Events Calendar

READ and PLAY with your favorite baby or toddler! Reading, singing, talking and playing with your baby from the beginning is important because the roots of language are developing in a baby’s brain even before they can talk! Library programs are always free. Siblings and childcare groups are welcome.

Free assistance from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers to help you fill out and file your Federal and Wisconsin personal income taxes. Call 608-266-6385 no earlier than 9am on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, to make an appointment (required).

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides in-person and virtual tax assistance free of charge with a special focus on taxpayers who are over 50 or have low-to-moderate income. Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year.

Some situations are outside the scope of the service -- see what type of taxes they can prepare or ask if in doubt. 

All Sequoya Library appointments will be in-person on WEDNESDAYS: 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, & 4/9.

Library staff will begin making appointments on January 22 at 9 am. Appointments must be made in person or by phone. (We cannot honor requests left in voice messages, so please call again if you reach voicemail instead of a staff member.) 

Click here for a list of all 2025 Tax Assistance dates at Central, Lakeview, Meadowridge, and Sequoya Libraries, or take a look at our calendar. Appointments are required at all locations.

READ and PLAY together with children under age 5! 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.

Free assistance from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers to help you fill out and file your Federal and Wisconsin personal income taxes. Call 608-288-6160 no earlier than 10am on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, to make an appointment (required).

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides in-person and virtual tax assistance free of charge with a special focus on taxpayers who are over 50 or have low-to-moderate income. Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year.

Some situations are outside the scope of the service -- see what type of taxes they can prepare or ask if in doubt. 

All Meadowridge Library appointments will be in-person on WEDNESDAYS: 2/12, 2/19, 2/26, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, & 4/9.

Library staff will begin making appointments on January 22 at 10am. Appointments must be made in person or by phone. (We cannot honor requests left in voice messages, so please call again if you reach voicemail instead of a staff member.) 

Click here for a list of all 2025 Tax Assistance dates at Central, Lakeview, Meadowridge, and Sequoya Libraries, or take a look at our calendar. Appointments are required at all locations.

Attention word lovers: exercise your brain by playing Scrabble with other adults!

A special storytime series woven together with playful mindfulness practices for children and their caregivers to do together. Comfy clothing encouraged!

Books, songs and mindful practices all help children develop communication skills, patience, empathy, and pre-reading skills​ as well as a lifelong love of reading. After about 20-30 minutes of stories, songs, and a few mindfulness games we'll end with a time for child-led play together in our children's area. You are welcome to stay as long as you like!

Library programs are always free. Siblings and friends are welcome.

READ and PLAY together with children under age 5! 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. Older and Younger siblings and childcare groups are welcome.

READ and PLAY together with children 5 & under! Stories, songs, and rhymes for about 20 minutes, followed by playtime and an art project. 

Engaging with books, songs, and playful experiences all help children develop communication skills, patience, empathy, and pre-reading skills​ - and to build a lifelong love of reading.

No registration, free of cost, and older siblings are welcome!

READ and PLAY with your favorite baby! Reading, singing, talking, and playing with your baby from the beginning is important because the roots of language are developing in a baby’s brain even before they can talk! Library programs are always free. Siblings and childcare groups are welcome.

Free assistance from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers to help you fill out and file your Federal and Wisconsin personal income taxes. Call 608-246-4547 no earlier than 10 am on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, to make an appointment (required).

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides in-person and virtual tax assistance free of charge with a special focus on taxpayers who are over 50 or have low-to-moderate income. Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year.

Some situations are outside the scope of the service -- see what type of taxes they can prepare or ask if in doubt. 

All Lakeview Library appointments will be in-person on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Library staff will begin making appointments on January 22 at 10 am. Appointments must be made in person or by phone. (We cannot honor requests left in voice messages, so please call again if you reach voicemail instead of a staff member.) 

Click here for a list of all 2025 Tax Assistance dates at Central, Lakeview, Meadowridge, and Sequoya Libraries, or take a look at our calendar. Appointments are required at all locations.

Madison Public Library will be providing free garden seeds for community members at eight locations this year! 

The library is looking for volunteers to help with 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 or contact your local library.

Registration opens two weeks before event 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

Read aloud to a furry friend from Alliance for Therapy Dogs. Bring a favorite book, or grab one of ours. First come, first served.

Drop-in knitting. All experience levels welcome. Children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult for duration of program. Yarn and Needles provided for in-library use.

Please join us to play chess at our weekly, drop-in program! All ages and experience levels welcome.

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

Calling all kids and families! Join us for a very fun art series where we will explore our creativity. 

This week, artist Deckard, will lead us in an open painting session!

Kids of all ages are welcome to join, and there is no registration necessary.

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

School-age children (elementary and middle school) are invited to join us for this kid-led Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Be a part of an adventuring party where you'll use your imagination and creativity to explore a fantasy world in an epic quest. Our Dungeon Master Jared will provide support and help guide campaigns along with our adult D&D experts and our Youth Librarian Ruth.

This weekly session is for beginners.

About D&D: Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game that allows each player to create their own character to play. These characters embark upon imaginary adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Master (DM) serves as the game's referee and storyteller, while maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur.

Explore tempera paint by making a painting on a canvas.

Youth 8 years and younger must bring an adult, or responsible older sibling, with.

Join local artist Amy Mietzel for hands-on art projects!

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

Need help with basic computer or Internet skills? Looking for assistance with using a smart phone or downloading library eBooks and audiobooks? We offer free one-on-one sessions on Wednesdays! Call 608-246-4547 to make an appointment.

Curious about podcasting?

Join us for a demo of the Library Podcasting Kit and learn about the basics of recording and sound editing. The kit consists of one audio interface box that takes the input from two microphones and feeds into a laptop. We will work on a small recording project in teams. The kit is compatible with PC or Apple laptops - you can bring your own or use a library laptop. Registration required.

Need help with basic computer or Internet skills? Looking for assistance with using a smart phone or downloading library eBooks and audiobooks? We offer free one-on-one sessions on Wednesdays! Call 608-246-4547 to make an appointment.

Drop in knitting: Learn a new craft or work on that unfinished project with other neighborhood knitters.

Need help with basic computer or Internet skills? Looking for assistance with using a smart phone or downloading library eBooks and audiobooks? We offer free one-on-one sessions on Wednesdays! Call 608-246-4547 to make an appointment.

by TJ Klune

Full of dry humor, whimsy and heart. A bureaucrat investigating an orphanage of magical children- including such folk as a gnome and a wyvern- is emotionally transformed once he immerses himself in their community. Join us for discussion and sometimes dessert. Newcomers warmly welcomed.

From the Emmy Award-winning Squid Game to streaming sensations like The Glory and Crash Landing on You, Korean television has emerged onto the global pop culture scene as compelling television—but what exactly makes these shows so irresistibly bingeable? And what can we learn about our societies and ourselves from watching them?

From stand-up comedian and media studies PhD Grace Jung comes a rollicking deep dive into the cultural significance of Korean television. K-Drama School analyzes everything from common tropes like amnesia and slapping to conspicuous product placements of Subway sandwiches and coffee; to representations of disability, race and gender; to what Korea’s war-torn history says about South Korea’s media output and the stories being told on screen.

With chapters organized by “lessons,” each one inquiring into a different theme of Korean television, K-Drama School offers a groundbreaking exploration into this singular form of entertainment, from an author who writes with humor and heart about shows that spur tears and laughter, keeping us glued to the TV while making fans of us all.

Shows discussed include: Squid Game, SKY Castle, Crash Course in Romance, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, My Mister, Something in the Rain, One Spring Night, DP, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Autumn in My Heart, Winter Sonata, Our Blues, and more.

Need help with basic computer or Internet skills? Looking for assistance with using a smart phone or downloading library eBooks and audiobooks? We offer free one-on-one sessions on Wednesdays! Call 608-246-4547 to make an appointment.