Check It Out

Discover Ancestry Library at Upcoming Workshops

Kim — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:25:49 +0000

Are you interested in genealogy?

All libraries in the South Central Library System (including Madison Public Library) have in-library access to Ancestry Library, the library version of popular genealogy site Ancestry.com. Learn how to use this amazing site from research experts at one of several upcoming workshops offered by the Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin State Genealogical Society.

Ancestry.com Workshop
Presented Lori Bessler, Wisconsin Historical Society Reference Librarian and Outreach Coordinator
Offered September 18, October 23, November 6, and December 18

French Canadian Research Workshop
George Findlen, Guest Lecturer
Offered October 2, 2010

Oh Darned! Where Did I Put Uncle George? (Organizing Your Research) Workshop
Rick Pifer, Wisconsin Historical Society Director of Public Services
Offered December 4, 2010

How To Locate Archival Collections
Dee Grimsrud, Wisconsin Historical Society Reference Archivist
Offered December 11, 2010

Workshops tend to fill up quickly so get your registration forms and payment in as soon as possible!

“Transitions” on display at the Central Library

Jon — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:49:19 +0000

“Transitions,” new work by Nathan Vernau, is on view at the Central Library September 2 through September 29. There will be an opening reception September 2 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visit Nathan’s website for more examples of his art.

For more information about this exhibit and others, visit our gallery page.

Getting Ready for School

Molly — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:08:36 +0000

You’ll find more than 100 short, web-based school videos for adults and kids on the Sesame Street website that cover just about any concern or topic related to getting ready for school. When you type “school” in the search videos box, you will get a list of 116 school related videos.

Elmo’s World: School is a 17-minute video in which Elmo answers many of the questions and addresses many of the concerns that youngsters have about going to school. Tatiyana Loves Her School follows a little girl through her day at school. Other videos feature a variety of Sesame Street characters and kids exploring different ways to get to school, what a day at school is like and a sped up version of a school day (a full day in 37 seconds!).

You can also find lots of books about getting ready for school at the library, including The First Day of School by Nicola Barber from The Big Day! series of books for children. This series focuses on normal life adjustments and helps children and their caregivers explore the feelings involved with change and transition.

Even though school is starting soon, we’ve still got a couple of weeks of summer left at the Madison Public Library! If you are participating in the Summer Reading Club, prizes are available until August 31.

Talk Time @ Your Library / Tiempo para Conversar en la Biblioteca

Tana — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:15:52 +0000

September 17 - November 19, 2010. If you are a beginning or intermediate English language learner, please join us for a fun evening of activities that will allow you to practice your English in a relaxed setting. Talk Time meets weekly, starting September 17, on Friday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m. for ten weeks. Stop by or call the South Madison Branch Library at 266-6395 to register for the free ten-week series. Childcare will be provided for children ages 3 and up. (Volunteers who wish to help with the series must take a two-hour training course on September 10 and commit to weekly meetings as well as the weekly Talk Time Sessions).

This project is made possible by an American Dream Grant from the American Library Association, funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

Best Websites for Learning

Molly — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:04:43 +0000

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced the 2010 Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning. The Top 25 Web sites for Teaching and Learning were named so because they foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation and collaboration.

The Web sites honored include: Animoto; Classroom 2.0; Curriki; diigo; edublogs; facebook; goodreads; Google reader; mindmeister; Ning; OurStory; Partnership for 21st Century Skills; Poll Everywhere; PrimaryAccess; RezED; Second Life; Simply Box; Skype; S.O.S. for Information Literacy; Teacher Tube; twitter; VoiceThread; Wikispaces; Wordle; and Zoho.

All sites are free, web-based sites that are user-friendly and encourage a community of learners to explore and discover.

You can find Madison Public Library on both facebook and twitter.

Read with Nathan Fillion

Molly — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:56:04 +0000

Nathan Fillion, star of the ABC series, Castle, joins the American Library Association (ALA) Graphics READ Campaign. The Canadian-born actor is also popular for his work with Joss Whedon on the series “Firefly,” its film adaptation “Serenity” and “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.”

Fillion’s parents, both retired English teachers, instilled in him the importance of literacy, leading Nathan to co-found the non-profit organization Kids Need to Read. The Foundation encourages literacy and social responsibility through its gifts of inspiring books to schools, libraries and literacy programs serving disadvantaged children.

Other new ALA READ posters feature the Jonas Brothers, characters from the movies “Eclipse” and “New Moon,” R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and NBA star Yao Ming. You can also create your own READ poster with the READ® image generator.

Play Madison Parks

Molly — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:48:08 +0000

Summer is winding down but you can still have lots of fun in the many beautiful parks around Madison. The August 2010 Madison Parks Newsletter is now available online. Featured articles include how to get fit in the parks, Ride the Drive with Lance Armstrong on August 29, and the Goodman Pool Swim Team.

The new parks magazine is also available online. Your guide to Madison Parks 2010 includes information on reserving park shelters, local dog parks, Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the many Conservation Parks around Madison. Madison’s innovative Conservation Parks Program began in 1971, and today, with over 1600 acres of conservation parkland, the program has become a staple in the city.

Study Says Comics are Key to Promoting Literacy in Boys

Molly — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:08:56 +0000

A new study says that comics and graphic novels may hold the secret to promoting literacy in young boys. The Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) finds that girls are generally more inclined to read than boys, because boys’ literary interests are not well represented at school.

According to the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Development and Co-Operation (OECD), comics are the second most popular reading choice for boys after newspapers and magazines. Comics help develop many of the same literacy skills as books, such as how to follow a sequence of events; connect narratives to the reader’s own experiences, predict what will happen next, and interpret symbols.

Embracing comics and graphic novels as teaching and learning tools helps to promote improved literacy among young males. The Madison Public Library has lots of great comics available to check out with a library card, including well-loved titles like Amazing Spider-Man, Archie and Looney Tunes.

The complete article is available from School Library Journal.

Microsoft Word 2007 Coming to the Library

Molly — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:19:10 +0000

Microsoft Word 2007 is coming to all Madison Public Library public internet computers starting later this month. The Central Library is offering beginner introductory classes to learn about the Microsoft Office Button, the Quick Access Toolbar, the Title Bar, the Ribbon and more. Instructors will also show how to create documents and resumes, format, save and print. No registration is required. Classes will be held in Rooms 202 or 204 on the following dates:

Thursday, August 19, 1-2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 24, 6-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 2, 6-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 7, 1-2:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 16, 1-2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 21, 6-7:30 p.m.

You can also teach yourself with Learning Express, an online tutorial course series available from the library.

Please call the Central Library Reference Desk at 266-6350 if you have questions or ask library staff for more information.

Curious George Encourages Curious Readers

Molly — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:00:49 +0000

Get excited about reading! The Library of Congress and the Advertising Council have launched a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to encourage children and adults to become engaged in reading and all other forms of literacy. View one of the television spots.

According to the National Institute for Literacy, success in school—and life—starts with literacy. When children become good readers in the early grades, they are more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond. However, results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading test found that 37 percent of American fourth-graders read below the “basic” level.

A series of public service announcements, aimed to reach school-age children and their parents, focus on engaging children in all forms of literacy, whether it is reading a book or magazine, studying history, visiting a museum or simply using their imagination. The TV, radio, online and outdoor spots were developed in collaboration with the Ad Council and Universal Partnerships & Licensing and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and feature the iconic characters from the Curious George book series. The spots aim to encourage parents to read to their children to help inspire them to become curious readers.

The Library and the Ad Council have been partners in raising awareness for literacy since 2000, with the launch of the America’s Library website and a series of PSAs promoting historical knowledge.