Manchester City Library Foundation

Just one hour left for NH Gives 2026. Please take a moment and read the value of your local library as written by long-time supporter Vanessa Blais.

Did you know that when you take books out at the library they give you a receipt and that receipt will tell you how much you would have spent if you had purchased that book. It will tell you how much you’ve saved over the year. If you’re a regular Library user I bet you you’ve saved well over $25. I’m challenging you to pledge $10-$25 to the Manchester City Library Foundation. Libraries are the most democratic and patriotic institutions in our nation and our Library in Manchester is a historic legacy. It serves everyone in our community in so many ways. Everyone is welcome there. Come down to our beautiful historic building, get yourself a library card, reserve a room for you and your friends to partake in social activity and pledge $10. More if you can. We are our Library. And thank you for being a patron and a supporter.

Support Manchester City Library Foundation on NH Gives The Manchester City Library Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation formed of volunteers who are committed to providing supplemental support to the Manchester City Library. The Foundation is proud to support our local community by providing continued and increased...

My earliest library memory is the Manchester bookmobile pulling up to my apartment building on Wilson Street. To a kid who loved reading, it felt magical.

The librarians knew my name, remembered what I liked, and sometimes even saved books just for me. They made me feel seen, valued, and capable of so much more.

What I didn’t realize then was that this one library service, in a neighborhood with limited resources, would help change the trajectory of my life.

The Manchester library opened doors to worlds I never knew existed and possibilities I never imagined for myself. Today, I work in education and remain passionate about connecting young people—especially those from underserved communities—to libraries because I know firsthand how life-changing they can be.

This NH Gives, please consider supporting the Manchester City Library. You never know whose future you’re helping to shape. ❤️

Support Manchester City Library Foundation on NH Gives The Manchester City Library Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation formed of volunteers who are committed to providing supplemental support to the Manchester City Library. The Foundation is proud to support our local community by providing continued and increased...

NH Gives is now Live!

Some of the strongest supporters of the Manchester City Library first fell in love with it as children.

Dr. Jonathan Eddinger, a local physician, recently shared this memory:

“As a child, my mom would drop me off at the library while I waited for my dad to get off work at Manchester Federal Savings. I would spend a quiet hour in the children’s room enjoying the puzzles, books, and art. There was a colorful alphabet rug that seemed to fill the room. It was quiet, safe, and gave me a place to explore and learn.

Looking back, I realize how comforting that space was for curious kids.

In the summers, the library hosted kids’ movies in the lower level, and I looked forward to them every week. Those are wonderful memories.”

Today, that curious child is a much-loved and respected cardiologist, caring for patients throughout our community.

Stories like his remind us that libraries do far more than lend books. They provide safe spaces, spark imagination, encourage learning, and help shape futures in ways we may never fully measure.

This NH Gives, your support helps ensure that today’s children have the same opportunities to discover, dream, and grow at the Manchester City Library.

Every gift helps create the next generation of readers, learners, leaders—and maybe even future doctors.



Donate here:

Support Manchester City Library Foundation on NH Gives The Manchester City Library Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation formed of volunteers who are committed to providing supplemental support to the Manchester City Library. The Foundation is proud to support our local community by providing continued and increased...

The Manchester City Library is more than a place to borrow books. It is a place of comfort, connection, learning, and community.

For some, the library has been a safe and welcoming place during difficult times, offering access to books, the internet, phone charging, and kind, helpful staff. For others, it has been a second home for college research and quiet study.

It has also been a place where children build joyful memories through story times, crafts, holiday parties, Easter egg hunts, and Pokémon events at both the West Side and East Side branches.

Today, Manchester City Library continues to make reading accessible for people who love books but cannot afford to buy every title they read. Supporting the Manchester City Library Foundation during NH Gives helps keep these resources, programs, and welcoming spaces available for everyone in our community.

Donation period starts at 5 pm TODAY! Every donation counts! Please see the link below.

Support Manchester City Library Foundation on NH Gives The Manchester City Library Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation formed of volunteers who are committed to providing supplemental support to the Manchester City Library. The Foundation is proud to support our local community by providing continued and increased...

Leading up to NH Gives, we are sharing your stories of how the Manchester City Library impacted your life. Have a story to share? Please write it in the comments below!

Kathryn Still Remembers the Bookmobile. Your Gift Helps Keep That Magic Alive.

“I attended St. Francis School on Brown Ave before they had a library, and I was so grateful for the city’s bookmobile! I remember thinking it was the most amazing thing ever. It was huge and blue, and even now I can still recall the smell of all those books.

Manchester City Library, this Catholic school girl of a certain age thanks you for bringing the bookmobile down to Brown Ave for us!”

— Kathryn Conway, Manchester, NH

A New Look for a New Chapter!

We're excited to unveil the new logo of the Manchester City Library Foundation!

Inspired by the beautiful architectural details of the historic Manchester City Library, our new logo reflects both the rich history of this treasured community institution and the Foundation's commitment to its future.

A special thank you to artist and designer, and Manchester, NH native Peter Noonan for bringing this vision to life. Peter thoughtfully captured the heritage and enduring spirit of the library in a design that will represent the Foundation for years to come.

As we continue our work supporting programs, collections, technology, and opportunities that enrich our community, we're proud to do so under a logo that honors where we've been and where we're headed.

What do you think of our new look?

Manchester City Library Foundation is participating in NH Gives!

Save the date for June 9–10, 2026, and help us reach our $3,500 goal to support the programs, resources, and community connections that make our library such a vital part of Manchester.

Every gift makes a difference. Join us at NHGives.org and help us keep building a stronger library for everyone.

Books and bargains! The Manchester City Library book sale is this Saturday, May 9th from 10am to 1pm. $10 per average sized grocery bag - bring your own or we can provide one. Cash or check only please!