Events Calendar

Caregivers and children (5 & under) are invited to come and play together in a movement friendly environment. Different play prompts will be set up each week to encourage crawling, climbing, balancing and more in an open play setting!

READ and PLAY together with children 5 & under! Engaging with books, songs and playful experiences all help children develop communication skills, patience, empathy, and pre-reading skills​ and helps to build a lifelong love of reading. Library programs are always free. Siblings and childcare groups are welcome.

Discover your creative side and join artist Christina Theobald every Monday in October from 10:30am-12:00pm at Alicia Ashman Library as she leads participants through this four-week exploration of acrylic paints, watercolors, brush techniques, and more. Whether a beginner or an experienced artist, each class is designed to build on skills learned in the one prior while leaving plenty of room for experimentation and improvement, which means they can also be taken individually, so come to one or come to them all. 

Space is limited and registration is required. Registration opens for ALL 4 classes on September 23 at 10:00AM.

UPDATE 09/24/24: This class is currently full; to be added to the wait list, please email fmcdaniel@madisonpubliclibrary.org or call 608-824-1780.

Week 1: Intro to Acrylic Paint – Monday, October 7

• discussion about color wheel, and the different color schemes
• step-by-step demo and hands-on experience of mixing colors to create own palette
• create three small, abstract paintings based on different color schemes, principals

Weekly goal: to be introduced to the materiality of acrylic paint, get familiar with mixing colors, building compositions based on shape and color relationships

Week 2: Brush Techniques, Layering Color – Monday, October 14

• continuing with acrylic paint
• experimenting with different brushes, brush applications to learn how to create textures  blending, sense of space
• reviewing of mixing own color palette, focus on creating beautiful, neutral colors
• intro how to paint from observation, create paintings by looking at real, fall leaves that I will bring in!
• mixed media option at the end to turn leaf illustrations into collage

Weekly goal: to build off of color skills from previous week, learn how to layer color to create textural and spatial effects, learn how to create rich, neutral colors, how to work from “real life”

Week 3: Intro to Watercolor – Monday, October 21

• overview of differences, similarities between acrylic and watercolor
• discussion of Impressionists, Fauvism art movements
• introduce idea of making “master copies”, using a pre-existing work of art as basis for own painting
• introduce using ViewFinders as a way to find compositions
• use print-outs of Fauvist artworks as inspiration for personal works

Weekly goal: to try applying the painting skills we’ve been learning into watercolor, learn about famous art movements, learn a new way to approach creating compositions, continue pushing compositions by further exploring mixed media options

Week 4: Mixed Media Still Life/Open Studio – Monday, October 28

• do a demo of different ways to approach working from a non-photo reference
• work from a fall-theme still life
• try doing one or two different viewpoints, room to experiment with approach and combination of materials

Weekly goal: try working from ‘real life’ references, opportunity to revisit and practice techniques and combination of techniques learned up to this point

Find help navigating application processes and filling out forms required for housing, immigration, food, health, and other community support services.

In partnership with the City of Madison and Madison Public Library, the African Center for Community Development provides in-person assistance. Examples include: 

• Disability
• Employment
• Housing
• Passport
• Social security
• Unemployment
• WIC

For questions about the program or to schedule an appointment, please call the African Center at 608-957-5623 or 608-294-0066.

*Neither The African Center for Community Development nor Madison Public Library can provide legal assistance or advice.  We cannot fill out applications on your behalf or assess program eligibility.
 

Join us to READ and Play together. When children engage with books, songs, and play, they develop communication skills, patience, empathy, and pre-reading skills which helps to build a lifelong love of reading. 

This program is geared toward children under age 5. All older and younger siblings as well as childcare groups are welcome to join.

Library programs are always free.

Mindfulness is the art of paying attention, of listening to your heart. Rather than worrying about the future or ruminating about the past, mindfulness can help you enjoy life more fully, effectively, and peacefully. Join us when you can to learn simple mindfulness and meditation techniques that can be incorporated into your everyday routine to reduce your stress and increase your well-being. Typically, each session will begin with a brief check-in, followed by a guided sitting meditation. Then Gloria will share reflections on some aspect of mindfulness. The group will discuss the topic and ask any questions about the practice. We will end with another sitting meditation. Experience in mindfulness or meditation is not necessary. This program is being offered both in-person and online through Zoom. If you would like to join by Zoom, please register below. Registration is not necessary for in-person attendance.

This program is part of the Live Well @ Your Library​ initiative.

Visit the Dream Bus to browse books and other library materials, place or pick up holds, and sign up for a library card.

Learn more at dreambus.org

The Personal Archiving Lab at Central Library is a collection of equipment that can be used to digitize at-risk analog materials like home movies video tapes audio cassettes photographs and more. Stop by the Central Library on Mondays, 2-4pm (Room 209) for a tutorial on how to use the library's Personal Archiving Lab. Tutorial duration is approximately 20-30 minutes. The instructor may not be able to accommodate those who arrive after 3:40pm.

Following the tutorial, you will be able to make an appointment during library hours to use the equipment - up to 3 hours per day - for your personal archiving project.

The Personal Archiving Lab supports the following formats: VHS and VHS-C tapes DVDs (not BluRay); audio cassettes; MiniDV and Hi-8 tapes; photographs (including negatives and slides) and other paper-based documents. It does not support 8 or 16mm reel-to-reel film or audio tape.

Patrons who use the lab must bring some form of external storage — a portable hard drive, or a thumb drive — on which digital files can be stored.

Call 608-266-6350 for more information.

In partnership with the City of Madison and Madison Public Library, the African Center for Community Development provides in-person assistance* to help offset housing costs by assisting residents with applications for services, jobs, and other financial benefits.
We provide help for people navigating application processes and filling out forms required for housing, immigration, food, health, and other community support services. For questions about the program, please call African Center at (608) 957-5623 or (608) 294-0066.

*Neither The African Center for Community Development nor Madison Public Library can provide legal assistance or advice.  We are not able to fill out applications on your behalf, or assess program eligibility. 

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

Join us on Monday afternoon for library fun--you never know what might happen!  And this week it's Melodious Merriment with musician Duke Otherwise  Music starting at 3:00 pm.

Projects especially chosen for the school-age crowd; all ages welcome with adult help.

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

Visit the Dream Bus to browse books and other library materials, place or pick up holds, and sign up for a library card.

Learn more at dreambus.org

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

The River Food Pantry's Munch Truck will be stopping outside Goodman South on Mondays from 3:15PM - 3:35PM.

About River Food Pantry & Munch Truck

Launched in 2016, Munch is our mobile meals program that delivers free healthy meals to children and adults in over a dozen low-income neighborhoods throughout Madison. Each meal contains a sandwich or main menu item, a fruit or vegetable, a grain, a treat, and a drink. Everyone is welcome to take home a free meal. No registration or ID is required.

Neighborhoods served by Munch have large populations of children eligible for free school lunch. To bridge the gap that exists when school lunch is not available, Munch operates up to 6 days per week, Monday–Saturday, any time school cafeterias are closed (including breaks and periods of remote learning).

For any questions or comments, please contact the Munch staff at munch@riverfoodpantry.org or (608) 661-1223.

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

Visit the Dream Bus to browse books and other library materials, place or pick up holds, and sign up for a library card.

Learn more at dreambus.org

A specialist from the Aging & Disability Resource Center will provide a free 15-minute, confidential memory screening and will have information about memory, memory clinics, brain health and local resources that are available. Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone at 224-7100, or in person. Registration opens two weeks prior to program date.

Chess meets the 1st and 3rd Mondays of every month from 4-5:45 p.m. Come and learn chess basics in the library with a 30 minute introduction of the game and then play a friendly game of chess with an opponent. Lessons start promptly at 4 p.m., followed by an open game at 4:30 p.m. Chess club is open to all ages and skill levels. No Chess 1/1, 1/15, 9/2.

Masks are not required but recommended.

Play Minecraft in both survival and creative worlds!  There is a limited number of computers, so participants will take turns as needed.

Mondays, September 9 - November 18, 4:00-5:30pm.

The Madison Writing Assistance (MWA) program offers free, one-to-one writing support for community members at library branches throughout the city. Our friendly, experienced writing coaches are happy to help with writing projects across a wide range of genres, including resumes, cover letters, application essays, grant proposals, fiction writing, memoirs, and more.

Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone, or in person.

MWA services are made possible through generous donations from the Evjue Foundation and UW Anonymous Fund, along with administrative and program support from the UW-Madison English Department, the UW-Madison Writing Center, and our Library and neighborhood center partners.

Drop-in and play games on the library's iPads, MacBooks, and Nintendo Switch. Minecraft, Roblox, Mario Kart, & more! There is a limited number of devices, so participants will take turns as needed. Regular attendees can choose to participant in Gamer BINGO and earn prizes!

Family and friend groups are encouraged to attend and play together. 

Youth 8 years and younger must have a caregiver with them during the program. 

A trip into the Science Technology Engineering Arts Math (STEAM) realm, this collaboration with Community Science partners will help aid patrons and families. It is setup to educate, engage, empower and expose them to all types of STEAM activities .

Visit the Dream Bus to browse books and other library materials, place or pick up holds, and sign up for a library card.

Learn more at dreambus.org

The Madison Writing Assistance (MWA) program offers free, one-to-one writing support for community members at library branches throughout the city. Our friendly, experienced writing coaches are happy to help with writing projects across a wide range of genres, including resumes, cover letters, application essays, grant proposals, fiction writing, memoirs, and more.

Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone, or in person.

MWA services are made possible through generous donations from the Evjue Foundation and UW Anonymous Fund, along with administrative and program support from the UW-Madison English Department, the UW-Madison Writing Center, and our Library and neighborhood center partners.

The Madison Writing Assistance (MWA) program offers free, one-to-one writing support for community members at library branches throughout the city. Our friendly, experienced writing coaches are happy to help with writing projects across a wide range of genres, including resumes, cover letters, application essays, grant proposals, fiction writing, memoirs, and more.

Schedule an appointment online with the link below, by phone, or in person.

MWA services are made possible through generous donations from the Evjue Foundation and UW Anonymous Fund, along with administrative and program support from the UW-Madison English Department, the UW-Madison Writing Center, and our Library and neighborhood center partners.

New York Times bestselling author Danielle Trussoni brings together the best elements of literary and popular fiction in her thrillers— they’re smart and complex, with fascinating characters, intricately plotted storylines, and timely themes that resonate with a wide readership. Her upcoming Fall 2024 release, THE PUZZLE BOX, which Random House will publish in hardcover on October 8, 2024, is no exception. The story centers on a neurodivergent protagonist in a high stakes international adventure, racing against the clock and hidden enemies to solve the world’s most complex puzzle. And at the same time, it’s a multi-layered novel with strong feminist overtones, as it shines a bright light on the true history of female rulers in Japan. In the novel, puzzle genius Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo to open the legendary Dragon Box, a mysterious nineteenth-century puzzle that has remained unsolved for over 150 years. Mike’s mission to solve the mystery takes him across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to historic Kyoto to an ancient cave in Kyushu, and he becomes caught in the power struggle of two sisters descended from an ancient samurai clan. The secrets of their family are locked in a deadly puzzle box that, when opened, could change the future of the Japanese monarchy and women in Japan.

Seating is limited, so please register below to reserve your spot!

Are you struggling to carve out time to write that novel, screenplay, or other work of fiction you've always been meaning to write? Are you battling writer's block? Are you looking for people to read what you've written and provide feedback? Try Pen Pals, an all-experience-levels-welcome group for fiction writers and fiction writer hopefuls!

Once a week, bring in a laptop or notebook and surround yourself with other writers striving toward similar goals. The first hour will be dedicated to organizing feedback-swaps, discussing our projects, and collectively brainstorming solutions to story problems. The remaining hour and a half is just for writing! Pen Pals is captained by local fanfiction author Linea Kemsley, who will provide baked goods and warm beverages every week to help promote that perfect cozy writing atmosphere.

Join memoir writing coach Sarah White for this FREE read-and-share event. Sign up on arrival to read on a first-come, first-served basis, and receive group feedback from like-minded people. Listeners welcome as well as readers.

When: First Monday of every month (except holidays) from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 



Where: Join us in person at the Pinney Library Community Room, 516 Cottage Grove Rd.

Free. No advance registration required. Food and beverages are welcome!

Contact Sarah White if you have questions: sarah.white@firstpersonprod.com or 608-347-7329.

The 2024 First Monday, First Person series is funded by a generous gift from Miriam Simmons to the Madison Public Library Foundation.