The North Manchester Public Library offers a great mix of in-person and online programming!  We provide a range of programming for small children to senior citizens (and everyone in between).  Take a look at our calendar to see the literary, culinary, artistic, cultural, and educational activities we have going on each month!  

Virtual programs can be accessed live on Facebook or Zoom.  Recordings are permanently available on the Library's Facebook page. 
Take home kits for many programs are available for free at the front desk and enrich the virtual experience. Attending in person? Supplies for the various activities are made available at each of our in-house programs.

We look forward to getting to know you as we explore the world around us!​

REGULARLY SCHEDULED IN PERSON & ONLINE PROGRAMS

KNITTING & CROCHET GROUP
Every Friday @ 1:30pm in the Conference Room
Whether you are new to knitting and crochet, or have been enjoying this relaxing craft for years, you'll love our weekly Knitting & Crochet Group here at the library! Come join others in the NMPL Conference Room on Friday afternoons for a relaxing time to work on your current craft projects and to meet new friends!
Beginner and eager to learn? You'll find a helpful teacher here! Beginners should bring a pair of needles (size 6 to 9), and a skein of light colored, worsted weight yarn. Worsted weight yarn is also labeled 4. Light colors are recommended as it is easier to see individual stitches with the light color.
All are welcome!

QUILTING & CRAFTING CLUB
Monday, September 19th; Monday, October 10th, Monday, October 24th - from 10am to 4pm in the Blocher Room
If you love crafting, and enjoy gatherings of other creative minds to work on projects together, this club is for you! Gather your current projects, and head to the library to meet up, have a laugh, and share crafting tips and skills in a relaxing environment. All skill levels, mediums, and crafters are welcome!

SPECIAL IN PERSON & ONLINE PROGRAMS

NASA'S ARTEMIS PROJECT READING CHALLENGE
September 1st through September 30
The North Manchester Public Library will participate in the “NASA’s Artemis Project: To the Moon, Mars, and Beyond!” reading challenge sponsored by the Space Science Institute. We challenge our patrons to read 300 minutes each (10 minutes a day) and to keep track of their reading during the challenge on the Beanstack phone app or on our Beanstack site at https://nman.beanstack.org/reader365.
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Hundreds of libraries across the nation will be reading and learning alongside us for a chance to win circulation backpacks of STEM-related resources from the Space Science institute.

NASA is readying the first mission of the Artemis spaceflight program! In ancient Greek mythology, Artemis was the goddess of the Moon and twin sister to the sun god Apollo. Much like NASA’s Apollo program, which took humans to the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s, the Artemis program will take humans back to the Moon and prepare us for traveling to Mars and beyond for the first time.

Participants will discover more about the Artemis program and NASA’s plans for a new generation of crewed spaceflight by completing the activity badges in the Beanstack reading and activity challenge.

All public libraries in the U.S. are eligible to join and participate for a chance to win backpacks filled with STEM-related materials and a telescope!
The Space Science Institute will award the circulation backpacks with STEM-related resources to top performing libraries. Winning libraries will be determined by outreach (number of registrants in relation to population size), active participation, total minutes read, community sharing (Posting about #STEAMinLIB and #BeanBlast on social media will give you a boost!)
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We invite each of our patrons to pre-register at any time and to begin reading up a storm on September 1! Together, we can link up and read for a chance to win STEM backpacks that will benefit the entire community. Happy reading, North Manchester! ​

BANNED BOOKS WEEK
Monday, September 19th - Saturday, September 24th
​Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. It brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.
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This year's theme is "Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us." Sharing stories important to us means sharing a part of ourselves. Books reach across boundaries and build connections between readers. Censorship, on the other hand, creates barriers.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.

Stop by the special display across from the adult circulation desk, check out a banned/challenged book, and celebrate your freedom to read!

MOLLY'S MINI PROJECTS: EARBUD HOLDERS
Tuesday, September 20th @ 3:45pm
Come to this 4 week class where we will create ADORABLE and TINY figurines! From making a tiny cactus to making an ice cream cone (not an edible one), you will surely enjoy this class. Who doesn't love tiny things!?

BANNED BOOKS PICTURE
Wednesday, September 21st @ 6pm on Facebook
Celebrate your freedom to read with your own personalized piece of Banned Book art! Using upcycled book pages, glue, and sharpies, you'll be able to create your own poster - you'll even get to personalize the bookstack with the titles of your own favorite banned books! Grab a kit from the Makerspace-2-Go and tune into Facebook for the instructional video.

​THE NIGHT MARKET
Friday, September 23rd from 8pm to 10pm
Time to glow up! Our first ever Night Market will be a Glow In the Dark extravaganza that the whole family will LOVE!

Come play glow in the dark cornhole, build with glow in the dark Magna Tiles, mix up a batch of glow in the dark slime, paint rocks with glow in the dark paint, and enjoy more fun glow in the dark activities! We'll also have some delicious food for everyone to enjoy - YUM!

But that's not all - you won't want to miss out on our Night Market shopping opportunities! Browse a fun selection of book art, hand knit hats, unique bookends, gently used books (bring your NMPL bucks!), Fall crafts, and the very latest NMPL sweatshirt and t-shirt designs. (You guessed it, the t-shirts will also glow in the dark!)
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Items sold will benefit Friends of the Library and support library programming. If you’re a fan of our Little Bookshop events you are going to LOVE the Night Market! Bring the whole family - all activities are free and no purchase is necessary to enjoy an evening of glowing fun.

MOLLY'S MINI PROJECTS: GUMBALL MACHINE
Tuesday, September 27th @ 3:45pm
Come to this 4 week class where we will create ADORABLE and TINY figurines! From making a tiny cactus to making an ice cream cone (not an edible one), you will surely enjoy this class. Who doesn't love tiny things!?

CD SUNCATCHER 
Wednesday, September 28th @ 6pm on Facebook
Peel off the coating of a CD to reveal a clear underlayer, then transform it into a beautiful, vibrant suncatcher! Learn how by picking up a kit from the Makerspace-2-Go, then tuning into Facebook for the instructional video!

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY FALL BOOKSALE
Thursday, September 29th through Saturday, October 1st @ 9am to 5pm
The Friends of the Library book sale is held in the spring and in the fall each year. The FOL book sale has become a popular shopping spot for both recreational book buyers and book sellers in the area! Purchasing books from the semi-annual book sale is an excellent way of supporting our library. The book sale is a significant fundraiser for FOL, and in turn, supports library programs and updates each year. Find gently used books, DVDs, children's materials, audios, yearbooks and more! You just never know what great book adventure awaits you at the FOL Booksale!

NMPL'S ELECTRIC HALLOWEEN PARTY!
Thursday, October 6th @ 5pm-7pm
Get ready for an electric time at our annual Halloween party!
There will be hay rides, spooky egg and scavenger hunts, a costume contest, blacklight games, and electric science labs. In addition to all the traditional Halloween fun, attendees will enjoy experimenting with static electricity. It’s going to be a hair-raising good time (literally, we’ve got a Van de Graaf Generator you have to try out!).
Tacos Los Gordos will also be present, selling some absolutely DELICIOUS Mexican street food, so plan to bring the family for dinner!
Come in costume, come in regular clothes - just come!
This event is sponsored by Riverbridge Electric.

MEDICARE 101 & YOU
Wednesday, October 12th @ 6pm
The annual Enrollment Period for Medicare is Oct 15th through December 7th, but before you get signed up, join Medicare representative Benjamin Snyder at NMPL for a special informative presentation. This helpful session will cover the basics of Medicare, and will give seniors the tools they need to educate and protect themselves.

GOOGLE SEARCH SECRETS
Thursday, October 13th @ 6pm
Learn helpful tips and tricks to master your google searches and get the results that you're ACTUALLY looking for!
More info coming soon.

CREATIVE WRITER'S RETREAT 
Saturday, October 22nd @ 11am in the Blocher Room
CREATIVE WRITING IS THERAPY FOR YOUR SOUL
Your creative voice is beautiful and unique. It also usually shy and vulnerable. But, if you can be emotionally brave and express it in your own way, you can change the world around you. This is the perfect place for your sensitive soul to relax, express, and be touched by being among other kindred creative spirits.
ALL ARE WELCOME - CREATIVE EXPRESSION KNOWS NO AGE
Many who have attended in the past consider this group a "sacred space." Creative sees creative, and love and light sees love and light. This is a safe place for creative expression. You will be in a warm, encouraging and nurturing setting.
GOOD NEWS! - NO PRESSURE, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO IT WRONG.
Remember this: "There is No Right or Wrong Way to Write from Your Heart."
Bring something to write with and enjoy the experience of creative expression in action. This is not a class or course. There is no test. It's FUN!
Compelling writing prompts are used, and you will have a chance to share with the group. But you don't have to. If you hear the "creative call" and attend, you may be surprised at what you may discover within yourself. Please attend and experience it for yourself.
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These sessions will be taught by Randy Ragan. For additional information, call 260-306-1769.

COOKIES & CANVAS: ONCE UPON A HALLOWEEN NIGHT
Wednesday, October 26th @ 6pm
Hobby painters and beginners will love our Cookies and Canvas series! Step-by-step instructions take participants on a journey towards a beautiful masterpiece. The fun themes are perfect for porch hangings, mantel decorations, and special gifts for family and friends. Love painting but in a dry spell? Let us provide the inspiration for your next piece. Are you a watercolor fiend or an oil painting master? Why not give acrylics a whirl!? Not too confident in your art skills? Give C & C a try - you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results (plus, there will be cookies!).
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​This class is for teens and adults ages 13+ and requires registration. Class size is limited so painting reservations are first-come, first-serve. A materials fee of $8 per person will be due at registration. These fees are non-refundable. Register at the front desk or by the calling the library.