Manitowoc, WI, February 16, 2026—Manitowoc Public Library’s March 2026 Adult Events are scheduled on the following dates and times.

 

Great Decisions 2026                Mondays in March at 6 PM

Manitowoc Public Library is proud to present Great Decisions 2025, our twentieth 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 2026 will be presented in a hybrid format (unless otherwise indicated)—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  2 Multilateral Institutions in a Changing World Order, Amitabh Pal, Journalist & Professor,         Edgewood College, Madison

March  9 America and the World: Trump 2.0 Foreign Policy, Beth Dougherty, PhD, Beloit College

March 16 U.S. Engagement of Africa, Heinz Klug, S.J.D. UW-Madison Law School

March 23 (***Online Only***) The Future of Human Rights and International Law, Alise Coen, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

 

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, contact Ellen Hope at 920-930-6553 or ellen.hope@dwd.wisconsin.gov to make an appointment.

 

To see all the hours and date specifics, head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/events/month/2026/03?keywords=DWD.  

 

Genealogy Help with the Genealogical Society                      Tuesdays in February, 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.

 

Glowforge Badging Session                          Tuesday, March 3, 6-7:30 PM

Join us in the Idea Box makerspace for a demonstration of our Glowforge on Match 3. 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, February 23, at 9 AM. Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/copy-glowforge-badging-session-27801 at that time to secure your spot! You must be 18-years old or older to participate in this program.

 

Drop-In Chess Club @ MPL           Wednesday, March 4, 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 4! 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.

 

Branching Out: Pruning Trees & Shrubs with Manitowoc Master Gardeners

Saturday, March 7, 1-2 PM

Join Manitowoc Public Library and Master Gardeners of Manitowoc County in the Balkansky Community Room on Saturday, March 7, from 1-2 PM, for a weekend lecture by University of Wisconsin Extension's VJ Pandian that will focus on pruning your shrubs and trees into shape. This presentation introduces novice gardeners to the fundamentals of pruning. You’ll learn the science behind how plants respond to pruning, explore the major pruning techniques used across the landscape, and understand when and why to apply each method. By the end, you’ll feel more confident shaping trees and shrubs into healthy, attractive forms. Professor Pandian is the regional Horticulture Extension Educator for Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Racine Counties. VJ coordinates the plant health-advising program, contributes garden articles, fact sheets, videos, and offers garden interviews for local media. He coordinates the Green Industry program and provides educational support to the Master Gardener Volunteer program. His horticulture expertise is on woody ornamentals, fruit crops and invasive plant species.

 

Mini Job Fair                          Tuesday, March 10, 1-3 PM

Manitowoc Public Library and Wisconsin Job Service would like to invite job seekers to a multi-employer hiring event taking place in MPL's Balkansky Community Room!

 

Free Life Skills Workshop—Talk Like a Pro: Confident Communication

Thursday, March 12, 6-7:30 PM

Join Rogers Behavioral Health for a transformative series of free, monthly life skills workshops. Open to everyone in the community, you'll gain valuable life skills in a supportive, non-clinical environment. Registration encouraged, though not required through Rogers Behavioral Health.

 

Cricut Badging Session                      Monday, March 16, 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 Monday, March 2, at 9 AM. Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/cricut-badging-session-28391 to secure your spot!

 

3Doodler Badging Session                    Tuesday, March 17, 6-7 PM

Join us in the Idea Box for a demonstration of our 3Doodler Pens. The 3Doodler melts plastic filament into a pen that you can use to draw solid and even three-dimensional images with. MPL Staff Member Tony will show you how to use our 3Doodler and upon completion of the training you'll be "Badged" so you can use the 3Doodler at your leisure. Space is limited and registration is required. Registration opens Monday, March 9, at 9 AM. Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/3doodler-badging-session-27807 at that time to secure your spot. You must be 14 or older to participate in this program. Individuals who are 14-17 years old must have a parent or guardian present to complete a waiver to use the equipment.

 

3D Printer Badging Session           Wednesday, March 18, 5-6:15 PM

Join us in the Idea Box for a demonstration of the Prusa Core One 3D Printer. MPL Staff Member, Tony, will show you how to use the 3D Printer and upon completion of the training you'll be "Badged" so you can use the 3D Printer at your leisure. Space is limited and registration is required. Registration opens Monday, March 9, at 9 AM. Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/3d-printer-badging-session-27802 at that time to secure your spot. You must be 14-years old or older to participate in this program. Individuals who are 14-17 years old must have a parent or guardian present to complete a waiver to use the equipment.

 

Adult Book Discussion: The Measure, by Nicki Erlick               Thursday, March 19, 6-7 PM

Join Manitowoc Public Library staff for this month's Book Discussion—The Measure, by Nikki Erlick.

Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice. It seems like any other day. You wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and head out. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. The contents of this mysterious box tell you the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise? If this type of subtle intrigue appeals to you, meet fellow book lovers for an engaging conversation in MPL’s Second Floor Board Room from 6-7 PM on Thursday, March 19. Pick up your copy of “The Measure” near the First Floor’s Service Desk.

 

Whatcha Watching?          Thursday, March 19, 6-7:30 PM

THEY'RE BAAAACK!!! It's been a year MPL's Matt Mottl, Lisa Devins-Horohoe, and Tim Gadzinski got together online to discuss what's going on in the cinematic world during an episode of "Whatcha Watching." And what could be better than chatting about the recently aired Academy Awards—who and what took home an Oscar, who didn't, what should've won (in their humble opinions), and who got snubbed altogether! It'll be a post-mortem definitely worth watching! We hope that you'll be able to join them online on Thursday, March 19, from 6-7:30 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. Let's talk movies!

 

Open Sew and Badging with Betty Monday, March 23, 2-3 PM

Resident sewing enthusiast, Betty, will be in the Idea Box makerspace on Monday, March 23, 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 for either session, 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.

 

Make It at MPL!—Digitize & Design: Old Film to Glowforge Ornaments           Friday, March 27, 2-4 PM

Join us in the Idea Box makerspace as we digitize old filmstrips and slides to create wooden ornaments on the Glowforge! The Glowforge uses a laser to engrave designs into different material types like acrylic and wood. No prior experience on the Glowforge is required, however, participants are required to bring their own filmstrip or slide to class. Space is limited, and registration is required. Registration opens Friday, March 13, at 9 AM. Head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/photo-ornaments at that time to secure your spot. You must be 18 or older to participate in this program.