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January 2019 library news
Happy holidays, library friends!

A new year usually means new plans, and your library is no exception. We're currently working on our schedule for the year, planning out activities for kids and adults from now through summer.

As always, I'm looking for your ideas. Is there an author or speaker you'd love to meet? A topic you want to learn about? A new thing you'd like to try? Please give me a call at 715.476.2366 or email director@mercerpubliclibrary.org to share your ideas.

The library has also made a policy change that I think you'll appreciate: We are no longer automatically closed when Mercer School is closed for bad weather. Instead, we will make the decision to close the library only if the weather conditions prevent us from safely getting here or are generally unsafe for any adults to be out on the roads. That means that when the kids have a snow day, you can still use the library to pick up books, movies, puzzles, and games to keep everyone in the family busy.

"Take Your Child to the Library Day" is Saturday, February 2nd. We'll be hosting some special events that day for kids of all ages, so mark your calendar and plan to stop by with the kids or grand kids.

If one of your new year's resolutions is to support your local library, remember this: the easiest way to support your library is to use it! Stop by for a visit, check out some books and movies, attend a program, or just sit by the fire and read the paper -- it all makes a difference!

Teresa Schmidt
Library director
Two Mercer Memory events in January

In collaboration with the Mercer Area Historical Society, the library is hosting two "Mercer Memory" events this month. We'll be interviewing two lifelong Mercer residents to hear about what life was like in Mercer in the past, see how things have changed over the years, and hear their memories of growing up in Mercer. The public is welcome to join us and listen to their stories!

  • Friday, January 11th at 1:00 p.m. - Interview with Kathy Kadrlik
  • Friday, January 25th at 1:00 p.m. - Interview with Peg Brunner

The library will provide coffee and refreshments, and all are welcome to listen. We hope this will be the beginning of a series of interviews with longtime Mercer residents so we can capture some of these stories of our community's past.
January Tech Classes

  • WordPress 101 - Thursday, January 24th at 11:00am - Get an introduction to the basics of the world's most popular website content management system. This class is a repeat of the program held in December, and will help beginners understand the basics of building their own site or be a more informed consumer when hiring a designer. There's no charge and no registration is required.
  • Becoming a Library Superuser - Tuesday, January 29 at 11:00 a.m. - Your library card is the key to requesting books from all over Wisconsin, accessing digital databases, taking an online class, free ebooks and downloadable audio books, and more - all for FREE! Learn how to take advantage of all these services and become a "library superuser" in this class.
  • Tech Tuesday - January 8 and January 22 at 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. - One-on-one technology help with library director Teresa Schmidt. Drop in for help with basic problems and skill building. If those times aren't convenient for you, call the library to schedule a 30-60 minute appointment at another time.
Movies @ Your Library

Mercer School will have an early-release day on Friday, January 18th, and students of all ages are welcome to visit the library after school for popcorn and a movie. This month we'll be showing the Disney classic, "Lady and the Tramp," rated G, 76 minutes.

Adults are welcome to our monthly movie nights on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. This month we'll be watching "First Man," starring Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong recounting the history-changing years before the Apollo 11 mission. The film is rated PG-13, 141 minutes long. Join us on Monday, January 21st at 6:30 p.m. (Note that we usually hold movie nights on the last Monday of the month, but will be changing the date this month due to a schedule conflict.)
Coffee & Coloring

This month the Coffee & Coloring group will make Valentines to hand out at the Mercer Senior Center on Valentine's Day. All are invited to join us on Fridays, January 11 and 25 at 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. We provide all the supplies - Bring a friend, enjoy some socializing and help spread a little love.
Bullet Journaling for beginners

Bullet Journaling is an analog planning system taking the digital world by storm. Thousands of people, from working professionals to stay-at-home parents to artists to retirees, have started Bullet Journaling to take control of their to-do lists and their lives. Learn how you can start to "BuJo" with this free beginners class on Thursday, January 31st at 11:00 a.m.
Gale Courses now available
Access hundreds of FREE online classes with your library card

Don't forget to check out  Gale Courses , a collection of hundreds of online courses developed and taught by experts in their fields. It's easy to use, you can sign up year-round, and it's FREE to all Mercer Library card holders. Get a head start on your new year's resolutions, learn a new skill, start prepping for the ACT or SAT, or complete those continuing education hours you've been putting off. Check it out!
Other activities @ your library

  • Knitters' gathering: Join your fellow knitters for an informal gathering on Monday mornings at the library, 9am to noon on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Mondays of the month.
  • The Mercer Book Club will meet on Wednesday, December 12th for their annual cookbook "discussion." This year they'll be focusing on vegetarian cookbooks and dishes. Bring a favorite cookbook and samples to share if you like. All are welcome!
  • Coffee & Coloring is a relaxing afternoon of coloring and paper crafts. Adults are welcome to join us on the second and last Fridays of the month at 2-4pm. We'll provide the coloring supplies, or bring your own paper projects to work on.
  • Other community events happening in our building include exercise classes and Pickleball with Mercer Health & Wellness, a weekly ecumenical Bible study group, AA meetings, and more. Stop by and ask us if you want information on any of these events.

The library's meeting room is available for anyone in the community to reserve for meetings and educational programs. Give us a call at 715-476-2366 to reserve the room.
Mercer Public Library | 715-476-2366 | director@mercerpubliclibrary.org | mercerpubliclibrary.org
Winter hours: Mon, Wed and Fri 9am-5pm; Tues & Thurs 9am-6pm; Saturday 9am-noon