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

October 1, 2020

It’s a natural fit for the Marathon County Historical Society (MCHS) and the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) to work together to bring information and events to the public. They share some of the same goals to keep history — and local history in particular — alive and accessible. With both locations either being closed or offering only limited access due the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve partnered to adapt and reorganize our joint programming for a virtual environment. Virtual talks are broadcast simultaneously via the platform Zoom, and live streamed on MCHS’s Facebook and YouTube pages. Each presentation is archived on the MCHS Facebook page and MCHS YouTube channel as well, for people...

Community Events History

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

September 8, 2020

The Central Wisconsin Book Festival will take place Sept. 21-27, 2020. Before it happens, we want to share a bit about some of the guests, so we've asked a few to answer some questions from festival organizers about themselves and their work. Below is a back-and-forth from Charles Hagner and CWBF committee member Chad Dally through email. Charles will join us virtually at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 to tell us why Wisconsin is a great state to look for birds, and share some tips and techniques to identify birds. He’s the director of Bird City Wisconsin and author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of Wisconsin.   What's your background and how did you get involved with...

Authors Books Central Wisconsin Book Festival Community History Nature Wisconsin

September 3, 2020

On September 1, Netflix launched a new 12-episode collection called Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices. The show, which you can watch with your Netflix account – or for FREE without a subscription on the Netflix Jr. YouTube page – features prominent Black celebrities and artists reading children’s books by Black authors about Black kids. Some of the featured celebrities include Lupita Nyong’o, Karamo Brown, Common, Misty Copeland, Tiffany Haddish and Jacqueline Woodson. For more about the series, click here or watch the trailer below!  Want to read the books that are featuring in Bookmarks, or check them out so you can follow along to the episodes at home? See the titles below and click on...

Authors Books Children Early Literacy Reading Recommendations Video

September 2, 2020

The fourth annual Central Wisconsin Book Festival (CWBF) takes place September 21–27, 2020, with events happening each of the six days, bringing authors and literature lovers together in exciting, creative and introspective ways! Although organizers felt it was necessary to make this year’s festival all-virtual, we’re still really excited about this year’s lineup and hope you will be, too. About a dozen volunteers have met monthly — first in person, then virtually — since the end of the 2019 festival to set up this year’s events. It’s been a challenge to reorganize the whole festival to take place online, due to the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll certainly miss the opportunity to gather together...

Adults Authors Books Central Wisconsin Book Festival Community Events Poetry Reading Recommendations Writing

September 1, 2020

The following is a selection of books written by authors featured in the 2020 Central Wisconsin Book Festival (CWBF)!  From fiction to nonfiction to poetry, this year's "virtual" CWBF will be a great opportunity for members of the community to hear from notable writers with diverse backgrounds.  Check out the following items before or after the festival to explore their creations:

Authors Books Catalogs and Collections Central Wisconsin Book Festival E-books Events Graphic Novels Poetry Reading Recommendations

August 28, 2020

This summer, teens from throughout Marathon County participated in "Write Your Story," the 2020 Teen Short Story Writing Contest. We received some extraordinary pieces and have been impressed with the talent and creativity we've seen!   After careful reading, evaluation and discussion, the judges have made their final decisions, and it's time to announce the winners! For the 12-14-year-old age group, the winners are: 3rd place: (tie)     "The Day I Lost Everything" by Whitley Johnson     "The One-Horned Buck" by Jackson Nechuta 2nd place:     "The House on Maple Street" by Avery Kessen 1st place:     "The Dream Dragons" by Mary Bolinger   For the 15...

Contests Teens Writing

August 27, 2020

The Central Wisconsin Book Festival will take place Sept. 21-27, 2020. Before it happens, we want to share a bit about some of the guests so we've asked a few to answer some questions that festival organizers have. Below is a back-and-forth between CWBF committee member Danielle Hale and Tiffany Midge, who will appear during two virtual events, Sept. 24 and Sept. 27. Quarantine Questions with Tiffany Midge I have a confession to make. I’m a bit of a fangirl when it comes to Tiffany Midge. I first heard about her just after I finished grad school in 2017. I was looking up Native American women writers because I wanted to read more from authors I could identify with. (Midge is a member of...

Adults Books Central Wisconsin Book Festival Events Poetry Writing

August 21, 2020

If you’re one of the many families that have considered – or who have already committed to – homeschooling your child this fall, you may be wondering what you can use to facilitate your teaching. Or, maybe you’ve homeschooled your children for years but are looking for some new supplemental materials to take your lessons to the next level. Either way, the Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) is here to help. As we get closer and closer to starting a school year unlike any other before, many parents have been filled with questions and concerns over their kids’ education. If your children will be homeschooled this year, or learning completely virtually, MCPL has a slew of newly-purchased materials that will...

Adults Books Catalogs and Collections Education Learning