What is a Pop-UP Library? Right now, the library lawn under the tent features displays filled with new books and old favorites to browse and borrow. Here is what you need to know. First, bring your library card and a mask (it’s required). This is a “first come, first served” situation in which one patron or family at a time in the “tent library.” The library will provide hand sanitizer and gloves (as well as lots of great books). The “Adult Library” is offered 1 – 3 p.m. Tuesdays and “Children’s & Teens Library” is offered 2:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays, weather permitting (if it rains, come back the following week).
Families and musical enthusiasts are invited to come by the Manchester-by-the-Sea public library’s lawn on Saturday, September 19 at 2 p.m. where musician and guitarist Paul Speidel will be performing a socially distant live music and history program titled “Jazzin’ The Blues.” Bring a chair or a blanket to settle in and enjoy Speidel’s curated concert of American music and history mixed with a live performance that will take listeners on a musical journey from the beginnings of Jazz and its country blues roots. He will share the music from the 20th century to the present with examples of the blues origins in jazz, latin, soul and a little rock-n-roll. Pieces by classic artists will have some background and history of the music explored along with memorable tidbits about the piece or composer. Paul is a Boston-area blues & jazz guitarist and has been performing professionally in New England since 1990 at libraries, major clubs and festivals. This event is first come, first serve with limited seating due to social distancing rules, but all are welcome to come by the library’s wall and listen in. The library kindly ask that visitors please wear masks and practice social distancing as per Massachusetts state orders. Any visitors who do not follow these orders will be asked to leave the event.
On Thursday, September 24 at 6:30 p.m. the Manchester library will be hosting an online program with New Zealand Antarctic Society member John Rogers as he presents “Ross Sea Antarctica”. John will give a visual presentation of his travels to Antarctica that will display the region’s local wildlife, spectacular scenery, and a history of Antarctic exploration with visits to the historic huts left behind. John Rogers was a student at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch for their Post Graduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies and has worked on cruise ships for southern voyages as a history specialist. To register for this program please email Librarian Rachael Meneades.
Copies of John Lewis’ Across That Bridge and his three-part graphic novel series, The March, are available from the Manchester by the Sea Public Library in multiples for our next October book discussion. We will also be reading Stacy Abram’s, “Our Time is Now” before the next meeting, planned for mid-October. A few copies are currently available, with more on order. Please request any of these titles on or call if you would like assistance.
Anyone interested in reading these titles, joining in on Zoom discussion of them later, is welcome. Many of the titles are adult, some are crossovers for Young Adult and Adult, so teens are welcome, too, with any of the reading. The group is covering many titles that relate to a need for better understanding of diversity and Black Lives Matter, you do not need to read all in order to participate, but the choices allow for many readers to approach the topic together. A group of readers had a very thoughtful time with this summer’s choices of “How to be an Anti-Racist,” by Kendi and “White Fragility,” by DiAngelo in the group’s August Zoom meeting and would welcome hearing from more of the community.
The Annual Summer Book Sale, with donations of great books and good condition withdrawn books, is always such a highlight. It represents countless hours of work of the Friends of the Public Library and generates the largest portion of their annual support for library programs and services. This year, with COVID-19, a book sale isn’t possible. Free Book Bundles, packages by genre (four mysteries, three historical fiction, etc.) in bags are available to take from the book carts and keep, pass onto friends or neighbors but don’t return. The library would rather the books be used and enjoyed than stored away. So, stop by, take a bag from the cart and have fun. There is no fee, just passing along good books. When it comes to supporting the library, the Friends are always there. Please support them too, when it comes to annual membership or gift giving this year.
The library will be Closed on Monday September 7 in observance of Labor Day.
