Behind the Scenes at Manchester Poetry Library: Lights, Camera, Action
Between August and October, I worked at Manchester Poetry Library as the Social Media Intern. This was a momentous period for the library as it marked the long-awaited opening of their new shiny doors to the public, after a year-long hiatus as a result of (dare I say the C word?) Covid-19. But the team could finally breathe a sigh of relief in the first week of September when they were ready to declare ‘We’re Open’. Announcing those two words was my first task and remained the most important words I wrote!
As we re-emerge from the other side of the pandemic, the library celebrated many in-person events. Within my 10 weeks working for the Poetry Library, the highlights were: ‘The World Opens’ poetry reading as part of HOME’s Ripples of Hope Festival, ‘The Fifth Pan-African Congress: 1945 and Today’ film premiere with the University of Salford as part of Black History Month, and the Corridor of Light Festival running across venues all down Oxford road. This event looked amazing and was admittedly, one which I wished I could have been there in person for. The Poetry Library featured short films from the aforementioned REAP Pan-African Congress film ‘Voices of Freedom’ and ‘Postcards from the Road’- filmic poetry readings of the newly commissioned work by Andrew McMillan, Hafsah Aneela Bashir and Reshma Ruia.
Though many events returned to being in-person, much of the Manchester Poetry Library’s presence still exists online. I was largely responsible for the Twitter and Instagram: growing the platforms and informing followers and the general public of upcoming events. I also worked on the social media for the Asia Triennial Manchester 21 held at the Poetry Library in November which was a great opportunity to flex a different visual media style. Though it was difficult at times working remotely, there were a number of staff who communicated the event details and requests to me, so I could understand the events and what was asked of me. From my work, I saw a noticeable improvement across social media and I feel content that I have left the library with a much stronger online presence which stands its own ground.
It has been a pleasure to be involved, albeit virtually, with the variety of amazing events Manchester Poetry Library hosts and supports. I saw an abundance of budding new talent and established poet luminaries, joined together in supporting each other and the establishments which foster their work. The passionate artistic and literary community pulsing through Manchester is an unreckoned force which only grows greater. I have been inspired by the work of the poets I have encountered whilst interning here- all of which reignited my passion to be a part of this arts community in some way in the future. But at the very least, I am pleased to witness the opening of the North West’s first poetry library, a free resource open to everyone for many years to come.
Leaving Manchester Poetry Library and ‘turning over a new leaf’, I’m reminded of the seasonal change in the air. When I began my internship, it was still summer and days were long. Yet on my last working weekend, the clocks came forward, and each day feels more like winter than the last.
Time moves swiftly on and in many ways, I feel as though I can hardly account for the last 10 weeks at the library as they flew by. But in other ways, I know I have gained a wealth of experience. I feel proud of the work I have done for the library’s online presence and the lessons learned in the process. I am very grateful to the Manchester Poetry Library team for being so welcoming and granting me essentially full-freedom to work on the social media of their beloved institution. Reflecting back and looking forward, slipping between time, as leaf subsides to leaf, I could not describe my last few months more aptly than Frost: ‘Nothing gold can stay’.
I look forward to seeing how the Poetry Library evolves, both online and in person. I will be one amongst hopefully a growing community of library members visiting their shelves and borrowing their great selection of poetry books.
