On the Same Page
A Community Reading Event
Each winter we host a month long community reading event we call On the Same Page. Basically, we hand out hundreds of copies of a selected book and then spend a month exploring it through activities, lectures, concerts, and contests. Think of it as a county-wide book club. Read with your neighbors and friends, talk about what you read, and come and join in the fun.
March 2026
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Considered by some critics to be the perfect murder mystery and one of Agatha Christie’s favorites of her own works, we’ll spend all month celebrating this who-dunnit with free books and activities related to this classic novel.
Book and Kit Release!
Monday, February 23
Stop by the library for your free copy of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. The first hundred people can pick up a kit containing the book and reader’s guide, with activities and treats related to the book. After the kits are gone, we may not be able to provide the treats, but we’ll still have a couple of hundred books available and can give out instructions for the activities as long as anyone’s interested.
Mystery Mysteries
Tuesday, March 3, through
Saturday, March 28
Everyone loves a good mystery and we’ve got some gems wrapped in brown paper waiting for you. Does your love of mystery go so far as checking out a mystery without seeing its cover or title? Take a chance. Find a new favorite!
Poirot’s Garden
Friday, March 6, at 7:00 pm
(for ages 12 and older)
Poirot takes up the quintessential retirement hobby, gardening. Retired or not, gardening is a popular pastime in our area; and with our short growing season, getting an early start makes all the difference. Join us tonight as Jarod Gibbons from the University of Idaho County Extension Office tells us how to begin now for a bountiful harvest.
Poirot’s Game
Wednesday, March 11, at 6:00 pm
(for ages 12 and older)
Mahjong gained a fanatical following in the 1920’s and is still popular today. Tonight, we’ll introduce novices to the game. Already a mahjong master? Bring your set and find a foursome.
Poirot’s Table: Cooking the Books with Adult Makers
Friday, March 20, at 7:00 pm
(for ages 18 and older)
This time around, we’ll give you two books to choose from – Recipes for Murder: 66 Dishes That Celebrate the Mysteries of Agatha Christie OR The British Baking Book: The History of British Baking Savory and Sweet.
The two books will be on display near the Circulation Desk. Select a recipe, make it, bring it to share, and tell us about your experiences with it. Refreshments are built in.
Poirot’s Chat: Open Book Discussion with the Take a Break Book Club
Thursday, March 26, at 6:30 pm
(for ages 18 and older)
Join us for an open and informal discussion of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
Poirot’s Case: Murder at Thornfield Manor
Saturday, March 28, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm
in the Community Room – enter through the doors in the parking lot
(for ages 18 and older)
Welcome to Thornfield Manor…
Murder? At the library? It’s more likely than you think. Step into our On The Same Page Murder Mystery Party, inspired by Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Join us for a delightfully dramatic evening where everyone is welcome, and a select few are deeply suspicious.
The interactive murder mystery experience is limited to the first 16 patrons who sign up to participate. These players will each receive a personalized character packet and complete a brief form ahead of time, then spend the evening fully immersed in the mystery, scheming and sleuthing their way to the truth. Please come by 6:30 pm if you are one of the 16 participants!
Didn’t snag one of the mystery roles? No problem! All other guests are invited to enjoy the rest of the festivities, including themed games, a silent auction, delicious food, creative mocktails, and plenty of people watching as the drama unfolds. No sign up required!
1920s inspired costumes are highly encouraged for everyone, and our judges will award a prize for best costume, so bring your boldest flapper fringe, sharpest detective coat, or most suspicious aristocrat energy.
Whether you’re unraveling clues or simply soaking in the spectacle, this Clue-style evening promises glamour, camp, and just the right amount of murder. The question is: whodunit, and will you look fabulous while figuring it out?
Reader’s Guide
When wealthy Roger Ackroyd is found stabbed in his study, the recently retired Hercule Poirot is called to investigate. The victim had recently learned the identity of a blackmailer from his fiancée, a widow who poisoned her husband.
As Poirot unravels a complex web of secrets among the household guests and staff, the novel’s narrator, local doctor James Sheppard, chronicles the investigation that leads to one of detective fiction’s most controversial and groundbreaking conclusions.
Reader’s Guides
Here are some of our previous reader’s guides from past years’ events:
Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (2025)
The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry—and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.
Holes by Louis Sacher (2024)
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the boys build character by spending all day, every day digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. But there are an awful lot of holes.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (2023)
The Phantom of the Opera is a riveting story that revolves around the young, Swedish Christine Daaé. Her father, a famous musician, dies, and she is raised in the Paris Opera House with his dying promise of a protective angel of music to guide her. Christine’s angel turns out to be the deformed, murderous ‘ghost’ of the opera house who grows violent in his terrible jealousy, until Christine suddenly disappears. The phantom is in love, but it can only spell disaster.
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne (2022)
Winnie-the-Pooh is a good-natured, yellow-furred, honey-loving bear who lives in the Forest surrounding the Hundred Acre Wood. He has many companions, including the boy, Christopher Robin, and these friends have many adventures together.
Persuasion by Jane Austen (2021)
Anne Elliot is the overlooked middle daughter of an aristocratic family who rejected Frederick Wentworth’s proposal of marriage becuase of his poor social standing and connections. When he returns years later, Anne must confront the life she left behind.
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (2020)
A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures with his friends on the mythical island of Neverland.
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy (2019)
Armed with only his wits and his cunning, one man recklessly defies the French revolutionaries and rescues scores of innocent men, women, and children from the deadly guillotine.
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling (2018)
The delightful tales of whales and cats and kangaroos and crabs and …. Enchanting and funny, these fantastical stories continue to delight each and every generation.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (2017)
On the fabled Orient Express, thirteen travelers, each bearing a secret, will find themselves suspect in the most ingenious crime Hercule Poirot has ever solved.
A Room With a View by E.M. Forster (2016)
The enduring delight of this tale of Edwardian romantic intrigue is rooted in Forster’s colorful characters, including outrageous spinsters, pompous clergymen, and outspoken patriots.
Poetry Contest:
Terrible Things Could Happen to You!
Entries may be submitted any time between February 3 and February 24
For ages 8 and older
Do you love writing?
Get inspired by life’s little disasters and worst-case scenarios. Enter our Poetry/Verse Contest and share your creative take on this year’s theme. Sharpen your pencils (or flex those typing fingers), and don’t wait for disaster to strike—submit your entry today!
Age Categories:
There are three age categories:
- Tweens (ages 8 – 11)
- Teens (ages 12 – 17)
- Adults (ages 18+)
One winner per category will be announced February 28, 2025, on Facebook and in our newsletter. We reserve the right to first
publication of the winning entries in our newsletter, after which all rights revert to the authors. We do not own your work product in any way, shape, or form.
Rules:
- Entries may be up to 600 words, written in verse (poetry in any style is welcome).
- Use Times New Roman or Courier, 12-point font.
- Do not include a cover page with your entry.
- Entries should be text only and may not include any illustrations or photographs.
- No violent or inappropriate content, please.
- Participants are allowed to submit up to 3 poems. Please send them together in the same document.
How to Enter:
- All entries must be submitted as a PDF or Word document via email to programs@madisonlib.org
- Be sure to list your name, library card number, email, phone number, and title of your submission in the email sent with your submission. Juniors do not need a library card to enter.
Regular Hours of Operation
- Monday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Tuesday - Wednesday: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
- Thursday: 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Friday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Saturday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
- Sunday: CLOSED
Closures in 2026
- January 1 – New Year’s Day
- January 19 – Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
- February 16 – Presidents Day
- March 27 – Staff Development Day
- April 4 – Building Maintenance
- May 23-25 – Memorial Day
- June 19 – Juneteenth
- July 3-4 – Independence Day
- September 5-7 – Labor Day
- October 3 – Building Maintenance
- November 11 – Veterans Day
- November 25 – Closing at 5:00 pm
- November 26-28 – Thanksgiving
- December 24-26 – Christmas
- December 31 – New Year’s Eve
- January 1, 2027 – New Year’s Day
Address
73 North Center
Rexburg, Idaho 83440
We are located on Center Street, just north of Main Street, by the Historic Rexburg Tabernacle.
Contact Us
(208) 356-3461
24 Hour Phone Renewal: (208) 356-6658
askmadisonlibrary@madisonlib.org
Madison Library District
73 North Center
Rexburg, ID 83440
A public library.