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In the spirit of Public Services Recognition week, we’d like to thank the many people who use our library. You keep us very busy!
We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all our staff for a job well done. In addition to the people you see every day when you visit the library, there are many more employees that keep library service running smoothly. Our staff select, order, purchase, catalog, label, deliver, and repair the 1.1 million items in our collection, and we work with libraries throughout the South Central Wisconsin area and beyond to share our materials for your benefit. Other staff keep the sidewalks clean, the bathrooms working, the carpet vacuumed, the books shelved, and the holds filled. Still more staff take programs and resources out into the community, working with other city agencies, nonprofit groups, neighborhood associations, local businesses, and funding sources to share library resources with those learning to read, looking for jobs, or wanting to learn more about practically any subject.
And if a library visit isn’t exciting enough, there’s always the Public Services Recognition event on Wednesday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join Mayor Dave Cieslewicz at noon on the steps of City Hall, or stop by the first block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. near the Capitol to meet representatives from the Police Department, Fire Department, Metro Transit, and the Streets Department, and some of their equipment.
Public Service Recognition week is a time to help every citizen become more aware of the ways, both direct and indirect, that public services improve the quality of their lives. It is also a chance to highlight our accomplishments, to raise awareness of the good work City employees do every day, and to express appreciation for those efforts. The week offers an opportunity to celebrate the importance of contributions made by Madison’s public servants.
May 7th, 2008
Alicia Ashman Branch, Tuesday, May 20, 7:00 p.m.
Learn the benefits of volunteering and explore the incredible variety of volunteer opportunities by participating in this interactive session featuring current RSVP volunteers and staff members. Volunteers have fun, build friendships and share new experiences while giving back to their communities.
RSVP will match your interests and skills with a wide variety of volunteer options in over 80 non-profit and public agencies throughout Dane County. Last year RSVP’s 2,200 active volunteers contributed 190,000 hours of public service—the equivalent of a 90 person company working full-time on behalf of others—and had a great time doing it.
Bring your energy and enthusiasm and RSVP will find you a great volunteer opportunity! Register online or call 824-1780 to reserve a seat.
This program is part of THE NEXT CHAPTER resources for retirees and those considering retirement. The collection, created with a gift to the library from Bob and Carroll Heideman and RSVP, is a resource where retirees or persons approaching retirement can find the information they need to take charge of their future and create a life they love living. The collection consists of books, DVDs, magazines, and other information, complimented by an electronic newsletter sent every other month. Currently housed at the Alicia Ashman Branch, the collection is supplemented by related materials in all Madison Public libraries.
May 2nd, 2008
The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day!
As the name implies, Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world are giving away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their stores.
In addition to comic shops, a selection of the Free Comic Book Day comics will be available at the following Madison Public Library locations, courtesy of Westfield’s Comics and Capital City Comics:
Alicia Ashman Branch
Central Library — in the Youth Services Department, 2nd floor
Meadowridge Branch
Sequoya Branch
Be sure to visit local comic book stores for even more great free comic book titles!
If you are new to comics or returning after not reading them for awhile, some useful links are available here.
May 1st, 2008
I’m Liz, a Librarian at Central and mother of a two year old son. My boy LOVES books, but it can be a challenge to find just the right picture books for two year-olds, as the library’s picture book collection covers a wide range of ages and interests. Here’s a list of librarian & son field tested faves, culled from our own reading. Hope you enjoy them too! (You can sign up to receive an email update each month, too.)
April 30th, 2008
Sábado, 3 de Mayo de 2:00 a 4:30
¡Acompáñenos en una tarde de narración de cuentos en español e inglés - comida, música, premios, juegos y más! *GRATIS*
Saturday, May 3rd from 2:00 to 4:30
Join us for stories in Spanish and English - food, music, face-painting, games, prizes and fun! *FREE!!!*
South Madison Branch Library, 2222 South Park Street, 266-6395
April 30th, 2008
Madison Public Library will be at the Día de los Niños celebration this Saturday, April 26, at Union Sport Club, 155 Braun Rd. Oregon, Wisconsin from 9 a.m. to noon.
Join us at the festival for a variety of activities: activities for children, informational tables staffed by social service organizations, and more.
El Día de los Niños is sponsored by Joining Forces for Families.
April 25th, 2008
Caldecott Award medalist and renowned author/illustrator David Macaulay will deliver the 2008 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture.
Macaulay’s lecture, titled Thirteen Studios, will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, 2008, at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
Each year, an individual of distinction in the field of children’s literature is chosen to write and deliver a lecture that will make a significant contribution to the world of children’s literature. This year’s host is the South Central Library System, which helps libraries serve the public in Adams, Columbus, Dane, Green, Portage, Sauk and Wood counties. The award is administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). Special thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, The Friends of the CCBC, J.H. Findorff & Son and the SCLS Foundation for providing financial support.
There is still seating available for this nationally recognized event. Tickets are available at the door [see parking information].
Are you unable to attend in person? Then please join us online to view a live web stream of the lecture. The lecture will begin at 7:00 PM (Central time) and will end at approximately 8:00 PM. Click on the “Live Video Stream” link to view the lecture. You’ll also be able to return to this web page throughout the year to view an archived version of the lecture.
April 17th, 2008
Culver’s is continuing their joint National Library Week program this year with the Youth Services Section of the Wisconsin Library Association. Children eleven and younger can pick up coloring sheets at their local Madison library or download the sheet from our web site. Celebrate your favorite book by drawing a picture about it. It can be a character, event, scene or anything you liked about the book. Return the drawing to the library, and you’ll receive a certificate for a FREE single scoop of frozen custard in a cake cone or dish to be redeemed at your participating neighborhood Culver’s. After coloring sheets have been collected, each library will hold a drawing for a grand prize winner.
April 17th, 2008
Alicia Ashman Branch, Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m.
Whether you spent your career at UW-Madison, or have never set foot on campus, everyone is welcome to take advantage of the vast array of of lifelong learning opportunities available through the university. A number of campus entities offer non-credit enrichment programs, courses and events, but finding out about these opportunities and navigating your participation can be downright daunting! From one-hour lectures to one-day events, and from discussion groups to online and in-person courses, this talk will give you an overview of what’s available, and share the roadmap you need to start your journey to lifelong learning. Presenter: Sarah Schutt, Director of Alumni Learning, Wisconsin Alumni Association. Register online or call 824-1780 to reserve a seat.
This program is part of The Next Chapter collection and program series for retirees or those considering retirement.
April 17th, 2008
As you might have heard, the library is offering free access to the Morningstar investment service on a trial basis through May 31. The trial, with significant public input, will help us determine if Madison library users find the Morningstar service useful.
From time to time, Morningstar publishes reports on investing and finance. Recently, they’ve published “How to Invest During an Economic Slowdown,” which you can download or read online for free as part of our online trial. The report features:
- Morningstar’s Take on the Economy
- Which Investments Do Best in a Recession?
- The Bear Market Ahead
- Recession-Proof Your Portfolio
- We See a 16% Return in the S&P 500’s Future
- The Credit Crunch Explained
- Dow 18,500? Believe It
- Anatomy of a Bargain: Diamonds Trust
The Morningstar trial was generously funded through a grant from the Madison Public Library Foundation.
April 7th, 2008
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