Marathon County Public Library

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...