Adult

Presented through a series of narrative and graphic quilts, Glendora Simonson reveals glimpses of her life as an African American woman, teacher, artist, activist and crafter. An educator by profession, Ms. Simonson taught special education students, then worked collaboratively with psychologists and social workers to diagnose learning differences. In addition to being a voracious reader, Ms. Simonson also enjoyed a variety of crafting and textile activities. Quiltmaking proved to be the perfect medium to express creatively and contemplate social events.

NEA Heritage Fellow Karen Ann Hoffman, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, leads participants in a hands-on traditional corn husk doll making workshop. A talented storyteller, she will also share the history of the dolls, and other Oneida stories.

In this virtual presentation, flautist and lecturer Galen Addur-Razzaq highlights the influence of women on the evolution of jazz, their significant contributions to the art form, and their struggles, both professional and personal.

Fermat's Last Theater Company presents a dramatic reading from The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II by Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize.

Registration: Register!

On the Eve of Halloween 1938, a young actor/director broadcast a radio drama based on a 40-year-old novel: The War of the Worlds.

While the original broadcast had a relatively low audience, the impact it had, and continues to have, on American culture is staggering.

Registration: Register!

Test your musical smarts!

In this entertaining and engaging program, musician Ben Pernick combines live performances, fun facts, and trivia based on hits through the ages. There’ll be tunes from Broadway, television, artist retrospectives, and even a “Musical Road Trip” with state and city trivia.

Join us on Zoom for an evening of musical fun!

Registration: Register!

Help us celebrate National Library Week with the true story of Lutie Stearns!

We invite community members of the Monona and Madison area to join us for an afternoon with Michael Johnson, President and CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Dane County to celebrate local Black History. As Michael emphasizes, "Sometimes we focus so much on slavery and the civil rights movement that we forget to share accomplishments achieved by African Americans in our own backyard." Michael will share his documentary, "A History of Black Madison" developed in partnership with Boys and Girls Club of Dane County and Madison365, and will discuss three key figures of Black History in the area.

Take your tastebuds on a world tour! Join Stan Kitson, chocolatier at Driftless Chocolates, for a virtual chocolate tasting. Taste single-origin chocolates from five countries along the equator: Peru, Columbia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Madagascar. Stan will share each country's chocolate story, history and unique regional flavor profiles. 

Registration required and limited to 20 participants.

Participants will get a free sample of box of chocolates to be picked up in the library or via curbside appointment starting Friday, November 14th.

Many folks know that our modern-day Santa Claus had his start as St. Nicholas, but what happened on the journey to make us think of a "jolly old elf" rather than a pious Christian Bishop? Where, exactly, did Santa Claus come from, and why does his popularity remain so high in modern American popular culture?

This illustrated lecture is well-researched, with details on the journey Bishop Nicholas made to become our current-day Santa Claus. You’ll enjoy recognizing many familiar images and poems in this holiday program.