Events Calendar

Cuentos, canciones y actividades en inglés y español para niños de 3 a 6 años. Interactuar con libros, canciones y juegos ayuda a los niños a desarrollar

habilidades de comunicación, paciencia, empatía, y desarrolla un amor por la lectura que durará toda la vida.

Los programas de la biblioteca son siempre gratuitos. Los hermanos y los grupos de cuidado infantil son bienvenidos.

Lunes, 5, 12, 19 y 26 de agosto

Stories, songs and activities in English and Spanish for kids 3-6 years old. Engaging with books, songs and play helps children

learn communication skills, patience, empathy and builds a life long love for reading. 

Library programs are always free. Siblings and childcare groups are welcome.

Mondays, August 5, 12, 19 and 26.

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.

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. 

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.

Join us on Monday afternoon for library fun--you never know what might happen!

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

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.

Three local bike organizations are coming together to offer minor bike repairs during this 2.5-hour clinic. Bring your bike, and drop in for this informative session on bike maintenance. Presenters from Dream Bikes, Wheels for Winners, and Wisconsin Bike Fed will share insights into the role (and roll) bikes play in local transportation, conservation, and recreation. 

This class is recommended for all ages.

This program is part of the Care & Repair program series, which is made possible thanks to support from Beyond the Page, National Endowment for the Humanities and Madison Community Foundation. See all upcoming programs at madpl.org/careandrepair.

Read aloud to a furry friend from Alliance of Therapy Dogs at Lakeview Library. Bring a favorite book or try a new one from our collection. First come, first served.

Drop-in and play games on the library's iPads, MacBooks, and Nintendo Switch. Minecraft, Roblox, Mario Kart, & more! Board games will also be available. 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. 

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 August 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.

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.

Chess meets the second and fourth Monday of every month. All ages and skill levels are welcome.

Join local chef Huma Siddiqui-Seitz for this cooking class. Huma's cooking classes are based on using Pakistani/Indian spices in simple, easy and delicious recipes. In this class, Huma's demonstration will feature Tandoori Squash, Basmati rice with colored peppers and whole spices.

Registration is required. Registration opens two weeks before the program (8/12/24).