Events Calendar

Visitors of all ages are invited to come by the Bubbler Room and work with TetraPAKMAN on engaging, tactile art-making out of recycled materials. Whether we’re building a large-scale, community-generated social sculpture or creating the unthinkable through cardboard construction we need your help!

Some of his ongoing projects include painting bedsheets for a upcoming installation, creating messages out of old keyboard keys or using everyday objects like lids, boxes, and twist-ties to make larger than life sculpture forms.

Many of TetraPAKMAN’s projects scale up or down based on age and timeframe — so come by for 5 minutes, an hour, or more and we will be Doing Something. We’d love your creative additions as he works to transform the Bubbler Room at Central Library!

About the Artist: TetraPAKMAN is a Madison-based artist who has long considered concepts around conservation, and often creates using repurposed/recycled materials. TetraPAKMAN’s practice is focused on community-generated social sculpture projects. His work is about the future, and the challenges we face today as a community. He explores the role of art as a mechanism to generate awareness about the climate crisis.

READ and PLAY with your favorite preschooler and Special Guest Pogie the Yogie ! Bring a towel or a yoga mat and make some great moves. Library programs are always free. Siblings and childcare groups are welcome.

Library programs are always free.

Preschool Storytime is especially intended for children ages three to five; siblings and childcare groups are welcome.

Madison Public Library is partnering with the Dane County Land & Water Resources Department to provide a collection of native Wisconsin plant seeds this winter. The native plant seeds have been collected by Dane County Parks volunteers. Native Wisconsin plant seeds are best sown in the fall and left to overwinter.

Now the library is looking for volunteers to help with the hard part: packaging the seeds so library patrons can take them home! If you would like to donate your time and effort to this project, please register below! Registration opens two weeks before the program, on 11/29/24, at 9am.

Why native plants?

“Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soils, are drought tolerant, disease resistant, and have deep root systems that help infiltrate rain water. Once established, native plants are aesthetically pleasing and require little watering, fertilizing and mowing. … They also provide important ecosystem services such as improved water quality and habitat and food for local wildlife, including numerous pollinator species.” (Dane County Land & Water Resources Department)

Interested in helping to pay it forward and collect native plant seeds? Visit https://www.danecountyparks.com/volunteer to learn more.

Visit the Dream Bus from 2:50-3:10pm to browse books and other library materials, place or pick up holds, and sign up for a library card.

Learn more at dreambus.org

Visit the Dream Bus from 3:20-3:50pm to browse books and other library materials, place or pick up holds, and sign up for a library card.

Learn more at dreambus.org

Drop-in and join other tweens and teens for all sorts of games, snacks, art projects, and community. 

This event is FREE and open to tweens and teens, 10 years and older.

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

Join us Friday's at Goodman South Madison Library for teen time. Teens can choose what they'd like to do each time, but we'll have activities available to engage them from 4-6PM. Board games, art + maker projects, crafts, video games, and enrichment opportunities like vision boards and STEM experiments coordinated by Teen Librarian Will G. and featuring various community partners. Meet other teens from your neighborhood and enjoy community after school. 

Visit the Dream Bus from 4:40-5:00pm 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 Hawthorne Anime Club was created to give people a place to gather, watch, and talk about Japanese animation.  The club is intended for adults and older teens. All screenings will be in Japanese with English subtitles.  Occasionally films or series with mature content will be screened.  Call ahead to reserve your spot!

(masks are required and no refreshments can be served due to Covid-19 restrictions)

Calling all kiddos! Bring your favorite stuffed animal ("stuffie") and join us for a fun evening of crafts, snacks, and stories. 

In addition to the fun evening of stories, kids will be able to participate in a photo shoot with their stuffie, create a blanket for their stuffie, eat a bedtime snack, and participate in a bedtime storytime. The next morning, kids and their families can pick up their stuffies and see pictures of all of the good fun that they had at the library!

Registration is requested so that we have enough snacks and craft supplies to go around!

Disclaimer: Madison Public Library is not responsible for the loss or damage of any property that may result from this event. We will do our best to ensure that all items are returned in the same condition we received them in, but the stuffed animals will be in areas of the library frequently used by the community and could be exposed to things like germs, dirt, etc. Stuffies must be picked up from the library no later than 12/27/24.

Check out our Friday Night Flicks at Pinney Library, every 2nd & 4th Friday beginning at 6pm! Movies will be shown in the Community Room on the large projection screen. Light snacks and refreshments served; Closed Captioning active when available. Recommended for Adults Only as some movies may contain mature themes.

Black Nativity (2013), PG, 1hr 33min

Plot: Langston (Jacob Latimore), a Baltimore teen raised by a single mother (Jennifer Hudson), travels to New York City to spend the Christmas holiday with estranged relatives, the Rev. Cornell Cobbs (Forest Whitaker) and his wife, Aretha (Angela Bassett). However, Langston soon finds that Cobbs has strict rules, and the youth is unwilling to follow them. Instead, he sets out on a return journey to his mother and finds the value of faith, healing and family along the way.

Directed by: Kasi Lemmons

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese Gibson, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Jacob Latimore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and rapper Nas.