchester@blackwell.co.uk.

Museum of Me Collage Workshop
2020-02-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Activity Room (Lower Ground Floor)
This workshop will be of interest to people who would like to find a new and creative way to explore their family history and want to learn more about how encounters with objects can stimulate strong emotions and feelings. Artist Helena Tomlin has been working with the Centre for Jewish Studies at The University of Manchester to create a piece of work in response to two objects she has selected from the collection of objects at the John Rylands Library: an Esther scroll and a marriage contract, which form part of The 50 Jewish Objects. Helena aims to share in this workshop her methods of working which include text, collage and stitch to help participants create a small box artwork on the theme of The Museum of Me.
Limited numbers – book below

LGBTQ+ MIXTAPE
2020-02-19 18:00 - 20:00
This LGBT History Month Unlocking Our Sound Heritage presents an intimate room of curated archive audio and immersive projections.
Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community took to both the streets and the dancefloor in response to the AIDS crisis and the introduction of Section 28.
The event explores these vital spaces of defiance by pairing key BBC Radio Manchester news stories with Manchester’s favourite disco tracks.
https://northwestsoundheritage.org/
You can find out more about the national Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project at the British Library’s website. Unlocking Our Sound Heritage is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
https://www.bl.uk/projects/unlocking-our-sound-heritage

The Poetry Exchange
2020-02-21 09:30 - 2020-02-22 16:00
Is there a poem that has been a friend to you? You are invited to book an individual slot to come and explore a poem that has been a friend to you, in conversation with The Poetry Exchange team. The conversation will take place in a quiet corner of Manchester Central Library, over a cup of tea, with two members of The Poetry Exchange team. Together, you’ll explore your chosen poem and the ways it has been a friend to you in your life. In exchange, you’ll receive a gift: a special recording of your chosen poem, inspired by the conversation. You are welcome to bring along a poem written in any language, preferably with an accompanying English translation. The conversation will be held in English but an interpreter can be arranged on request. Alternatively, you are very welcome to bring along a friend or family member to act as an interpreter for you, as part of the conversation.
Please note: we invite you to explore a poem that you have read or encountered, rather than written, since it is the connection between a reader and the words of another that we are exploring through The Poetry Exchange.
Exchanges (lasting 45 minutes) are still available at the following times:
Friday 21st: 09:30; 10:45; 12:00; 13:30; 16:00
Saturday 22nd: 09:30; 10:45; 12:00; 14:45; 16:00
Free – booking required
To book your visit to The Poetry Exchange – or if you have any questions – please contact Sally Anglesea on sally@thepoetryexchange.co.uk or 07598 596885

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International Mother Language Day
2020-02-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
Join us for a fun packed celebration. Communities from across the city will be delivering cultural performances and traditional crafts to share their heritage and celebrate our multilingual Manchester. Pop into the mushaira poetry pod to meet a local poet or share your own favourite poem with the Poetry Exchange. Listen to a collection of oral histories from the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre and sample delicious world food nibbles on the day!
Free – please drop in

Festival of Belonging
2020-03-07 09:00 - 2020-03-14 17:00
Join Manchester Jewish museum in a multi-arts festival, exploring what makes us feel that we belong, how we assimilate in new places and what happens when we don’t belong. We have been thinking about the stories of Jewish people who came to Manchester in playful and creative ways. There’s theatre, comedy, music, installations, family story-telling and a unique foodie film experience to enjoy!
For more information and tickets:
https://www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com/whats-on-2/

International Women’s Day
2020-03-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Performance Space
Celebrate International Women’s Day with activities and some special community led performances. Find out more about health, employment, education and opportunities for Manchester women and girls, or just relax and catch up with friends. You can also take part in the walk through the city that leaves Cathedral Gardens at 12pm, arriving at the library around 1pm.
Free – all welcome

Spanish Story Time
2020-03-07 14:00 - 14:30 | Lower Ground Floor Link
Come along to a new session of stories, songs and activities in Spanish, suitable for 4-7 year olds
Monthly on a Saturday from 2.00-2.30. No need to book. Dates for 2020

7th March
4th April
2nd May
23rd May
27th June
19th September
10th October
14th November
12th December

Free – please drop in

Roving Robots Coding Workshop
2020-03-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Media Lounge
THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
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 or more, is welcome to join us to learn how to code these cute and friendly robots.
Free – please drop in

Xian Xinghai: The People’s Composer
2020-03-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
Xian Xinghai (1905-1945) is one of the most famous Chinese composers of the 20th century. Thanks to his hardworking nature and international education, he composed numerous music pieces ranging from mass songs to more complex music formats, such as his most notable work ‘The Yellow River Cantata’. This talk aims to outline Xian’s life and his educational background, which is mainly characterised by missionary schools in China and Paris conservatory in France.
The speaker Laura Mazuchova, a recent Chinese Studies MA graduate will also briefly outline the Second Sino-Japanese War, as it is the period of his highest productivity. She will attempt to raise some questions about his musical ambitions on national and international level, his connection with the Chinese Communist Party and his overall contribution to Chinese musical heritage.

Word Central Open Mic Night with Emma Decent
2020-03-18 18:00 - 19:45 | Performance Space
THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
WORD CENTRAL open mic poetry and spoken word hosted by Tony Curry with special guest Emma Decent.
Wednesday 18th March at Manchester Central Library
6pm – 7.45pm [doors open 5.30pm] – Free Entry.
March’s special guest Emma Decent has been writing and performing for over fifteen years. She has produced two solo shows using theatre, poetry and multimedia, which have toured nationally and been described as captivating and inspiring. Emma will be bringing some new work to Word Central.
You can book your open mic slot from 2nd March via mail@flapjackpress.co.uk.
N.B. Open mic slots are 3 minutes per performer.
Performance slots are allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis from the stated booking day – if the open mic slots are already filled you will be offered a space on the reserve list.
In association with Flapjack Press and Manchester Libraries.
www.flapjackpress.co.uk/page40.htm | www.facebook.com/WordCentral | www.twitter.com/@WordCentralMcr

Club Ceoil: Manchester’s Irish Traditional Music Archive
2020-03-19 17:00 - 18:30 | Henry Watson Music Library
THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
A celebration of Manchester’s traditional Irish music with young musicians, plus a presentation exploring the collaboration of the Club Ceoil Archive in partnership with the British Library’s ‘Unlocking Our Sound Heritage’
Free – please drop in

Children's Chatter Books Reading Group
2020-03-21 08:00 - 17:00
CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Do you like reading and trying new activities? Do you want to share books you have read and make new friends?
We are starting a very special new reading group at Central Library and we are looking for members aged 8-10 year old. The reading group will run for 6 sessions. We will meet once a month on Saturdays and you will get a special joining pack to help you record the books you read.
Every session will have a theme and activities around it (i.e. superheros, comics, spies, animals). If it’s your birthday in the month then you will receive a book as a gift!
We only have 10 places, so if you are interested please email m.pasha@manchester.gov.uk and we will contact you to let you know if you have a place and further details.
If you don’t get a place in the group you will be placed on a waiting list.

Louis Kossuth Commemoration
2020-03-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Archives+ Ground Floor
THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
An event to celebrate the 172nd anniversary of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, organised by the Hungarian English Cultural Society, including the official opening of the exhibition, ‘Louis Kossuth (1802-1894): Hungarian Statesman, Freedom Fighter, Exile and His Impact on Britain’ which runs from 21 March to Friday 27 March
Free – please drop in

Saturday Spectacular: Celebrating Bilingual Manchester
2020-03-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Performance Space
THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
Seyed Ali Jaberi and the Hamdel Ensemble bring you a hauntingly beautiful music production inspired by Persia’s beloved Sufi Mystic and renowned poet, Rumi. Join our fabulous storyteller and create “A Day out in Manchester”: a giant sized multi-lingual storybook, which will live in the library throughout March. Decorate bags, share a nice message in other languages and get storytelling hints and tips. Produced in partnership with Community Arts North West
Free – please drop in

Classics & Storytelling Performance: Alcestis in Bits
2020-03-25 18:00 - 19:00 | Performance Space
THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED
‘Due to the ongoing global situation with COVID-19, the Manchester Branch of the Classical Association has made the local decision to suspend all its public-facing activities for the remainder of 2019/20’

Remember the morning you walked away, while she yelled down the street? Remember the time he held you so hard you thought your bones would snap? Remember the plate, the cup, the glass – falling, cracking, fracturing? Remember that night? The phone ringing? Remember?
Alcestis: In Bits is about breaking up and breaking down. The losses that leave your life shattered, and the painstaking work of picking up the pieces. Queens and gods, broken crockery and late-night phone calls collide in this live storytelling fusion of ancient myth and modern experience.
Inspired by Phrynichus’ lost tragedy, Alcestis: In Bits playfully, poignantly combines surviving fragments of an ancient tale with story-shards of contemporary heartbreak and endurance.
Stephe Harrop is a professional storyteller, spitting out new words and re-spinning old tales to try and make sense of a crazy world. “A deep thinker with a light-touch and a wealth of material at her fingertips” – Alys Torrance, Story Jam.
Stephe is also a Senior Lecturer in Drama at Liverpool Hope University. You can read more about her work here: http://www.stepheharrop.co.uk/
Manchester Classical Association presents Stephe Harrop in performance, and in discussion with Dr April Pudsey, Manchester Met. University. Light refreshments from 5.30pm, from 6pm a 20 minute performance of Stephe’s recent work Alcestis: in Bits. This will be followed by discussion, and informal Q&A with the audience.
All talks in our series are free and open to the public. We are a local charity and welcome members and anyone who wishes to be involved. Membership helps us fund an annual series of events and a regular series of children’s activity workshops in public libraries https://www.manchesterca.org.uk/

Urban Archaeology - Online Exhibition
2020-05-15 00:00 - 2020-09-30 00:00 | Online
PLEASE NOTE – THIS IS AN ONLINE EXHIBITION
This month, artist / photograper Steve Marland was due to show his fascinating exhibition, Urban Archaeology, in the library’s first floor display cases. Due to Covid 19 and the venue’s temporary closure, this hasn’t been possible. However, we are delighted to be able to show a selection of the images above. Just click on the cursor to the right of each image to view them all. For more detail about each image and to view more of Steve’s work, visit his website: Modern Mooch
Here’s what Steve says about this exhibition:
“This is a journey through time and space by bicycle, around the rugged, ragged streets of East Manchester. Undertaken on Sunday September 2nd 2018. This is type travel – the search for words and their meanings in an ever changing world.”
We wish to thank Steve for making this online exhibition happen.
To make a donation to Manchester Central Library Development Trust to support the future of our cultural and educational programme, please click here

Unsung Radio Play
2020-06-05 19:30 - 20:30 | Online
THIS EVENT IS AN ONLINE PERFORMANCE – CENTRAL LIBRARY IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
The Unsung Collective were due to bring their critically acclaimed show to Manchester Libraries this month. They have now produced a brand new digital version that explores the untold stories of four pioneering and inspirational female figures from our past. Tune in to the launch party at 7.30pm on Friday 5th June @ www.unsungcollective.com/radio
What they say…
Ada Lovelace
Sophia Jex-Blake
Lilian Bader
Andrea Dunbar
Heard of any of them? Neither had we. And we’re meant to be a group of feminists.
Unsung explores the untold stories of four pioneering and inspirational female figures from our past, asking why they, and hundreds like them, have been relegated to the footnotes.
After a critically acclaimed UK tour in 2019, this timely and passionate show from Unsung Collective and Lisa Holdsworth (Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile, Ackley Bridge, Call the Midwife) was set to the stage for spring 2020. Then, covid-19 happened. so, in the true sprit of the determined women whose stories we set out to tell, we turned this knockback into an opportunity. with a soundtrack from Leeds-based three piece electronic band PEAKES.
Unsung is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. With special thanks to Leeds City College and Slung Low.

Manchester: Life Under Lockdown
2020-06-15 00:00 - 2020-09-30 00:00 | Online
PLEASE NOTE – THIS IS AN ONLINE EXHIBITION
Art and Design students and staff at The Manchester College take over Manchester Libraries Instagram account in this online exhibition of work produced during lockdown…
Manchester: Life Under Lockdown documents students’ creative experiences during lockdown and reveal the importance of everyday things, family, pets, gardens and creativity. This photographic exhibition records personal, intimate responses to the crisis and are a fascinating record of these strange and unusual times. The images reflect a range of moving human emotions, situations and settings, from the tranquillity of traffic-less streets to family bonding, connections with nature, loneliness and heightened creativity.
The Instagram takeover replaces a planned week-long display of work at Manchester Central Library and starts on Monday 15 June, initially for the whole week. A new set of images will be added to Instagram each day. For a taster of the images, scroll the image carousel above.
To view many more images and much more detail and interpretation visit: www.instagram.com/manclib_archives
Maria Foran, HOD for Art and Design at The Manchester College, said:
“Though College campuses have been closed during lockdown, our students have still been incredibly busy and creative. Their images are a living breathing document of this strange and challenging time in our history“.
Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Skills, Culture and Leisure, Councillor Luthfur Rahman, said:
“Manchester College students have responded to the coronavirus pandemic by creating a series of emotional and personal images to document their experiences of what it has been like to live through these difficult times in our city. It’s really inspiring to see the College and our libraries team finding ways to work in partnership during the pandemic“.
Thank you to students and staff at The Manchester College for helping to make this digital exhibition happen!
To make a donation to Manchester Central Library Development Trust to support the future of our cultural and educational programme, please click here

Refugee Voices: Virtual Refugee Conversation with Guy from Burundi
2020-06-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Online event

A chance to hear first hand Guy’s account of conflict and displacement…

As part of Refugee Week, Manchester Libraries & Manchester City of Sanctuary have been successful in obtaining funding from Ben and Jerry’s, the ice cream people, to facilitate a virtual Refugee Voices conversation session via NaTakallam (We Speak in Arabic).
Refugee Voices are open conversations with professional refugee Conversation Partners from around the world, who share their personal stories, the context that forced them to leave and the challenges of rebuilding a life. These onine conversations will be hosted by our Libraries of Sanctuary hubs, Central Library, North City Library, Wythenshawe Forum and Longsight Library.
You will be emailed a zoom link to join the conversation the day before.

Refugee Voices: Virtual Refugee Conversation with Shadi from Syria
2020-06-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Online event

Music teacher Shadi, who was forced to leave Syria and relocate in Iraq, shares his passion for reading and teaching music…

As part of Refugee Week, Manchester Libraries & Manchester City of Sanctuary have been successful in obtaining funding from Ben and Jerry’s, the ice cream people, to facilitate a virtual Refugee Voices conversation session via NaTakallam (We Speak in Arabic).
Refugee Voices are open conversations with professional refugee Conversation Partners from around the world, who share their personal stories, the context that forced them to leave and the challenges of rebuilding a life. These onine conversations will be hosted by our Libraries of Sanctuary hubs, Central Library, North City Library, Wythenshawe Forum and Longsight Library.

Russia’s Second Patriotic War in posters, photographs and postcards
2020-06-29 00:00 - 2020-09-30 00:00 | Online
PLEASE NOTE – THIS IS AN ONLINE EXHIBITION
Central Library was due to show this fascinating exhibition from July. Sadly, due to Covid 19 and the venue’s temporary closure, this isn’t possible. However, we are delighted to be able to show a selection of images above. Just click on the cursor to the right of each image to view them all. For more description about each image and to view more of this project, visit the History Research Centre Online Exhibitions at Manchester Metropolitan University website.
Here’s what the University’s Senior Lecturer in the Department of History, Politics and Philosophy, and the exhibition co-ordinator, Catherine Danks, has to say about the exhibition:
For Russia August 1914 marked the start of their Second Patriotic War. Just over a century before in 1812 Russia had triumphed over Napoleon in the Patriotic War. One the eve of war in the summer 1914 the Imperial Russian Empire was far from united. Even previously loyal non-Russian subjects were increasingly alienated, rapid industrialisation and continuing rural backwardness had also contributed to growing social and political unrest. 1905 had been marked by peasant uprisings, mutinies in the armed forces and strikes. In July 1914 on the eve of war, 80% of the factories and commercial centres of the capital city St. Petersburg were closed by a general strike and the Tsar-Emperor Nicholas II was jeered.
This exhibition focuses on the first two years of the Second Patriotic War, 1914-1916. It examines the images of Russia, its history and culture presented in posters and postcards used to mobilise support for the war, raise charitable donations and to sell war bonds. These images stress Russia’s endurance and long history of defeating invaders; they draw upon heroic figures from medieval rulers to contemporary Cossacks, Russia’s Orthodox Christian identity and the solid good sense and tenacity of ordinary people. They also demonise the enemy Germans, Austro-Hungarians and Turks as evil, stupid and cowardly. Russia’s enemies for their part present Russians as cowardly drunkards. Photographs from 1914 show Russian troops valiantly heading to war, but despite some successes, no amount of positive propaganda could maintain national unity and support for Tsar Nicholas, who was forced to abdicate in March 1917.
Acknowledgments:

Manchester Metropolitan University
The St. Petersburg Association for International Cooperation
The Manchester-Saint Petersburg Friendship Society
To make a donation to Manchester Central Library Development Trust to support the future of our cultural and educational programme, please click here

Refugee Voices: Virtual Refugee Conversation with S. Khaled from Syria
2020-06-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Online event
S. Khaled, who was forced to leave Syria and relocate in Iraq, shares his personal narrative of displacement…
As part of Refugee Week, Manchester Libraries & Manchester City of Sanctuary have been successful in obtaining funding from Ben and Jerry’s, the ice cream people, to facilitate a virtual Refugee Voices conversation session via NaTakallam (We Speak in Arabic).
Refugee Voices are open conversations with professional refugee Conversation Partners from around the world, who share their personal stories, the context that forced them to leave and the challenges of rebuilding a life. These onine conversations will be hosted by our Libraries of Sanctuary hubs, Central Library, North City Library, Wythenshawe Forum and Longsight Library.

Refugee Voices: Virtual Refugee Conversation with Asalah from Syria
2020-07-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Online event
Asalah is in her thirties and is originally from Syria. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economy and E-Marketing. In Syria, she worked as a middle school teacher, before moving due to the conflict. After spending a few years in Lebanon, she has been resettled in Italy. She loves teaching.
As part of Refugee Week, Manchester Libraries & Manchester City of Sanctuary have been successful in obtaining funding from Ben and Jerry’s, the ice cream people, to facilitate a virtual Refugee Voices conversation session via NaTakallam (We Speak in Arabic).
Refugee Voices are open conversations with professional refugee Conversation Partners from around the world, who share their personal stories, the context that forced them to leave and the challenges of rebuilding a life. These onine conversations will be hosted by our Libraries of Sanctuary hubs, Central Library, North City Library, Wythenshawe Forum and Longsight Library.

Writing the North - James Clarke and Luke Brown in Conversation
2020-07-27 18:30 - 19:30
Join Lancashire authors James Clarke and Luke Brown at this very northern online book event held in partnership with Manchester Libraries.
Monday 27th July at 6.30pm
Manchester Libraries, And Other Stories and Serpent’s Tail are proud to bring you this online opportunity to meet two of the most exciting new writers in the UK.
James Clarke’s second novel Hollow in the Land is a compound eye view of a post-industrial community in East Lancashire. A journey through the rich, interconnected lives of the locals in all their strangeness and intimacy. James is the winner of the 2019 Betty Trask Prize. He lives in Manchester.
In Theft, Luke Brown’s exhilarating howl of a second novel, the narrator travels between east London and Fleetwood, Lancashire, torn between the town he thought he had escaped and the city that threatens to chew him up. Theft is longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize. Luke teaches at the Centre for New Writing at University of Manchester.
Join these two authors at a free event in which they’ll discuss the influence of the north on their writing and outlook on life, and whether the region receives the prominence it deserves in fiction published recently.

In Praise of Blandness
2020-08-27 10:00 - 2020-12-31 10:00 | First Floor Exhibition Hall
An exhibition of works by Manchester based photographer, Robert John Watson.
Here’s what Robert says about the exhbition:
‘In Praise Of Blandness is in no way mundane. I see the silent in the world. It is a coincidence that most of my pictures have very few or no people in them as we are just coming out of a world wide lockdown. None of the exhibited pictures were taken during this time. In fact, I didn’t take a single picture. I did as advised and stayed at home.
I have predominantly photographed places that go unnoticed. Places and areas that are walked past without a second thought. Often until that particular vista is gone or changed forever. I find myself photographing these views as they are quiet and suit my slow method of photography. I like working without hurry. Shooting with Large Format film demands patience.
In Praise Of Blandness invites the viewer to appreciate the aesthetic of the ordinary and the everyday.’
Free – please drop in

Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020-Online Screening
2020-09-04 08:00 - 2020-09-05 17:00 | Online
Due to Covid19 Manchester Histories presents its first ever DigiFest, taking place on Friday 4 & Saturday 5th September 2020, transmitting live from Central Library’s Performance Space.
You can now see the online programme of events, to find out what’s on and how to get involved. Click here to see the programme. Click here to download the PDF.
Click here to watch the live stream from 6:50pm on Friday and 12-6pm on Saturday
Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020 will mark the 50-year anniversary of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (CSDPA) 1970.
This landmark legislation was pioneered by the late Lord Alf Morris, who subsequently became Britain’s first minister for disabled people. Often described at the Magna Carta for disabled people, this was the first disability rights legislation anywhere in the world and laid the foundations for the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Equality Act 2010.
Alf Morris was born and bred in Manchester and served as an MP for Wythenshawe. Throughout his lifetime, he campaigned tirelessly for the rights of disabled people.
DigiFest brings together disabled and non-disabled people, from organisations and as individuals, who have worked collaboratively to put together DigiFest 2020, with lots of additional content coming from a public call out.
Broadcasting live from Manchester’s Central Library, DigiFest will be hosted by multi-award winning artist and activist Jackie Hagan and leading the celebrations will be Lord Alf Morris’ family.
Jackie says, “I’m delighted to be hosting this event – to celebrate a local working class man like Alf Morris who worked so hard to give disabled people the legal recognition we need.
“We’ve got a fantastic array of talent on board and an exciting way of getting round lock-down that I think will mean more disabled and non-disabled people can attend. People can come to hear so many brilliant disabled artists, a fitting tribute to Alf Morris and his work.”
Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020 is a collaborative programme between The University of Manchester, the family of the late Lord Morris of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Manchester’s Students’ Union, the TUC (Manchester), Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People. Manchester Histories DigiFest 2020 will also kick start other activity click here to find out more.

An Evening with Lesley Pearse
2020-09-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Manchester Libraries, Libraries Connected and Penguin Books invite you to join us for a special Friday evening with the hugely popular author Lesley Pearse.
Lesley Pearse was told as a child that she had too much imagination for her own good. When she grew up she worked her way through a number of jobs, including nanny, bunny girl, dressmaker and full-time mother, before, at the age of forty-nine, settling upon a career that would allow her gifts to blossom: she became a published writer. Lesley lives in Devon and has three daughters and four grandchildren.
WIN A BOTTLE OF FIZZ!
Everyone who registers will be entered into a prize draw to win a bottle of Prosecco (or non alcoholic alternative) to enjoy a glass of while taking part in the event with Lesley. Please remember to fill in your address when registering so we can post it out to you. The closing date is Sunday 20 September.
Liar by Lesley Pearse
Discover the enthralling new story of murder and lies by the bestselling author of ‘You’ll Never See Me Again’.
In a Shepherd’s Bush bedsit, Amelia White dreams of being a reporter. The closest she’s come is selling advertising in the local paper.
Until the fateful day she stumbles on a truly shocking scoop.
Round the corner from her home, she discovers the body of a murder victim, dumped among the rubbish. When the police and reporters descend, Amelia is horrified at the assumptions made and lies soon to be spread about this poor young woman.
Determined to protect the victim from these smears and help her grieving family, she convinces her paper’s editor to allow her to take up her pen and tell the true story.
But when another body is found and the police investigation stalls, Amelia – uncovering new witnesses and suspects in her search for clues – discovers that she may be the only one with any chance of learning the truth and stopping more killings.
If only she can work out who the liar is . . .
Praise for Lesley Pearse
‘Storytelling at its very best’ Daily Mail
‘Evocative, compelling, told from the heart’ Sunday Express
‘Glorious, heartwarming’ Woman & Home
‘Intriguing, heart-tugging, beautifully written’ Closer

Tiny Fun Palaces
2020-10-03 13:30 - 15:00 | Performance Space
Join Angela and Siobhan at Central Library to help you make your Tiny Fun Palace in a Bag. Places are very limited!
Booking is essential via Eventbrite
You can also pick up a Free Mini Fun Palace in a Bag from these libraries: Central Library, Fallowfield Library, Forum Library, Longsight Library and North City Library. The Mini Fun Palace Bag contains a few items to get you started with our activities, plus instructions and links to the videos. You will also need a few other recycling items and anything else you have at home to help decorate your makes. Bags are free but we have limited supplies so Early Birds – get to your local Fun Palace Library and make sure you get one – When they’re gone, they’re gone!
Manchester Libraries will also be online for a fun-filled day of Fun Palace activities from our wonderful communities and partners. We love sharing our passions for arts, culture, science and technology, learning new creative skills and making new friends and this year is no different – we’ve just gone Digital! There’s lots of fun for all ages from children to adults.
There are great activities you can follow at home by checking out our special video demonstrations at Manchester Libraries Facebook page.
