Author Archive
The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, audiobooks and video for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in Boston on Monday. Place holds on copies of the award-winning books available at the library:
For a complete list of winners and honors, visit the American Library Association press center.
*reviewed on MADreads.
January 19th, 2010
Molly
January 20th is Penguin Awareness Day. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and learn more about our black and white friends from Antarctica. Refer to the library’s Penguin Awareness Day Booklist to find books and movies for kids and adults featuring these fun birds.
If you are looking for more resources that focus on penguins, Crayola.com has coloring sheets, crafts for kids and sample lesson plans to use in conjunction with Penguin Awareness Day.
January 19th, 2010
Molly
Is one of your intentions this year to work on a healthier you? SELF Magazine places Madison at #8 out of 100 in its November article, The Healthiest Places for Women. Madison was noted for having one of the lowest average body mass indexes, and cancer and disease mortality rates are about 15 percent lower than the national average. In addition, Madison women reported spending more time getting fit than any other city in the country.
Start 2010 off right and get fit by taking advantage of the City of Madison’s many beautiful cross country ski trails. Thirty kilometers of groomed trails await skiers in 6 Madison park locations. Trail difficulties range from easy to advanced. Don’t have your own skis? Rental skis are available at Elver Park and Odana Golf Course on the weekends.
A ski pass is required to use the facilities at Elver and Odana Golf Course. Fees are $6 for a daily pass and $24 for an annual pass. These passes are also good on Dane County Park trails. No pass is required at Owen Conservation Park, Turville Conservation Park, Monona Golf Course and South Cherokee Conservation Park, so you can ski for free at these locations.
Complete listings of ice skating, skiiing and sledding information are available online. Find more information about Madison winter fun in the latest issues of Madison Parks News and Madison Parks Magazine, and view a winter activities photography slideshow on flickr.
January 14th, 2010
Molly
at the Central Library! Launched in May 2004 by local poet Shoshauna Shy, Poetry Jumps off the Shelf takes poetry out of the libraries, bookstores and classrooms and into the public arena. A display featuring new postcards released this fall can be found on the first floor of the Central Library. Pick up a free postcard and send a poem to a friend!
This latest project titled “Lines in the Sand” features poems that reach across territorial, cultural and interpersonal boundaries. Paired with the abstract art of Sarah Spencer and produced on postcards, they made their debut at the first Lorine Niedecker Poetry Festival in Fort Atkinson and at the Harambee-South Madison Health & Family Center in October.
January 12th, 2010
Molly
Catch up on your holiday correspondence in the New Year with one-of-a-kind greeting cards. The library has many guides to get you started, from the very basic to pop-up cards. Our Greeting Cards with Panache booklist features titles like 1000 Handmade Greetings: Creative Cards and Clever Correspondence. Even in this current day and age, where we are all senders and receivers of voluminous emails, handmade greeting cards, stationery, and invitations never lose their charm or fail to touch the heart. This book is a delightful showcase of 1000 exciting and contemporary hand-designed greeting cards, with examples that feature a wide array of paper craft techniques, including: paper cutting, paper stencils, stamping, punching, stitchery, monoprints, screenprints, paper piecing, and more.
You also won’t want to miss 50 Nifty Beaded Cards, which includes straightforward techniques, such as sewing, gluing, or wiring beads into decorative cards. There are projects for all levels, from the very beginner to the more advanced.
January 11th, 2010
Molly
The Dane County Farmers’ Market has moved indoors for the winter and is located just a half block from the Central Library at the Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin Street. The Saturday market runs from January 9 through April 10, 2010 from 8:00 AM - Noon.
Stop by the library after the market to find recipes for your market goods and books and movies to keep you occupied during the long, cold winter.
January 5th, 2010
Molly
Did you make resolutions for the new year? The library has lots of books that will get you started and keep you on track during 2010, including Jamie Novak’s The Get Organized Answerbook: Practical Solutions for 275 Questions on Conquering Clutter, Sorting Stuff, and Finding More Time and Energy (if one of your resolutions is to get organized).
Find a list of the top ten resolutions and corresponding books as well as web information about what’s in store for the upcoming year.
January 2nd, 2010
Molly
New books have been added to the Local Materials Collection at the Central Library, including Madison by David Sakrison. Madison is part of the postcard history series and presents more than 200 historical postcard images from the private collection of Madison resident John Powell, who has been collecting and trading postcards for more than 20 years. The images here reflect Madison’s businesses, public institutions, civic life, and civic pride in the first decades of the 20th century. With author David Sakrison’s engaging text, these images offer a unique window into the city as it was, and as it saw itself, 75 to 100 years ago.
If you are interested in receiving email updates when new materials are added to the Local Materials Collection, sign up on our subscription newsletters page. BookLetters newsletters are sponsored by the Friends of Madison Public Library.
December 17th, 2009
Molly
Don’t let the stress of holiday shopping wear you down! Make gifts out of everyday things, and save the earth at the same time.
The library owns many books that feature craft ideas utilizing recycled materials for all levels of crafting ability and experience. Make fantastic gifts without breaking the bank, and spend quality time with your kids creating amazing things from materials that you have around the house.
December 11th, 2009
Molly
Keep informed about winter parking, snow plowing updates, and when sidewalks need to be cleared in the City of Madison. You can also find tips on winter safety, Metro Transit travel, and bicycling in the winter at the City Winter Portal.
But winter is not all shoveling and slippery roads - come out and play in Madison Parks! As the temperature drops, the fun just gets started! Check out the new Play Madison Parks Winter web site and keep updated on the ski trail and outdoor ice skating conditions.
You can also find books at the library like Winter Day Play: Activities, Crafts and Games for Indoors and Out to help you enjoy the snowy weather.
December 7th, 2009
Molly
Previous Posts
distinguished beginning reader book - Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!: A Toon Book written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes.
- Louise: The Adventures of a Chicken written by Kate DiCamillo.