Pick up a voucher at any MCPL location, show it to the folks at Perkins, and the Library will receive 10% of the value of your order! Alternately, you may print the voucher using the following link: www.mcpl.us/PerkinsFundraiser2011.pdf
Thank-you to the Friends of the Marathon County Public Library for coordinating this fundraiser. If you'd like to learn more about the Friends, visit www.mcpl.us/about/friends
We have immediate openings for our Tuesday night computer classes this March!
Classes include Microsoft 2007 programs Publisher and Excel, plus E-Books & E-Readers. These classes are geared towards beginning users who have rarely (if ever) used these programs and technologies before.
To reserve your seat (and check current availability), please call the Reference Desk at (715) 261-7230, or email us using our "Contact Us" webpage: www.mcpl.us/about/contact
E-Books & E-Readers meets Tuesday, March 8, 6:30-8pm If you own an e-reader, please bring it. Click here or contact us to confirm compatibility.
Intro. to Excel meets Tuesday, March 15, 6:30-8pm
Intro. to Publisher meets Tuesday, March 22, 6:30-8pm
Mr. Pig is all decked out in his “Cat in the Hat” party hat and is ready to party. Spread the word, because everyone is invited to come to the early birthday party for Dr. Seuss. The party begins at MCPL Wausau on Saturday, February 26 with a sharing of Dr. Seuss stories at 10:30, followed by “Seussical” crafts, and of course a birthday cake. At 1:00 join us for the classic Dr. Seuss movie about a mischievous cat, wearing a red and white striped hat and bowtie, who visits the home of two bored children on a cold, wet day.
Dr. Seuss was named Theodor Seuss Geisel at birth, and was born was born on March 2, 1904 in Massachusetts. His first children’s book, “And To Think That I Saw it On Mulberry Street “ was rejected by all 27 publishers that he presented it to in 1937. A friend of his who worked at Vanguard Press offered to show it to his employers who finally decided to publish it. He wrote 44 books which have been translated into many languages, and is beloved by many generations of readers.
Come and celebrate his legacy, the enjoyment of reading, and have a fun, Seussical Day @ your library on Saturday, February 26. {{2011-02-26}}
First of all, I want to thank all of the people who have been so warm and welcoming to me during my first days here as the new Director of the Marathon County Public Library. It has been a pleasure to meet so many committed and passionate library staff, library users and community members from MCPL, Wausau, and the other wonderful communities that we serve.
My personal background includes more than 20 years of working in library service, most of it in public libraries. I began my career as a library aide in the Orlando Public Library, the Main Library of the Orange County Library System. I had the privilege of working alongside dedicated and experienced librarians and staff, serving in one of the largest libraries in the Southeastern United States. I have worked in public, academic, branch, law, medical, community and special libraries. I always loved the feeling of being surrounded by books and information, and believe that equal access to information is the cornerstone of a free, enlightened society.
During the coming months I will be getting to know the staff, the facilities, and the communities that we serve here at MCPL. I know that we all recognize the challenges that lie ahead during these difficult economic times, and I take very seriously our responsibility to provide the best possible library service for all Marathon County citizens in the most effective and efficient ways possible. We understand how important it is to our customers that we provide a community center where they can experience various ways to learn and grow intellectually, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. I’ve seen libraries change so many lives for the better, and I’m deeply committed to promoting and preserving the role of the library as a community center. I’ve also been pleased to see that these values are shared by our most important and valuable asset here at MCPL- our staff.
We have lots of exciting things going on at your local libraries these days, so be sure to look for more in this newsletter and on our website for details. It is my pleasure to be a part of this library system and this community, and I look forward to seeing you at one of our libraries in the very new future.
Commonly referred to as "The 400 Block," the space is currently being developed and will be given a new, "official" name when the City Council meets on March 22. Voting results will be presented at a meeting on March 9.
The "Top Ten" names on the ballot are (in no particular order): Alexander Square, Bull Falls Square, City Square, Court House Square, 400 Block, Freedom Square, Founder's Square, Grand Plaza, Metro Square, McIndoe Square
In case you missed them, here are just a few of the most popular books of 2010! We’ve compiled the “Best Books” lists of the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, NPR, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com, and listed the top books here for your consideration. Use the links below or contact us to request any of these books today!
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen — (FICTION) When Patty and Walter Berglund's teenage son moves in with their conservative neighbors and their perfect life in St. Paul begins to unravel, out spill family secrets-clandestine loves, lies, compromises, failures.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson — (NON-FICTION) An epic and intimate scholarly portrait of the Great Migration of southern African Americans to the North, 1915-1970, via oral histories, newspaper articles, and other historical sources.
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan — (FICTION) Interlocking narratives circle the lives of Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the troubled young woman he employs.
Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand — (NON-FICTION) The inspiring true story of a man who lived through a series of catastrophes almost too incredible to be believed: Louie Zamperini--a juvenile delinquent-turned-Olympic runner-turned-World War II POW and war hero.
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis — (NON-FICTION) An excavation of the financial crisis of 2007-’08, scrutinizing the personal histories of several Wall Street outsiders who were betting against the grain, to shed light on the macrocosmic tale of greed and fear.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot — (NON-FICTION) She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells — taken without her knowledge — became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first "immortal" human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today.
Just Kids by Patti Smith — (NON-FICTION) Smith's evocative, honest, and moving coming-of-age story reveals her extraordinary relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe. Part romance, part elegy, "Just Kids" is about friendship in the truest sense, and the artist's calling.
The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee — (FICTION) Lee's masterful fourth novel bursts with drama and human anguish as it documents the ravages and indelible effects of war. It's a harrowing tale: bleak, haunting, often heartbreaking—and not to be missed.
Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes — (FICTION) An epic, dense, vivid narrative spanning many months in the lives of American troops in Vietnam as they trudge across enemy lines, encountering danger from opposing forces as well as on their home turf.
Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff — (NON-FICTION) The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt.
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee — (NON-FICTION) A sweeping epic of obsession, brilliant researchers, dramatic new treatments, euphoric success and tragic failure, and the relentless battle by scientists and patients alike against an equally relentless, wily, and elusive enemy.
The 1860 Census was the last time the federal government took a count of the South's vast slave population. Several months later the government issued maps of slavery that drew on Census data, one being Southern States as a whole. These maps captured the complexity of the institution and struck a chord with a public hungry for information about the "rebellion". Visit the Wausau HQ library's second floor for a special display, "Visualizing Slavery" based on Opinionator, The New York Times. Also featured is biographical information about Casper Fenhaus, Berlin Township and Wausau resident and veteran of the Grand Old Army who served under General William Tecumseh Sherman. Central Wisconsin has many ties to the Civil War. Visit this display and the Wisconsin Collection for more Civil War discovery! Pictured is Dred Scott from the book, The Dred Scott Decision, Cornerstones of Freedom by Brendan January, available in the collection. http://mcpl.us/?bib=661354
Throughout the month of March, you can help raise funds for the Library by dining at the 
We have immediate openings for our Tuesday night computer classes this March!
February 9-25, area residents can vote to name the park in downtown Wausau!
Unbroken: A WWII Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
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