The Fall 2011 issue of Library Kidspages is now available. Grab a paper copy at any Madison Public Library location or print it off from the web site. The Fall 2011 Library Kidspages lists all of the events from September 1 through December 31 for children ages 0-12 at the Madison Public Library. Copies in Spanish are also available here.
Want to receive notices of upcoming programs by age? Sign up for the email newsletters – Library Kids, Books for Five Year Olds, Booked for Teens, and others.
Every summer, the Madison Public Library celebrates the Summer Reading Club with two special events – the Summer Library Carnival and a concert and picnic at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Join them this year for some free, family fun!
Summer Library Carnival
Wednesday, July 27, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Celebrate reading at this event co-sponsored by Overture Center for the Arts and Madison Public Library. Enjoy a performance by Circus Manduhai at 10:30 am at Overture Center. Then, stop by the Central Library for carnival games, crafts and more! No registration is required.
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One World, Many Stories Concert & Picnic
Tuesday, August 2, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Olbrich Botanical Gardens (3330 Atwood Avenue)
Pack a picnic supper and head to the Gardens for a fun-filled family concert! Come, rain or shine, at 6:30 pm to play with bubbles from Diane Schwartz’s Get Kids Outside. Then, at 7:00 pm, the Okinawan Taiko Drummers will get your toes tapping while you munch! No registration required. Weather permitting, the Kiwanis food cart will be on hand with food available for purchase.
Overture Center’s Kids in the Rotunda is a series of free artistic programs designed for children and families which runs from the last weekend in September through April. This popular performing arts series on the Rotunda Stage offers a relaxed, kid-friendly environment in which to enjoy a diverse lineup of local and regional musicians, storytellers, jugglers, theater troupes, magicians and dancers. The programs run every Saturday at 9:30 am, 11 am and 1 pm (each performance lasts around 45 minutes). The 1 pm performances are sign language interpreted.
This week’s performer is KG & The Ranger (Cowboy songs, yodeling & rope tricks) *This is the last KITR of the season!
Cowboy heroes and the west come to life when KG and the Ranger sing classic cowboy songs, yodel in harmony and demonstrate trick rope-spinning. This popular show will take families on a lighthearted and magical musical journey out west. This dynamic duo has been performing nationally at cowboy events across the United States for almost 20 years and brings their wranglin’ expertise to the Rotunda. KG and the Ranger will have audiences of all ages toe-tapping and yelling ‘Yee haw!’
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Art After Overture Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm. Stop by the Central Library for art activities, special book displays and more, inspired by performances at Overture Center for the Arts’ Kids in the Rotunda series. Activities will be available from 9 am-5 pm in the Children’s Room. This FREE event takes place every Saturday after Kids in the Rotunda.
This past week we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the Fitchburg Public Library (set to open in June)!
Just blocks from our house, we are thrilled this huge (!!!!!) modern library is coming to our community. We have been lucky to have the bookmobile spot for our area be literally at the end of our driveway so this library is actually farther away for us, but we look forward to a short walk or bike ride to the enormous childrens area, the “storytime” room, and workshops and the sense of community this library will bring to a city without a “downtown” or main street area.
The entry to the childrens area. The blue area at the end is the story/craft area! Exciting!
This is the quiet reading room I plan to use to hide from my children and read something other than "Brown Bear" and "Olivia."
Information about the building process is available here. (check out photo 4!!)
More information and updates are available at: http://fitchburgcitylibrary.com/index.asp
For the next few months until opening, the best way to submit questions or comments is through the library’s contact page.
Thanks to the Fitchburg Public Library for passing along information regarding these great events!
Promoting Early Literacy Skills in Young Children
Ages Birth to 4 years
January 19, 2011
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Parents and caregivers are a child’s first and most important teacher. What can we do to help our children be ready to read? Join us as we clap, tap, rhyme, read and sing. Learn how these simple, fun and enjoyable activities give children a healthy and happy start on the road to reading.
Grades K-3
January 26, 2011
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Our children are taking their first steps in becoming readers. How can we support their efforts? Join us as we look at helpful and practical ways to read with children whether they are enjoying reading or are reluctant to read. Learn about choosing books for all kinds of readers and tips for making reading meaningful and enjoyable.
Both workshops will be held in the Fitchburg Community Center, 5510 Lacy Road, in the Fitchburg Room. These workshops are free, but registration is required. Call 843-5757 with questions or to register. Credit for Registry certified caregivers is available.
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Parents as Teachers
Join us for two workshops focusing on promoting early literacy skills
using books by and about African Americans. Each family will receive a free book to take home. Children will enjoy a storytime with a craft activity while parents learn how to help their children enjoy success as readers. Questions? Call Megan at 843.5757.
Parents and Children
Ages 3-5 Years
Tuesday January 4, 2011
10:00 – 11:00 am
Fitchburg Community Center (5510 Lacy Road)
There will be bagels, coffee, cookies and juice provided.
Parents and Children
Ages 5-7 Years
Tuesday January 4, 2011
6:30 – 7:30 pm
Leopold Elementary School (2602 Post Road)
There will be a light dinner provided.
The Fitchburg Public Library is in construction mode right now, but that doesn’t stop them from holding story time for kids! Our family attended these free drop-in story times almost every week last fall and really enjoyed the variety of themes and theme-related activities they provided, as well as the open gym time (provided when the large gym room is available).
Storytime will be held on Thursdays at 10:00 am in Fitchburg Room of the Fitchburg Community Center, 5520 Lacy Road, which is adjacent to the City Hall. Storytime is for children 3-5, accompanied by a parent/adult, but younger siblings are always welcome. Children will hear stories, sing songs and do crafts. Please contact Megan McGuire at library@city.fitchburg.wi.us for more information.*NOTE: There will be no storytime on Sept. 30 or Nov 25.
Photo credit: Peter Patau
The celebration begins at 10:30 am at Overture Center with a special performance by juggler Andy Head. At 11:15 the celebration moves across the street to Central Library (201 W. Mifflin) with carnival games, crafts, facepainting and more!
The entire event is free and open to everyone!
If you need accommodations to attend this program, please call 266-6345 or TDD# 266-6314.
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And if your children haven’t signed up for the library’s Summer Reading Program, it’s not too late! They can sign up for Summer Reading Club or Teen Reads any time between now and August 31, but must redeem prizes by August 31.
Fitchburg is getting it’s own library! Here is Lily and dad Dave at the ground breaking. Yay, Library!
This has been a long time coming and now that it’s really on its way, they are looking for input on what the public wants in its library – what a great idea!
You can use the form here to tell the library which subject areas, types of materials, and even specific titles you would like to see in the opening day collection. As a Fitchburg resident with two small kids I’m excited that they are looking for input, and we can’t wait to start weekly visits to our city library!
In the meantime, the library is launching it’s FREE Splash Into Summer program, which starts on June 18th with the Kanopy Dance Group. It’s held each Friday (except July 2nd) in the Oak Hall of the
Fitchburg Community Center (5510 Lacy Road), adjacent to the City Hall. It’s free, although tickets are required. More information on the program is available here.
Raising Madison 