The MCPL Blog

October 22, 2019

As libraries evolve in the 21st century to meet the changing needs of their communities and maintain relevance as community hubs, more and more are carving out spaces for their patrons to create through so-called “makerspaces.”  What are they making there? The answers are as varied as the books on the shelves… They’re making: Screenprinted posters and clothing Music, videos, and podcasts Codes for computer programs and apps 3-D figurines Laser-engraved woodblocks …and much more! Some libraries also incorporate sewing machines, basic circuitry gadgets for kids, and virtual or augmented reality equipment into their makerspaces. The Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) recently embarked on a quest to...

Technology Events Programs Foundation Community

October 9, 2019

Curious about what your friends and neighbors might be reading? Or which books are trending nationally? Check out the following books from the New York Times Best Sellers list! Have you read any of these books already? Let us know what you thought in the "Comments" section below! Happy reading! Please note: These are popular items that may not be immediately available. It is likely you will need to use the "Request" option in the Library Catalog (V-Cat) to add yourself to the waiting list. Do not be discouraged by long waiting lists for books; MCPL usually has enough copies in circulation to keep wait times reasonable.  Also: All of the following books are...

Reading Recommendations Books

September 24, 2019

An award-winning graphic novelist, a highly acclaimed poet and essayist whose career is skyrocketing, and one of Wisconsin’s most popular authors are but a few of the guests who will take part in the Central Wisconsin Book Festival (CWBF) this weekend throughout the Wausau area! Started in 2017, the festival aims to bring in writers from across the country — with some extra attention on Wisconsin authors — for a series of events celebrating the written word in its various forms and genres: poetry,  fiction,  nonfiction (and local writers who dabble in all of the above forms),  comics & graphic novels. The motivation behind the...

Central Wisconsin Book Festival Events Reading Recommendations Community

September 20, 2019

Due to a system upgrade, patrons will be unable to access a number of the library's online resources on Friday, 9/27, 7pm, continuing through Monday, 9/30, 7am – specifically, BadgerLink resources and the interlibrary loan catalog (WISCAT). Popular BadgerLink resources affected by this outage include: U.S. Newsstream Newspapers.com: Library Edition Archive of Wisconsin Newspapers Auto Repair Source Popular Magazines in BadgerLink HeritageQuest EBSCO All Databases LearningExpress Library Consumer Reports Newspaper Source Plus NoveList K-8 If you have any questions or issues accessing these resources after the outage, please contact us. Thank you!   Note:...

IT Updates Online Resources Technology

September 14, 2019

September is often a time when many people are getting back to their normal routine after summer has come to an end. But September is also Passport Awareness Month, a time when the federal government tries to educate the public on what kind of travel a passport is needed for, how to apply and where. It’s never too early to start thinking about your next vacation, and if you need a passport to get to where you’ll be going. Passport services are available at MCPL Wausau every Thursday and every other Saturday. During your visit, you can get assistance filling out your passport application or renewal application, get your passport photo taken, and get the application submitted for processing. Walk-ins are...

Passports

September 11, 2019

Update: Access to these resources has been restored. BadgerLink and WISCAT are temporarily offline, affecting access to some of our online resources and the interlibrary loan catalog. This is an unplanned outage. This article will be updated once these resources are accessible again. If you need immediate assistance, please contact us.

IT Updates Technology Online Resources

September 11, 2019

Autumn has arrived at the Early Literacy Center (ELC) in the children’s area of MCPL Wausau, complete with crisp apples, colorful leaves and plump pumpkins! Visit us and enjoy fun, interactive autumn harvest learning with the young child(ren) in your life. Together at the felt board you can put apples, leaves, and acorns on the tree; compare the shapes and colors of leaves and make a pattern. Recognizing patterns and creating patterns help your child pay attention to details.The ability to notice simple patterns in colors or shapes prepares children to find patterns in letters and words when they’re learning to read. Try on an apron and pretend to sell fruits and veggies in the harvest market area. Or carry...

Children Early Literacy Learning Books

September 8, 2019

Curious about what your friends and neighbors might be reading? Or which books are trending nationally? Check out the following books from the New York Times Best Sellers list! Have you read any of these books already? Let us know what you thought in the "Comments" section below! Happy reading! Please note: These are popular items that may not be immediately available. It is likely you will need to use the "Request" option in the Library Catalog (V-Cat) to add yourself to the waiting list. Do not be discouraged by long waiting lists for books; MCPL usually has enough copies in circulation to keep wait times reasonable.  Also: All of the following books are...

Reading Recommendations Books

August 27, 2019

When you and your child finish reading a book or series, it can be difficult to decide what to read next. After all, new books are released every week and the vast amount of choices can be overwhelming. But one of our handy online resources can help give you some direction! Among MCPL’s many online resources is Novelist K-8, which is a reader’s advisory resource that will recommend books to read based on ones you’d read in the past, similar to how Netflix and other streaming services recommend content based on your viewing habits. Just like the Novelist resource for adults, Novelist K-8 allows users to search for a book by title, author or keyword search, and then recommends a handful of books that are...

Reading Recommendations Children Newsletter Online Resources Technology

August 23, 2019

We are making good progress at MCPL with several important matters of interest.  The library’s new interior public furnishings are being designed by Engberg Anderson Architects, and we will add more information online for you once they complete those designs. The library’s foundation has agreed to grant substantial funding for the addition of new technology that will be used to enhance our STEM programming as part of this redesign, and we will be customizing our programs to best serve our communities.  We are hopeful that the ongoing roof repairs at MCPL Wausau will be completed during the coming months, but we may need to proceed with caution in order to limit any complications that might arise from the...

Director's Report Facility Improvement Friends Of The Library Newsletter