All Madison Public Library buildings are currently closed to the public with the exception of computer use, printing, and curbside pickup and returns. Visit madisonpubliclibrary.org for more information.
In the meantime, we invite you to participate in the following special events.
Wisconsin Book Festival
Thursday‒Saturday, Oct. 15‒17
The 2020 fall celebration for the Wisconsin Book Festival will feature 27 authors at 16 events over three days. The festival is free and will take place online via Crowdcast. It will feature authors who bring a diverse set of voices and perspectives to important issues. Whether politics or conservation, fiction or nonfiction, first-time standout authors or respected physics professors, this year’s Wisconsin Book Festival is sure to have something for everyone. See the full lineup at
wisconsinbookfestival.org.
UW Odyssey Project: A Celebration of Voting Event
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2‒3:30 pm
Join a celebration of voting event hosted by the UW Odyssey Project and the Madison Public Library. The free online event will feature essays and poems by Odyssey and Odyssey Junior students that will answer the question, “Why vote?”
Theatre professor Baron Kelly and actors from the American Players Theatre will deliver short passages on voting from Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis. Invited speakers Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Judge Everett Mitchell, Dr. Rueben Anthony and Rep. Sheila Stubbs will add their thoughts on voting.
From 3‒3:30 pm League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and Dane County will share practical information about voting and answer your questions. Learn more via our Facebook event “A Celebration of Voting” at https://bit.ly/2R4kE2P.
Go Big Read
This year’s Go Big Read book is “Parkland” by Dave Cullen. It’s the story of the Stoneman Douglas School shooting in Parkland, Florida, that rocked the nation in 2018. This book delves into the lives of the students directly affected by the violence and highlights the passion exhibited by these astonishing students who channeled their anger into a movement.
The Madison Public Library will hold a series of online discussions about “Parkland” this fall, so stay tuned for details. You can place a hold for the book online at
madisonpubliclibrary.org/gobigread.
Central Library Blood Drive
Friday, Oct. 2, 9:30 am‒2:30 pm
Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin St.
Only guests with scheduled appointments will be allowed into the building. Masks are required, and the Red Cross will provide a mask if you don’t have one. Donors can enter the Central Library building through the Fairchild Street doors. Sign up online at madisonpubliclibrary.org/calendar
Cooking with Chef Lily
Did you know there’s more to literacy than just books? Food literacy can be an important skill for both children and adults. We’ve got a 12-video cooking series featuring Chef Lily Kilfoy, aka “The Kids’ Chef”, which
walks your family through over 30 recipes. Download ingredient lists and access the videos at
madisonpubliclibrary.org/cookwithlily.