The Soloist is the remarkable story of the bond between a journalist and a mentally ill, homeless, classically trained musician in Los Angeles. “The Soloist is a great read,” says Porchlight executive director Steve Schooler. “More importantly, the main characters - Nathaniel and Steve - help us understand the intertwined issues of homelessness and mental health and inspire us to care more about the people who live in our midst.”
The Soloist is available both as a book and as a major motion picture starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx. Community members can get involved by either reading or viewing The Soloist. Porchlight and Madison Public Library have developed an online Community Read Tool Kit that is available to all book clubs and individuals, and prepared book club kits with multiple copies of the book which are available for checkout from the library. Members of the community are invited to read the book, see the movie, and join a discussion—either at home with friends or at the library.
We will be holding seven book discussions at libraries around the city. Please join us for a conversation about this “unique yet universal” story.
Porchlight provides emergency shelter, food, employment services, counseling, and affordable transitional and permanent housing to homeless people in the Dane County area. Porchlight’s services are designed to foster independence and the transition into permanent housing and employment. For more information, visit their website.
The Library has a new product that may work just as well for you. Transparent Language is an Interactive self-study guide on a USB drive. It’s an immersion program that enables learners to take basic vocabulary and quickly progress to more advanced comprehension and use. Grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening and pronunciation skills are emphasized through the use of native-language videos, texts and stories that immerse the user in the language. Each language edition includes:
Record, playback and compare
Conversation practice
Interactive games
Over 15,000 words of vocabulary
Full-motion video
Testing and scoring
and much more
Just download the program on to your computer, and as long as you have any of the USB drives in your computer, your work will be saved and available to you.
Languages available are Arabic, Chinese, English for Spanish Speakers, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Look for Transparent Language in LINKcat.
Mosaic boxes created by local artist Tom Linfield are on display now through March 31st at the Pinney Library.
“I spent a large part of my life living in Europe, sketching stone circles and cairns, visiting cathedrals, and living in a medieval village called Cordes, in the south of France. I’m fascinated by the beauty and potency of these ancient, sacred stone formations and the imagery continues to inform my work,” Linfield says of his work. “This exhibition features… glass mosaic boxes. The work explores such common themes as memory, balance, and fragmentation”
Join us for a reception and artist’s talk on Wednesday, March 24, 6 p.m. at the Pinney Branch. Tom Linfield will talk about his mosaic work, show images, and discuss inspiration. Reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by the talk at 7 p.m.
Lights, camera, library! Want to show off your creative talent and your love of reading? The Library has a new Flip Video Camera, and we want for you to show us how we should use it and help create a video advertisement for the 2010 Summer Library Program. We’ll be hosting five events in early March for you to film your masterpiece at the library with our camera. Or, if you’ve got your own digital video camera, you can shoot a short on your own and share it with us online. Be sure to register if you’d like to use our camera; space is limited, and we want for everybody to be able to bring their vision of reading fun to life! Registration opens the week of February 22.
The Madison Public Library is pleased to welcome ensembles from the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras (WYSO) in three performances at Madison Libraries during February and March.
WYSO provides young musicians in southern Wisconsin with opportunities in musical excellence; musical groups include three full orchestras and a string orchestra, a chamber music program, a harp program, a percussion ensemble, and a brass choir program. To supplement the educational experience of its orchestra members. WYSO also offers a number of opportunities for members to participate in small ensembles. Chamber music ensembles will be appearing at these three Madison Public Library locations for free performances of classical music, open to the public.
Join us at upcoming Valentine Cards and Candy Sushi workshops for kids.Make a one-of-a-kind card with glitter, stickers, and sparkles & create some sweet candy sushi for someone special. All supplies provided!
A FoodShare specialist from Second Harvest FoodBank Wisconsin will be on hand at many library locations to help you find out if you’re eligible and to assist you with the application process. Call (toll-free) for an appointment at 877-266-3635 or feel free to drop-in. The program is available to singles, families, students, seniors and disabled individuals with limited or fixed income.
At this time, the schedule is as follows. But check back–more dates will be added soon.
Central Library–Every Monday through February, 12-4pm; Wednesdays, February 10 and 24, 10am-2pm.
All Madison Public Library locations will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 18. You can still use the library when we’re closed: place holds in LINKcat, return items to our bookdrops, or use our 24/7 online reference service, AskAway. See our web site for more information on area celebrations or on Martin Luther King, Jr. or discover our recommended resources for African American History Month in February.
Join others in celebration of the life of Dr. King at the 25th Annual Madison-Dane County King Holiday Observance at the Overture Center Capital Theater at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 18. Former SCLC Education Director, Dorothy Cotton, who served under Dr. King’s direct supervision, will bring her message of hope on her first visit to Madison. Sponsored by the King Coalition and the Urban League of Greater Madison; see more information on Cotton and other ULGM sponsored events.
Madison Public Library has acquired an online subscription to the Value Line Investment Survey. Formerly available in paper at six of our nine libraries, the new online service is available at all nine Madison public libraries, as well as to city of Madison residents with valid library cards.
Value Line is best known for the Investment Survey, one of the most widely read investment services in the world. Value Line online offers the same one-sheet summary as the Investment Summary, but also includes more up to date information on the stocks covered, as well as stock screening, custom reports, industry information, historical data, and email alerts. Madison Public Library’s subscription also includes the Value Line Special Situations Service.
Madison Public Library chose to switch from paper to online access to Value Line after much public input from individual investors and local investment clubs. Paper access will continue for at least six months at most locations that currently subscribe, and you can call the Central Reference Desk to schedule a demo of the new service for yourself or your investment group.
Want to learn more? Visit our online tutorial web site, watch our YouTube video tutorial below, or just log on and get started! (Online help and investment advice is always available in the Education Section tab.
Thrifty and thoughtful - gently used books and audiovisual material from one of these Library used book sales make great holiday gifts. Plus, all of the proceeds from sales go to supporting your library!
Sequoya Friends Book Sale Saturday, December 5, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Westgate Mall
At our new location–Westgate Mall next to TJ Maxx.
Bag sale on selected books at 2 p.m.
Art, gift quality books, CDs, science fiction, new fiction, collectibles, classics, cookbooks, mysteries, German, discount books, history, public policy, travel, and much more.
Can’t make it on the 5th? We’re holding an extra special additional sale this month on Saturday, December 19!
Friends of the South Madison Branch Library Holiday Book, AV and Bake Sale Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5 at the South Madison Library
Friday 9 am - 7 pm, Saturday 9 am - 2 pm
Support your branch library AND do your holiday shopping at the same time! Loads of new and good-as-new books, DVDs, CDs, videos, cassettes and more. Books for kids, teens and adults! Many books in Spanish, too. All at affordable prices. Plus delicious cookies, candy, cakes and pies for your holiday table.
Blustery Days Book Sale Thursday, December 10 - Monday, December 14 at the Pinney Library (No Sale Sunday, December 13) Thursday: 6 - 8 p.m. Members Only Presale. Join at the door! Friday: 9 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.: All day $5 Bag Sale.
Friends of the Lakeview Branch Library Used Book Sale
Saturday, December 12, 9-5 p.m. at the Lakeview Branch
Hundreds of books, bargain prices. Bag sale 3-5 p.m
Madison Public Libraries also accept donations of materials. Contact your local library for more information about donating your used books or assisting with future sales.
The Library has a new product that may work just as well for you. Transparent Language is an Interactive self-study guide on a USB drive. It’s an immersion program that enables learners to take basic vocabulary and quickly progress to more advanced comprehension and use. Grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening and pronunciation skills are emphasized through the use of native-language videos, texts and stories that immerse the user in the language. Each language edition includes:
Lights, camera, library! Want to show off your creative talent and your love of reading? The Library has a new Flip Video Camera, and we want for you to show us how we should use it and help create a video advertisement for the 2010 Summer Library Program. We’ll be hosting five events in early March for you to film your masterpiece at the library with our camera. Or, if you’ve got your own digital video camera, you can shoot a short on your own and share it with us online. Be sure to register if you’d like to use our camera; space is limited, and we want for everybody to be able to bring their vision of reading fun to life! Registration opens the week of February 22.
The Madison Public Library is pleased to welcome ensembles from the 
Thrifty and thoughtful - gently used books and audiovisual material from one of these