The MCPL Blog: Library

August 1, 2019

Along with summer comes road construction, so our youth services staff at MCPL Wausau has designed a fun, interactive space in our Early Literacy Center for young children to learn all about construction! Throughout the month of August, children can dress up like a construction worker using goggles, a hardhat and more at our dramatic play center; build with wooden blocks; and drive model diggers and cars around the carpeted town. You can read the story Tip Tip Dig Dig (one of my personal favorites) and then re-tell the story using flannel pieces. There are plenty of construction puzzles, magnets, sorting activities and, of course, a vast array of construction books to enjoy together. The construction theme...

July 24, 2019

The Marathon County Public Library's Wausau Headquarters currently offers five different story times throughout the year for children of various ages and their parents/caregivers. While these story times will all continue to be offered, MCPL will begin dividing up the calendar year into three trimesters - summer, fall and winter/spring - with short story time breaks between each trimester. This new schedule will start next month. The current summer session will come to a close on Saturday, August 3. Then, from August 4 through Labor Day (September 2), we will be on a brief story time break so that library staff can prepare for the next set of sessions. The fall session will then commence on Tuesday,...

July 11, 2019

If you see some orange barrels and big machinery blocking traffic in front of our Wausau Headquarters over the next week, don’t fret! Beginning July 11, a small road construction project will begin on First Street between Washington Street and Scott Street in downtown Wausau (directly in front of our Wausau Headquarters). First Street will remain open throughout the project, though traffic will be slowed and some lanes may be temporarily closed. The project is expected to last approximately one week. MCPL Wausau will remain open and fully-functional throughout this project, and patrons will still be able to access our parking lot along First Street. For those who want to access the library and avoid...

June 8, 2019

This summer, blast off with your child in the Marathon County Public Library's Early Literacy Center (ELC)! Throughout the summer months, you can help your child build his or her pre-reading skills in a fun, interactive outer spaced-themed environment!  Early literacy is what children know about reading and writing before learning how to read and write. Early literacy skills include background knowledge (how the world works), vocabulary, phonological awareness (knowing the smaller sounds in words), letter knowledge, narrative skills (telling a story), and print awareness (knowing that print has meaning and how a book works). In the months of June and July, visit MCPL Wausau for a space-themed...

April 24, 2019

Patrons are the lifeblood of the Marathon County Public Library, and we want to know how you use the library and how we may better serve you! MCPL is reevaluating the hours at its nine library locations and we need input from you, our wonderful patrons! Over the next several weeks and months, we will be soliciting input from the public in the form of a survey to help gauge what would serve you best while also taking the service and safety of our staff into consideration. Any changes that may result from this survey will be used to maximize our operational hours to make them as consistent as possible among locations.  The survey can be taken online here, and paper copies are...

April 15, 2019

The sight of melting snow, budding trees and blooming flowers are all signs that spring is here, and the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) has one more hallmark to add to the mix! For the second year in a row, MCPL will offer Trail Tales, an interactive outdoor reading experience that families can enjoy together as the temperatures get warmer and folks head outdoors. From April 22 through May 20, kids and families will have the opportunity to walk along the scenic River Edge Trail in downtown Wausau and read the pages of two children’s books that will be posted along the way. The trail will run north-to-south from Kickbusch Plaza (which begins behind MCPL’s Wausau Headquarters) to the River Life...

April 11, 2019

Due to the weather, the Marathon County Public Library's Hatley Branch will close today, April 11, at 5 p.m. Weather permitting, the branch will resume its normal hours and reopen tomorrow, April 12.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at our Wausau headquarters. Thank you! 

February 12, 2019

Due to the winter storm hitting central Wisconsin today, February 12, the Marathon County Public Library will close its Wausau Headquarters and all of its branch libraries at 5 p.m. As previously announced, the Stratford Branch will be closed the entire day today. This means that today's Facebook Fundamentals - Part 2 class and the meeting of the Hatley Book Club will also be canceled. Weather permitting, MCPL will resume its normal hours and reopen tomorrow, February 13.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at our Wausau headquarters. Thank you!

February 7, 2019

Due to the winter storm hitting central Wisconsin today, February 7, the Marathon County Public Library will close its Wausau Headquarters and all seven of its branch libraries at 5 p.m. The Hatley Branch will close one hour earlier, at 4 p.m. The Friends of the Marathon County Public Library Book Sale, originally scheduled for tonight from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., has also been canceled. The sale will continue as planned on February 8, 9 and 10. In addition to the book sale, tonight's monthly meeting of Pokémon Club at MCPL Wausau, the Needle Arts event at MCPL Wausau, and the DIY Decoupage Jar event scheduled at our Hatley Branch have also been canceled.   Weather permitting, MCPL will resume...

January 8, 2019

Under the sea is an exciting place to be, so bring your young children to MCPL Wausau to experience the ocean-themed activities and books in the Early Literacy Center (ELC) during the months of January and February!  Some of the activities we have available include puzzles for learning colors and matching animal shapes, a fish felt board featuring the Dr. Seuss book One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (you can read the book together, too) and felt ocean animals paired with their names. Our magnetic boards have ocean animals and words kids learn together, too.  And, of course, there are a few nets, fish bowls with toy fish and other animals to play catch-and-release with! A fun...

January 5, 2019

Earlier this week, the world celebrated the end of 2018 and the start of a new year, and we’re already nearly a full week into January! While everyone here at the Marathon County Public Library is excited to see what 2019 will bring, we can’t help but reflect back on the past year and all of the events, milestones and innovations that we experienced over the past 12 months. While the following isn’t a complete list of all of our accomplishments from 2018, we’ve compiled some of the highlights. Now, we can’t wait to see all that 2019 brings! First LENA Start sessions in Wisconsin held Beginning in February, MCPL Wausau hosted the first two LENA Start sessions in the state of Wisconsin. The program...

July 21, 2018

We are pleased to announce that the children’s area at the Marathon County Public Library’s Wausau Headquarters has reopened! The children’s area was closed for four days due to flooding caused by a pipe at the library. The children’s area is back to being fully-operational, meaning folks can browse for books, play, consult the children’s desk, use the self check-out, participate in our Summer Library Program and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, and attend kid-centric library events. We appreciate your patience over the last few days and hope to see you soon!

July 17, 2018

The children’s area at the Marathon County Public Library’s Wausau Headquarters is temporarily closed this week. It will reopen again soon, though an exact date has yet to be determined. Though the physical space itself will be closed to the public during the closure, patrons are still allowed to request and check out materials located in the children’s area by asking one of our helpful staff members to retrieve the item(s) for you. All of the upcoming events we have planned for kids and tweens – including this week’s Summer Craft Day, Teen Craft Day and our weekly story times – will be held as scheduled. We will update the public on social media when the children’s area reopens.

June 21, 2018

If you traveled back in time to June of 1938 you could buy yourself a copy of Action Comics #1 (the first comic book to feature Superman) for 10 cents. Today, the same copy would cost you a few million dollars! Superman was created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel in the late 1930s and has since become the most recognized superhero. The character is often credited with giving rise to the entire superhero/comic book genre. In the decades since, Superman has grown into a multi-media enterprise. His heroic tales have been portrayed through radio, TV, film, and more, not to mention the countless collectables items and merchandise he’s inspired. Marathon County Public Library is celebrating this milestone...

June 14, 2018

The Marathon County Public Library is set to unveil its new Early Literacy Center, a special section in the children’s area of its Wausau Headquarters designed especially for children 0-5 years! The opening of the center will be commemorated with special ribbon cutting ceremony with the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce at 11 a.m. on June 20. Early literacy is a term used to describe what children know about language before learning how to read. This includes knowing what letters look and sound like, knowing words that rhyme, knowing how a book works and that printed text has meaning. These concepts are learned by children through talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing with a caregiver...

May 15, 2018

The Marathon County Public Library's Mosinee Branch is scheduled to reopen Wednesday, May 16, following a brief closure due to a roofing construction project. The library has been closed to the public since last week. Once again, we'd like like to thank our patrons for their patience and understanding!

May 7, 2018

The Marathon County Public Library's Mosinee Branch will be closed starting today due to a roofing construction project. The branch will remain closed throughout the coming days until the project is complete.We will follow-up with updates as we receive them and notify the public when the branch is set to reopen. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to have the branch open again as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding!

May 2, 2018

Most of the story times at the Marathon County Public Library's Wausau Headquarters will go on a brief hiatus later this month as the library gears up for its annual Summer Library Program. From May 14 through June 10, Book Babies, Tales for Tots, Preschool Story Time, Family Story Time and Sensory Story Time will not be offered. The weekly Play and Learn story times on Friday mornings will continue to be held each week. The weekly Family Story Times at our Edgar, Mosinee and Spencer branches will also go on hold from June through August to make way for all of the fun, interactive events those locations have planned. Those story times will resume in September. For more information on MCPL's story...

April 25, 2018

Beginning May 26, the front entrance of our Mosinee Branch (along Main St.) will be temporarily closed while the City of Mosinee completes work on the sidewalk in front of the library building. For the time being, patrons are asked to use the side entrance of the library (along 2nd St.), which is located next to the branch's overnight book drop. This entrance is also wheelchair accessible. The sidewalk project is expected to last approximately one week and theMosinee Branch will continue to fully operate during this project, with no library hours or events affected. For more information, contact the Marathon County Public Library's Mosinee Branch at 715-693-2144.

April 14, 2018

Due to the weather, the Marathon County Public Library's Hatley Branch will be closed today, April 14. The branch will reopen on Monday, April 16, with its normal hours. We apologize for any inconvenience and wish everyone a safe and happy weekend!

April 10, 2018

It's National Library Week (April 8-14), and the American Library Association (ALA) just released the 10 most challenged books of 2017. These are titles are ones that folks have most frequently attempted to remove from different schools and libraries across the United States for various reasons. Since the ALA (and most libraries) strive to provide a wide range of materials that appeal to all different kinds of people, removing materials from a library collection and other forms of censorship are not ideal. Below is the ALA's most challenged books of last year. Take a gander at the list below and tell us what you think. Are there any titles on the list that you've read? Any titles that you're surprised to...

February 14, 2018

Today is Valentine's Day, and love is in the air!  Over the past few weeks, we've been asking adults at our nine library locations and online to tell us what love means to them in six words or less. Folks were limited to a total of three entries per person and could write about any kind of love - love for a friend or family member, significant other, pet, hobby, song, food, inanimate object, etc. We received 16 entries in total, and originally planned on picking our favorites but...we couldn't! We liked all of your entries so much that you're all winners in our book. Read the submitted entries below and put a little love in your heart!   Attentive devoted loving care given faithfully! –...

January 26, 2018

It's officially tax season, and countless patrons have been calling, chatting and visiting the Marathon County Public Library to inquire about the availability of state and federal tax forms. While we have received most forms, we are still waiting for a few final ones to arrive. As of February 19, 2018, we have received all of the state forms that we requested from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. These forms include the Form 1, Form 1A, Form WI-Z, Schedule H/HEZ (includes rent certificate) and the Form WD, as well as the instruction booklets for each of these. Additional forms can be found on the state's Department of Revenue website and can be printed off at any MCPL location at a cost of .10 cents...

January 9, 2018

Each winter and spring, the Marathon County Public Library offers a selection of the basic state and federal tax forms for the public to take, free of charge. MCPL Wausau and its branch libraries generally receive these forms shortly before or after the first of the year, but this year, they have still not arrived. Over the past few weeks, we've had many patrons stop in to ask one popular question: "Where are your tax forms?" While we do not know when they will arrive, we can tell you that the forms have been requested. In the meantime, this year's state tax forms can be downloaded and printed from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue website. You can do that at home or we can print them off for you at...

January 1, 2018

A common problem among MCPL employees is that the list of books we want to read continues to grow week after week but we just don't have the time to read everything. If you can sympathize, you probably love to sit down with a good book just as much as we do! 2017 was a great year for literature. Among the 50+ members of our staff, we read everything from comical children's books about a mouse and a chipmunk who covet the same nut to a graphic novel about a post-apocalyptic teen who ventures into the hellish Spill Zone to photograph grotesque sites for a rich benefactor. Take a look at some of our staff members' favorite books of 2017 and let us know what you think. Then, tell us...

December 31, 2017

Did you know the Marathon County Public Library is a great resource for music? Many people don't, but it's true! Each year, MCPL purchases a variety of CDs, from the latest album's featuring today's biggest hits to classic artists and albums from yesteryear.  This year's list of the top 10 most checked-out music CDs features current popular performers (Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift), as well as some compilations of today's biggest hits. Are there any artists you're surprised aren't on the list? Take a look at the list below and let us know!

December 30, 2017

Sometimes, you just want to curl up and watch a good movie. And what better place to find a selection of films (for free!) than the Marathon County Public Library? This year, patrons checked out a variety of DVDs, with the top titles being a great mix of blockbuster franchises (i.e. Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe), comedies (Ghostbusters, Bad Moms) and dramas (The Accountant, Manchester by the Sea). The most checked-out movie even had more than 250 views! Which flick do you think nabbed the top spot? Are there films you're surprised didn't make the top 10? Sound off in the comments and let us know. Then take a look at the list below and consider checking out and watching the titles...

December 28, 2017

With 2018 just days away, the Marathon County Public Library is reflecting upon the last year. Included in that reflection is looking at the top items checked out in several different categories, including nonfiction books.  This year's top 10 took readers to various places in time and covered a variety of topics. Readers were sent back to World War I and the sinking of the Lusitania; they visited a couple who hid people from the Nazis at their zoo during World War II; they learned techniques for tidying up their lives and becoming better people; and they learned about poverty-stricken families trying to keep a roof over their heads in Milwaukee. Take a look at MCPL's top 10 list of the most...

December 27, 2017

The end of the year is fast approaching and with only a few days left of of 2017, the Marathon County Public Library is taking a look back at the past year to see what its most check-out items of the year were.  Almost everyone has a favorite fiction author. Nicholas Sparks, John Grisham, James Patterson and Sandra Brown are just a few popular names that people often look for at MCPL, and all of those names appear on this year's list of the most checked-out fiction books of 2017. There's even one author who has TWO titles in this year's top 10. Can you guess who? Take a gander at the list below and find out!

December 6, 2017

It's December, the rain has turned to snow and the holiday season is in full-swing! Our Spencer Branch got residents of all ages into the holiday spirit yesterday with a visit from the popular Spencer High School Handbell Ensemble. This group (who last year helped set the Guinness World Record for the largest handbell ensemble), performed a variety of holiday music for a packed audience of attendees. In case you weren't able to attend this event, we've included a sample of two of their performances below - "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Welcome Christmas" from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. And be warned - these tunes will put you in a holly, jolly mood!   Spencer High School...

November 25, 2017

Each fall, eighth grade students from the D.C. Everest School District take part in National History Day. Held annually, students around the country will conduct their own research into topics related to an overarching National History Day theme. After months of research, the students write a paper and present their final projects to school staff and the public. Winning projects are then recognized at the school's History Day Award Ceremony.  This year's National History Day theme is "Taking a Stand in History." Inevitably, many students participating in National History Day visit their location Marathon County Public Library location to conduct their research and to acquire various published written...

November 16, 2017

After spending 1 or 2 days a week with each other for the past 20 years, the dedicated volunteers behind the Friends of the Marathon County Public Library acknowledge they’re more like family than friends. It’s a bond forged as pages flipped and the creative output of generations of writers — fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s and young adult picture books and literature — passed through their hands. Their curiosity led them to become shepherds on a mountain of words — likely billions of words, all within an arm’s reach — as they’ve methodically worked their hands around covers to keep their charge organized, sifting, weighing each book, and deciding whether someone might want to take an item home...

November 2, 2017

Beginning November 1, open enrollment began for those wanting to purchase insurance coverage for 2018 via the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) health insurance marketplace. This open enrollment period runs through December 15, with insurance coverage beginning January 1. The ACA health insurance exchanges are intended for citizens who aren't eligible for health insurance benefits from their employer and who aren't enrolled in another kind of insurance program, such as Medicare or Medicaid. Despite the ongoing debate around repealing and/or revamping the ACA, it currently is still the law. While health insurance companies offering plans via the marketplace are no longer getting reimbursed for their...

October 24, 2017

In February 2016, the Marathon County Board adopted policy to implement a Uniform Addressing system. Instead of the current 10 rural address grids that contain duplicate or similar addresses, there will now be a Uniform Addressing grid, which will enable public agencies — especially emergency services — to provide the right service to the right place at the right time. Currently, 43 municipalities have joined together to partner in the county’s Uniform Addressing Project. Participating municipalities can be viewed at the current status map available at: http://mymarathoncountyaddress.org (if you reside in a town or if you live in the Village of...

August 7, 2017

If you’re like us, you’ve been eagerly anticipating the total solar eclipse that will happen on August 21, 2017. This out-of-this-world event is something that’s a long time coming, with the last total eclipse to be visible across the entire contiguous United States having happened in 1918 (and not since 1979 has a total eclipse been visible from the mainland United States). The next one will not occur until 2024, and who wants to wait that long to see one again? We here at MCPL have been talking about and planning our own Solar Eclipse Viewing Party for over a year and have tons of fun activities planned for patrons of all ages! Beginning at 11 a.m. on August 21 at our Wausau Headquarters, we’ll show...

July 6, 2017

Escape rooms are all the rage these days and the Marathon County Public Library is getting on board by offering its very own escape room for teens and adults! Will you be able to stop a zombie virus outbreak before it's too late?? Join us and find out! Dr. Johnson (who has been briefing you and your group about the important scientific experiments she's been conducting), has left her office to speak with a colleague. After snooping through the doctor’s files, you discover that Dr. Johnson has something more nefarious up her sleeve—a full-on zombie virus that she’s planning to unleash on the unsuspecting public! Worse yet…it’s airborne, and anyone who comes in contact with this virus is guaranteed to...

June 16, 2017

The kids are out of school, the temperatures are rising and summer is finally upon us! June, July and August are always busy months here at the Marathon County Public Library (and just about everywhere else), with a full calendar of events and activities to attend throughout the summer. We have plenty on our plate with our annual Summer Library Program offerings, with many of our events corresponding with other events and holidays happening across Marathon County. While it’s far from a complete guide, take a look at some of the crossover events we have planned for the coming months in relation to other popular events happening this summer in your community! Celebrate the USA Story Time Tue., 6/27/17...

June 12, 2017

Today marks the beginning of OverDrive's next Big Library Read, where patrons can get immediate access to Marie Benedict's debut novel The Other Einstein without having to wait! Now through June 26, MCPL patrons can log into their account on OverDrive (also known as Wisconsin's Digital Library) and borrow The Other Einstein on their smartphone, computer or tablet using the OverDrive app. The Big Library Read, held a handful of times each year, is a huge global e-book club where patrons can all read and discuss the same title together. The Other Einstein is the story of Albert Einstein's wife Mitza Maric, a brilliant physicist in her own right. Mitza has always been a...