Friends of Meadowridge Library

06/12/2026

Parks Alive
Held in parks across Madison, Parks Alive events are a chance to visit your local park, listen to music, participate in fun, family-friendly activities, enjoy free food and get to know your neighbors. Build connections with your community and connect with green spaces across the city at events throughout the summer. Madison Public Library or a Bubbler artist will attend on the following dates in Meadowood Park:

July 8, 2026 | 5-7pm - Meadowood Park
August 5, 2026 | 5-7pm - Meadowood Park

Building Strong NeighborhoodsHeld in parks across Madison, Parks Alive events are a chance to visit your local park, li

06/09/2026

06/08/2026

Author Talk: Teri Kanefield, "The Firehose of Falsehood and the Spread of Extremism"
Meadowridge Library
Community Rooms A and B and Kitchen Combined
Saturday, Jun 20, 2026 | 2 - 3pm

Do you have the sense that something has changed in how people get their information? Have you noticed a rise in extremism? Something has changed. We are in a period of information disruption that allows bad information—which helps cultivate extremism—to circulate at unprecedented speeds. Disinformation tactics are not new. Methods for spreading lies reach back to ancient times, but the internet has turned what was once a trickle into a firehose. To understand how we reached this turning point and how to best respond, join author and lawyer Teri Kanefield for a discussion of the Firehose of Falsehood and how to preserve the truth.

The first 20 attendees will receive a copy of the book! No registration required.

About the Presenter:
​​Teri Kanefield started out teaching English at the college level while writing novels, essays, and books for young readers. Then she went to law school, dedicated her law practice to defending people who could not afford to pay, and wrote more books for both mainstream audiences and young readers. She then took a detour into writing legal analysis for The Washington Post and other major outlets. Along the way, her writing earned numerous awards and distinctions, including the Jane Addams Book Award and the Carter G. Woodson Book Award.

This program is part of the Beyond 250 series highlighting U.S. American history. This event is sponsored by Beyond the Page, National Endowment for the Humanities and Madison Community Foundation.

06/03/2026

🐣 New Craft Alert at Meadowridge Library! 🐥
Hey Meadowridge families! Looking for a fun, creative, and completely free activity to do with the kids this week? Fly on over to the children's area because we have a brand new DIY craft station set up and waiting for your little artists!

As you can see in the photo, kids can create their very own adorable, three-dimensional little yellow chick.

🎨 How It Works:
We’ve provided all the pre-cut pieces and supplies needed to assemble this feathered friend. Your kiddos can:

Grab a bright yellow tube for the body.

Add some sweet wings and a tuft of feathers on top.

Stick on a pair of googly eyes, a little orange beak, and webbed feet!

It’s a fantastic way to practice fine motor skills, color recognition, or just enjoy some quiet, creative time together after picking out your weekly book haul.

📍 Where to Find It:
The station is fully stocked and ready to go right now in the children's section. Just look for the display template shown in Sthe photo below and let the crafting begin!

We can't wait to see a whole flock of these cute chicks around Meadowridge. Stop by and enjoy the space!! 👇📚✨

05/26/2026

🐸 NEW CRAFT ALERT AT MEADOWRIDGE LIBRARY! 🐸

Looking for a fun, creative activity for the kids this week? Come on down to the library and meet our brand-new froggy friend! 🎉

We have a complete DIY Frog Craft Station set up and ready for your little artists. Everything they need to assemble their own cheerful, smiling green frog is right here waiting for them—including the pre-cut pieces, and glue sticks🎨✂️

While you're here making your frog, don't forget to look at the bulletin board right above the station to check out our upcoming We Read / Bubbler Artists-in-Residence events with Monica Cliff:
🎭 Theater Adventures: Wednesdays, June 17 – July 8 (5:30 PM – 7:00 PM)
🧸 Puppetry for Kids: Saturdays, June 27 & July 11 (10:00 AM – 11:30 AM)

Hop on in to the children's section, grab a craft kit, and pair it with some wonderful summer books. We can't wait to see your amazing creations! 📚✨

05/23/2026

☀️🕶️ Why should kids have all the summer reading fun?

As adults, we sometimes forget how great it feels to check a book off a list or try a totally unexpected recommendation just for the thrill of the challenge. This year, the New York Times is bringing that childhood magic back with their Summer Reading Bucket List!

It’s a low-stakes, high-fun challenge designed to stretch your reading horizons. Prompts include:
📖 Checking out and reading a book from your local library (We can help you with that one! 😉)
🎧 Tuning into an incredible audiobook
🌍 Diving into a book set somewhere you’ve never been
✨ Rereading a cherished book you loved as a kid..and so much more!

Whether you're lounging in the backyard, sitting on the porch, or finding a cool, quiet corner inside Meadowridge Library, let's show everyone that adults know how to tackle a summer reading bucket list, too. Plus, you can enter your completed list into their drawing for a chance to win this year's prize!

Click the link below to view the full bucket list, get inspired, and then come see us to stack up your summer TBR pile! 📚👇

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/22/books/summer-reading-bucket-list.html?unlocked_article_code=1.klA.Bp5I.-rj8xHrM3VMl&smid=url-share

Read along with the Book Review this summer: Can you check off five items before fall arrives? (This year, there are prizes!)

05/14/2026

So excited to see our Bubbler artist, Monica Cliff, for our upcoming summer programming!

Monica Cliff (she/her)
Meadowridge Library
Theater Adventures: Wednesdays, June 17 - July 8, 5:30-7pm
Puppetry for Kids: Saturdays, June 27 and July 11, 10-11:30am

Monica Cliff is the founder of Inventiva Works, a company dedicated to offering art and theater classes in Spanish for children, youth, and adults. With over 20 years of professional experience in the arts, Monica has designed sets, costumes, puppets, and props for a variety of local organizations including Madison Opera, Children’s Theater of Madison, Theatre LILA, and the Wisconsin Film Festival, among others.

In 2021, she founded Teatro ñ in Madison, and in 2023, she co-founded ART House 360 in Verona, Wisconsin.

Monica holds a bachelor’s degree in Scenography from the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico and a master’s degree in Social Innovation and Sustainability Leadership from Edgewood College.

05/12/2026