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.

Many people's dream is to be their own boss, but they don't know how to go about starting their own small business. The intrepid librarians of the Milwaukee Public Library are here to help!

Next Monday, the Central Library Business staff will go over the most useful print and electronic resources to help you start your own business.

The program starts at 1:30 p.m., and wraps up at 2:30 p.m. and will take place in the second floor computer training lab.

Wednesday, June 18, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Repeated Saturday, June 21, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Central Library

Join book creator JoAnna Poehlmann for this rare opportunity to experience her marvelous art up-close and hands-on. Learn how she creates her unique or limited edition artist books using handmade papers, found objects, Xerox, clay, wood, collage, stamps, stuffed animals, and even preserved insects, as well as more traditional media. Milwaukee native JoAnna Poehlmann's works are found in major collections around the world, including the Milwaukee Public Library's Krug Rare Books Room. Seating is limited; call 286-3071 to register.

The Milwaukee Public Library invites you to tour the Central Library via its new Central Library photo gallery.

Each photo has additional information on the Central Library provided, and also serves as a link to more facts and services that the Central Library offers. The gallery takes you on a trip through the library and allows you to explore some of the different departments, services, and collections that are offered at the Central Library.

Of course, if you are interested in a more in-depth tour of the Central Library, weekly tours are available!

The Amazing Acro-Cats will be at Centennial Hall at the Central Library Saturday, July 26th for three engagements.

Come and be amazed by the acrobatic feats that these cats perform.

Tickets are $4.00 a person and will go on sale at 9:30 a.m. on July 26th. Children who have reached Level 5 is the Super Reader summer reading program can earn coupons good for two free tickets to the Acro-Cats. Be sure to sign up for the Super Reader summer reading program to find out more on how to earn your free tickets.

The first show starts at 10:30 a.m., the second at 1:00 p.m., and the third at 3: 30 p.m.

Milwaukee Public Library and the BloodCenter of Wisconsin are sponsoring a community blood drive on Tuesday, July 29 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Central Library. The BloodCenter of Wisconsin supplies 100% of the blood to every community hospital in our area. The blood you donate will save lives right here in our community.

As a thank you for doing the extraordinary, the BloodCenter of Wisconsin has several giveaway offers. Donors will have the chance to win a $100 gas card, Milwaukee Brewers tickets, and possibly the grand prize of a behind-the-scenes Brewers experience!

Appointments are encouraged. Please bring a photo ID at the time of donation. To schedule an appointment, please contact Jeffrey Jeanpierre at BloodCenter of Wisconsin at 414-937-6113. Electronic sign up is available. Enter in Drive ID Number DRV0092056 for electronic sign up.

Did you know that the Milwaukee Public Library has a copy service? It's called Ditto and it is based out of the Central Library.

This service can be contacted by phone, mail, or by email to make requests of items to be copied for a small fee. Those items are then mailed, faxed, or made available for pick up at the Central Library.

Ditto is often used by people in search of specific patents, government information, obituaries and much more. This service can also be used in tandem with the reference services of the librarians at MPL. While Ditto will not do research to locate specifics of information, the librarians will be happy to aid you in your search to locate those specifics so that Ditto can make the information available to you.

The Milwaukee Public Library's Central Library presents the exhibit "Welcome to the Menomonee River Valley".

This exhibit takes place on the second floor of the Central Library. It consists of many displays on the history of the Menomonee River Valley from before Milwaukee was a city, all the way up to the present day.

The exhibit includes materials about the Potawatomi before the arrival of Europeans in the Milwaukee area, materials on the Milwaukee Road shops that graced the valley before the Road went defunct, and much more.

The Menomonee River Valley is extremely important to the development of the City of Milwaukee, and this exhibit explores many of its different aspects.

Come to Central Library on September 6th from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. for the latest program in the Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room Educational Series.

The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (Poliphilo’s Strife of Love in a Dream) was published in Venice in 1499 by Aldus Manutius. With 171 woodcut illustrations it is considered by many scholars to be the most beautiful printed book of the Renaissance. MPL is the only library in Wisconsin to own a copy. Mysteries of authorship, language and intent surround this book which was featured prominently in the bestselling book The Rule of Four.

Italian researcher Stefano Questioli will speak about its plot, historical context, illustrations, and mysteries. Questioli, a former researcher at the Instituto Nazionale di Archeologia e Storia dell’Arte in Rome, is the artistic consultant at the Italian Cultural Institute in Chicago.

Seating is limited. Please call the Art, Music and Recreation Department at (414) 286-3071 to register.

On Wednesday, August 27 at 6:30 p.m. in Central Library, author Eddee Daniel will be speaking and signing copies of his latest book, Urban Wilderness.

In this work, Daniel guides readers down the waterways of the Menomonee River watershed and reveals how preserving urban rivers is key to modern-day city life. Urban Wilderness charts the exemplary preservation efforts to rescue the river from pollution and neglect, ultimately showing how parks and nature preserves are crucial to the quality of life and economic success of a thriving city such as Milwaukee.

Mr. Daniel will discuss and show slides from his book, and copies will be available for purchase. While you are here, don't forget to check out the Menomonee River exhibit on the second floor of the library!

The latest program in the Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room Educational Series is the Susan Frackleton Program.

The artwork of artist Susan Frackleton will be discussed by Lyn Korenic. Korenic completed her Ph. D. in Art History on the ceramic career of Susan Frackleton. As such she is the perfect authority to discuss the china painting, art pottery and illuminated manuscript work of Frackleton.

Frackleton's masterpiece The Voices of Friends Concerning John Plankinton will be available for viewing.

The program will run twice at the Central Library in the Rare Books Room. The first program is Wednesday, September 10th from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and the second is Saturday, September 13th from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Seating is limited so registration is required. To register for the program, call the Art, Music and Recreation Department at (414) 286-3071.

Homework Help is offered at the Central library and four neighborhood libraries for children in elementary school. Volunteers listen, guide and advise children with their homework needs. Hours are generally weeknights from 4 to 7 p.m. Please call the library for specific days and times. Adult volunteer mentors are needed October through May. If you have two hours per week to help, call one of these libraries and ask for details:

Atkinson 286-3068
Center Street 286-3090
Central 286-3091
Forest Home 286-3083
Martin Luther King 286-3098

Come and discuss Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe at the Central Library Book Group.

This is the latest book to be discussed in this book group that is moderated by Central librarians. As a special treat, the book discussion takes place in the Richard E. & Lucile Krug Rare Books Room. The book is a starting point for the discussion, and reading it in advance is not required.

If, however, you are interested in the book about Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria, falling from grace in the tribal world as aggressive European missionaries arrive in his village, make sure to check out the additional information that is available about the book.

The book discussion takes place at the Central Library Tuesday, September 9th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Richard E. & Lucile Krug Rare Books Room.

The Milwaukee Public Library's focus on the Menomonee River Valley continues with another exciting program at Central Library.

On Wednesday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m. in Central Library's first floor meeting room, the Menomonee Valley Partners, Inc. will give a presentation on the history and current attractions of the Menomonee River Valley, as well answer any questions you may have. MVP is a group of businesses, neighborhood associations, and government agencies working to restore the Valley economically, ecologically, geographically, and culturally. For more information about MVP, check out www.renewthevalley.org.

While you are here, be sure to visit the Menomonee River exhibit on the second floor of the library!

If you've ever been in the Central Library, you may have noticed the beautiful and locked (most of the time) room on the second floor. This is the Richard E and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room.

If you're very lucky, you may even have been inside this room, and noticed the books locked away just the other side of the glass barrier. The rare books of MPL's collection lie on the other side of the glass.

The rare books collection, held in trust for the citizens of Milwaukee, includes over 7,000 items of special value, such as signed first editions, materials published before 1868, unique materials such as miniature books, and rare items of local historical and cultural significance.

Now, a complete list of these books are available through the library's catalog.

The books in Rarities can be viewed by appointment only through the Arts, Music and Recreation Department at the Central Library. They can be reached at (414) 286-3071 to make an appointment.

Join us for the final presentation in MPL's program series on the Menomonee River Valley!

Milwaukee author and historian John Gurda will be speaking at Central Library on Wednesday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the first floor meeting room. His topic will be the Menomonee River Valley's rich past, in a presentation entitled, In the Beginning was the Valley: The History of Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley. This program is sponsored by the Map Society of Wisconsin.

(Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Neighborhoods Digital Collection, UWM Libraries)

If you or a loved one is experiencing a decline in vision or mobility, or you would like to know where you can go to volunteer to help those with visual and mobility problems plan to attend the joint open house of the Wisconsin Regional Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped (WRLBPH) and the Audio & Braille Literacy Enhancement (ABLE).

This is a great opportunity to find out about the operations of these two library services. There will be interactive tours of the WRLBPH where the Library of Congress digital talking book player will be demonstrated, plus Braille demonstrations, hands-on audio activities, in-depth NFB Newsline® demonstrations, tactile picture making and more!

Join us for great food, good company and interactive tours! Please enter through the Wells Street doors of the Central Library.

If you are planning to attend, please respond by September 16th. Call the WRLBPH at (414) 286-3045 or 1-800-242-8822. Respond by email at lbph@milwaukee.gov. Call ABLE at (414) 286-3039. Respond by email at info@ablenow.org.

The open house will be located in Milwaukee Public Library’s Central Library, Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Join us on Saturday, September 20 at 2:00 p.m. at Central Library as we honor the latest authors added to the Wisconsin Writers Wall of Fame. The wall, located in Central Library, was created in 1997 as a way of honoring authors – novelists, poets, journalists, playwrights, historians – whose work has been influenced by their life and experience in Wisconsin. This year's honorees are A. Manette Ansay and Margot Peters.

A. Manette Ansay
Ansay was raised in Port Washington and studied at the University of Wisconsin. Her novels Vinegar Hill (an Oprah Book Club Selection), Midnight Champagne, Sister, River Angel, Blue Water, and short story collection, Read This and Tell Me What It Says, are all set in rural Wisconsin. She is also the author of Limbo, a memoir relating her struggle with the debilitating disease that changed the course of her life.


Margot Peters
Born in Wausau and educated at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Peters is the author of noted biographies Design for Living, a biography of Lunt and Fontanne, the Charlotte Bronte biography Unquiet Soul, as well as books on Mrs. Patrick Campbell, the Barrymores, and May Sarton.

Robert Booth Fowler, the author of Wisconsin Votes: An Electoral History will be in the Central Library to discuss his book as well as the 2000, 2004, and the upcoming elections.

Mr. Fowler is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

His book looks at the entire history of voting in Wisconsin from 1848 to present day. In his book, he explores various historic and current trends in the voting of ethnic and religious groups in Wisconsin. He also discusses the triumphs and failures of the two major parties as well as Wisconsin's third parties, such as the Socialists, the Progressives and others.

If you are interested in the electoral history of Wisconsin, come to this program at the Central Library on Wednesday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m.

Join MPL and Milwaukee's Poet Laureate Susan Firer for Contraptions, an evening of interart collaborations featuring music, poetry and dance! This free event will take place on Thursday, September 25, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in Centennial Hall.

Contraptions will highlight the talents of several local artists including Janet Lilly, Kelly Anderson, Rip Tenor, Jim Hazard, James Liddy, Derrick Harriel, Sigmund Snopek and Brenda Cardenas.

Here are just a few of the night's performances:

The Weight of Skin
Choreography: Janet Lilly – Music: John Tavener – Poetry: Susan Firer
Performance: Kelly Anderson

Suite: August’s Kettle Lake, every thing awhile, The Bright Waterfall of Angels
Poetry: Susan Firer – Music: Sigmund Snopek, composer and performer
Film: Susan Firer

Mama’s Gorsry List and Conjure Baby
Poetry: Derrick Harriell – Music: Tim Ricketts, bass guitar
Film: John Koethe

Dale Van Atta will be at the Central Library's Centennial Hall to discuss his book With Honor: Melvin Laird in War, Peace, and Politics.

The first book ever to focus on Laird's legacy, this authorized biography reveals his central and often unrecognized role in managing the crisis of national identity sparked by the Vietnam War -and challenges, ethical and political, that confronted him along the way.

Books will be available for purchase courtesy of Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops. Located in the Loos Room.

This is part of the Get Political @ your Milwaukee Public Library series. No registration is necessary.

Central Library-Centennial Hall
Tuesday, October 14, 7:00 p.m.

As part of Money Smart Week Wisconsin (October 12-18, 2008), MPL is offering Get Smart About Credit Day.

Library staff will show you how and where to get a free copy of your credit report. (Remember that your credit score is not part of your credit report!) You will receive a free printout of one report per person, and you can print reports from other credit reporting agencies for 15 cents per page. Staff from the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Milwaukee will be available to explain the report to you and provide additional information.

Get Smart About Credit Day is Thursday, October 16. Programs will be held at Central Library from 1:00-4:00 p.m. and at Center Street Library from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Advanced registration is required. Call (414) 286-3051 (Central) or (414) 286-3090 (Center Street) to register and to find out what to bring with you.

*This program at MPL is made possible by a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation through Smart Investing @ your library®, a partnership with the American Library Association.*

Wednesday, October 22, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
and repeated
Saturday, October 25, 2:00pm-4:00 p.m.

Art historian Jeff Jara will present a selection of Audubon bird prints from the Rare Books Room collection, published in London between 1827 and 1838. Following an illustrated lecture on Audubon’s art, methods, and the cultural and historical context in which he worked, the actual prints will be displayed. These rare color plates depict almost 500 North American bird species drawn life-size, often in their natural habitats.

Jeff Jara is an adjunct professor of art history at UW-Milwaukee and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Delaware, specializing in American art and folk art.

Please call the Central Library Art Department (286-3071) to register.

Have you ever wondered about the history of your house? Have you been curious about what may have been on your property before your current home? Or who may have lived there before? MPL's House History Program can help you answer these questions and more!

The program will be held on Saturday, November 1 from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at Central Library. Librarians will provide an overview of house history resources available at the library, including city directories, fire insurance atlases, tax rolls, newspaper indexes, etc. Most resources apply to homes located within the City of Milwaukee.

Advance registration is required; please call Central Library's Humanities Department at (414) 286-3061 to sign up.

Looking for some great gift ideas now that the holiday season is just around the corner?

Come to Central Library's book sale on Saturday, November 15 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The sale will feature holiday books as well as new and used children's books. This is the last Friends of Milwaukee Public Library book sale of 2008. Book sales will start again in February 2009.

The Humanities Department at the Central Library is teaming up with the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society to put the spotlight on maritime disasters that took place on the Great Lakes. Each month a new shipwreck will be highlighted, and the previous months' shipwreck displays will be preserved for viewing.

The display started in October with the wreck of the EMPRESS OF IRELAND. November's featured wreck is that of the EDMUND FITZGERALD, and December's will be of the wreck of the ROUSE SIMMONS, the Christmas Tree Ship.

The displays will be ongoing through the month of May; for as long as the Titanic Exhibit is up at the Milwaukee Public Museum

All rights reserved © Milwaukee Public Library

The streetcar tracks are no longer there, but the holidays in downtown Milwaukee haven't changed all that much. This picture looks east from N. 3rd onto Wisconsin Avenue. The photograph was taken Nov. 30, 1942 and resides in the Frank P. Zeidler Humanities Room at the Central Library.

Central Library’s photo archives include many collections. Take a look some of them here.

Photographs are retrieved by library staff. The materials may not be removed from the room, but reproductions may be available. Contact the Humanities Department with any questions at 414-286-3061.

Everyone at Milwaukee Public Library wishes you Happy Holidays and a great 2009.

Effective this week Wednesday, hours will be changed to coincide with
Central Library's earlier closing time of 5:30 pm. Starting tomorrow, the
complete schedule of hours for the Bookseller and Perk & Peruse Coffee Shop
will be:

Monday and Tuesday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Sunday: CLOSED

Incidentally, the Bookseller used book store could use some dedicated
volunteers to sort and shelve materials. If you're interested, please stop
in the store or call (414) 286-2142. Proceeds from the store support the library.

Have you invented something fantastic? Does the prospect of getting it patented
overwhelm you? Are you starting your own business? In this crazy economy
it makes sense to gather all the information you can to plan and prepare properly.

Central Library is offering two free programs in February to help you with both:

"Starting A Small Business"
Monday, February 9
1:30pm-2:30pm
Central Library
Librarians will help you find the right information to start your own business.
Meet in Central Library's second floor computer lab to learn about print
and electronic resources for business planning.

"Patents 101"
Monday, February 23
1:30pm-2:30pm
Central Library
This program is offered monthly by librarians who will explain the
seven-step strategy for executing a patent search. Meet in
Central Library's second floor computer lab.

Next Saturday, February 7, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. will be the first used book sale of the year at Central Library. Sponsored by the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library, the sale will feature romance novels and cookbooks, but there will be many other great books available. All proceeds from the book sale benefit the Milwaukee Public Library.

Join MPL for the latest program in the Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room Educational Series. On Saturday, February 28th at 2:00 p.m. in Central Library's Rare Books Room, we will be celebrating the life and work of August Derleth with speaker David Schweitzer.

Born in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1909, Derleth became a prolific author of hundreds of poems, short stories, novels, and biographies. In 1937, he and Donald Wandrei founded Arkham House, a publishing company that specializes in mystery and occult titles, including the works of their friend H.P. Lovecraft.

On February 28, David Schweitzer will interpret Derleth's keenly observed and beautifully written meditations on the natural world. Derleth family members and friends will be present and an exhibit of books by Arkham House authors will be displayed.

This event is free, but seating is limited. Call 286-3071 to register.

Join MPL as we celebrate the life and work of Dr. Seuss!

The free kick-off celebration will be held at Central Library on Saturday, March 7 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., where you will be able to:

* Create your own feathery-fun craft of Gertrude McFuzz.
* Enjoy exciting and interesting stories in our story nook.
* Decorate a Seuss cookie to eat or take home.
* Get your face painted like the Cat in the Hat.
* Hop and bop, sing and swing to the music of the Chickadees.
* Make an ocean-themed craft with the Milwaukee Public Museum.
* Have a “reeling” good time with a Seuss-inspired fishing pond.

Be sure to say hello to Browser, the Library Lion and the Cat in the Hat as they “check out” the festivities!

Dr. Seuss celebrations continue throughout the month of March at our neighborhood libraries.

The next Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library used book sale will be Saturday, March 14, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Central Library.

It will feature half-price books. Make sure to stop by for some great deals!

All proceeds from the book sale benefit the Milwaukee Public Library.

Come to a special presentation of "Tea with Jane Austen" at the Rare Books Room of the Central Library. Not only will tea be served, but costumed performers from the Milwaukee Rep's production of Pride and Prejudice will be on hand to model the fashions of the era.

In addition to that, Marsha Huff (president of the Jane Austen Society of North America) will discuss Jane Austen's writing of Pride and Prejudice. Kim Wilson, the author of Tea with Jane Austen and In the Garden with Jane Austen, will discuss tea in the novel and the play.

Admission to the event is free. However, seating is limited and reservations are required, so call (414) 286-8720 to reserve your spot.

Saturday, March 21, 2009
1:30 PM
Central Library

If you have ever wondered about the history of 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 18, from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

This program is intended as an introduction to resources at the Central Library that are extremely useful for determining the history of a house or property. Resources that will be explored include 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, but search strategies and the types of resources available may offer insight into the types of resources that are available in those communities.

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

MPL is the only library in Wisconsin to own a copy of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a romance by Francesco Colonna and a famous example of early printing. Join researcher Stefano Questioli for a program entitled “Hypnerotomachia Poliphili – A Hieroglyphic of the Renaissance”. Learn about the authorship, language and intent of this book – which translates to 'Poliphili’s Strife of Love in a Dream' – published in Venice in 1499.

Saturday, March 28 – 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Central Library’s Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room
This encore presentation features improved audio visuals and sound.
It is free but seating it limited. Call 414.286.3071 to register.

Meet local poets Rebecca Dunham, Judith Harway, Derrick Harriell, Angela Sorby, and Milwaukee's Poet Laureate Susan Firer at the Central Library. The poets will be reading selections from their works under Central's beautiful rotunda on Thursday, April 23rd at 6:00 p.m.

These local poets have all received honors and accolades for their poetry. In addition to Susan Firer being Milwaukee's Poet Laureate, Rebecca Dunham received the 2006 T.S. Eliot Prize and is the author of The Miniature Room. Derrick Harriell has had poetry has published in the Cream City Review. Judith Harway's poems have earned her fellowships with the Wisconsin Arts Board and she is a faculty member of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. Angela Sorby is the author of Bird Skin Coat and is also a recipient of the Brittingham Prize.

The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and reservations are required. Please call (414) 286-8720 or send an email to the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library to register for this event.

Each spring, when the ice clears, the Anishinabe harvest fish from the lakes of Wisconsin and Minnesota, a tradition protected by treaties and reinforced by Federal Court rulings. However, for a number of years the spear fishermen were confronted with violence and racial epithets from local sports fishermen, resort owners and other white neighbors.

Join Walleye Warriors author Rick Whaley, and Dave Denomie of the Bad River Chippewa and Milwaukee spokesperson for Witness for Non-Violence, as they explain how a multi-race and class alliance of Anishinabe, local residents, and activists defused these confrontations by witnessing and documenting them.

This program is offered in conjunction with the PBS Native American history series We Shall Remain to be broadcast in April and May. This May 9 program will take place before the final installment Wounded Knee, which describes the takeover of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Reservation and the beginning of the reassertion of political rights by the Indian nations.

Walleye Warriors
Saturday, May 9, 2009
2:00 p.m.
Central Library

Join MPL on Tuesday, May 5 at 5:00 p.m. in Central Library for a presentation from business book experts and authors Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten. Covert and Sattersten have spent years reading, evaluating and selling business books, becoming the most respected experts on the category. Together they’ve chosen the best business titles of all time and review them in one volume: The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.

Refreshments will be provided by The Capital Grille, and a copy of the book will be raffled off to attendees. Additional copies will be available for purchase from 800-CEO-READ. Advance registration recommended; please call 286-3572 to sign up.

Increase Lapham was an officer of the Milwaukee Young Men’s Association whose collection formed the nucleus of Milwaukee Public Library’s collection in 1878. He was also Wisconsin's first scientist as well as a self-educated naturalist, author and cartographer.

“I Am Studying Wisconsin"
Central Library's Krug Rare Books Room
Saturday, June 6, 2009
2-4pm