Head to the library to enjoy a casual afternoon of Mahjong! This time is set aside for players to get together to practice the game and socialize. Mahjong sets and tiles will be available, but players should bring their own Mahjong card.
New to Mahjong? Beginners are welcome too! While no formal instruction will take place at these meetings, new players are always invited to come sit in on a session and learn the game by watching or practicing with another player.
Join the Carpe Librum Book Club for our April meeting! We'll be reading the popular contemporary fiction novel, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. The novel follows two formerly estranged childhood friends who reunite as adults to create video games and find an intimacy in digital worlds that they struggle to create in real life. Copies of the book are available at the circulation desk now.
The Carpe Librum Book Club meets monthly. No registration is ever required, and new members are always welcome to attend, whether you decide to join every meeting or just when the title catches your eye. Contact kmckewin [at] rgpl.org (kmckewin[at]rgpl[dot]org) with questions.
Come to the library once a month to work on your fiber arts project and chat with fellow crafters! All fiber and fabric arts projects are welcome—knitting, crochet, sewing, embroidery, cross stitch, etc. This is a drop-in program that anyone is welcome to attend. Bring yourself and whatever your latest project is—we look forward to seeing you!
Join the library and the Willy Street Co-op for a cooking class! We'll be learning how to make gua bao (mostly) from scratch. These pork buns are a common dish native to Taiwan. This program was sponsored in part by the University of Wisconsin's Center for East Asian Studies.
Registration is required for this program, as we can only accommodate 20 people in the class. Email kmckewin [at] rgpl.org (kmckewin[at]rgpl[dot]org) or call the library to register—registration will be open until spots are filled.
Join us on the third Thursday of the month for a series of one-shot DnD campaigns!
These mini adventures are designed to be played in one sitting and are perfect for both new and experienced players alike. If you're brand new, we'll have everything you need to play available, although players who are already familiar with DnD are welcome to bring a level 1-2 character and dice if they wish. New players should try to arrive to their first session 10 minutes early to prepare.
Have some extra houseplants or seedlings that are going unused in your garden or house this year? In the spirit of Earth Day, don't let them go to waste! Share them with fellow community members at our next houseplant and seedling swap. To participate, bring a healthy houseplant, plant cutting, or some seedlings, meet up and chat with fellow plant and garden enthusiasts, and trade plants! No registration is required—just be sure to bring a houseplant (or two or three) to trade.
Morning movies continue into the spring with a great line-up of recent films to enjoy! Join us on the last Friday of the month for a movie screening. Free coffee and popcorn will be available. Picks for the next three months include:
March: Here (2024). Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reunite in this film about families, love, and human experiences. It follows the story of generations of families spanning over a century on the same plot of land. Rated PG-13. Run time 1 hour and 44 minutes.
April:Saturday Night (2024). This fictional film is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes of Saturday Night Live before the show's first broadcast 50 years ago. Rated R. Run time 1 hour and 49 minutes.
May: Back to Black (2024). This biopic follows the life and career of the late singer Amy Winehouse. Rated R. Run time 2 hours and 2 minutes.
Join us for a program and traveling exhibit from the Dane County Historical Society this May.
For most of the 20th century, racial covenants were an insidious tool used nationwide to segregate whites from Blacks and other minorities in America's burgeoning suburbs and residential neighborhoods. Racial covenants were clauses inserted into property deeds that prevented non-Whites from buying or occupying land. Although no longer valid or enforceable, they can still be found in the land deeds of almost every American community, including Dane County.
Racial covenants were made illegal in 1968 with the federal passage of the Fair Housing Act. Nevertheless, their impacts are pervasive and still with us today. This program, presented by Rick Bernstein, the Executive Director of the Dane County Historical Society, will explore the history and impacts of racial covenants in both Dane County and nationwide. Throughout the month of May, you can also learn about this topic by visiting the traveling exhibit from the Dane County Historical Society that will be on display at the library.
No registration is required for this program. Coffee and tea will be available during the presentation.
This program is made possible thanks to support from Beyond the Page, National Endowment for the Humanities, Madison Community Foundation, the Evjue Foundation, Dane Arts, and Dane County Department of Planning & Development.
Grandparents and grandchildren are encouraged to work together with the help of multi-talented community artist, Alicia Rheal! All ages are welcome to come and make a keepsake book to share!
