Marathon County Public Library

April 15, 2018

Due to inclement weather and unsafe driving conditions, the Marathon County Public Library will be closed today, Sunday, April 15. This only affects the library's Wausau headquarters, as all other MCPL locations do not have hours on Sunday. MCPL Wausau is expected to reopen tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. as usual. 

April 14, 2018

Due to the weather, the Marathon County Public Library's Hatley Branch will be closed today, April 14. The branch will reopen on Monday, April 16, with its normal hours. We apologize for any inconvenience and wish everyone a safe and happy weekend!

April 12, 2018

Spring is here and, in spite of the great weather, the season also brings with it the time for AP testing. Sudents have spent their entire school year focused on improving their skills and learning content, trying to get a 4 or a 5, which equals college credits for them. But sometimes you need a little boost to get that elusive high score, and the library is here to help! Our collection development specialist and young adult librarian have gotten together and created a list of all the AP study materials available at the Marathon County Public Library's Wausau Headquarters. Students can visit the library here in Wausau to pick up materials or can request them to be sent to another one of our branch libraries...

April 10, 2018

It's National Library Week (April 8-14), and the American Library Association (ALA) just released the 10 most challenged books of 2017. These are titles are ones that folks have most frequently attempted to remove from different schools and libraries across the United States for various reasons. Since the ALA (and most libraries) strive to provide a wide range of materials that appeal to all different kinds of people, removing materials from a library collection and other forms of censorship are not ideal. Below is the ALA's most challenged books of last year. Take a gander at the list below and tell us what you think. Are there any titles on the list that you've read? Any titles that you're surprised to see...

March 28, 2018

Last month, the American Library Association announced its 2018 Youth Media Award Winners! These titles are considered to be the best current books for children, tweens and teens in literature. Take a look at this year's winners (and some of the runners-up) and see which ones appeal to you most. The John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature was awarded to Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. Three Newbery Honor Books also were named: Crown, and Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds and Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson. The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book...

March 21, 2018

In a few short weeks, Marathon County's Conservation, Planning and Zoning Department will begin the installation phase of its new Uniform Addressing System, which will change more than 20,000 address county-wide. In anticipation of the project's tentative April 9 start date, the county will begin sending out a staggered mailing of Official Notices to property owners whose addresses will be changing as a result of the project. Official Notices will be mailed in a series of batches between late March and November, beginning on the east side of the county and moving west. Property owners will receive the notice a few weeks before sign installation is set to begin in their municipality, with the first batch of...

March 14, 2018

There is a lot going on at your library! The Friends of the Library have moved into their new digs in the old bookmobile garage, and their first book sale was a huge success. The Friends made the transition very smoothly, and we look forward to their being able to enjoy the new room for years to come as they raise money to help the library provide its programs.  On another note, the LENA Project will be gearing up in February and March of this year. The library will be hosting and facilitating this important community collaboration designed to help parents of children aged birth to three years old with the critical brain development that centers around language. There are multiple community...

March 14, 2018

Famed scientist, theoretical physicist, cosmologist, astronomer, mathematician and author Stephen Hawking passed away yesterday, leaving behind a legendary body of work challenging our knowledge of the cosmos and what it holds for humankind. Hawking was 76. Some of the British-born scientist's most famous works include A Brief History of Time, The Theory of Everything and The Grand Design, which explore the ideas of time, how the universe was created, parallel dimensions, what will happen when the universe ceases to exist and other quantum physics theories. Despite being diagnosed with a rare early-onset form of ALS at the age of 21, Hawking continued teaching, researching and...

March 12, 2018

Due to a roof replacement project at Rothschild's village hall, the outdoor book return at our Rothschild Branch will be unavailable today -- and possibly a little longer than that. For the same reason, parking options in front of the library may be limited, and you may need to use the village hall's central or south entrance instead of the library entrance to the north.  To return your items, please use the indoor book return. Thank you!

February 28, 2018

Every year, a decent selection of films based on books get nominated for various Academy Awards. These films are generally a mix of more obscure titles while others are based on best-selling and widely-known books. This year is no different, with a total of 16 films nominated for everything from Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Animated Feature to Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects. These films are made up of everything from gripping novels and biographies to beloved children's books and comic books.  Before the Oscars telecast this Sunday, take a look at the list below and see which books you've already read (or try to read a few before Sunday's ceremony!)