About the Our Library, Our Future Initiative

The 21st Century Manchester Public Library Task Force, which includes the members of the Library Advisory Board and community volunteers, was formed by a resolution of the Manchester Board of Directors on January 12, 2021. The board recognized that the current public library system, comprised of Mary Cheney Library and the Whiton Branch Library, remains set in a past era, with an inadequate, costly, and inefficient main facility last "modernized" nearly 60 years ago.

Meanwhile, communities across Connecticut and throughout the world are investing in their changing, diverse populations by building state-of-the-art public libraries that embrace the principles of access, equity, civic discourse and participation, lifelong learning, and social connection and engagement. Public libraries of the future empower residents with a new set of sustainable skills, competencies, and knowledge that barely existed a generation ago.

The resolution charged the task force with reviewing past studies and plans to address the community’s needs; researching industry best practices regarding the appropriate services and requirements for a 21st Century library; and creating a vision for Manchester in terms of space needs and location. The "Our Library, Our Future" community engagement initiative is the task force’s way of ensuring that all community stakeholders have a chance to give their input on Manchester's library of the future.

A report with findings and recommendations is expected to the Board of Directors in September 2021, to serve as a basis for decision-making about appropriate next steps toward investing in a library that serves the needs of our diverse community.