Mercer County Library Blog

Here are some of the events and programs from around the Mercer County Library System for the month of July. For a complete list of events at your local branch, visit the MCLS Events Calendar , and check out the flyers in this post! Summer Events: Color Your World Beat the heat with our lively summer programming! From magical shows and animal encounters to creative crafts and concerts, there's something colorful for everyone this July. Join us for hands-on activities, educational programs, and entertainment that will brighten your summer days. For Kids Pigments of Your Imagination Family Magic Show Thursday, July 10, 2025, 11:00 am Lawrence Branch Bluey Meet & Greet Friday, July 11, 2025, 10:30 am Hopewell Branch Bubble-ology: Bubble Science Show Monday, July 21, 2025, 10:00 am Monday, July 21, 2025, 11:00 am West Windsor Branch Unique Creatures Animal Show Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 7:00 pm Hickory Corner Branch Art Exploration Scandinavia Tuesday, July 29, 2025...

Voices from the Teen Advisory Board Throughout the year, we like to share essays by members of the Mercer County Library System Teen Advisory Board (TAB). TAB members help with programming, suggest books for purchase, and create the quarterly TAB magazine. This month, Kanishkha Duna writes about the valuable role libraries have played in her life. Why Libraries Matter: A Teen’s Perspective Hey! I’m Kanishkha Duna, a freshman at Robbinsville High School. If you had told me a few years ago that I’d end up spending so much time at the library, I probably would’ve laughed. Back then, I didn’t really get what the big deal was. Sure, I knew the library had books, but I didn’t really see the appeal. Over time, though, I came to realize that libraries are so much more than just places full of books—they’re spaces to relax, to discover new things, and honestly, places where I’ve been able to reset after a tough school day. How Libraries Have Helped Me When I was younger, going to the libra...

Summer is here and many people take time to travel. While some travel abroad, sometimes we forget that there is so much to see right here in the United States. What better way to see the US than a road trip? Road tripping may not be appealing to everyone, but it is a great way to take in the majestic beauty of the country. I have taken many road trips, from short distances to thousands of miles. I have learned that there are several things that must be done to prepare for a trip. First is to plan your route. What is the destination that you are looking for? For most places there are many different routes that you can take. However, I feel the most important thing to consider are the options along the way. Interesting stops, sites to see, and fun activities to do. Taking the time to explore local towns - sometimes just the local food is well worth the stop! This step can take some considerable research but is well worth the time. Add in spontaneous stops, too - you never know what you ...

Hi all, Tech Guru here with a post about something very low tech. For as long as I can remember, my best friend and I have enjoyed watching baseball together. There are memories of afternoons on a phone with her while we both watch a Yankees game, summers on hard plastic seats watching Trenton Thunder games, a road trip to Fenway in a torrential downpour, subway rides to and from Yankee Stadium, and taking our Cubs-loving-parents to a Phillies-Cubs game at Citizens Bank Park. No matter where I watch a baseball game, I’m reminded about why I love the game so much. It makes you slow down and really be in the moment. Part of that is the low tech use of a pencil to keep score while watching the game. Over the years, I have tried my hand at keeping score, never getting past a K means a batter struck out swinging and a reverse K means the batter struck out while looking. You may be asking yourself why would someone need to keep score? There are digital screens everywhere telling you the s...

Sometimes I come across a book in the library while I’m browsing and wonder “How did the author think up the idea to write this book? It’s so specific!” Come on a journey with me as we find some of the most oddly specific topics covered in the library! Get your headphones and grab your Walkman because Marc Masters will take you on ride exploring the ups and downs of the cassette tape in the book High Bias: The Distorted History of the Cassette Tape . From mixtapes to music history, learn about the musical format we all used to love! (Could anyone ever rewind the tape exactly to the beginning of their favorite song on the first try? I never could!) And sticking with a nostalgic feel, Donovan Hohn went in search of bath toys lost at sea in his book Moby-Duck . Don’t be fooled, though. This book isn’t just about rubber duckies, but about beachcombers, global shipping, toy factories, and scientists. Sometimes, when an author researches oddly specific things, they don’t realize one simple ...

I’m here to give you permission to do something without going all in, buying all the gear, and making it your whole “thing.” For me, that’s birds. I’m not a “birder.” I don’t keep a life list, I don’t have hard-core binoculars, and I seldom go out before dawn to find birds. I just enjoy birds when I notice them, and I notice them a lot. I have a feeder on my balcony, visible from my kitchen window, where I’m regularly visited by downy and hairy woodpeckers (I’ve learned to tell the difference), catbirds, juncos, Carolina wrens (my favorites, for their beautiful songs and their jaunty tail twitches), cardinals, blue jays, house finches, and occasionally a red-bellied woodpecker. I’m often eating my breakfast when the starlings come to eat theirs. And when my breakfast is granola with lots of nuts and seeds, I imagine I’m sharing breakfast with the birds – mine with yogurt, theirs with suet. Jenny Odell, artist and author of Saving Time and How To Do Nothing , is much more of a birdw...

I’m sure you’ve all heard the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Have you ever done this? I have to say I am very guilty of it. Having worked in a library for almost ten years (mainly in the children’s section, but more recently in the Acquisitions and Cataloging Department), I see a lot of books. I have walked the aisles of the library as well as book stores, grabbing the books that “speak to me.” How do they speak? I don’t know. Sometimes, it’s a color that catches my eye or an interesting picture, but in that first 30 seconds of having the book in my hand, I decide if I’m even going to turn it over and read the summary. I have taken books home from the library just because I liked the picture on the cover. Do I start to read them? Yes, I do. Have I been disappointed? Sometimes, but most times I have enjoyed the book. This got me thinking about what draws one to a particular shelf or a particular book. I decided to ask my coworkers in the library some questions about their boo...

Here are some of the events and programs from around the Mercer County Library System for the month of June. For a complete list of events at your local branch, visit the MCLS Events Calendar , and check out the flyers in this post! Pride Month Events MCLS offers a variety of programming for Pride, from family-friendly and simple rainbow craft activities, to thought-provoking films and literary discussions, and offers opportunities for all ages to learn, create, and celebrate diversity in our community. For Kids Pride Bracelet Drop-In Craft All month long, during library hours  Hollowbrook Branch Make A Rainbow Canvas Banner Monday, June 2, 4:30 pm Hickory Corner Branch Crafternoon: Rainbow Turtles Monday, June 23, 4:00 pm Hopewell Branch Crafternoon: Rainbow Turtles Tuesday, June 24, 4:00 pm Hopewell Branch For Adults Movie: Love, Simon Friday, June 6, 2:00 pm Hickory Corner Branch Movie: Bohemian Rhapsody Sunday, June 8, 2:00 pm Hickory Corner Branch The Sho...

Tips for reading aloud with your kids by Matheson Westlake, West Windsor Branch Broad Kid Appeal Whether all your kids are eager to cuddle up on the couch and read over your shoulder, or you’re appealing to a mix of attention spans and interest levels, your best bet is to read a story that can capture everyone’s imagination. Position yourself strategically in a roomy spot within earshot of any reluctant readers. Even if they appear to be only half-listening, the right book may draw them closer. The five titles listed below are geared toward independent readers age 8-12, but when read aloud, they may be enjoyed by children as young as 5 (or even college students home for the summer). Cliffhangers Episodic adventures that alternate everyday choices with high-stakes action keep readers guessing. Short chapters that end with a tiger leaping at the main character, or a bear chasing a robot off a cliff, will leave your audience wanting more. (Admit it, you’re already wondering how the ro...

It isn’t often I can say a renowned figure’s unfortunate passing has made me think of a movie, but with the passing of Pope Francis, the Vatican will need to move through the process of selecting a new head of the Catholic Church. What should I do if I want to find out more about this highly secretive, age-old process? Watch the movie Conclave of course, or, even better, read the novel. I’m a firm believer that if a film was based on a book, you ought to read the book first, just to know what you’re really getting into. Conclave will be the nth in a long list of book-to-movie adaptations on my list, and it hopefully won’t be the last. Experiencing the changes a story goes through when adapted for the big screen can be extremely interesting, engaging, or downright awful and upsetting. Books have been turned into movies and shows for decades. Some stories, like Sherlock Holmes and A Christmas Carol, have been turned into several television shows and movies, spanning a little more t...