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.
August 9th, 2010
Molly
If your family is participating in the Summer Reading Club, don’t forget to redeem your rewards for a summer of reading! Some prizes are on the verge of expiring, so here’s a guide for what to use when:
Sunday, August 8 - Olbrich Gardens‘ Blooming Butterflies exhibit last day (PreK-gr6 prize #1)
August 16 - last regular Madison Mallards home game (PreK-gr6 prize #1)
August 31 - last date to pick up all prizes at library for Summer Reading Club and Teen Reads or enter Teen Reads prize drawings
December 31 - last date to redeem Noodles & Co. free bowl coupon (PreK-gr6 prize #1, gr6-12 prize #1)
March 31, 2011 - last day to redeem Rocky Rococo pizza slice coupon (PreK-gr6 prize #2)
If you haven’t signed up, it’s not too late! You can sign up for Summer Reading Club or Teen Reads any time between now and August 31, but must redeem prizes by August 31.
August 6th, 2010
Tana
Mario Kart Wii was the game of champions for Madison Public Library’s 2010 summer Teen Video Game Tournament. After seven exciting qualifying rounds, held at various Madison library branches throughout June and July, 28 racers were invited to the championship at the Central Library on Wednesday, July 28.
The top four racers:
-1st place, Elias, won a golden trophy (Wii-mote and Wii-wheel that is still usable) and a $60 GameStop gift card.
-2nd place, Eric, won a $40 GameStop gift card.
-3rd place, Robbie, won a $25 gift card.
-4th place, Brie, won a $10 gift card.
A great time was had by all. Thanks to all of our competitors for another fantastic tournament. See you all next year!
Looking for more gaming fun at your library throughout the year? Check out our gaming page, with links to gaming software you can check out!
August 6th, 2010
Alicia
Stop by the Central Library this Saturday, August 7, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. for a Summer Saturday Book Sale.
Teen volunteers will be hosting the book sale on the front courtyard of the Central Library. A wide variety of books for all ages will be for sale: $2 for hardcovers, $1 for paperbacks (same prices as the items in the Friends’ Book Store). Proceeds will be donated to the Friends of Madison Public Library to put toward teen-oriented programs and materials for the new Central Library.
The City of Madison Parks will also be hosting its first Kids to Kids Garage Sale on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the 100 Block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, off the Capitol Square. Youth will be selling their own items to other kids.* This is a great way to find deals on slightly used clothes, games, books, toys, electronics, puzzles, etc. This event is free and open to the public.
*Vendor capacity is full; the City is no longer accepting Kid Vendors. For questions, please contact Anne Whisner at the City Parks Department at awhisner@cityofmadison.com or 608-267-4919.
August 5th, 2010
Molly
The NPR audience cast more than 17, 000 votes to select “Killer Thrillers” - the most pulse-quickening, suspenseful novels ever written (along with Truman Capote’s sensational true-crime book). Find the top ten titles listed below in our library catalog:
1. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
3. Kiss the Girls by James Patterson
4. The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
6. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
7. The Shining by Stephen King
8. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
9. The Hunt tor Red October by Tom Clancy
10. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Two of my favorites, The Hunger Games and In the Woods are featured at 60 and 61. Visit NPR for the complete list of 100 Killer Thrillers.
August 5th, 2010
Molly
You have a say! Join architects Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle and Potter Lawson for four public meetings about the design of the new Central Library:
- Pre-concept Meeting: Thursday, August 5, 7-9 p.m.
- Schematic Design Meeting: Thursday, September 9, 7-9 p.m.
- Schematic Design Meeting: Thursday, October 14, 7-9 p.m.
- Final Schematic Design Presentation: Thursday, November 4, 7-9 p.m.
All meetings will be held at the Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St.
Help us get the word out about these important meetings! Share our meeting flyer with other interested parties in your office, apartment complex, organization, church, etc. Contact Carol Sawyer in the Library Administration Office at 266-6342 if you would like additional flyers.
Read more about the progress of the Central Library project, sign up for email updates, or share your ideas via email if you aren’t able to attend these meetings.
“I’m hopeful we’ll see high participation in these public meetings so we can hear from the entire community about what they’d like to see in the Central Library. This is the community’s opportunity to weigh in and talk directly with our designers.”
- Tripp Widder, President of the Library Board and Foundation
August 4th, 2010
Tana
StoryBlocks is an online video collection of one-minute songs and rhymes for babies, toddlers and preschool children in both English and Spanish. A project of the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL), StoryBlocks is designed to model to parents and caregivers songs, rhymes, and fingerplays appropriate for early childhood.
The goal is to build awareness and to encourage parents and others to engage with children from birth on early language and pre-literacy skills. The methods used in the videos are based on brain and child development research that show the impact that songs, rhymes and stories have on very young children.
The literacy tips and skills presented in each video follow the Public Library Association (PLA) and the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) research-based program of early literacy in public libraries.
August 3rd, 2010
Molly
The third annual Summer Library Carnival is Wednesday, August 11, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Overture Center for the Arts and the Central Library.
Enjoy a special 10:30 a.m. performance by wonderful wacky juggler Andy Head at the Overture Center for the Arts. At 11:15, go next door to the Central Library for carnival games, crafts and more! The entire event is free of charge and open to everyone.
Last year, over a thousand children and their grownups attended this popular event. See pictures of the 2009 and 2008 carnivals on the library’s Flickr photosharing account. And don’t forget to smile when you see our photographer this year!
Summer Reading Club and summer program sponsors include Madison Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Madison Public Library, EdVest, KnowHow2GoWisconsin, Madison Mallards Baseball, Noodles & Company, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Overture Center for the Arts, Rocky Rococo’s Pizza, and South Central Library System, and photographer Peter Patau.
July 30th, 2010
Tana
Did you know that you can check out up to ten DVDs at a time with your library card at the Madison Public Library? Not only are movies available to check out for free, you can keep them at home for a whole week. The library really is the best deal in town. And now we know it’s the best deal in the nation.
A survey released this year by OCLC, a nonprofit library co-operative and research organization, found that public libraries in the United States lend an average 2.1 million videos every day, slightly more than the 2 million that Netflix ships. The other top two competitors, Redbox and Blockbuster, come in at 1.4 million and 1.2 million respectively, according to daily averages provided by company representatives. The complete story is available at courant.com.
Find new DVDs added to the library in July on these Don’t Miss Lists: feature films, informational and documentary films, foreign language films and movies for children. Lists are updated monthly.
July 29th, 2010
Molly
The third annual Make a Splash Concert & Picnic happens Tuesday, August 3, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Pack a picnic supper and head to the Gardens at 6:30, rain or shine, to play with bubbles and enjoy other water-related fun. At 7:00, local favorite Stuart Stotts will get you singing and laughing while you munch. This free family event is open to everyone. Last year, over six hundred children and their grownups attended this popular event.
Summer Reading Club and summer program sponsors include Madison Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Madison Public Library, EdVest, KnowHow2GoWisconsin, Madison Mallards Baseball, Noodles & Company, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Overture Center for the Arts, Rocky Rococo’s Pizza, and South Central Library System, and photographer Peter Patau.
July 29th, 2010
Tana
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