December 2, 2020

If you’re a parent of a young child and have been missing the Marathon County Public Library's popular 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, we have great news: you and your child can now participate in the program virtually via the Beanstack app! Never heard of Beanstack? It’s a web-based reading club platform that allows families to track the books that they read virtually. You can make a profile for each reader in your household, scan the barcode on books to add them to your virtual bookshelf, track the number of minutes each reader has read, chart your reading progress, join reading challenges, and so much more! The app is free to download in both the Apple App Store and in Google Play, and usually...

Adults Children Early Literacy Online Resources

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 access to...

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

November 20, 2020

In my opinion, everyone should read The Lord of the Rings at least once in their life. Or, at the very least, watch the extended edition of the movies. Why, you ask? It’ll make you feel a lot of things (AKA, it’ll make you cry) Many of the parts not included in the movies are the funnest parts In the age of easily digestible books (and shorter attention spans), modern readers have a harder time putting in the time that a trilogy requires. The way Tolkien writes is rich and dense, and every detail seems important Personal relationships are very important in the books There are 5 million different types of fear in...

Adults Books Movies Reading Recommendations Teens Tweens

November 17, 2020

As winter approaches and the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many folks are focusing on mental health. Journaling has been shown to have really positive mental health benefits, and can be a positive outlet for getting out your thoughts and feelings. Plus, with a new year approaching, it’s also a great time to get organized and think about goals going forward. Here are two options to make your own homemade journal or notebook, using common household materials:   Basic Homemade Journal: Supplies: Plain paper or cardstock Patterned scrapbook paper or cardstock Scissors or paper cutter Hole punch Twine, string, or yarn Steps: 1. Cut pieces of regular printer...

Adults Arts and Crafts Teens Tweens

November 12, 2020

Many of the leaves have fallen from the trees, but it's still autumn according to the calendar! To celebrate, and to give parents and families some fun things to do and see at home, we've put together a special "Fall Fun for the Family" video with stories and fun facts about animals that can be watched anytime! (Or, like our other virtual stories, multiple times if you really like it!) Before you watch the video, you'll want to download the "Animal Play-Along" sheet included below, and either print it or have it ready to view on your screen, so young ones (and adults) can follow along with Miss Lisa (we'll also tell you in the video when it's time for that part of the fun!) Also available to download below...

Books Children Early Literacy Education Learning Story Times

November 1, 2020

Doing a simple search online for “Children and Literacy” will bring up ample research tracing the positive impact of reading from an early age. Reading builds vocabulary, develops listening comprehension, and improves story telling. According to Reach Out and Read, an organization that promotes families reading together:

“Children that are read to more often have improved language and listening skills, experience stronger emotional connections to their loved ones, and gain a lifelong love of reading.”

Books Children Early Literacy Reading Recommendations

October 31, 2020

Earlier this month, the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) invited people of all ages to send us scary stories ahead of Halloween. The catch? The spooky submissions were limited to just six words! We received 11 spooktacular submissions, and we want to share them with you! Our staff voted for their top three favorites, but we thought they're all fun and creative so we're including all of this year's entries! The top three picks: “Flame out. Alone. Breath on neck” – Kelly Henderson​ “We’ve time-traveled … It’s January 2020 again!” – Laura Lawler “An ear-piercing scream. Then Silence.” – Amanda Powers (Editor's note, and full disclosure: Laura Lawler is an employee of MCPL, but the...

Contests Writing

October 22, 2020

Recently, BadgerLink added and updated some of their online resources that are available to library users across the state, including at MCPL. If you aren’t familiar with BadgerLink, it’s the free service for libraries offered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction that provides a variety of resources for school, home and work.  Updated resources include: Literary Reference Center Plus (upgraded from Literary Reference Center) - this resource offers a collection of literary criticism and reference works MAS Complete (upgraded from MAS Ultra-School Edition) - this resource is designed specifically for high schoolers and features a collection of popular magazines, books, and multimedia covering a...

Adults Education Online Resources Technology

October 15, 2020

Are you applying for a job and want someone to look over your updated resume? Or would you like a second set of eyes to proofread your cover letter before you submit a job application? One of the professional services the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) offers is the proofreading and editing of job-related documents such as resumes, cover letters, and curricula vitae. Patrons may email these documents (preferably in Microsoft Word format) to ref@mcpl.us, and one of our qualified Adult Reference staff members will proofread them in the areas of spelling, grammar, structure, and clarity. Patrons will then receive a reply email containing our suggested edits within 2-3 business days. MCPL’s proofreading...

Adults Community Jobs Libraries Wausau Headquarters Writing

October 8, 2020

On Tuesday, October 6, 2020, Governor Tony Evers directed Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue Emergency Order #3, limiting public gatherings to no more than 25 percent of a room or building’s total occupancy, with some exceptions. The complete Emergency Order is available at the following link: https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/EmO03-LimitingPublicGatherings.pdf. The Order is effective at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 8, until Friday, November 6, 2020.

Community COVID-19