Author Archive
Celebrate the 9th Annual NIH American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month. The purpose of this month is to honor and recognize the original peoples of this land. Wisconsin’s history is rich and several American Indian areas of significance are located here. Featured historic properties in Wisconsin for American Indian Heritage Month 2009 include:
- Black Hawk Powwow Grounds, Jackson County, WI The powwow grounds, in Jackson County, Wisconsin, have been used as a ceremonial and social event center, as well as a dance-ring or powwow ground, since at least the late 1800’s and possibly well before.
- McCord Village, northern Wisconsin
Settled around 1890-1900 by Potawatomi, Ojibwe and related American Indians, the population of McCord was composed of inter-tribal marriages and offspring of Midewiwin and Big Drum societies from the Potawatomi and Ojibwe nations, and also some medicine people from the HoChunk and Menominee Nations.
- Saint Joseph of the Lake Church and Cemetery, Menominee, WI
Community center for the South Branch Menominee and a place for the preservation and continuation of their traditional life-ways.
For reading lists of American Indian fiction, American Indian videos, books about Native Peoples of Wisconsin, books by American Indian authors and illustrators, as well as selected internet resources, please refer to our American Indian Heritage Month web page.
November 5th, 2009
Molly
Tales from Planet Earth (TfPE) showcases environmental films from around the world in a three-day festival and several other community engagement events in Madison, November 6-8, 2009. This free festival of environmental film takes place primarily around downtown at MMoCA and First United Methodist Church, and on campus at Memorial Union, and the UW Cinematheque.
The theme for this year’s festival is Justice and the films are organized through four primary strands: Landscapes of Labor, Precious Resources, Strange Weather and In the Company of Animals. All events are free to the public. The complete schedule and map of theaters is available on the festival website.
Some films previously featured at the festival include Everything’s Cool, Flock of Dodos, MicroCosmos, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and The Return of Navajo Boy, all available at the library.
If you are looking for more environmental resources, visit Greening Our World, a list of library materials that focus on earth friendly living.
November 2nd, 2009
Molly
Publisher’s Weekly has announced their take on the year’s best books. Find their picks at the library:
The Publisher’s Weekly article includes full reviews of each of the featured titles.
October 30th, 2009
Molly
Send in your submissions today to the Wisconsin People & Ideas/ Wisconsin Book Festival 2010 poetry and short story contests and prepare to be showered with fame, fortune, and glory!
Anyone can submit a short story or batch of three poems—anyone! Both the poetry and short story contests are open to all Wisconsin residents, including students, and submissions for the 2010 contests will be accepted until December 15, 2009, at 5:00 pm. Prizes include up to $500 cash, publication in Wisconsin People & Ideas, a one-week stay at Edenfred (the creative arts residency of the Terry Family Foundation in Madison), and more.
The top three winners in both the poetry and short story contest are also invited to read their work at the Wisconsin Book Festival in 2010. Visit the contest web page for complete contest rules and submission guidelines. The Wisconsin People & Ideas/ Wisconsin Book Festival 2010 poetry and short story contests are supported by the Wisconsin Humanities Council, Wisconsin Public Television, Abella Studios, and Avol’s Bookstore.
Madison Public Library is a supporting donor organization for the Wisconsin Book Festival.
October 29th, 2009
Molly
First novels hold the promise and excitement of the unknown. Will you discover the next Jane Austen or J.D. Salinger in the pages of a first novel? Or maybe you’ll find a new favorite author!
Find lists featuring first novels for adults and youth reviewed in Booklist this past year, including A Fortunate Age by Joanna Smith Rakoff. A Fortunate Age is described as an epic first novel that captures the spirit of Generation X, telling the universal story of the starting-out years of a group of college friends living in Brooklyn during the 1990s.
October 27th, 2009
Molly
October is National Eat Better, Eat Together Month. This is a great time to celebrate family meals. Find books at the library like Sandi Richard’s Dinner Survival: Cooking for the Rushed that will help the whole family get on track, eating healthy and spending time together.
Dinner Survival features Richard’s unique and time-conscious approach to developing 10 weeks’ worth of menus including full-color photos, grocery lists and tips for how to make a healthy dinner every night.
October 15th, 2009
Molly
Herta Müller is the new recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. A Romanian-born German novelist, Müller’s works depict the dispossessed, in particular her life under dictatorship in her Romanian homeland.
Find titles by Müller at the library, including:
And Hilary Mantel wins the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Wolf Hall, her fictionalized account of Thomas Cromwell, clerk and later successor to Cardinal Wolsey during the reign of Henry VIII.
Other titles by Mantel available at the library include:
Details about the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and the 2009 Shortlist can be found on the official site.
October 9th, 2009
Molly
October is a good time for exploring monsters and creepy crawlies in a safe, not-so-scary way. Find books at the library to share with your kids that won’t leave them scrambling for the night light.
Our Not So Scary Stories for Kids list features classic monster books like Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, soon to be released as a major motion picture, and the empowering The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, a story about taking charge of your fears.
October 8th, 2009
Molly
Find books at the library written by featured presenters at the 2009 Wisconsin Book Festival. The Festival will be held in downtown Madison and featured presenters include Wendell Berry, Michael Perry and Gregory Maguire. This year’s festival begins next week and runs from October 7-11.
The Central Library is also hosting several events for the Festival. Visit our Events and Programs page for more details.
October 1st, 2009
Molly
The Annual Firetruck Parade takes place this Sunday, October 4th at 1:00 p.m. starting at the intersection of State Street and Lake Street in downtown Madison. The parade will proceed up State Street, finishing at the State Capitol, where vehicles will be on display until 3:00 p.m.
The Central Library begins Sunday hours this same day, so stop by the Central Library after the parade to find books about firetrucks, including:
Starting Sunday, October 4, the Central Library at 201 W. Mifflin St. opens for walk-in service 1-5 p.m. and continues Sunday hours through April 24, 2010. It’s easy to park on Sundays, and on-street parking is free!
September 30th, 2009
Molly
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