Madison Public Library & Madison Public Library Foundation Spring/Summer 2016 Newsletter

SPRING 2016

SPRING/SUMMER 2016 SPRING 2016

A newsletter from Madison Public Library Foundation

IN THIS ISSUE Golden Achievement: Library Wins National Medal Foundation Secures $101,500 in Local Grants Wick Named Library’s Director of Public Services Love Stories: Central a Popular Wedding Spot Rock & Read on June 19

FOUNDATION NEW

Foundation Secures $101,500 in Local Grants Funds Will Support New Pinney Library, Programs for Teens and Families Madison Public Library Foundation recently secured three grants from local organizations that will support the new Pinney Library, Minecraft after-school programming and collections at four neighborhood libraries, and Family Fun Nights at Goodman South Madison Library.

Pinney Library Capital Campaign Boost Madison Community Foundation will provide $50,000 toward the $2.5 million Capital Campaign for a New Pinney Library. The grant will allow the new library — which will be located in the Royster Corners mixed-use development — to double in size and services, reaching underserved children, individuals and seniors on the east side.

“Madison’s public libraries continue to thrive, serving as gathering places, centers of lifelong learning, repositories of content and providers of rich, cost-free programming for people of all ages,” said Tom Linfield, Vice President of Community Impact at Madison Community Foundation. “They exemplify the county at its best — a place where people can meet, learn, and share ideas for the betterment of the individual and the community. The Madison Community Foundation is proud to invest in the growth of Madison Public Library and the creation of this extraordinary new community asset.”

Youth STEM Programming For the second consecutive year, the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Foundation committed funds toward Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Minecraft and LEGO Mindstorms

programming and collections for teens. The $48,500 gift will allow more youth at Goodman South Madison and Meadowridge libraries to participate in the after-school clubs thanks to more laptops and collections materials. The grant will also allow expansion of the clubs to Lakeview and Pinney libraries to serve 20 additional children and teens per week at each location.

Improving digital literacy among youth is a priority for the library. Access to hardware and gaming software addresses the opportunity gap in Madison and helps youth gain confidence through experimentation with technology. Minecraft and LEGO Mindstorms apps introduce engineering concepts and encourage creative thinking while surprisingly also spurring an increase in reading: seven percent of the most popular nonfiction checkouts are the library are Minecraft-related. Teen librarians run the clubs, with support from UW-Madison students enrolled in a Library and Information Studies course taught by Rebekah Willett. The UW assistant professor researches children’s media consumption and production practices.

Goodman South Madison Family Nights The Capital Times Kids Fund awarded the foundation $3,000 for Family Fun Nights programming at Goodman Library. The 31 programs will run in summer, spring and fall from 6:30–8 p.m. on Fridays. Those who attend will enjoy cultural performances, hands-on art and science activities, recently released movies and more. Visit madisonpubliclibrary.org and click on the calendar to see upcoming Family Fun Nights.

LIBRARY NEW

Madison Public Library Awarded 2016 National Medal The Institute of Museum and Library Services named Madison Public Library as one of 10 recipients of the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service in late April. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community.

The award will be presented at an event in Washington, D.C., on June 1 where the medal will be received by Library Director Greg Mickells, community and staff member Rob Franklin, and Library Board President Tracy Kuczenski.

director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “We are proud to recognize the extraordinary institutions that play an essential role in reaching underserved populations and catalyzing new opportunities for active local involvement.”

“We’re honored to receive the National Medal,” Mickells said. “This achievement reflects our community’s appreciation of and commitment to public libraries, and our library’s dedication to excellent, innovative library service and community engagement.”

“This achievement reflects our community’s appreciation of and commitment to public libraries, and our library’s dedication to excellent, innovative library service and community engagement.”

- Greg Mickells, Library Director The award celebrates libraries that respond to community needs in innovative ways. Madison Public Library was selected for focusing on customer and civic engagement and promoting education, literacy and community involvement. The library emphasizes its vision of being “your place to learn, share and create” by connecting visitors with library services and programs, community resources and each other. Parents as First Teachers, Read Up! at Madison Public Library, Tell Us, and involvement in Madison’s Neighborhood Resource Teams are all examples of programs the library developed to better serve the community, in addition to its nationally recognized Bubbler maker-based programming model.

“This year’s National Medal recipients show the transforming role of museums and libraries from educational destinations to full-fledged community partners and anchors,” said Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew,

Lakeview Library-goers stretch out during a yoga classes for adults. Photo by Erin Moore Photography.

The recipients of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service demonstrate impactful programs and services that exceed the expected levels of community outreach. They were selected from 30 finalists from across the country nominated for the honor, and Madison Public Library is the first library in Wisconsin to receive the honor (the Madison Children’s Museum was awarded the honor in 2011).

After the ceremony, StoryCorps — a national nonprofit dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans — will visit Madison Public Library to document stories from the community.

For a complete list of 2016 recipients and to learn more about the National Medal winners, visit imls.gov/2016-medals.

You’re Invited to Celebrate What: National Medal Celebration reception When: Wednesday, June 1, 2016, 4-6 pm.

Where: All library locations

Read Up! at Madison Public Library participants share a smile at a family literacy night. Read Up! is a joint project of the Madison Metropolitan School District, United Way, and Madison Public Library aimed at decreasing the summer learning slide for elementary aged children. Photo by MMSD staff.

Stop by your neighborhood library to hear more about the 2016 National Medal, pick up medal-themed giveaways, have a cookie and share your own library story. If you have children, sign them up for our Summer Reading Clubs, which kick off on June 1.

Many Saying ‘I Do’ at Central

By Tom Karls Besides being April Fools’ Day, April 1 is the day when I start booking Central Library weddings for the following year — in this case, 2017.

This first day of bookings was busy. The first request for a date was an email delivered at 12:01 a.m. The bulk of the rest of the bookings then arrived between 12:01 and 1:20 a.m. So when I arrived at the library, I had 10 weddings to book, as well as two bat mitzvahs. By the time I left Friday afternoon, I had booked three more weddings for a total of 13 for 2017 … and only after one day.

I find this fascinating, as we do not advertise in any of the local wedding magazines, nor do we have a booth at the wedding shows. The word is being spread via staff, Madison Public Library Foundation, social media, other city agencies and people who have had events at Central.

With that said, comments that I heard from couples who toured here in the last month focused on three things. First, they thought the building was beautiful. Second, they liked the idea of getting married in a library. For many of the couples, there are fond memories of times in libraries when young or when they were in school. For them, the library symbolizes learning, security, literacy. Finally, local couples told me how nice our staff was to them. There were comments about how our staff is so helpful, no matter what the situation or question.

I have said many times that you never know what kind of a difference you can make in a person’s day when you help them. For some of our couples, it can help make a lifetime decision.

Interested in booking the lovely Central Library for a wedding or special event in 2017? Contact Tom Karls at tkarls@madisonpubliclibrary.org or 608.266.6363.

In March and April, the library invited visitors to share their stories with the Institute of Museum and Library Services after being informed of its finalist status for the 2016 National Medal. Here’s what library supporters had to say: “My daughter’s love of reading was fueled for many years by the Madison Public Library Summer Reading Club. She is graduating from high school this year with a 4.0 and a perfect ACT score thanks, in part, to the MPL system.”

– Davin, favorite library: Sequoya Library

“I’ve written portions of both of my published novels within these walls — and now they’re on the shelves here.”

– Kat Beyer, favorite library: Pinney, Central & Hawthorne Libraries

View all stories at: madisonpubliclibrary.org/national-medal

Wick Named Library’s Director of Public Services Krissy Wick recently became Madison Public Library’s first Director of Public Services. In this new position for the library, Wick oversees the operations of nine libraries, including the work of the library’s Youth Services and Bubbler programs. She is responsible for managing strategic partnerships and expanding the library’s community engagement efforts. She also serves as Acting Director for Library Director Greg Mickells when required.

Wick previously served as the Youth Services Supervisor at Madison Public Library and as a Youth Services Librarian, where she played a major role in developing the Read Up! at Madison Public Library program.

“(Krissy) will bring her outstanding leadership skills and proven track record as the library’s former Youth Services Supervisor to this new position for Madison Public Library.”

- Greg Mickells, Library Director “I’m excited about the passion Krissy has for Madison Public Library and the vision she has for our organization,” said Mickells. “She’ll bring her outstanding leadership skills and proven track record as the library’s former Youth Services Supervisor to this new position for Madison Public Library. She is a skilled collaborator, and an excellent advocate for the library and our community.”

Wick presents frequently on topics such as reading motivation, early literacy, community engagement and library finance. She is a member of the United Way’s Community Solutions Team for Academic Success and serves on the American Library Services to Children (ALSC) Managing Children’s Services committee.

Short Story: Meet Lakeview Librarian Katie Scharf Tell us a little about yourself.

I grew up in Chilton, Wis., did my undergraduate and master’s degrees at UW-Madison, and now live in McFarland. My husband, Michael, and I have two daughters: Emily, an academic librarian in St. Louis (who once worked at Meadowridge and Lakeview); and Clare, an art consultant in Minneapolis. We also have a sweetheart of a dog, Rosie.

What is your role at MPL and how long you have you worked at Madison Public Library?

I’m the Neighborhood Librarian at the Lakeview Library, and I’ll have been here for 20 years mid-June. I have worn other hats at the library prior to this. First, 44-ish years ago, I TYPED branch overdue notices which were then MAILED out. After that, I decided to become a librarian because information for the people was the subversive activity I believed in from my hippie youth.

What is one of your favorite parts of your job? One of the joys of working here is the current and past staff I’ve had the pleasure to come to know and care about. I love how connected the north side is to this library. We are on a first-name basis with many of our patrons, and it’s a kick to be out in the neighborhood and hear a bunch of kids yell “Library Lady!” We help people who really need it, and most importantly we see the process through to completion — that’s a difference between what we do and the level of help sometimes received outside the library. At the end of the day, doing good work is just good for the soul.

What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have outside of work? We enjoy camping and kayaking, reading (of course), cooking, eating out, going to plays (especially American Players Theatre), and spending time with family and friends. Each summer for the last 27 years, I’ve attended a Women’s Week at the Girl Scouts’ Camp Black Hawk in northern Wisconsin.

What are two items on your bucket list? 1. Eat and drink my way through Italy. 2. Spend some time baking with a boulanger in France.

You can help the festival in two ways: Volunteer. We’re always looking for people to commit to a volunteer shift before or during the festival. If interested, please email wbfvolunteers@mplfoundation.org and let us know if you can help.

We will hold training sessions in the fall for those who sign up.

Support the Book Festival The Wisconsin Book Festival will be Oct. 20–23 at Central Library and other downtown Madison venues. Presented by Madison Public Library in partnership with Madison Public Library Foundation, the festival has been a successful local event in large part because of those who support it.

Become a Book Fest Benefactor. The foundation offers a VIP sponsorship package for individuals and families who share a passion for author events. By contributing $1,000 or more, the foundation can provide vital funding to underwrite programs both on fall festival weekend and throughout the year. Book Fest Benefactors receive reserved seating at events, an invitation to a private Book Festival author reception, recognition on the foundation website, and complimentary tickets to fundraisers when available. Contact Jenni Collins at jcollins@mplfoundation.org or 608.266.6318 for details.

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

Rock & Read Tickets on Sale June 19, 2016 • 3-6 p.m.

Capital Brewery Join Madison Public Library Foundation for a cheerful summer afternoon of fun and meet Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball coach Greg Gard at the third annual Rock & Read fundraiser.

This family-friendly event, which takes place in the Middleton brewery’s outdoor Bier Garten, includes live music by Yid Vicious and Sean Michael Dargan, kids’ activities from Monroe Street Arts Center, signup for Madison Public Library’s Summer Reading Clubs, and more. The summer reading theme is Read Like a Badger: On Your Mark, Get Set — READ! Gard will be available for photographs and to autograph bookmarks for guests.

Tickets are now available at mplfoundation.org or at the door for a suggested $5 donation. All proceeds benefit the Summer Reading Clubs.

Summer Library Carnival July 20, 2016 • 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Overture Center for the Arts / Central Library Celebrate reading on Wednesday, July 20, at our Summer Library Carnival, co-sponsored

by Overture Center for the Arts and Madison Public Library. Enjoy a performance by Justin Roberts at 10:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. at Overture Center, then stop by Central Library for carnival games, crafts and more.

Mallards Game to Raise Funds for New Pinney Library

Lunch for Libraries Proceeds Fuel Book Festival Programs

July 31, 2016 • 4:05 p.m. (gates open at 2:30) Warner Park

Historical fiction writer Paula McLain headlined Madison Public Library Foundation’s Lunch for Libraries fundraiser on March 17. The foundation thanks the Lunch for Libraries Committee (pictured above) and all the guests for a successful event. Proceeds will support free, yearround Wisconsin Book Festival programming.

Madison Public Library, in cooperation with the Madison Mallards, will present Harry Potter Night at the Duck Pond on Sunday, July 31, to benefit the new Pinney Library. July 31 is Harry Potter’s birthday, and the release of JK Rowling’s eighth book, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — Parts I and II,” will pick up the wizard’s story 19 years after the final novel in the series. The Mallards will be outfitted in custom-made Hogwarts-themed uniforms, which will be available via a silent auction during the game. A Room of One’s Own will be on hand to sell the book.

Buy your ticket to sit in a special section of library supporters! Grandstand tickets are $15, and Backyard tickets are $13. All tickets include a Mallards hat and a hot dog. Pinney Library will receive $5 from every ticket sale. Come in costume to celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday, the release of the new book and support Pinney Library. Visit mplfoundation.org to buy tickets.

Summer Concert & Picnic August 2, 2016 • 6-8 p.m.

Olbrich Botanical Gardens Pack a picnic supper and head to Olbrich Gardens for a fun-filled evening of music and fun with Madison Public Library! Come, rain or shine, at 6 p.m. to play with bubbles and make a project. At 7 p.m., Dave Landau will get your toes tapping while you enjoy your meal. The library thanks Overture Center for the Arts’ Kids in the Rotunda for sponsoring this event.

Executive Director Jennifer J. Collins 201 W. Mifflin Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53703 608.266.6318 mplfoundation.org info@mplfoundation.org

Newsletter Editor Amy Mertz Contributing Writers Tana Elias Carrie Gostomski Francesca Rodriquez Newsletter Design Cricket Design Works

Support Library at Friends’ Summer Book Sales Friends of Lakeview Library Book Sale Friday, June 17, 6–7:45 p.m. (members-only presale) Saturday, June 18, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (bag sale from 2-4 p.m.)

Friends of Pinney Library Summer Book Sale Thursday, June 9, 5–8:30 p.m. (members-only presale) Friday, June 10, 9 a.m.–8:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (bag sale)

Friends of Sequoya Library Book Sale Held next to TJMaxx in Westgate Mall Saturdays, June 4, July 2, July 16 and August 6, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (bag sale at 2 p.m.)

MADISON PUBLIC LIBRARIES Alicia Ashman 733 N. High Point Rd. Hawthorne 2707 E. Washington Ave. Lakeview 2845 N. Sherman Ave. Meadowridge 5726 Raymond Rd. Monroe Street 1705 Monroe St. Pinney 204 Cottage Grove Rd. Sequoya 4340 Tokay Blvd.

Goodman South 2222 S. Park St. Central Library 201 W. Mifflin St.