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!
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!
CALENDARS
REGULARLY SCHEDULED IN PERSON & ONLINE PROGRAMS
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STORYTIME
Every Tuesday at 10am Join us for this beloved program... from delightful stories, to silly songs, to cool crafts, Storytime has it all! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None, but recommended for ages 0-5. Registration? None Location: Children's Department |
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TEEN MAKERS
Every Wednesday @ 3:30pm Teens are invited to meet in the NMPL Makerspace for snacks and activities! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: 13-18 Registration? None Location: NMPL Makerspace |
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BABYTIME
Every Thursday at 10am Designed for children from birth to 3 years old and their caregivers, Babytime features books, rhymes, and simple sensory play just right for your little one. Build your baby's foundation for lifelong reading and learning with this engaging program! Families are invited to bring older kids, who can play in the Playroom, craft at the Passive Craft table, or enjoy our computer lab. Caregivers are welcome to stay with the babies, but if you need to choose some books for yourself, or keep an eye on the other kids, your babies will be looked after for you during Babytime! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: 0-3 (and caregivers) Registration: No Location: Picture Book Room |
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BETWEEN
Every Thursday @ 3:30pm Tweens are invited to meet in the NMPL Makerspace for snacks and activities! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: Ages 9-12 Registration? None Location: NMPL Makerspace |
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QUILTING & CRAFTING CLUB
Thursday, December 7th; Thursday, December 21st from 10am to 4pm 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! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: NMPL Blocher Room |
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KNITTING & CROCHET GROUP
Every Friday @ 1:30pm 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. Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: NMPL Conference Room |
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COZY-UP STORYTIME
Every Saturday in December at 9am on Facebook Join us for Cozy-Up Storytime right from your own home! Grab your stuffed animals and a cozy blanket, and tune into Facebook for songs and stories! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: All ages Registration: No Location: NMPL Facebook Page |
SPECIAL IN PERSON & ONLINE PROGRAMS
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PASSIVE CRAFT OF THE WEEK: WINTER PAPER DOLLS
Monday, December 4th-Saturday, December 9th Do you love the different NMPL crafts, but can't fit another thing into your schedule? Do you want to get creative with the kiddos, but don't want to deal with the mess afterwards? Passive Crafts are the solution for you! Each week, a new fun, simple and engaging craft will be set up at the Passive Craft Table in the Children's Department. Stop by ANY time the library is open and spend time crafting at your leisure! No specific times to memorize... no clean up after... just good creative fun! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: Children's Department |
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PUZZLE SWAP
Monday, December 4th from 4pm to 6pm It’s the coziest time of the year and we highly recommend puzzling as a great way to spend your time indoors! The library has a great selection of kids’ and adult puzzles available for checkout, but maybe you’re looking for a little something more? Or perhaps your shelves are already overflowing with puzzles you’ve already put together? Never fear, the Puzzle Swap is here! Bring your puzzles to the Blocher Community Room and enjoy swapping old puzzles for “new” ones with other puzzling fans. Don't have any puzzles to swap? Come anyway, as many attendees will have puzzles to give away, no swap necessary! What a great way to refresh your collection for free! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: All ages Registration: None Location: Blocher Community Room |
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FUTURE LIBRARIANS OF NMPL: BOOK TASTING & DISPLAYS
Tuesday, December 5th @ 4pm If you like...
We are so excited to offer this new librarian-in-training program to the kids in our community who may someday want to work at NMPL! From "getting the job", to learning the Dewey Decimal system, to caring for the collection, attendees will learn all sorts of useful skills and get hands-on experience being a librarian. Register today for our 5 week session - spots are limited so don't delay! This Week: Setting up enticing book displays isn't just about judging a book by it's cover... you also need to have a theme, choose books that will capture the interest of your readers, and be able to promote these titles to patrons. This week, the Future Librarians will participate in a Book Tasting to help them design and set up a front desk display! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: Ages 8 and up Registration: Yes. Sign up for the 5 week class by clicking this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0944A9AB28A7F5CF8... Location: Blocher Community Room |
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WINTER SNOWMEN FELTING CLASS WITH KRUGER KRAFTS
Wednesday, December 6th @ 5pm Come learn the art of needle felting at the library! "It's so EASY!" is the common refrain from those who try this fun craft for the first time! A fun addition to your seasonal holiday décor or nature table, these festive little cuties require no sewing, knitting, or crocheting skills. Participants will be able to customize their snowman by choosing their own yarn colors and accessories. Taught by experience crafter Rachel Kruger, this class will provide expert step-by-step instruction and helpful hands-on guidance. Simply follow along and watch your snowman come to life! Program Cost: $30 to make one snowman (includes needle, wool roving, instruction, pads, and decorations). Extra snowman will cost an additional $20. Cash or checks (payable to Rachel Kruger) only. Program Age Requirements: 13+ (No children under the age of 13 due to the sharp/barbed needles used for this craft.) Registration: Yes, at the NMPL circulation desk. Location: NMPL Blocher Room |
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HOMESCHOOL ART CLASS: FOLK ARTIST MAUD LEWIS
Friday, December 8th @ 2pm Maud Lewis’ life was marked by family abandonment, physical disability, poverty - and an immense appreciation of beauty. Selling her cheerful artworks for a few dollars at the side of the road, a growing appreciation of her life and talent in recent years has resulted in 5- and 6-figure auction sales. Come learn about this remarkable woman and enjoy painting in her style! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: Kindergarten - High School Registration: Yes, please click link to sign up. https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0944A9AB28A7F5CF8... Location: Blocher Community Room |
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PASSIVE CRAFT OF THE WEEK: TINY CHRISTMAS TREES
Monday, December 11th-Saturday, December 16th Do you love the different NMPL crafts, but can't fit another thing into your schedule? Do you want to get creative with the kiddos, but don't want to deal with the mess afterwards? Passive Crafts are the solution for you! Each week, a new fun, simple and engaging craft will be set up at the Passive Craft Table in the Children's Department. Stop by ANY time the library is open and spend time crafting at your leisure! No specific times to memorize... no clean up after... just good creative fun! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: Children's Department |
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LAB RATS: MAGNETISM
Monday, December 11th @ 6pm It’s science time! We'll test the ability of magnetic forces to penetrate "walls" of different materials, create a hovering magnet, assess the effect of magnets on a compass, and enjoy some magnetic fishing. This program was made possible with the support of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-Region 4’s Science Kits for Public Libraries grant. Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: Ages 9 and up Registration: None Location: Blocher Community Room |
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FUTURE LIBRARIANS OF NMPL: WHEN A BOOK COMES BACK
Tuesday, December 12th @ 4pm If you like...
We are so excited to offer this new librarian-in-training program to the kids in our community who may someday want to work at NMPL! From "getting the job", to learning the Dewey Decimal system, to caring for the collection, attendees will learn all sorts of useful skills and get hands-on experience being a librarian. Register today for our 5 week session - spots are limited so don't delay! This Week: What happens to a book when a patron returns it to the library? The Future Librarians will get hands-on experiences with emptying the book bins, checking in and cleaning the returns, and getting the books ready to go back on the shelves! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: Ages 8 and up Registration: Yes. Sign up for the 5 week class by clicking this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0944A9AB28A7F5CF8... Location: Blocher Community Room |
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HOLIDAY MOVIE MATINEE: A GARFIELD CHRISTMAS
Wednesday, December 13th @ 4pm "Everyone's favorite wise-cracking, lasagna-loving feline Garfield gets festive in this Christmas special." Join us in the Blocher Room for hot buttered popcorn, coloring pages, and this fun movie! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration: None Location: Blocher Community Room |
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YOU CAN PAINT WITH HEIDI LOVETT: SNOWY BARN
Wednesday, December 13th @ 6pm Have you ever looked at a gorgeous painting and thought 'I could never do that'? Now... you can! Certified painting instructor Heidi Lovett will provide step-by-step instructions to guide you towards creating your own beautiful masterpiece in a fun and helpful environment. 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 $10 per person will be due at registration. These fees are non-refundable. Register at the front desk. Program Cost: $10 Program Age Requirements: 13+ Registration? Yes. Register at the front desk. Location: NMPL Blocher Room |
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PAPER PLATE SNOW TWIRLERS
Wednesday, December 13th @ 6pm Decorate your home this holiday season with these beautiful Paper Plate Snow Twirlers! Not only are they simple to make, but the results are super pretty - imagine ton of these hanging up in your home or classroom all spinning around! Grab a kit from our Makerspace-2-Go, then tune into Facebook for the instructional video, featuring our Future Librarian Junior Helpers! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: NMPL Facebook Page |
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WINTER READING: POLAR EXPRESS BEGINS
Thursday, December 14th @ 9am ALL ABOARD! The North Manchester Public Library’s Winter Reading Program is back and it’s better than ever! This year, we’re visiting the North Pole with a magical Polar Express theme to get everyone excited about books, audiobooks, and eBooks. Winter Reading: Polar Express is open to children, teens, and adults. The Winter Reading Program begins December 14th and ends February 14th. Participants can register and track reading on the free Beanstack app (found in the app store on any smart device) or by using the Beanstack laptops at the library’s circulation desks. Each hour of reading logged earns 2 tickets. Tickets are entered in drawings for a wide variety of fabulous prizes donated by local businesses. NMPL is also excited to announce the return of the collaborative Paint by Sticker poster at the library! As readers log hours, they’ll earn stickers to add to the poster. The image starts as a mystery and it builds as everyone adds stickers to create a surprising masterpiece. Winter Readers can sign up for Winter Reading: Polar Express anytime beginning Thursday, December 14th and are encouraged to read titles of their own interests in their preferred format at their own pace. Readers can even count books they read to others! We hope everyone will join this wonderful program… and in the meantime, stay tuned for more information coming soon! |
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HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE: ATOMS
Friday, December 15th @ 2pm Join us for an in-depth session on atoms, the Billiard Ball and Plum Pudding Models of atomic theory, covalent bonds, and more. We’ll dive into hands-on experiments that will help us visualize ethanol, glucose, caffeine and other building blocks of the world around us. This program was made possible with the support of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-Region 4’s Science Kits for Public Libraries grant. Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: Ages 8 and up Registration: Yes. Click the link to sign up. https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0944A9AB28A7F5CF8... Location: Blocher Community Room |
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PASSIVE CRAFT OF THE WEEK: POPSICLE STICK SANTA HATS
Monday, December 18th-Saturday, December 23rd Do you love the different NMPL crafts, but can't fit another thing into your schedule? Do you want to get creative with the kiddos, but don't want to deal with the mess afterwards? Passive Crafts are the solution for you! Each week, a new fun, simple and engaging craft will be set up at the Passive Craft Table in the Children's Department. Stop by ANY time the library is open and spend time crafting at your leisure! No specific times to memorize... no clean up after... just good creative fun! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: Children's Department |
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LAB RATS JUNIOR: MAGNETISM
Monday, December 18th @ 6pm Time to explore the world around us with awesome hands-on activities. We’ll go on a scientific expedition around the library in search of magnetic objects, turn iron into a magnet, make magnets "jump" and more! This program was made possible with the support of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-Region 4’s Science Kits for Public Libraries grant. Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: Ages 5 - 8 Registration: None Location: Blocher Community Room |
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INDIANA BIRD BINGO & BIRD FEEDERS WITH PURDUE EXTENSION
Wednesday, December 20th @ 4pm Time to explore the world around us with awesome hands-on activities. We’ll go on a scientific expedition around the library in search of magnetic objects, turn iron into a magnet, make magnets "jump" and more! This program was made possible with the support of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-Region 4’s Science Kits for Public Libraries grant. Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: All ages Registration: None Location: Blocher Community Room |
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CANDY CANE WREATHS
Wednesday, December 20th @ 6pm on Facebook Extra holiday candy canes transform into a gorgeous Christmas wreath! This fun and easy to make DIY will look absolutely STUNNING on your front door this holiday season. Grab a kit from our Makerspace-2-Go, then tune into Facebook for the instructional video, featuring our Future Librarian Junior Helpers! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: NMPL Facebook Page |
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PASSIVE CRAFT OF THE WEEK: PAPER CUP SNOWMAN
Wednesday, December 27th-Saturday, December 30th Do you love the different NMPL crafts, but can't fit another thing into your schedule? Do you want to get creative with the kiddos, but don't want to deal with the mess afterwards? Passive Crafts are the solution for you! Each week, a new fun, simple and engaging craft will be set up at the Passive Craft Table in the Children's Department. Stop by ANY time the library is open and spend time crafting at your leisure! No specific times to memorize... no clean up after... just good creative fun! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: Children's Department |
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POM POM SNOW MAN WREATHS
Wednesday, December 27th @ 6pm on Facebook This ADORABLE snowman wreath will be the envy of the neighborhood! Cute, colorful, and oh-so-festive, what's not to love about this fun DIY craft? Grab a kit from our Makerspace-2-Go, then tune into Facebook for the instructional video, featuring our Future Librarian Junior Helpers! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: None Registration? None Location: NMPL Facebook Page |
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NOON YEAR'S EVE PARTY
Friday, December 29th @ 11:30am Join us for our annual Noon Year's Eve party as we count down to the "noon year"! With a freeze dance challenge, balloon games, a story, and pom pom shooters, this will be a great way to end 2023! Program Cost: Free Program Age Requirements: All ages Registration: None Location: Blocher Community Room |