Now @ MPL...

Calling all families! Feel like kicking up your heels and singing along to some fiddlin' good music? Want to learn about bats, meet and greet live snakes, turtles and toads? How about pick out a pumpkin and decorate it to take home?

Then come to Harvest Fest at Central Library on Saturday, October 6 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.!

Other activities include learning the secrets of making applesauce, decorating pumpkin cookies, fun crafts, games and more!

Here is a schedule of the day's events:

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Sing along with Douglas Udell

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Nature in the Parks Bat Presentation

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Sing along with Fox and Branch

Check out the Children's Calendar for more information as well as a schedule of additional Harvest Fest celebrations at our neighborhood libraries.

Did you know that Central Library has a book discussion group?

Librarians moderate lively book discussions each month in the comfortable surroundings of the Richard E. & Lucile Krug Rare Books Room. The books will be a starting point for exchanging ideas on themes, events and characters; reading the book in advance is NOT required.

On Tuesday, October 9, at 7:00 p.m. we will be discussing Rumspringa; to be or not to be Amish by Tom Shachtman. Beginning at age 16, Amish youth are encouraged to participate in activities normally forbidden by their tradition before committing to Amish life. Shachtman describes the impact of this time of life on both teens and the Amish community.

Come join us!

Have you ever been curious about the story that your house has to tell? Whether you are a new house owner, or you've been living in your house for 30 years, the Central Library wants to help you discover your house's history, and the House History program is the perfect place to start.

The program is being held at the Central Library on Saturday, November 3, 2007 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Sign in starts at 9:15 a.m. in the First Floor Meeting Room. From there, you will tour the resources that the Central Library has to offer. You will learn how to use the Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlases, how to wrap your head around the many intricacies of the tax rolls, how to convert an address, and learn about the many other resources your library has to offer.

The House History program is best for Milwaukee residents, as the resources focus mainly on Milwaukee.

To sign up, contact the Humanities Department at (414) 286-3061.

Fill in some of those gaps on your family tree at the open lab for using Ancestry Library Edition, a powerful tool for genealogists.

(Waldburg family tree)

The open labs take place on the following Saturdays: October 27, November 17, and December 15, from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. This is a free service and it requires no advance registration. Simply go to the Central Library's computer lab, on the 2nd floor, and prepare to delve deeply into your family's history. A staff member will be on hand to answer questions about using this powerful database which gives you access to billions of names in almost as many different types of records.

Milwaukee Public Library also offers access to other Genealogy tools online. Additional questions may be answered by calling the dedicated staff at the Humanities desk at (414) 286-3061.

Need Help Getting a Job Online? A job trainer speicialist with help you learn how to:

-Complete online job applications
-Write a resume online
-Search online job listings
-Obtain a free e-mail account.

Every Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. -- No Appointment Necessary

Come to the Central Library's Computer Training Lab on the 2nd Floor.

Thinking about what you'll do once you graduate from high school? Are you considering going to college? Then check out this free event! The Life After High School College Fair is tomorrow, November 3, from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. in Centennial Hall (733 N. Eighth Street). You will have a chance to learn about area colleges, including Marquette University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Concordia University and others. Don't miss it!

This event is funded by a grant from the Helen Bader Foundation.

The Children's Department is launching a new family reading program on November 10th called 'Time to Read with Curious George and Friends.' This program will encourage reading to and with your children. It's a great bonding experience, and it helps your children gain a lifetime love of reading.

We'll be kicking off 'Time to Read with Curious George and Friends' Saturday, Nov. 10, at Central Library, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. with music in the main rotunda, tap dancing in the gray rotunda, a reading nook, learning stations, crafts and cookie decoration.

Have an Idea? Get a Patent!

You've a great idea for a new product-and now you need a patent! Central Library Business Librarians will explain the seven-step process for doing a patent search in a free program offered once a month.
The Milwaukee Public Library is a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Depository Library. While librarians cannot do an actual patent search for you, these monthly programs will show you how to get started by following the USPTO guidelines.
Location is at the Central Library - Computer Lab, 2nd Floor
814 W. Wisconsin Avenue

Sessions meet every Fourth Monday of the month for one hour from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
The next session is on Monday, November 26th, 2007.

The 2008 dates are:
January 28th
February 25th
March 24th
April 28th

Since January 2007, MPL's Central Library has served as the first outpost location for StoryCorps, a nonprofit oral history project. StoryCorps' mission is "to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening."

During a StoryCorps session, participants share their life stories through a recorded interview. StoryCorps facilitators help interviewers decide what questions to ask and handle all the technical aspects of recording the memories of family members or friends. After the 40-minute session, participants receive a CD copy of the interview. With the participants' permission, one copy goes to the Library of Congress and one copy stays with MPL. A donation of $10 is suggested.

StoryCorps will be at Central Library until January 24, 2008. To learn more about StoryCorps and how to set up an interview, visit the StoryCorps Web site or call them toll-free at (800) 850-4406. Don't miss this great opportunity to share your story!

Please join the Milwaukee Public Library and Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops in welcoming Caroline Kennedy to Central Library on Thursday, December 13. Beginning at 6:00 p.m., Ms. Kennedy, editor of A Family Christmas, will be signing books in the Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room. The Milwaukee Children's Choir will also be part of the evening's festivities. Tickets for the event are $32 and may be purchased at any Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop or online at www.schwartzbooks.com. One ticket includes admission to the event, an autographed copy of A Family Christmas and a $5 tax deductible contribution to the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation. Tickets and additional books will be available at the event. We hope that you will be able to join us!

The Central Library will be holding its annual Mock Newbery and Caldecott Discussion in Centennial Hall Tuesday, December 11 from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Meet with other adults and librarians to discuss the best children's books published in 2007.

The Newbery Medal is named for John Newbery who was an 18th century publisher of children's books. It is awarded once a year by the Association for Library Service to Children. It was first awarded in 1922.

The Caldecott Medal is named for Randolph Caldecott, a 19th century English illustrator. It is also awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children. It was first awarded in 1938.

Registration is required, so go to our Events Calendar to do so.

The staff of the Adult Programming Committee prepared a tea party to celebrate the 232nd birthday of Jane Austen. A beautiful display of the Milwaukee Public Library staff’s tea cups and related items was prepared to complement the celebration.

Authors Victoria Hinshaw and Kim Wilson in the Rare Books Room.

Regency romance author Victoria Hinshaw and tea aficionado and author Kim Wilson gave talks about Jane Austen’s life, her books and the history of tea in England. A trivia quiz was distributed and the authors’ books were given as prizes. Several kinds of teas and cookies, some brought by generous participants, were enjoyed by all.

The event took place in the Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room at the Central Library on Saturday, December 8, from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The event was a great success with the 28 participants raving about the program and there were several requests that a similar program take place on an annual basis.

Did you know that Central Library has a used book store and a cafe?
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Visit the Bookseller, a used book store selling used, new and collectible books and media, operated by the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library and located on the first floor of the Central Library. Hours vary Monday through Saturday - call 286-2142 for exact times. Proceeds from the sale of books are used to fund special projects for the Milwaukee Public Library.

The Bookseller features thousands of children's and adult books - both hardcover and paperback, old and new - which are on sale for 25 cents to $2. Inventory is constantly changing so come and take a look and, while you're there, enjoy a beverage from the No More ZZZ's Cafe housed in the same location.

Join the Milwaukee Public Library in celebrating the kickoff of The Big Read on Thursday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. in the Central Library's rotunda.

An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Big Read celebrates reading as an important part of American culture. As part of this program, Milwaukee will be joining communities around the U.S. in promoting the joy of books. Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God has been selected as Milwaukee's community-wide novel.

MPL will work with community partners to sponsor events throughout the area, including a visit by the late author’s niece Lucy Hurston, book discussions, film screenings, library and museum exhibits, dance, and other theatrical performances. For a list of library and community events, check out MPL's Website.

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines is an engrossing and vividly written tale of segregation and prejudice, hope and enlightenment in the fictional town of Bayonne, Louisiana in the late 1940's. The novel explores relationships between family, community, race and differing educational and social backgrounds. Jefferson, a poor plantation worker, is convicted of a murder he did not commit, and the ripples from this conviction have a profound effect on many people throughout the entire community. This truly human story packs a powerful emotional wallop and is highly recommended.

The Central Library is hosting a book discussion about A Lesson Before Dying on Tuesday, February 12 at 7:00 p.m. For a list of all book discussions offered by the Milwaukee Public Library, check out MPL's Website.

- Submitted by Dan @ MPL Central

Central Library will host The American Presidency Traveling Exhibit from Saturday, February 16 through Monday, February 18. This museum-quality exhibit contains 80 objects from the two largest private presidential memorabilia collections in the country. Among some of the rare and unique items on display are campaign buttons, state dinner menus and seating arrangements, and an original key to the White House. MPL has supplemented this exhibit with items from its own collection, as well as donations from library patrons and friends.

Along with the exhibit, Jordan M. Wright, author of Campaigning for President, will be discussing and signing his book on Sunday, February 17 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. in Central Library's First Floor Meeting Room. Copies of his work will be available for purchase at the event.

**MPL is partnering with HarperCollins Publishing and FOX News to bring this exhibit to Milwaukee.**

As part of the Big Read celebration, Milwaukee Public Library presents "A Visit With Lucy Anne Hurston" on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. in Central Library's Centennial Hall. Lucy Anne Hurston, the niece of Zora Neale Hurston, will be discussing and signing her book, Speak, So You Can Speak Again , a biography of Zora.

Be sure to check out more Big Read events throughout the area!

Have you ever wanted to learn more about Milwaukee's Central Library?

Thousands of individuals visit the Central Library on a daily basis. Many of them never get to learn about so much of the history behind this venerable building.

Every Saturday, starting at 1:30 p.m., there is a free docent-led tour of the Central Library run by the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library. Tours are available at other times by appointment. If you have any questions regarding the tours, just call (414) 286-TOUR.

Nancy Pearl, NPR book commentator and author of the books Book Lust, More Book Lust as well as other books of recommendations about great reading materials has placed the Milwaukee Public Library's Central Library in her list of top 10 libraries, as reported by USA Today.

About the Central Library she says:
"Two things that make a visit here most unforgettable are the grand staircase and the domed rotunda that separates the building's east and west wings... the library has all the bells and whistles that today's modern users expect, yet it still gives the impression of being a cherished old friend." The article lists her favorite public libraries.

Join the Milwaukee Public Library for a celebration of the 2008 Big Read program featuring Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. The reception will be held on Saturday, March 15 at 2:00 p.m. in Central Library's Centennial Hall.

The reception will feature music from the Banjo Barons Ragtime Band Trio, as well as original poetry from the poetry contest. Come view entries from the photography contest based on the Get Caught Reading theme, and sample entries from the tea cake contest. The celebration is also an opportunity to network with our grant partners and share ideas for the next NEA Big Read grant application.

We hope to see you there!

If you've ever wondered about the history behind your home, you may want to attend the Milwaukee Public Library's House History program. This extremely popular program will be running again Saturday, April 19, from 9:30 a.m.-11:25 a.m.

( The T.A. Chapman Residence used to be at 1038 N. Cass St.)

This program is an introduction to the Central Library's resources that are extremely useful for determining the history of a house or property. Resources that will be explored are the Milwaukee city directories, the fire insurance atlases, the tax rolls, and much more.

The program is especially helpful for residents of the City of Milwaukee, as the resources focus on the city. Residents of Milwaukee area suburbs will find less information than those in the city.

Advance registration is required. To register, call the Frank P. Zeidler Humanities Department at (414) 286-3061.

Ten cents does not purchase a lot these days, but it will buy a pre-owned book at the Central Library Book Sale on Saturday, April 12th. Sponsored by the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library, plan to visit Meeting Room 1 anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and bring lots of dimes!

On Sunday, April 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Central Library's Centennial Hall, native Milwaukeean Susan Firer will be inducted as the city's Poet Laureate for 2008-09. Firer will read from her latest poetry collection, Milwaukee Does Strange Things to People, which includes new and selected poems from 1979 to 2007. Her other collections include The Laugh We Make When We Fall (2002), The Underground Communion Rail (1992), My Life With the Tsar and Other Poems (1979), and The Lives of Saints and Everything (1993), which won that year's Cleveland State University Poetry Center Prize. Firer is an assistant professor in the English Department of UWM, where she teaches courses in creative writing and women's studies.

Is it Art? Or Is it a Book?
The Dilemma of Artists Books in the 21st Century

Wednesday, April 30, 6-8 p.m. or Saturday, May 3, 2-4 p.m.
Milwaukee Public Library
814 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room

Call the Art, Music and Recreation Department at 414-286-3071 to register.

Books have been in our world for thousands of years, but the 21st century has brought the increasing use of computers to store information. Yet, we still have books and probably always will. Why? Because books offer a totally different experience than computers. Books no longer bear the full burden of information storage, so they are free to become something else. Artists have recognized that potential, and more and more artists are turning to the book as an art form.

Max Yela, Head of Special Collections at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, will discuss the challenges faced by the artists book, and talk about some of the ways books can function as art, and how artists books are wholly books and fully art.

This is part of the Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room Educational Series.

The Central Library will be holding another one of its patent searching programs. The librarians from the Business & Technology will explain the strategies for doing a patent search that match the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) guidelines.

This is a great way to see if something similar to your idea has already exists with USPTO. It's a crucial step in protecting your ideas.

Patents 101: How to do a Patent Search will be held this month on Monday, April 28th from 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Central Library. For more information call (414) 286-3000.

Noted children's authors Kevin Henkes and Lynne Rae Perkins will be at Centennial Hall this Monday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m.

Kevin Henkes won the 2005 Caldecott Medal with the book Kitten's First Full Moon. Lynne Rae Perkins won the Newbery Medal for her book Criss Cross.

Kevin and Lynne will be discussing their books and will be available to sign them. Books will also be available for sale.

The Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library will hold their annual Spring Literary Luncheon on Monday, May 19 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Wisconsin Club, located at 900 W. Wisconsin Ave. This year's event will feature award-winning author Louise Erdrich. She is the author of over a dozen novels, including Love Medicine, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award. On May 19, she will be signing copies and reading from her latest book, The Plague of Doves.

Reservations are required for this event. Each reservation includes an autographed hardcover copy of The Plague of Doves or a Schwartz Bookshops gift card of equal value. Please call 286-8720 for more information.