Madison Public Library Celebrates 150 Years of Community and Books

by Theodore Morrison, age 17

“It was a pleasure to burn.” This is the opening line of the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In this world, the main character lives in a dystopian society where firefighters start the fires, not put them out. It is these worlds that the Madison Public Library brings to our community by circulating all kinds of books, ranging from steamy romances to horror & suspense, and everything in between. These books empower Madisonians to access new worlds and challenge everyone to appreciate newer and more unique perspectives. These are the things we are celebrating - access to these amazing stories - as we honor the Madison Public Library’s 150-year legacy.

In celebration of the anniversary, the Madison Public Library designated this year's theme to be Celebrating the Past, Inspiring the Future. Founded in 1875, the Madison Public Library was intended to “confer its blessings on all,” according to former Mayor Silas Pinney. The library has faced turbulent times, and survived, then thrived with the help of the community. This message has been extended to the entirety of the community; the library has invited everyone to utilize its literature and other resources. This anniversary marks an important milestone in this institution’s history, signifying 150 years of public service and education.

To celebrate this milestone the Madison Public Library has launched several programs to draw attention to the libraries. In an attempt to encourage book consumption, the Library has challenged library members to check out 150 books. Upon completion of the challenge, participants will receive a drawstring bag emblazoned with the Madison Public Library logo. If a library member is not interested in the book challenge, they may take some photos below a themed book arch at the Central Library or educate themselves on some of the history of each library branch with displays located in each of the respective nine locations. There will be celebrations at all of these branches, many of which are ongoing, including at the Central Library (May 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Monroe Street Library (May 31 from 9 to 11 a.m.), Pinney Library (May 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), Lakeview Library (May 31 from 1 to 3 p.m.), and Hawthorne Library (May 31 from 3 to 5 p.m.), all of which are offering cake and coffee to entice members of the public to show up and show out.

In the culmination of these celebrations, the Library intends to host a master celebration at the Central Library on May 17 from 10 am to 1 pm. The master-celebration will include a myriad of events including public speakers, tours of the library, and events for the young. These acts of celebration highlight and support the educational mission of the Library, drawing significant attention to the vision and actions of this institute and using that attention to push its mission even further.

Libraries are places where members of the community can immerse themselves in worlds of fiction and nonfiction, fantasy and historical fiction, and many others. These institutions support the education and community-building of their neighborhoods while also providing jobs to librarians and other library staff. The Madison Public Library system has provided these services to the city for 150 years and probably will provide them for many more years to come. In sum, these celebrations serve to memorialize the progress the Madison Public Library has made and support the continuation of its mission well into the future.

[Sources: City of Madison; Fahrenheit 451; Madison Public Library]