Manitowoc, WI, February 19, 2025—Manitowoc Public Library’s March 2025 Adult Events are scheduled on the following dates and times.
 
Murder Mystery at the Library | Manitowoc Public Library Foundation Fundraiser
Saturday, April 5, 5:30-9 PM; Tickets On-Sale NOW!
You are formally invited to an evening of mystery at the Manitowoc Public Library Foundation's Fundraiser! Step into the glamour and intrigue of the Roaring '20s at this interactive, theatrical experience. Dress to impress in your best 1920s-themed attire and get ready for an unforgettable night of suspense, excitement, and entertainment! Tickets are $100 per person. Purchase tickets with a debit or credit card online or with cash or check (made payable to Manitowoc Public Library Foundation) in-person at Manitowoc Public Library's Main Service Desk. Attendees must be at least 21-years old to attend. 
 
TICKETS INCLUDE:

• A Theatrical Performance
• Heavy Hors d’oeuvres
• Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic beverages
• Live Music
• Costume Contest
• Raffle Drawing
• Valet Parking

 
Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/murdermystery or Manitowoc Public Library to obtain your tickets now for a night you won’t soon forget!
 
5^th Annual Lakeshore Seed Swap                                           Saturday, March 1, 9 AM-12 PM
Join the Lakeshore Seed Collective in the Balkansky Community Room at Manitowoc Public Library for the 5^th Annual Lakeshore Area Seed Swap on Saturday, March 1, from 9 AM to Noon. A seed swap is a no-cost seed exchange. If you have extra seeds that you aren't planting or you are looking for something to plant in your own garden, stop by MPL! Think of a seed swap as a potluck—but with seeds! There is no cost to participate and you don't need to bring seeds in order to take some seeds. Any vegetable or flower seeds are fine. There will be a box at the Library near the Main Service Desk on the First Floor where you can drop off seeds beginning on Monday, February 1. We'd appreciate donations of seeds ahead of time so that we have a chance to organize them.
 
Great Decisions 2025                                                                          Mondays in March at 6 PM
Manitowoc Public Library is proud to present Great Decisions 2025, our nineteenth year of hosting this preeminent eight-week grassroots lecture series that provides the citizens of the Lakeshore area with the opportunity to discover, discuss and decide how to meet some of the world’s greatest challenges head-on. Increasingly, global events have become domestic concerns and Great Decisions takes you beyond the headlines with essential background information, relevant facts, ever-shifting policy options and impartial analysis.
 
PLEASE NOTE: Great Decisions 2025 will be presented in a hybrid format—offered in-person in MPL’s Balkansky Community Room, as well as livestreamed simultaneously online on both our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/manitowoclibrary) and YouTube channel.
 
The lecture schedule is as follows:
 
March   3      AI and American National Security, Dave Schroeder, CISSP & CEH, UW-Madison
March 10      U.S.-China Relations with Judd Kinzley, PhD, UW-Madison
March 17      India: Between China, the West, and the Global South, Amitabh Pal, Journalist/former Editor of The Progressive and Adjunct Professor at Edgewood College, Madison
March 24      American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads, Martin Farrell, PhD, Ripon College (retired)
 
The Great Decisions Series is FREE and open to the public. No registration is required. For a more detailed description for each of the above topics, please head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/events/great-decisions.
 
DWD Employment Assistance & Career Counseling                   Tuesdays in March, 9 AM-4 PM
The Department of Workforce Development staff is providing onsite services in MPL’s Franklin Street Room for both Employment Assistance and Career Counseling. Here are some of the specifics:

• Drop-In Employment Assistance: Department of Workforce Development staff will provide onsite services, including resume writing, assistance with online applications, assistance registering in Job Center of Wisconsin, and more! No appointment needed.
• Career Counseling: Dealing with a Job Loss or considering a Career Change? Career and Employment Counseling may help! Our licensed career counselor can assist with providing support and encouragement, assisting with the exploration of career and self-assessments, assisting with reviewing labor market information, removing and overcoming obstacles, and creating an individualized employment plan to help you turn your career vision into a reality. Our Career Counselor can also provide you with the tools, feedback and resources you need to be successful in your job search. For in-person career counseling on Tuesdays, contact Ellen Hope at 920-930-6553 or ellen.hope@dwd.wisconsin.gov to make an appointment.

 
Genealogy Help with the Genealogical Society                                 Tuesdays in March, 3-5 PM
Members of the Manitowoc County Genealogical Society can be found in MPL’s Manitowoc Collection every Tuesday from 3-5 PM to help people with their genealogy research.
 
Drop-In Chess Club @ MPL                                                        Wednesday, March 5, 6-7:30 PM
Want to improve your memory and concentration or practice logical thinking skills? Make a smart move and join us for Drop-In Chess Club at Manitowoc Public Library’s Second Floor Balkansky Community Room from 6-7:30 PM on Wednesday, March 5! The game of chess offers many brainy benefits—and it's just fun! Those of all abilities and ages (6-years plus, please) are welcome, but staff will not offer formal instruction. Chessboards are provided and library materials are available for further learning. No registration is required, but please remember that children under the age of 8 (even prodigies!) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
 
Whatcha Watching?                                                                         Thursday, March 6, 6-7 PM
It's been a year since Matt convened the MPL Movie Crew (consisting of himself, Lisa Devins-Horohoe, and Tim Gadzinski) for the premiere episode of "Whatcha Watching." While last year's installment focused on predicting what films and performers everyone thought would be taking home an Oscar from the Academy Awards, this time they'll be changing things up a bit. Instead of taking guesses, they'll be having an in-depth—and more-likely-than-not opinion-driven—post-mortem discussion about who and what won. Not to mention whys involved, as well. We hope that you'll be able to join us online on Thursday, March 6, from 6-7 PM. And as always, we encourage all those watching to join the discussion via the "Comments" box on their platform of choice. “Whatcha Watchin’” will livestream on both MPL’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/manitowoclibrary) and YouTube channel. Time to talk movies!
 
Beat the Winter Blues Friends of Manitowoc Public Library Pip-Up Book Sale
Monday, March 10—Saturday, March 15, During All Regular Library Operating Hours
The Friends of Manitowoc Public Library are hosting a "Beat the Winter Blues" Pop-Up Book Sale on the Library’s Main Floor! Most items are just $1, including gently used books, CDs, and more. Cash or check only. This sale is a great chance to snag a cozy read as we wrap up winter and get ready for spring. As a bonus, your purchases will help support the awesome programs at Manitowoc Public Library.
 
Open Sew and Badging with Betty                                                   Monday, March 10, 2-3 PM
Resident sewing enthusiast Betty will be in the Idea Box bimonthly to answer questions and badge individuals on the sewing machines. Bring your own project to work on, or learn to make a simple project while getting badged! Anyone aged 13 and older is welcome. Registration is not required, but space is limited. Can't make the scheduled time? Contact Betty in the Youth Department at 920-686-3030 to set up a badging session.
 
Space to Write                                                                Tuesdays, March 11 & 25, 5:30-7:30 PM
Do you have a novel or short story you want to write? How about a screenplay or a memoir? Poetry? Graphic novels? Then you need—Space to Write! Every second and fourth Tuesday evening from 5:30-7:30 PM, the Franklin Street Room will be open to writers of all descriptions, from professional to novice. Come find your people in a community of fellow adventurers. Sit in the Chair of Inspiration! Take a risk in the Forest of Dares! Browse for new directions in the Prompt Marketplace! Seek wisdom from occasional wandering speakers and guest presenters! Above all, get comfortable with your creativity. This is your Space to Write.
 
Tai Chi for Beginners: The Art of Balance                                   Wednesday, March 12, 6-7 PM
Take the first steps on a Tai Chi journey with Mr. Ray Gates, the founder of the Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy. Mr. Gates will teach a one-hour class for beginners. While no equipment is needed, registration is required and space is limited. To secure your spot in the class, head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/beginners-tai-chi beginning at 5 PM on Monday, February 24.
 
"The Wisconsin Farm They Built" | Author Event with Corey Geiger
Thursday, March 13, 6-7:30 PM
The Wisconsin Farm They Built: Tales of Family & Fortitude, by Corey Geiger, begins when Elmer Pritzl was thrown into adulthood at the tender age of sixteen after his mother Anna was killed by a train. A clever and crafty fellow, Elmer quickly found work at the local foundry. Promoted to foreman by age eighteen, he began supervising men double and even triple his age during the depths of the Great Depression. However, that professional career track ended abruptly five years later when Elmer fell in love with a farmer’s daughter, Julia Burich. Six months after their wedding, Julia’s father passed away, and with no living male relatives left in her life, Julia’s mother, Anna Burich, asked, “Elmer, will you run my farm?” So, Elmer, born a city boy, transformed his life and began a love affair with a Wisconsin family farm. Join Corey at Manitowoc Public Library on Thursday, March 13, at 6 PM in the Balkansky Community Room for a discussion of this award-winning novel. He pairs his rural roots and lively storytelling talents to capture generational local tales that have been described to him as "conversation starters for families . . . [that] often spark memories among grandparents and parents . . . leading to wonderful conversations within the entire family.” To learn more about Corey’s background and bona fides, head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/wisconsin-farm-they-built-tales-family-and-fortitude-author-event-corey-geiger-20928.
 
MPL Insider: Beyond the Books with Tim & Emily                           Thursday, March 20, 12 PM
For their March installment of “MPL Insider,” Tim & Emily will be welcoming a pair of from the MPL Management Team—Executive Director, Karin Adams, and Public Services Manager, Karen Hansen, to be specific—to discuss the upcoming “Murder Mystery at the Library” Manitowoc Public Library Foundation fundraiser! It’s the kind of chat that all-but-requires the viewer to procure a Monte Cristo sandwich and a pudding cup along with a flagon of sparkling Welch’s grape juice and settle in for some fun, nonlinear chit-chat! Materials Management Librarian, Lisa Pike, will also be virtually swinging into the online studio to chat about the new Playaway Audio Book Players for Adults Come with questions at-the-ready! You're bound to have some!
 
Adult Book Discussion: Simon Sort of Says, by Erin Bow               Thursday, March 20, 6-7 PM
Join Manitowoc Public Library staff for a discussion of this Newbery Award-winning novel that is both a hilarious, wrenching, and hopeful story about finding your friends, healing your heart, and speaking your truth. If journeys of self-discovery appeal to you, meet fellow book lovers for an engaging conversation in MPL’s Second Floor Board Room from 6-7 PM on Thursday, March 20. Pick up your copy of “Simon Sort of Says” near the First Floor’s Service Desk.
 
Learn About Libby: The Online Reading App                           Monday, March 24, 10-11:30 AM
The Libby app gives you access to thousands of free eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines that you can read online. Haven’t tried Libby yet? Join us on Monday, March 24, from 10-11:30 AM for a demonstration of Libby and receive hands-on assistance. Our staff will show you how to download Libby, search for titles, and borrow books. You’ll also get some helpful tips for navigating the app. This class is free for all ages and no registration is required.
 

• Bring your reading device (tablet, smart phone, Kindle, etc.) and your library card
• Have your passwords for your devices ready
• For Apple Devices, you’ll need your Apple ID and password
• For Kindles you’ll need your Amazon login and password.

 
Join us in MPL’s Second Floor Board Room Room and start enjoying eBooks!
 
Glowforge Badging Session                                                            Friday, March 25, 6-7:30 PM
Join us in the Idea Box makerspace for a demonstration of our Glowforge on March 25. The Glowforge uses a laser to engrave designs into different material types like acrylic and wood. Library Staff will show you how to use our Glowforge and upon completion of the training, you'll be "Badged" so you can use the Glowforge at your leisure. Space is limited and registration is required. Registration opens on Monday, March 17, at 9 AM. Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/glowforge-badging-session-20914 to secure your spot!
 
Cricut Badging Session                                                            Wednesday, March 26, 5:30-7 PM
Join us in the Idea Box for a demonstration of the Cricut Maker, a machine that cuts and scores a variety of materials for hobby crafting. Library Staff will show you how to use our Cricut Maker and the Design Space software. Upon completion of the training, you'll be "Badged" and eligible to use it at your leisure. Space is limited and registration is required. You must be 18-years old or older to participate in this program. Registration opens on Wednesday, March 12, at 9 AM. Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/cricut-badging-session-21442 to secure your spot!
 
The Flag of Company A: A 100^th Anniversary Reenactment      Thursday, March 27, 6-7:30 PM
In 1861, the Manitowoc County Guards received a handmade flag before they headed-off to fight in the Civil War. After enduring battle and capture, the flag returned home to Manitowoc in 1876. With just a few men left from the 5th Wisconsin, Company A, the flag was restored and gifted to the Manitowoc County Historical Society in 1925—where it remains as a symbol of our community. Join Manitowoc County Historical Society in partnership with the Library on Thursday, March 27, at 6 PM as we reenact the ceremony that took place at an earlier home of MPL (then located at Chicago and North 8^th Streets) for the Presentation of the Flag of Co. A, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry to the Manitowoc County Historical Society on March 23, 1925. Through this reenactment of the actual ceremony—which will take place in the Main Floor Atrium space adjacent to the Service Desk of Manitowoc Public Library—you’ll learn the story of this treasured local artifact and those involved in its story. A replica of the flag will be on display during the reenactment.