Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT, 06040

Join us for a soothing and relaxing evening for adults to sit and color. Decompress, listen to light music, and enjoy the company of others. No registration required for this free program for adults.

Local Event: Adult Coloring Night

Hartford County

Manchester

Connecticut

Adult Coloring Night

Join us for a soothing and relaxing evening for adults to sit and color. Decompress, listen to light music, and enjoy the...

Manchester Public Library

Join us at the library for Pumpkin Night, where we're ditching traditional carving tools and picking up vibrant markers to decorate your pumpkins. All pumpkins, markers, and supplies will be provided. Just bring your creativity! Spaces are limited to 15. Please call the Teen Desk to register at 860-647-4600.

Local Event: Teen Pumpkin Night: Marker Masterpieces

Teen Pumpkin Night: Marker Masterpieces

Join us at the library for Pumpkin Night, where we're ditching traditional carving tools and picking up vibrant markers to...

Our October selection is "The Reformatory," by Tananarive Due. Copies of the book are available at both library buildings for check out. For more information, call the Reference Desk. About the book, from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com:" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">goodreads.com:</a> Set in Jim Crow Florida, follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he’s sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horrors of racism and injustice, for the living, and the dead. Gracetown, Florida June 1950 Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie’s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory. Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it’s too late. The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award–winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.

Local Event: Take a Walk Together Book Club

Take a Walk Together Book Club

Our October selection is "The Reformatory," by Tananarive Due. Copies of the book are available at both library buildings for...

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Meeting Room #1, 1st Floor
Manchester Public Library presents
<h3>Not So “YA” Book Club – Five Survive by Holly Black</h3>
This group is aimed at (but not limited to) adults who are between the ages 18 -35 who love young adult literature. We read across many genres including historical fiction, fantasy, dystopian, paranormal, horror and realistic fiction.
Eight hours. 
Six friends. 
One sniper . . . 
 
Eighteen-year-old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realize that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the groups has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for. 
 
A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night. Copies of the book are available at both library buildings. No Registration Required.

Local Event: Not So “YA” Book Club – Five Survive by Holly Black

Not So “YA” Book Club – Five Survive by Holly...

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Meeting Room #1, 1st Floor
Manchester Public Library presents
Not So “YA” Book Club –...

Not So “YA” Book Club – Five Survive by Holly Black

Local author Kara LaBella returns to talk about the famous legend behind one of Connecticut's most haunted taverns, Pettibone Tavern. Join us as we hear about life as it was in many of our towns almost 200 years ago -- from epidemics to religious revivals to the dawning industrial revolution -- and how these happenings shaped the events and characters in her latest compelling ghost story. Copies of LaBella’s book will be available for purchase and signing for $10.
No registration required for this free program for adults.

Local Event: Abigail's Ghost: Portrait of an 1830s Connecticut Town

Abigail's Ghost: Portrait of an 1830s...

Local author Kara LaBella returns to talk about the famous legend behind one of Connecticut's most haunted taverns, Pettibone...

Abigail's Ghost: Portrait of an 1830s Connecticut Town

Our November selection is "If It Makes You Happy," by Julie OIivia. Copies of the book are available at both library buildings for check out. For more information, call the Reference Desk. About the book, from <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAcGRvZgFicmlkETFXc2pJakVrMXZQbXhFbkI3c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkvgl2NyJQs2szZMTOrj34nyy1A9_WBcz0Ou81yFkMl4OUm706_94bWx6J1y_aem_O5YDwhFnZGmHWDCwzO8Gng&amp;h=AUAUA-Q2Gthpq8AczZDA4PKPkMyVHbMCtM1F3NUbmHWcZtszNH4orrdXG3kIgQTPAOqJhFO--57zjHOQNt5di9zPaypI7SEoJxjY4U9hE9Uh5e9oMfmZ9LkXlqeEO4eSY6uNbbXTZHIeMH5ApA&amp;__tn__=q&amp;c[0]=AUAU0ExK0Tha_09GQQEOoecPUiaa20cddlrg61lDhAmkMggCBrzNXCr87NRhxbvhS0WK-rl-obDxwCMZev0cmYkAhMeOXvScGAX3XIEZaBQp91_uqJH5pmrHml27_wENbKv0HGeBNZbirk3Th0K4FCILEn_cYSCcMUo" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">www.goodreads.com:</a> My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear. I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out. Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff. Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard. Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe. Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards. So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.

Local Event: Happily Ever After Book Club- November 2026

Happily Ever After Book Club- November 2026

Our November selection is "If It Makes You Happy," by Julie OIivia. Copies of the book are available at both library buildings...

Staff member Valerie will lead you in creating a decorative pie garland to adorn your mantle, doorway, railing, or anywhere your heart desires. All materials will be supplied – however, attendees who own a hot glue gun are encouraged to bring their own to the program. Registration will be required and limited to the first 15 people – visit our website’s program calendar at <a href="https://manchesterpubliclibraryct.events.mylibrary.digital/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://manchesterpubliclibraryct.events.mylibrary.digital/</a>
to reserve your spot or call 860-647-4614 on Wednesday, October 28th to register and for more information. Free program for adults.

Local Event: Make a Pie Garland

Make a Pie Garland

Staff member Valerie will lead you in creating a decorative pie garland to adorn your mantle, doorway, railing, or anywhere...

The Manchester Public Library is pleased to partner with the Connecticut Department of Labor for a free job fair for job seekers. Meet with a variety of organizations and businesses, connect with hiring managers and network with other folks in your profession. Attendees are encouraged to bring current resumes to share. No registration is required for this event for the public.
*The Connecticut Department of Labor is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and equal opportunity program and service provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Email requests to <a href="mailto:dol.beu@ct.gov" target="_blank">dol.beu@ct.gov</a>.*

Local Event: Connecticut Department of Labor Job Fair

Connecticut Department of Labor Job Fair

The Manchester Public Library is pleased to partner with the Connecticut Department of Labor for a free job fair for job...

Churn it up!!!!
Join staff member Michelle for a fun, hands=on experience making butter from scratch! Discover the art of creating delicious, flavorful compound butter that can elevate any meal.Participants will take home two homemade compound butters to enjoy or share.Registration is required for this free event.To register for this program, please visit our program page or call Reference at 860-647-4614.Registrations start on October 29th. &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://manchesterpubliclibraryct.events.mylibrary.digital/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://manchesterpubliclibraryct.events.mylibrary.digital</a>

Local Event: Compound Butter 

Compound Butter 

Churn it up!!!!
Join staff member Michelle for a fun, hands=on experience making butter from scratch! Discover the art of...

Celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, with several themed crafts, festive music, and snacks in this free program for adults. Registration is required and starts 11/2/2026 by either registering through our program calendar on our website (<a href="https://manchesterpubliclibraryct.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=435625&amp;fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAcGRvZgFicmlkETFNVkxLSGl5SERLV2s4MHkyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnTxuhwEXwRpmPF3PJZ1jykbRLDlbQiRjGo2bI3-08elapuPntAu_-oxZoQt_aem_jJwhsXQYqnMkkvARD4cWCQ" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">https://manchesterpubliclibraryct.events.mylibrary.digita...</a>) or by calling our Reference Desk at: 860-647-4614. Space is limited to 16 adults.

Local Event: Celebrate Diwali

Celebrate Diwali

Celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights, with several themed crafts, festive music, and snacks in this free program for...

Join us for an afternoon of fun and board games! Learn to play: Old King’s Crown, Endearment, Take Time, First Giants, Fliptoons Seasons 1 and 2, FUSE, and Tycoon: India.
No need to bring any board games; we'll provide them all. Free program for adults.

Local Event: Silk City Board Game Group- November 2026

Silk City Board Game Group- November 2026

Join us for an afternoon of fun and board games! Learn to play: Old King’s Crown, Endearment, Take Time, First Giants,...

Our November selection is "The Serviceberry" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Copies of the book are available at both library buildings for check out. For more information, call the Reference Desk.
About the book, from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com:" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">goodreads.com:</a>&nbsp;
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass, a bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the natural world. As Indigenous scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests Serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the Serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of interconnectedness and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, rather than accumulation, where wealth and security come from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.” As Elizabeth Gilbert writes, Robin Wall Kimmerer is “a great teacher, and her words are a hymn of love to the world.”&nbsp;The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times and a reminder that “Hoarding won’t save us. . . . All flourishing is mutual.”

Local Event: Check 'Em Out Book Club- November 2026

Check 'Em Out Book Club- November 2026

Our November selection is "The Serviceberry" by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Copies of the book are available at both library buildings...

Recycling can seem confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Find out how recycling actually works, what happens to recycling after the cart is empties, and why only specific items are allowed. Celebrate America Recycles Day at the Manchester Library with returning speaker Sherill Baldwin, Environmental Analyst Sustainable Materials Management, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. No registration required for this free program for adults.

Local Event: Recycling in CT: What's In and What's Out

Recycling in CT: What's In and What's Out

Recycling can seem confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Find out how recycling actually works, what happens to recycling after...

Is your book club in a rut, reading the same types of books over and over again? Do you find that you’re reading the same books everyone else is reading and want to change it up? Join Lynn (Reader’s Advisor) and Jenn (Head of Reference and Adult Services Librarian) as they discuss the books they are most excited about for book clubs. They will chat about the top 20 books that they would recommend. No registration required for this free program for adults.

Local Event: Book Club Book Chat- Winter Edition

Book Club Book Chat- Winter Edition

Is your book club in a rut, reading the same types of books over and over again? Do you find that you’re reading the same books...

Lecturer John Mills is a trained Genealogist, descendant of the enslaved and President of the Alex Breanne Corporation, a Connecticut-based non-profit. The Alex Breanne Corporation focuses on research, interrogation and presentation of lesser known stories of the American enslaved. John unearths little known people, with intent to inject them into the landscape of the communities where they lived, worked or died. He then finds current-day descendants and gives them back their history.
Mills’ research led him to the Lathrop family of Norwich, CT, whose patriarch, Primus, was captured as a child from his home in Africa. While enslaved to Ebenezer Lathrop, Primus married a woman named Venus and together they had a son named Job. Job would go on to fight in the Revolutionary War, only to return and remain enslaved. Mills will share details about the Lathrop family’s journey for freedom and their long-lasting patriotic legacy. Mills’ research was published earlier this year in a new book, The Narrative of Primus: A Lineage Woven into American History, available for purchase and signing at the event.

Local Event: Stories of Connecticut's Black Patriots

Stories of Connecticut's Black Patriots

Lecturer John Mills is a trained Genealogist, descendant of the enslaved and President of the Alex Breanne Corporation, a...

Chris Dehnel

Hartford Metropolitan Area

Jay Kenney

South Windsor

Tolland County

Vernon

Glastonbury

Michael Lemanski

Greater Hartford

Rich Kirby

Wethersfield

Windsor Locks-East Windsor

Windsor

Rocky Hill

Tolland

West Hartford

Come join The Hartford Elks Lodge#19 for a frightfully fun evening of Food, Music, Costumes, Raffles, and More! Come join The "Haunted Herd!" This event is co-sponsored by iHeart Media &amp; Readings By Karen, L.L.C. Tickets are on sale now and going fast! Use the iHeart Listener Coupon Code LISTENUP and save $5.00 on your tickets. Parking is FREE and SECURE in the Elks parking garage behind the building. Bring a canned good, or non-perishable food item to support our neighbors at The Hartford Food Bank. Psychic/Medium Karen Hollis will be there to greet you!&nbsp;Karen has been featured on Discovery Channel's "A Haunting" and "Paranormal Survivor" out of Canada. Can't wait to see you at the MOST&nbsp;HAUNTED LODGE in CT!!! Tickets can be purchased off of Ticketspice or Readings By Karen through QR code. USE&nbsp;COUPON&nbsp;CODE&nbsp;LISTENUP for $5.00 off your ticket. Special pricing for Elks and Seniors. Let's have some fun!

Local Event: The Haunted Herd Halloween Party

The Haunted Herd Halloween Party

Come join The Hartford Elks Lodge#19 for a frightfully fun evening of Food, Music, Costumes, Raffles, and More! Come join The...

Wapping Community Church

Help support Hartford Scouting Programs by donating your redeemable bottles and cans to benefit local Boy Scout, Girl Scout, and Cub Scout troops. Cash donations are also welcome, and all contributions are tax-deductible to support the activities of our local youth.

Local Event: Bottle & Can Drive

Bottle & Can Drive

Help support Hartford Scouting Programs by donating your redeemable bottles and cans to benefit local Boy Scout, Girl Scout,...

Wood Memorial Library & Museum

Experience an incredible musical journey from Beethoven to Queen — with a whole lotta fun in between! At this special live performance, the Infinity Saxophone Quartet will draw on jazz standards, contemporary classical, big band, folk, ballads, and popular music...fun for all ages! Admission is free but space is limited, so be sure to reserve your tickets today to enjoy this unique saxophone quartet at the Wood.

Local Event: The Infinity Saxophone Quartet

The Infinity Saxophone Quartet

Experience an incredible musical journey from Beethoven to Queen — with a whole lotta fun in between! At this special live...

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

Posting Activity

Adult Coloring Night

OCT

26

6:30 PM

Manchester, CT

Teen Pumpkin Night: Marker Masterpieces

OCT

28

6:00 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Take a Walk Together Book Club

OCT

29

3:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Not So “YA” Book Club – Five Survive by Holly Black

OCT

29

6:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Abigail's Ghost: Portrait of an 1830s Connecticut Town

OCT

31

3:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Happily Ever After Book Club- November 2026

NOV

2

7:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Make a Pie Garland

NOV

4

6:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Connecticut Department of Labor Job Fair

NOV

5

10:00 AM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Compound Butter

NOV

5

6:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Celebrate Diwali

NOV

9

6:30 PM

Manchester, CT

Silk City Board Game Group- November 2026

NOV

14

12:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Check 'Em Out Book Club- November 2026

NOV

16

6:30 PM

Manchester, CT

Recycling in CT: What's In and What's Out

NOV

17

6:30 PM

Manchester, CT

Book Club Book Chat- Winter Edition

NOV

23

6:30 PM

Manchester Public Library, 1041 Main St, Manchester, CT

Stories of Connecticut's Black Patriots

NOV

30

6:30 PM

Manchester, CT

The Haunted Herd Halloween Party