Adults

Join the Carpe Librum Book Club in reading Go As A River by Shelley Read for its May meeting. It's 1948 in Colorado and 17-year-old Victoria has had a chance encounter with a handsome stranger in town, sparking a series of events that will change both of their lives forever. This debut novel is a coming-of-age drama all about survival, becoming, love, and grief.

Carpe Librum is our long-running adult fiction book club. Members are welcome to join us every month for a discussion, or just when the title catches their eye. Copies of the month's book are available at the circulation desk for check out anytime.

Join the Friends of the Library at their annual book sale during Trout Days! A large variety of used books, movies, CDs, games, puzzles, and more will be available for purchase. All sales are made by donation, and all proceeds go directly back to the Friends to help support special library programs and projects. This year, the Friends have supported initiatives like the seed library, state park passes, and children's summer reading program.

The sale will run on Friday from 8AM to 6PM and on Saturday from 8AM to 2PM.

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.

Questions? Email kmckewin [at] rgpl.org

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 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.

Questions? Reach out to kmckewin [at] rgpl.org

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. 

Michael R. Sussman, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will be at the library to discuss some of the latest in biochemistry research, specifically relating to protein therapeutics. Protein therapeutics are a growing industry—already valued at over 100 billion dollars—in an area of medical research that aims to provide more effective treatments to a number of diseases, from cancer to COVID to rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Sussman will discuss more about this industry, the science behind protein therapies, and some of the latest in his research in this hour-long talk.

Registration is not required.

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.

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!