MGE and the Madison Public Library: Community Partners

Madison Public Library recently received a donation from the MG&E Foundation to buy new energy and environmental titles to enhance the high-use Sustaining Our World Our Communities Ourselves collection. MG&E also donated 30 more portable energy meters to the library’s circulating supply of these much-in-demand self-help tools.

In addition, MG&E made a major financial contribution through the City of Madison for demonstration of energy-efficiency technology in the new Sequoya Branch.

MG&E and Madison Public Library share a wonderful community partnership. With the help of MG&E-funded energy and environmental programs, technology and materials, including a home energy-saving brochure library at Central. Madison Public Library is your up-to-date resource for earth-friendly living.

Visit http://www.mge.com/about/community/library.htm for more information about the partnership.

SUSTAINING OUR WORLD, OUR COMMUNITIES, OURSELVES

This popular collection has been developed through a collaboration between the library, MG&E and Sustain Dane. Collection materials continue to be updated and expanded with funding from MGE. Adult and children’s books, videos and DVDs cover such topics as:

• Sustainable Households and Gardens
• Sustainable Building
• Alternative Energy and Technology
• Sustainable Food and Agriculture
• Sustainable Communities
• Green Business and Economics

2008 additions to the collection include:

A Natural Sense of Wonder: Connecting Kids with Nature through the Seasons by Rick Van Noy.
Zero Point Energy: The Fuel of the Future by Thomas Valone.
First Steps: Conserving our Environment by Joe Zammit-Lucia.
Easy Guide to Solar Electric by Adi Pieper.
Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds by David Gershon.
Markets and the Environment by Nathaniel O. Keohane and Sheila M. Olmstead.
Plan C: Community Survival Strategies for Peak Oil and Climate Change by Pat Murphy.
William is Going Green by James Martin II and Don Berry

Please visit http://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/booklists/sustaining.html for more resources.

CHECK OUT A PORTABLE ENERGY METER

Offering energy meters to patrons to help them make appliance decisions goes back a dozen years through the library's partnership with MG&E—a first of its kind in the U.S. Accurate and easy to use, the plug-in meters work on any standard 120-volt electric appliance. Check out the meter as you would a book for up to 2 weeks to:

• Measure voltage, electricity costs and electric consumption
• Find out the exact operating cost of various home appliances.
• Identify the potential causes of high energy use
• Predict savings in reducing appliance use
• Calculate the payback for replacing older appliances
• Discover how much power some appliances draw (“phantom energy”) even when switched to the “off” position

MG&E PROGRAMS AT THE LIBRARY

Library patrons are routinely treated to entertaining and educational MG&E programs such as MaGicEnergy, a live, 30-minute energy/environmental stage show for elementary and middle school students, performed by nationally renowned Madison-based Bob Kann. MG&E developed and funds the program for area libraries and schools.

The fast-paced show combines a strong environmental and energy message with juggling, humor, magic, special effects, storytelling and plenty of audience interaction. It was updated in 2008 to include expanded renewable energy and climate change content.

Here is the program schedule for the remainder of 2008. Additional performances will be offered in 2009.
Hawthorne: October 18, 1:30 pm
Sequoya: December 13, 10 am (contingent on branch opening date)

Posted on September 3, 2008.