April 20, 2021

At its April 2021 meeting, the Library Board decided to maintain the "limited re-opening" status of the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL), based on recommendations from the Marathon County Health Department.

"This past week [...] reinforced COVID-19 has not gone away, having 154 new cases reported and seeing an uptick in cases over the past two weeks. This is the most cases we’ve seen since late January-early February. The climb in cases can be contributed to people growing tired and resuming behaviors that increase their risk for exposure along with the arrival of variants of the virus that spread more easily. [...] To get us “out of the woods” calls upon everyone to continue the practices we are weary of and loathe. As more individuals get vaccinated in the coming weeks and months, it is critical we continue to wear a mask, social distance, and keep social circles small." — Marathon County Health Officer, Joan Theurer (4/12/21)

MCPL’s limited re-opening plan is intended to protect the health of patrons and staff during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, and includes the following services:

• All MCPL locations are open by appointment only:
  • MCPL Wausau accepts appointments for computer lab use only.
  • MCPL branches accept appointments for computer lab use and limited browsing of the collection.

• All MCPL locations offer curbside pickup:
  • Library items may be requested using the online catalog, or contact us for direct assistance.
  • Reference materials (including tax forms, copies of articles, etc.) may be requested by contacting your local MCPL.

• All MCPL events are offered online or in the form of "grab & go" activities available for curbside pickup.

• MCPL's online resources, including Wisconsin's Digital Library, remain available from home.

• Research assistance  and technology assistance are available by email, phone or live chat.

• Library card applications are accepted online.

Changes to the library's opening status will be considered at future meetings of the Library Board.

We miss our patrons, and we look forward to serving the public in an increased capacity as soon as safety allows!

article by Ben Krombholz / IT Technician

COVID-19 Library Board Library Branches

image credit: Image by Marathon County Public Library staff.