FESTIVAL OF LIBRARIES

Libraries across Greater Manchester are coming together to celebrate Festival of Libraries on 4 - 8 June.

As part of this year’s Festival, we will be throwing open our doors and inviting you to join us for an afternoon of creativity and inspiration.

POET'S CORNER AT CHETHAM'S LIBRARY

07.06.25, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm

For a brief period in the nineteenth century, Manchester’s leading literary watering hole was the Sun Inn, a timber-framed building located opposite the entrance to Chetham’s Library on Long Millgate.

Visitors will enjoy creative writing from the Library’s collections and learn more about the Sun Inn Poets. Be inspired by our historic spaces to create and share your own poetry!

Find out more

NEWS UPDATE: THE MARX AND ENGELS DESK

One of the most famous features of the Library is this window alcove with its desk, where the philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels met regularly to study.

This month, the famous desk will be leaving the Library for restoration work with conservator Tim Phelps, who recently worked on the Gorton Chest, another of the Library's treasures. We have moved another desk into the alcove while the original is away.

You can read more about the history of the desk on our website.

NEW ON OUR BLOG

'FOR THE PRIVATE AMUSEMENT OF CHETHAM'S LIBRARY'

Last month, we shared a blog post on the Library's preparations for the outbreak of the Second World War.

This time, you can read about the efforts made to restore and reopen the collection once war was over through the wry observations of Librarian Hilda Lofthouse and Assistant Librarian Pauline Leech, as they battled bad weather, building works - and visitors!

Read now

CATALOGUING THE CASS COLLECTION

Here at Chetham's Library, and as at many other heritage organisations, we are pleased to support MA student placements from the local Universities. This provides vital help in making our collections more accessible through recording and cataloguing

In our latest blog post, placement student Maisie explains how our cataloguing system works, and why it is a vital part of the Library team's jobs.

Read now

SUPPORT CHETHAM'S LIBRARY

Chetham’s Library has been in continuous use as a public library for over 350 years. Your support helps us to continue to care for our collection and its many rare and unusual treasures.

If you'd like to find out more about the different ways to support our work, please email development@chethams.com.

Donate to Chetham's Library

Book a Library Tour

THINKING OF VISITING?