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today. Back then, Madison did not yet have municipal water, sewage, or electricity, but citizens saw the need to create a public beacon of knowledge. With nearly 5,000 books housed in two rooms at City Hall, the early library was modest and had a limited scope — there was no browsing, and only men over the age of 15 could enter — but that vision for providing access to learning laid the foundation for what Madison Public Library is today.

As the library marks 150 years, Madison Public Library Foundation is committed to continuing that legacy of supporting literacy and lifelong learning. Beginning with Library Giving Day on April 1, we invite you to make a gift of $150 or more as part of our Make Your Mark campaign. As a testament to your support, every donor who contributes at this level will have their name included on a commemorative bookplate inside a new book added to the collection. This special way of supporting the library will help expand the library’s collection for all ages and provide new reading materials for years to come.

This anniversary arrives at a particularly exciting time in the life of Madison Public Library. Every day, across the system, we see the impact of offering free access to essential programs, services, and materials. In 2024, more people than ever checked out digital resources, topping 750,000 eBooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines. At the same time, people flocked to physical library spaces. The 1.3 million visits to libraries for meetings, cultural events like Teejop & Beyond, and literary programs like the Wisconsin Book Festival amount to almost five visits for every Madisonian.

The second half of the 150th anniversary theme focuses on inspiring the future through library use. This spring, we will break ground on the Imagination Center at Reindahl Park — a facility on the far east side which will house a park pavilion and a neighborhood library. For the first time in more than 25 years, the Madison Public Library system will grow when we welcome this 10th location in 2026. We couldn’t be more excited to see the ways that another library will serve more people and expand the idea of what our system can provide all of us.

We hope you’ll join our effort to fuel the continuing growth of Madison Public Library. Your gift will ensure that the library remains a beloved community resource for the next 150 years and beyond. We are delighted to offer this commemorative 150th anniversary bookplate with a gift of $150 or more as a special opportunity to Make Your Mark on the collection. We look forward to celebrating our past, present, and future with you. Thank you for your support!

Hope you’re reading something good,

Conor Moran
Executive Director

P.S. Join us in celebrating Madison Public Library’s 150th year at one of the nine neighborhood library parties in May! Find a complete list of the dates and times, along with other 150th fun throughout the year, at madpl.org/150years.