Events Calendar

We’re here to mend anything you need for the colder months, including clothing, coats, and any other fabric-related repairs, except for zippers. Sewers from the Sewing Machine Project will be available to mend your things for free every Thursday of the month.

Calling all babies!  Come hear a story and play with fun toys picked just for you in a relaxed atmosphere. 

For children ages birth to 2 years old. No registration required.

Youth group workshop.

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

This Go By Metro event is dedicated to everything Fast Fare! Metro Transit and City employees will be distributing the new reloadable cards. Staff will also be available to answer questions, and help riders set up online accounts, add any half-price entitlements and trade in unused passes/ cards. Get the latest updates on BRT to prepare for the Rapid Route A launch. 

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.
 

Pinball

Directed by Austin Bragg. Performances by Mike Faist, Crystal Reed, Dennis Boutsikaris Vertical Entertainment. Not Rated.  91 minutes.  Comedy / Drama

An unsettled writer with a fantastic mustache, Roger Sharpe, finds solace and confidence in one thing he has mastered: pinball. When a police raid destroys the only machines he can find in 1970s New York City, he learns the game is illegal. Roger reluctantly joins forces with the Music and Amusement Association to overturn the ban while falling in love with Ellen, an artist and single mother. Roger’s path to save pinball ultimately rescues him. He and Ellen overcome their pasts and take a shot at love. Roger learns what it means to take a chance—and that commitment is the most rewarding gamble of all. Based on a true story.

Metro Transit is nearing the launch of BRT, and with that comes the distribution of Fast Fare Cards.

Go By Metro will focus on distributing Fast Fare Cards and assisting individuals with setting up their accounts.

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 River Food Pantry's Munch Truck will be stopping outside Hawthorne on Thursdays from 3:55PM - 4:15PM.

About River Food Pantry & Munch Truck

Launched in 2016, Munch(link is external) 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(link sends e-mail) or (608) 661-1223.

It Takes A Village After-School Enrichment sessions are created in an effort to promote community, and a safe place for youth patrons between 12 and 18 years old. We will supply various gaming activities board games and electronic games also VR gaming

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.

Play Minecraft in both creative and survival worlds! Ability to fully use both a computer keyboard and a computer mouse required. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

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

Young people, ages 6-17 years old, are invited to cook with Chef Lily at Hawthorne Library! Participants will prepare and enjoy a wide variety of recipes, while learning about meal planning, following recipes, and using kitchen gadgets and tools.

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.

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

In this class, you will learn about the traditional Korean patchwork technique, Jogakbo. With a traditional Korean fabric, Nobang, you’ll learn to make a colorful butterfly using a hand stitch called Gam-chim-jil (whip stitch). You’ll take home your own handmade butterfly at the end of the class. Whether you’re practiced at hand sewing or a complete beginner, this project is for you! 

This program is intended for older teens and adults. Registration is required and opens two weeks prior to the event on September 12, 2024.

This program is part of the Care & Repair program series, which is made possible thanks to support from Beyond the Page. See all upcoming programs at madpl.org/careandrepair.

About the artist: Miryeong Hong is inspired by the color-saturated four seasons of her homeland, South Korea, and has been making Jogakbo (traditional Korean patchwork) with traditional fabric for sixteen years. She focuses on various textures and colors representing distinctive aspects of each season, which have helped her overcome her homesickness. Hong’s art has been exhibited at various places including Sequoya Library, local galleries, and art fairs. She has hosted workshops in TAC of Madison, Textile Design at UW-Madison and Madison Public Library. Visit Miryeong's instagram to see examples and learn more: https://www.instagram.com/onijogakbo/?igsh=MWEzNXBqajQzYzVpdQ%3D%3D

Learn to block print with local artist Bernie! Block printing is an ancient process that is widely used today in both paper and fabric applications. In this workshop we will draw inspiration from the botanical world, carve our own blocks, and learn how to print multiples on paper. No prior experience with art or drawing skills are needed.

Both block printing workshops are the same content and are in high demand; please select one session date.  This 2-hour workshop is ideal for older teens 16+ and adults.  Space is limited and registration is required, opens on Sept. 12, 2024. If full, call Pinney Library information desk at 608-224-7100 to be placed on a short waiting list in case of cancellations.

bernie & zuzu is named for Bernie Witzack (she/her, a human) who is the creative force behind bernie & zuzu, and the extraordinary zuzu (a cat) who takes care of the business side of things. At bernie & zuzu, we create handmade, hand-painted, and screen-printed goods in small batches. We specialize in unique, one-of-a-kind art, home goods, accessories and prints with an emphasis on bright, bold color and playful shapes. bernie & zuzu is run out of a studio in the Madison Enterprise Center and we screen print at Polka Press, Madison’s local printmaking collective. We hope our artwork and goods inspire tiny moments of beauty, wonder and joy. 

Bernie studied Studio Art at Beloit College and has been making and exhibiting her art ever since. She earned an MFA in Fine Art & Design from the University of Michigan in 2013, focusing on improvisational drawing and painting. She then went on to study graphic design at Madison College, falling in love with screen printing along the way. She was working full time as a graphic designer and pursuing her art on the side when the pandemic hit in spring 2020. She left the design field in spring 2021 to focus on her art full time, launching bernie & zuzu in fall of 2021.

You can find bernie & zuzu’s goods at the Dane County Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings from April-October, at Little Luxuries, Hatch Art House, and Communication Madison. They also vend at local art markets such as The Eastside Winter Market, Femmestival, The Crafty Fair and the Madison Maker Markets. bernie & zuzu have an online shop at www.bernieandzuzu.com

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.

Gathers most Thursday evenings! Middle and high school students can meet other aspiring authors, bounce ideas off one another, share their stories, and feel the creativity flow! Writing club is led by local author Carole Madrzak.

¡Acompáñenos!  Este verano los miembros del Grupo de Conversación en Español de University League ofrecen este programa de conversación gratis para adultos con nivel intermedio o avanzado, del segundo y cuarto jueves del mes (en el tarde del segundo, en la noche de cuarto), en la biblioteca Sequoya.  Los principiantes que quieran escuchar el idioma, serán bien recibidos.

Este evento tambien se realizará virtualmente a través de Zoom. Más información sobre este programa se le enviará por correo electrónico cuando se registre. Zoom es una plataforma de video gratuita, y puede mirar en un navegador, a través de la aplicación móvil gratuita para ios o android, o llamar para participar solo por voz.

Come join us! THis summer members of the University League's Spanish Conversation Interest Group will host this free monthly conversation for adults with intermediate to advanced level Spanish skills on the second and fourth Thursday each month (meeting in the afternoon on the second, in the evening on the fourth). Beginners who want to listen to the language are also invited.

This event will also be hosted virtually through Zoom; more information will be emailed to you upon registration. Zoom is a free video platform, and you can watch on a browser, through the free mobile app for ios or android, or call in to participate by voice only.