Hello, library friends --
It's been a little while since you've received a note from us here at the library. Sorry 'bout that! We've been super busy... world traveling, retiring, taking holidays, hiring new staff, and all of that. But the days are getting longer, and we have two new library assistants and a whole bunch of events newly scheduled on our library calendar for the coming months. We're ready to get back into the swing of things around here!
Yes, as you may have heard, after just over 25 years of service to Mercer, our wonderful library assistant Renie has retired. We're glad to have two part-time library assistants joining us to keep things going. Julia and Blaze have started learning the Mercer Library ropes and are ready to help you with anything you might need, from checking out library materials to help with our copy machine, printing, computers, and more.
Read on for more information about our upcoming events, and please make a point of stopping by to welcome Julia and Blaze to our library community. See you soon!
Teresa Schmidt
Library director
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Grown Up Story Hour on Monday night!
Why should kids have all the fun? Join us for Grown-Up Story Hour on Monday, January 30th at 6:00 p.m. at the Mercer Senior Center. Sit back and relax while we read short stories, poetry, and essays to you!
There’s no cost to attend. You are welcome to bring your own beverages and snacks or something to share if you wish. We always need readers! If you'd like to read a short story, essay, or poetry at the event, please bring it along or call the library director at 715-476-2366 for more information.
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February is Love Your Library Month
Join the Friends of the Mercer Library in celebrating our library during Love Your Library Month. The Friends have several things planned to help you show your love of the Mercer Library.
Take our Love Your Library Reading Challenge -- adults can take our Reading Bingo Challenge and kids can take our Reading Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge. Complete a row and you'll be entered to win prizes sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Visit the library to get a challenge game card or download one from our website.
Make Some Valentines at a Valentine party on Thursday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m. You can make cards for friends and loved ones or make some to share with people in the Mercer Senior Food delivery program.
Share your Library Story with us -- We love to gather stories about why people love the library or how the library impacts your life for the better. We’ll share them with other library users and with our elected officials to help us tell the story of how important our library is to our community. Click here for a form to submit your story.
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Library Movies for Love Your Library Month
In honor of “Love Your Library” month, the Friends of the Mercer Public Library will sponsor two afternoon movies this month. Both are free to attend, and we'll bring the popcorn!
Monday, February 6 at 2:00 p.m. -- “Desk Set, ” the 1957 film that has become a cult favorite among librarians and stars Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Bunny Watson (Hepburn) is in charge of the reference library at the Federal Broadcasting Network when efficiency expert Richard Sumner (Tracy) is brought in to install an EMERAC, a massive early computer, and it doesn't take long for sparks to fly.
Tuesday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m. -- “The Public,” a 2018 film starring Emilio Estevez, Jena Malone, and Alec Baldwin. An act of civil disobedience turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public library to seek shelter from the bitter cold.
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Water Protectors: the HELP Campaign
Join us as we welcome author Nick Vander Puy to discuss his book, Water Protectors: The HELP Campaign to Save the Penokees, on Wednesday, February 15 at 7:00 p.m. Vander Puy is a former philosopher, Teamster, public radio reporter, and fishing guide. The 2nd edition of Water Protectors was published in January 2023 with additional material from Maureen Matusiwic, Barbara With, Richard Thiede, and Al Gedicks.
There is no cost to attend, and books will be available for purchase.
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Wrong Tree: Adventures in Wildlife Biology
Mercer resident Jeff Wilson is now the author of a new memoir, Wrong Tree: Adventures in Wildlife Biology, published by Cornerstone Press. Wilson will visit the library on Wednesday, March 1 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss his newly-released book. The event will also feature a display of the original illustrations for the book created by artist Terry Daulton.
The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served, and copies of the book will be available for sale at the event.
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Ongoing events
Several groups and organization make regular use of the Mercer Library and the Community Center for their events. Check out some of the opportunities happening here:
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Knitters and other fiber crafters gather in the library's Reading Room on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 t0 10:30 a.m. All are welcome!
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An Ecumenical Bible Study group meets here on Tuesday mornings at 8:30 a.m. For information on joining the group, call Martha at 715-776-3993.
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AA meets in the library on Thursday and Sunday evenings. Visit the Northwoods AA website for a schedule of local meetings.
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A community Pickleball group meets in the Community Center on Wednesdays from 3pm to 6pm.
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Mercer Health & Wellness holds Strong Bones Exercise Classes in the Community Center on Mondays and Thursdays at 10am. For more information, call Karen at 715-410-8361.
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Fe University regularly holds classes in the library and in the community center. Visit their website for more info.
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More Digital Services coming your way
Your library card gives you free quality streaming video at Kanopy! Check it out for feature films, documentaries, foreign films, The Great Courses series, the Criterion Collection, and much more. Visit mercerpubliclibrary.kanopy.com to set up an account and watch on your computer, or download the free Kanopy app for your mobile device or streaming device.
Your library card is also good in Wisconsin's Digital Library and the free Libby app (iOS | Android), which gives you access to top-quality FREE ebooks, downloadable audiobooks, and digital magazines.
AND, our library will soon be adding some other great digital services to your library card, including CreativeBug, the New York Times and NYT Cooking, and Transparent Languages. Stay tuned for announcements on all the new things your library card can do.
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Winter hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 9-5 -- Tues, Thurs 9-6 -- Sat 9-12
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