Our STEAM Activities take place in the Community Room.  

• September 13: Pixel Coding Art

Head over to our Kids and Tweens STEAM Activity page for video instructions on all our previous crafts.

For babies ages 1 to 10 months.

Enjoy songs, stories, and movement activities together with other families. Additional activities and links will be available after the program on the Madison Library District Book Babies blog

For babies ages 11 to 23 months.

Enjoy songs, stories, and movement activities together with other families. Additional activities and links will be available after the program on the Madison Library District Book Babies blog.

For children ages 2 to 5 and their “grown up!”

Children ages 2 to 5 with their adult will enjoy stories and related fun which may include songs, games, and rhymes in our Community Room.

Any extra crafting supplies will be available to pick up at the Children’s Reference Desk while supplies last.

• Week of September 6: Bark, George
• Week of September 13: Stellaluna
• Week of September 20: The Rainbow Fish

AND A SPECIAL STORY TIME!

• Tuesday, September 27 at 10:30, 11:30 and 6:30: SPECIAL GUEST Tricia Mick from Idaho Public Television!

Madison Library’s Reading Challenge

All ages can play. We have a bingo card for kids 11 and under, and one for teens and adults 12 and older. Read fun new books and audiobooks and win great prizes!

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Read the challenges and pick a bingo line that most appeals to you.

Step 2: Read a book that completes a challenge. Read another. And another.

Step 3: When you are able to cross off 5 squares in a row on the board, bring your sheet in to the Circulation Desk for a prize and an entry in our monthly drawing. We will have a separate drawing for each age group.

Step 4: Keep reading! You can get as many prizes and entries as there are bingos on the board.

The Concept is Simple, the Rewards are Priceless!

The key is perseverance. Make it exciting.  Are you ready to get started?

Here’s how it works:

• Pick up a tracking log at the library’s Circulation Desk.
• Read a book (any book) to your newborn, infant, and/or toddler.
• Fill out a circle for each book you read. Each tracker has 100 circles.
• Once your log is completed, come get a sticker or a small book from the library.
• When you have completed 10 sheets, you’ve read 1000 books!

The goal is to have read 1,000 books (yes you can repeat books) before your precious one starts kindergarten. Does it sound hard? Not really if you think about it. If you read just 1 book a night, you will have read about 365 books in a year. That is 730 books in two years and 1,095 books in three years. If you consider that most children start kindergarten at around 5 years of age, you have more time than you think (so get started). 

For Kids ages 6 – 8 and Tweens ages 9 – 11. Anyone under the age of 12 needs to be accompanied by an adult.

Do you love Legos? Join other kids who love the ever popular bricks at Madison Library District’s first LEGO club!

Most Items Located on the West Side of the Building

We have a wide variety of materials for all your learning and entertainment needs!
Having a hard time finding something? Ask a librarian!

We provide the following materials:

• BOARD BOOKS – located in the lounge area north of the Community Room. These sturdy books have cardboard pages to resist tearing.  They are primarily for babies ages 0 – 2.  
• EASY OR EARLY BOOKS – “E” on the spine label means “Easy” or “Early” but really designates the picture book collection.  Most are about thirty pages in length and the reading level varies from very simple to sixth grade.  
• EASY BOOKS WITH CDs – “EBCD” on the spine label means these are Easy or Early Books which also include a CD. The CD either narrates the book’s text or dramatizes the book with narration and music.
• JUNIOR EASY BOOKS – “JE” stands for Junior Easy or Junior Early. The reading level varies from pre-kindergarten to second grade.  They are shelved in order by author, or by the series or character name (“Barbie,” “D.C.,” etc.) Sometimes referred to as Early Chapter Books, these are a bridge to the Junior Fiction books.
• JUNIOR FICTION –  The target age group for these chapter book stories is ages six through nine.  Most of the books are just under 200 pages and many are illustrated.  Most of these are shelved in order by the author’s last name, or by the series name.  
• JUNIOR NONFICTION – true stories and facts.
• GRAPHIC NOVELS
• AUDIOBOOKS – books on CD.
• eBOOKS and eAUDIOS – downloadable from the Libby app on your device.
• MAGAZINES
• MUSIC CDs – appropriate for children.
• DVDs & BLU-RAYs – these are located in the front lobby. Children’s materials are on the east side of the displays.
• KITS – we have several types of kits:
  • DISCOVERY KITS – in the green bags; DKIT I, II, AND III are for lap sit babies, preschool, and primary ages, and DKIT Vs have materials for the whole family.
  • AMERICAN GIRL KITS – in the blue plaid bags.  This growing collection will feature all the historical dolls, as well as the Wellie Wishers and Bitty Babies.
  • SPEEDY READER KITS – the entire book series in one bag; in pale blue and grey bags.
  • READ-ALONG KITS – includes a book and an audiobook of the same title so you can follow along with the audio reader.
  • AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE KITS – designed to teach parents and other caregivers how to read to their children who are deaf using American Sign Language and how to use strategies to make book sharing most effective.

Library Appreciation Week is on its way, and we’ve got some great things planned.

Peeps Diorama Contest!

Submit a book-themed potato and Peeps diorama by 5 p.m. April 2 to be considered for a prize.

We’re starting a new literacy challenge: Books for Balloons.  Help us fill the library with balloons! Here’s how to play:
1) Pick up a form at the Front Circulation desk OR at our Birthday Party Kick-off Celebration on January 10th.
2) Choose to READ ‘n Track either 100 books or “10” 100 pages (that’s 1,000 pages).
3) START READING!! Don’t forget to keep track of your books/pages.
4) When you’ve reached 100 books or 1,000 pages, bring your completed Read ‘n Track form to the Front Circulation Desk to be entered into the drawings for FANTABULOUS prizes! You’ll also get to write your name on a balloon for our wall!

Tips… all Read ‘n Track forms must be turned in by November 30th. Books may be read more than one time. Audio books are also eligible. Look for your balloon on the wall in the Children’s section. This reading adventure is for the youth, ages 0 to 18.

There are five window displays around the building, each numbered 1 through 5. Within each window are hidden a number of objects for you to look for. Within every window are a number of bears, cats, and books that you will need to keep track of as you make your round. In addition to these each window has different objects for you to look for, so select what window you are at to get started.

Remember to count carefully. If you enter the right number of each item (Bears, Cats, and Books*), you will be entered for a chance to win a fun Christmas prize.

*Be carful not to count books in the background. Only count books that are clearly part of the display.