October is my favorite month... | |
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Can you tell? I mean, I even recolored our library logo to match the season!
We're so excited for our conversation with Wendy Webb on Monday night. The "Queen of Northern Gothic" is making a special trip up north to see us, and we hope you'll join us for an evening of haunted houses in a northwoods setting. Library assistant Julia is particularly excited to be a part of this event, since she's read all of Webb's books. It's going to be a fun one!
That's not all we're up to, though, and I'd venture to say almost anyone will find something of interest at the library this month. Please help us spread the word by forwarding this email to anyone you think might want to know about any of these events.
Have a spooktacular October,
Teresa Schmidt
director@mercerpubliclibrary.org | 715-476-2366
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Author Wendy Webb on Monday, October 2
Just in time for spooky season, join us TOMORROW at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 2 for an evening with Wendy Webb, the “Queen of Northern Gothic.” She will discuss her books set on the shores of Lake Superior and other familiar Great Lakes locations.
“Spine-chilling…Wendy Webb does haunted houses better than just about anyone.” —Pioneer Press
The program is free and open to all. Books will be available for sale. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Public Library.
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Free Electronics Recycling event this Tuesday
The library will host MRM Recycling for a free electronics recycling event on Tuesday, October 3 at 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the library parking lot. MRM will take televisions (any type), computers, peripherals, cell phones, and A/V equipment.
Please do not bring any devices containing freon, batteries, or household appliances. For more details, visit our website.
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Solar Stargazing & Annular Eclipse
Join us for a little Solar Stargazing with the Northwoods Explorers of Space and Astronomy on Saturday, October 7th at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We will look at the sun through a Hydrogen-alpha sun telescope, learn about the upcoming solar eclipses in the United States, and more. This program will be fun for all ages, so bring the family! (Please note: we rescheduled this event due to weather. Let's hope for sunny skies on the 7th!)
Then on October 14, join us for an Annular Eclipse Viewing Party. Although we won't see a maximum annular eclipse here in Wisconsin, we still will see about 50% coverage, making for some fun viewing opportunities. The library will have our Sunspotter ready to view the eclipse when it happens. We'll also have free eclipse glasses and arts and crafts. All ages are invited to attend.
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Mark Your Calendar for some Moonshine on October 23
Join local historian Jim Bokern to learn about clever moonshine production, extorsion plots, kidnapping, hideouts, and a new historical collection on Al Capone and his ties to the Northwoods. Moonshine in the Northwoods will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 23, 2023 at the Mercer Public Library.
Many Wisconsin communities boast that the Capones were visitors, but none have the correspondence, photographs, and memorabilia to match a newly-discovered Capone collection detailing the famous crime family’s connections and activities in the Iron and Vilas County region. As area historians process these exciting documents, we have a great deal more to explore and learn. Join in on the fun and celebrate a great chapter in our amazing Northwoods heritage. The program is free and open to everyone, thanks to support from the Friends of the Mercer Public Library.
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Elder Benefits assistance at the library
Have questions about Medicare, housing, Food Share, Senior Care prescription drug coverage, or other Elder Benefits? Jerri Sokol, Elder Benefit Specialist with the ADRC of the North, will be holding weekly outreach hours at the Mercer Public Library beginning on October 18th, just in time for the Medicare open enrollment period.
Jerri can assist you directly with many elder benefits, and can direct you to other agencies in the area that might help with topics outside her expertise. Drop in on Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. through December, or schedule an appointment by calling 715-561-2108 ext. 5.
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Book Club returns!
Although we support several private groups in the area, it's been a minute since the Mercer Library had a book club, so we're excited to restart a Mercer Library Book Club this month! The new group will meet on the third Thursday of the month at 4:00 p.m. beginning on October 19.
This month we're reading Jodi Picoult's Wish You Were Here. Stop by the library to get a copy of the book, or visit our online catalog to request a copy. All are welcome to join us! Please bring your ideas for future titles for the book club, as we'll be discussing our upcoming reading schedule at the meeting.
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Halloween 2023
We've begun making plans for Halloween, and you're invited!
Mercer's Halloween celebration will be on October 31st, with indoor activities at the library from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and trick-or-treating at downtown businesses from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
If you, your business, or your organization would like to set up a table inside the library to hand out candy or offer a Halloween activity for kids, please call the library at 715-476-2366 so we can save a space for you. Last year we had a great turnout and a fantastic time with games, food, costumes, trick-or-treats, and more. Come join the fun!
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Artist in Residence
Visit the library any time to view an exhibit by our current Artist in Residence, oil painter Sandra Cashman. She plans to refresh the exhibit after the Northwoods Art Tour next weekend, so stop by to see what's new. Sandy will also be teaching two workshops this fall:
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Introduction to Landscape Oil Painting on Tuesday, October 17th - Learn the basics of landscape painting using a limited color palette and basic techniques. There's only one spot left for this workshop, so call 715-476-2366 to sign up!
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Miniature Paintings in Acrylic, a free child/adult workshop on Saturday, November 4. Each child (ages 7 and older) and their accompanying adult will complete a miniature painting to take home, while learning the basics of using a color wheel, mixing colors, and using a limited color palette. Space is limited, so call 715-476-3366 to register in advance.
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Did you know?
Among the many items in our Library of Things are wireless internet hotspots for Verizon and AT&T networks. If you need a temporary boost to internet service in your house for any reason, check one out! They all include unlimited high-speed data and can be borrowed from the library for one week.
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