November 24, 2021

It may seem obvious that libraries—public and academic alike—support literacy. They have books, magazines and other materials people can read, and provide programming like family story times, so that’s all there is to it, right?Yes and no: Yes, the simple act of reading helps keep the brain sharp and literate; and no, there’s more to it than that, at least as far as the Marathon County Public Library is concerned.November marks National Family Literacy Month, which began in 1994 through the efforts of the non-profit National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) and “offers an opportunity for practitioners to emphasize the important role that families play in the education of their children...

Children Early Literacy LENA On-Site Services Online Resources Reading Recommendations Story Times

May 18, 2021

All nine Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) locations will reopen to the public on June 1, 2021. The reopening date was approved by the MCPL Board of Trustees during their monthly meeting on May 17. Starting June 1, all MCPL locations will also return to their pre-pandemic hours of operation, which include a mixture of daytime and evening hours, Monday through Saturday. For a list of hours by location, click here. In addition to in-person browsing and checkout, drive thru service will continue to be offered in Wausau and Marathon City, and limited curbside pickup hours will be offered in Athens, Edgar, Hatley, Mosinee, Rothschild, Spencer, and Stratford. Curbside pickup hours vary by location, so call...

COVID-19 Libraries Library Board Library Branches On-Site Services Wausau Headquarters

November 24, 2020

Marathon County officials and municipal officials within the county recently embarked on a plan to boost the strength of wireless internet available at all Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) locations. Currently, Wi-Fi is left on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at all 8 MCPL branches, and is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Wausau Headquarters, as well as from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Prior to a decision made by the MCPL Board in May 2019, the library turned off its Wi-Fi when the building was closed. The change was made in an attempt to provide residents — especially those in rural areas who have poor internet service —  with...

Community COVID-19 Director's Report Facility Improvement IT Updates Library Board On-Site Services Technology

September 30, 2020

In recent weeks, the Marathon County Health Department has reported a record number of positive COVID-19 cases. With the number of positive cases continuing to rise locally, and out of an abundance of caution, the Marathon County Public Library has decided to postpone the opening of its Student Learning Lab until further notice. The lab was originally set to open October 5. Students in need of high-speed Internet access can still make an appointment to use a computer at any of the nine MCPL locations across the county. For more information on making a computer appointment, click here. Do you have a child that needs a quiet place to study? Or do you have an unpredictable internet connection...

Community COVID-19 Education Learning Libraries On-Site Services Technology Teens Tweens Wausau Headquarters

June 21, 2020

In keeping with the recommendations of the State of Wisconsin, the Marathon County Health Department and other public health authorities, the Marathon County Public Library and its eight branch libraries will be open by appointment on June 22, as previously announced. Our Wausau location will offer appointments for computer use only. Appointments can be made for up to one hour per person per day. Browsing for materials will not be permitted at this time. To make an appointment, call the MCPL Wausau reference desk at 715-261-7230. Patrons visiting one of the eight branch libraries can make an appointment of 30 minutes per week, which can be used either for computer use or for browsing for materials (since...

Adults COVID-19 Libraries Library Branches On-Site Services Technology Wausau Headquarters

May 14, 2020

In light of the recent news that the Wisconsin State Supreme Court has overturned Governor Evers' "Safer at Home" order, the library is gathering information and resources to determine our next steps.  As a county agency, we will be guided by our County Administration and County Health Officer. Keep watching the library's website and social media channels for updates. UPDATE (5/15): Marathon County has published "MARATHON COUNTY COVID-19 ORDER #1." Thank you for your support during these unusual times!   In the meantime, we are still happy to provide a variety of services during our COVID-19 (coronavirus) closure, including the following: Patrons may...

COVID-19 Director's Report Government Information Laws And Legal Issues Libraries Library Branches Community Events On-Site Services Wisconsin

January 11, 2020

With the new year comes tax time! We’ve already had many requests for tax forms at our library locations but the forms have still not arrived. In general, most tax forms arrive between the third week of January and the first week of February. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) notifies the library of shipping dates; this year our tax forms will be shipped beginning on January 21. It may take several weeks to receive all the forms we have requested however, in the past, our forms have arrived together. In the meantime, there some important things to remember: January 27 is the first day that the IRS will accept tax returns. This is also the first day that online fillable forms will be...

On-Site Services Taxes

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...

On-Site Services Online Resources Books Libraries National History Day History

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...

Health Resources Libraries On-Site Services

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...

Community Libraries On-Site Services Uniform Addressing