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Mercer Library closed 3/18 - 4/6
Hello, library friends -

I apologize for sending two emails in one day, but as you know things are changing quickly.

At their meeting this afternoon, the library board voted to close the library beginning Wednesday, March 18 through at least April 6 . We believe this is the best decision to protect the well-being of the Mercer community and our library staff and volunteers.

We will be open tomorrow, Tuesday 3/17, from 9am to 6pm. Please feel free to stop in to stock up on books, movies, puzzles and board games. We will be waiving our usual item limits and extending due dates for all the things you check out.

We plan to offer limited hours for hold pickups and curbside service only. We'll post a schedule on our website at www.mercerpubliclibrary.org when it is available.

On a personal note, I implore you to follow the advice of medical professionals and isolate yourself as much as possible, particularly if you are in a high-risk category . Iron County is the "oldest" county in Wisconsin, which means a large percentage of our population is susceptible for very serious complications with this virus.

Please do what you can to protect all of our community members. Stay home whenever you can, wash your hands , don't touch your face, avoid close contact with other people, clean and disinfect surfaces daily, and absolutely stay home if you are sick, even if you think it's just a cold.

Take care, and wash your hands!

Teresa Schmidt
Library director
Stuck at home?

The library has a number of resources you can access online while you self-isolate. You can access our digital services from anywhere you have internet access, in Wisconsin and outside it. Check out these resources:

  • Wisconsin's Digital Library has ebooks and audiobooks for download. (Get the "Libby" app to use them on your smartphone or tablet, too. iOS | Android)
  • Gale Courses offers hundreds of free, 6-week classes on just about anything you could want to learn! There are continuing ed classes for teachers and medical professionals, guitar lessons and music theory, computer applications, business management, test prep, and so much more. The next series of classes starts March 18.
  • Badgerlink offers content databases for consumers, genealogists, student researchers, teachers, and everyone else.

You may need your library card number to access these resources from home. Don't know your number? Call the library at 715-476-2366 and we'll be able to help.
Still need your library stuff?

We will be offering limited hours for holds pickups and curbside service. Use our online catalog to request the items you want, email director@mercerpubliclibrary.org with your requests, or give us a call at 715-476-2366 and tell us what you're looking for. We'll get things ready for you, and then you can pick them up during the designated pickup hours. We will post those hours on our website as soon as we have a schedule available.

Please note : current research indicates that the coronavirus may be able to live on surfaces for up to 72 hours, and we cannot guarantee that any library materials are clean. Please use your best judgement when using library materials, particularly if you are in a high-risk category. If you have been sick with any illness, including a cold or flu, please DO NOT RETURN your library materials. We'll get them back when all this has blown over, and remember -- our library is completely fine-free so we won't charge you late fees.
Mercer Public Library | 715-476-2366 | director@mercerpubliclibrary.org | mercerpubliclibrary.org
Winter hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9am - 5pm; Tuesday, Thursday 9am-6pm; Saturday 9am-noon