Central Library Upcoming Hours Changes and Celebration

Library Closures and Hours Changes

There are multiple closures and hours changes taking place during the month of May at Central Library and other Madison Public Library locations:

• Thursday, May 15: All Madison Public Library locations are closed for a staff in-service day.
• Sunday, May 18: Last Sunday hours at Central, Goodman South Madison, and Lakeview Libraries before summer. Sunday hours will return after Labor Day in the fall.
• Sunday, May 25 - Monday, May 26: All Madison Public Library locations closed and Dream Bus is off the road for Memorial Day.

While library physical spaces are closed, Madison Public Library card holders can continue to access LINKcat to place holds, check their records online, or renew items. Book returns will remain open for 24/7 service, and Pinney Library has a drive-through book drop for patron convenience. 

Online collections, eBooks and downloadable audiobooks from Wisconsin's Digital Library, Kanopy streaming video, Flipster magazines, etc. remain available. Visit madpl.org/at-home to see lots of online resources available to explore from the Library @ Home page.

Madison Public Library 150th Anniversary Celebration

The community is invited to attend Madison Public Library 150th Anniversary parties at Madison Public Library locations during Saturdays in May. The Central Library anchor event is on Saturday, May 17, from 9:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The first Madison Public Library opened on May 31, 1875, and we're celebrating 150 years of library service in Madison with birthday cake, giveaways, and interactive activities for every age.

This Saturday at Central Library, you'll be able to:

• 9:45 a.m. Meet at The Forum at the top of State Street for a mini-parade with Forward Marching Band from Capitol Square to Central Library via West Mifflin Street led by Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Library Director Tana Elias
• 10:00-10:15 a.m. Hear speeches from Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway, Library Director Tana Elias, and more
• 10:30-11:30 a.m. Enjoy a special all-ages storytime
• 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Take a tour of the library and learn about our history (multiple languages available)
• 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Be a library architect with building materials from Legos to Superspace Tiles
• Take a commemorative photo with our Book Arch (and historic Wildflower sculpture)
• Get paired with the perfect book by browsing read-alikes, chatting with librarians, and checking out a fun book café
• Enjoy a new art exhibition highlighting work made by library patrons and past Pinney artist-in-residence Phil Hassett showcasing Words For Now: Letterpress Prints from our Community
• Using Madison Public Library's new letterpress kit, print your own commemorative special edition 150th Celebration Print to take home
• Step into our imaginative cake land in the Bubbler Room to create with unexpected materials and explore CAKES as vessels for rich storytelling
• Pick up a WE READ Map and bag to start your summer reading journey
• Compete in 150th Anniversary trivia for prizes
• Share your first library memory, what you love about the library, and your hopes for the library of the future by adding candles to our non-edible cake created by Artist-in-Residence National Velvet
• Get a library card