Go Big Read

10/06/2026

Go Big Read is collaborating with Madison Public Library and Wisconsin Historical Society to host a genealogy workshop. Come consider why documenting your family’s history is important and learn about helpful tools and resources at this workshop. Please email the UW-Madison Go Big Read Coordinator ([email protected]) with accommodation requests or questions. Learn more about this workshop on our website’s event page:

https://gobigread.wisc.edu/events/uncovering-your-roots-getting-started-with-genealogy/

10/05/2026

Interested in Scandinavian American old-time music? Join us in Memorial Library on October 15th to learn about researcher and fiddler Beth Rotto’s work with the Arnold Munkel Collection.

To learn more about this offering, check out the Go Big Read events page: www.gobigread.wisc.edu/events

10/01/2026

Check out the upcoming Go Big Read book discussions at Madison Public Libraries for the month of October! Visit the events page on our website for more information:

https://gobigread.wisc.edu/events/

09/28/2026

Happy cranberry season! Join us at Allen Centennial Garden on October 4th to learn how to cook with Wisconsin cranberries from Chef Paul Tseng. We can’t wait to see you there! 🍁

To learn more about this workshop, check out the Go Big Read events page: www.gobigread.wisc.edu/events

09/25/2026

Go Big Read book discussions will begin in our libraries next month, with the first book club taking place at Hawthorne Library on Sat, Oct 3 from 1-3pm.

Save the date for three additional book discussions planned in October at Goodman South Madison Library (October 17, 1:30pm), Central Library (October 21, 7pm) and Meadowridge Library (October 27, 4:30pm). Copies of the 2026-27 Go Big Read selection, Custodians of Wonder by Eliot Stein, are set aside specially at each location for these book discussions and are available now.

If you plan to attend, ask at the desk and check out a copy to read before the event! No registration required.

09/25/2026

Mark your calendars for another great performance and dance featuring Foot-Notes of Decorah, Iowa, and the ScandiAm Jam of Madison, Wisconsin! The event will take place on Friday, October 16 from 6:30-8:30 pm at The Old Barn in Middleton.

Dance to the tunes of the Scandinavian-Americans who settled in the Driftless Area. Expect a slightly rustic setting, with portable toilets, some original (and uneven) floorboards, and a cheerful, casual atmosphere. Dress for fall temperatures. You are welcome to bring a lawn chair for sitting on the lawn outside the barn (you might want a blanket to cover up with as well!).

The event is FREE and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided, and feel free to bring your reusable water bottles. Carpooling is encouraged.

We hope to see you there!
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Co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, the Folklore Program, the Nordic Folklife project, and the Go Big Read program.

09/24/2026

Excited about Custodians of Wonder and looking for similar books for younger readers? Check out the Cooperative Children’s Book Center reading lists! One list is geared towards intergenerational connections, and the other towards bridge building. You can access these lists through the resources tab on our website:

https://gobigread.wisc.edu/resources/

09/18/2026

Writing Across the Curriculum developed sample low-stakes and high-stakes options for writing assignments that are connected to this year’s Go Big Read, Custodians of Wonder. If you’re looking for some more ways to integrate the book into your course curriculum, we highly encourage you to take a look at their sample writing assignments! You can also access the assignments on these lists through the resources tab on our website:
https://gobigread.wisc.edu/resources/

To learn more about Writing Across the Curriculum, visit their webpage:
https://wac.wisc.edu/

All information about the 2025-2026 Go Big Read, James, can be found on the 2025-2026 Go Big Read archive page. Please visit this page to learn about the book, events, book discussion guide, and other resources.

09/16/2026

If you’re teaching a discussion section or course this semester, this guide is for you! This resource provides a range of classroom activity ideas that are connected to Custodians of Wonder chapters. Check it out on the resources tab on our website:

https://gobigread.wisc.edu/resources/

09/15/2026

As you read Custodians of Wonder, we encourage you to check out the Traditions at UW: Supplemental Teaching Guide created by the Center for Campus History. This guide prompts instructors and students to reckon with UW-Madison’s complex history of traditions. You can access this guide through the resources tab on our website:

https://gobigread.wisc.edu/resources/