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City of Madison

Madison Public Library Celebrates National Library Week; Invites Library Visitors to Advocate for Libraries

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MADISON, WI - From April 6-12,  Madison Public Library is celebrating National Library Week online and at all library locations with a variety of activities including a “share your story” advocacy postcard campaign. 

Drawn to the library graphic with several cartoon panels for National Library Week 2025

The theme for National Library Week 2025, Drawn to the Library, highlights that millions of people visit the library each week across the country. The draw is that young families can stop in for play and storytime, students can sketch out their next creative project in a makerspace, while seniors can get tech help or connect with their neighbors through wellness activities. Libraries of all kinds help connect the dots from one part of life’s journey to the next. 

“Our libraries play an important role in uniting the Madison community. Libraries help us share knowledge, resources, and opportunities,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “Our dedicated library staff have put together some great activities during National Library Week (and most other weeks, too!) I encourage all residents to participate and make the most of it.”

National Library Week was first celebrated in 1958 by the National Book Committee and has since evolved into an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening  communities. 

Daily Celebrations

Share Your Story - Sunday, April 6

National Library Week postcards against a green background

Madison Public Library is inviting library users to visit one of its nine locations (or the Dream Bus) during National Library Week and fill out a Share Your Story postcard detailing how library services, resources, collections, and spaces have impacted them. Library funding nationwide is currently facing challenges at the federal level as the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is being dismantled by an executive order issued on March 14, 2025. 

“The recent decision to put all 75 staff at IMLS on administrative leave for up to 90 days has essentially ensured that federal grant funding to libraries will be frozen, if not canceled entirely, during that time,” said Madison Public Library Director Tana Elias. “That funding freeze could significantly affect library budgets at the local, system and regional level and reduce or eliminate important services such as shared research databases and online collections, outerlibrary loan, access to internet and technology, and more.”

Sharing library stories can make a difference! Check the box at the bottom of the postcard and Madison Public Library will send it to Wisconsin's U.S. Senators and Congressional representatives so they know how important libraries are to local communities.

Library supporters can participate remotely by utilizing the Library Value Calculator online to input various services they use at Madison Public Library, calculating how much the library saves them each month, and calling representatives to advocate for library funding. 

Right to Read Day - Monday, April 7

The State of America's Libraries Report 2025 is an annual summary of library trends that outlines statistics and issues affecting all types of libraries during the previous calendar year. This report also includes a list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books for 2024. Madison Public Library supports everyone's right to read and choose their own books.  Learn more and support Right To Read Day or read the full State of America’s Libraries Report 2025 when it’s released on April 7.

National Library Workers Day - Tuesday, April 8

National Library Workers Day is a day for library staff, library patrons, and library supporters to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. Library staff recorded Instagram takeovers giving tours of each library location and highlighting different library jobs. Visit Madison Public Library’s Instagram Story Highlights at @MadisonPublicLibrary to meet library staff in a unique way. 

Please note: this series was recorded in 2022, so dates and times for programs mentioned and Dream Bus stops have changed. Check the online calendar for the most up-to-date information.

National Library Outreach Day – Wednesday, April 9

Two people sit behind a table of art supplies located in front of a colorful mobile library called the Dream Bus

Madison and Dane County's mobile library, the Dream Bus, visits a dozen locations around Madison on a weekly basis. First launched six years ago, the Dream Bus visits neighborhoods and locations around Madison and Sun Prairie that may face transportation barriers in getting to a library location. The Dream Bus is just one aspect of outreach at Madison Public Library, however. Expect to see library staff and ambassadors in parks across the city this summer as part of Parks Alive, 150th Anniversary Outreach events, and many other neighborhood events and activities.

Take Action for Libraries Day – Thursday, April 10

On this day, library users are encouraged to contact their U.S. representatives to express their support for Madison’s libraries. In light of recent threats to funding to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Madison Public Library is asking local library users to share their library stories so that we can help protect library funding. Use the Share Your Story postcards available at every library location to talk about the impact libraries have had on your life through services, resources, collections, spaces, or community connection.

Learn more about the issues facing IMLS on our advocacy page and consider checking the box on your postcard that allows the library to share your story with Wisconsin's U.S. Senators and Congressional representatives. 

You can also get involved on the local level. Madison's Common Council encourages all City of Madison residents to get involved in the decision-making processes of their local government. By participating in Common Council meetings, you can have a say in policies, services, and developments that directly affect your lives - and libraries. All Council meetings are open to the public to attend in-person and streamed live on Madison City Channel. To learn more:

Get Drawn to the Library – Friday, April 11

CO2 emission numbers and date drawn on a sheet and hung on the windows of Central Library - Wake Up Installation by TetraPAKMAN

Celebrate National Library Week by getting creative, just like the honorary co-chairs of this year's celebration–award-winning author and illustrator, Raina Telgemeier, and cartoonist and comic theorist, Scott McCloud. 

Check out art and making events happening in libraries this week: 

Find all upcoming library events on the public event calendar or upcoming author readings at the Wisconsin Book Festival on the Wisconsin Book Festival website.

About Madison Public Library

With more than 1.3 million annual visitors across nine library locations each year, Madison Public Library’s tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for 150 years. Visit the library online at www.madisonpubliclibrary.org and @madisonpubliclibrary on Facebook and Instagram.

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