AskAway

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Generation X thinking has oft been characterized as cynical, frustrated, disenchanted and lacking a sense of identity.  Gen Xers are also better educated than previous generations, the first highly technologically adept generation, more media-savvy, individualistic and self-reliant.  If you want to know more about what makes a Gen Xer tick, check out our Generation X booklist.  We’ve put together a list of books, plays, stories and poetry available at the library that epitomizes this generation.

Take advantage of all that Madison has to offer! Read Madison Magazine online or find the latest issues at the library.

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.

In the meantime, we are also beginning the interior construction of the expanded Sequoya Library, and in the beginning stages of building a new South Madison Library in the Villager Mall. It’s a busy time for the library. To help you - and us - keep track of all the changes, we’ve created a new page with updates about current or proposed library building projects. It also includes some demographic and library data the Library Board is using to plan for future library use and buildings. Stay tuned! Or, subscribe to the Check It Out email newsletter to receive regular updates of library news and events.

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.

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.

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.)

¡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