Mercer County Library Blog

Dear Tech Guru, Why is it that when I am at the library, I can access the databases, but when I am home, I can’t access some of them? Late Night Database User Hi Database User, Some of the databases we provide come from the NJ State Library. These databases provide access based on geolocation, specifically locations within the state of NJ. If you’re having trouble with access, it’s because your computer or your smart device isn’t communicating to the database that you are in NJ. As personal security online has become a growing concern, computer users have asked for ways to prevent apps and websites from gathering information. One security concern is user location. You might see the popup when you go to a website or open an app that asks for your location. Let’s use an example of a website for a large store. You visit a website and look up an item and you want to see if they have it in your local store. If you have your location services turned off or have clicked “do not allow” wh...

With the end of 2024 nigh, it’s time to look toward the future of the silver screen. In anticipation of the new year in film, the following are official details about 10 major movies releasing in 2025: 1. Dog Man (January 31 st , 2025) directed by Peter Hastings “From DreamWorks Animation—creators of the beloved blockbuster franchises Kung Fu Panda , How to Train Your Dragon and The Boss Baby —comes the canine-crime-fighting film adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s New York Times bestselling literary phenomenon: Dog Man . When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. Dog Man is sworn to protect and serve—and fetch, sit and roll over.” ( Dog Man . Directed by Peter Hastings, DreamWorks Animation, 2025) Dog Man Movie Site 2. Captain America: Brave New World (February 14 th , 2025) directed by Julius Onah “Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New W...

Recently I bought a mug as a gift. Said mug featured a bookshelf of classic fantasy titles. Nineteen titles in all, many favorites of mine and all of them books I have read and enjoyed. All except one. One title I had never even heard of, much less read, and it’s there included with 18 that I know well. Obviously, I had to read it. It was: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss I placed a hold and very soon had the book in my hand. Nice looking book, good cover art and on back cover: “ My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me.” Well, I hadn’t heard of him, but I really w...

As we are in the midst of the holiday season – and shopping has been on the minds of many – I wanted to share my experience behind the scenes on a tour of the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Edison, New Jersey. I wasn’t much of a fan of the idea of going. What would I see? A warehouse with boxes? I was very ready to be bored. Instead, I was fascinated. Working in a library, I have an appreciation of inventory control and knowing exactly where a specific item may be found, as well as delivering the right book to the right branch and right patron. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about how each section in the warehouse worked together for maximum efficiency. Stowers empty items from bins and boxes delivered to the facility into larger, tall sets of bins, sorted by size. Devices scan everything so the computer knows exactly which spot on which bin an item is placed. Pickers are the people who find the items you order. The correct larger set of bins is brought right to the picker by a...

It’s almost the end of the year, so it’s time to check in on your Mercer County Library System Reading Challenges! Have you already read a book from all twenty-five categories? Are you finishing up the last few now? The Reading Challenge is a list of categories that readers choose from throughout the year. The goal is to pick a book from every single category. This year, Mercer County Library System had twenty-four categories, with a bonus twenty-fifth category for the bookworms who can never stop reading. It averages out to about two books a month. But the year is quickly winding down, and time waits for no bookworm. The last books I always leave behind on a Reading Challenge tend to be the categories outside my usual reading genre. I’m big into fantasy books, so anything nonfiction typically gets pushed back. They’re never my favorite reads, but I’m always glad I did. They act as a sort of palate cleanser from all the fantasy books. After a while, I tend to notice a lot of repeat...

Most families have a holiday tradition they keep and cherish every December. For me, that holiday is Hanukkah. I can close my eyes and smell the latkes (potato pancakes) sizzling in the frying pan. When I was growing up, our family exchanged inexpensive gifts and we all were happy to get a present! Besides the aroma, seeing and playing with my cousins, who we hadn’t seen in a long time, was a treat all by itself. Over the years, I became proficient at a traditional Hanukkah game called dreidel (spinning top). All players must add money or an item (like candy) into a kitty to begin the game. When the dreidel lands on its side, the player had to add, subtract, get what’s in the kitty, or do nothing and wait for the next turn. After a fun game of dreidel, it would be dark outside and we would light the candles. The candelabra is called a menorah and it holds nine candles, one for each night of Hanukkah, and one called the shamash. I just finished reading a wonderful picture book called ...

The end of the year is a good opportunity to reflect on the books we've read during 2024 and, perhaps, even books that changed our lives this year. While some may be pleasant or, even, disturbing reads, some may make you look at the world in new and different ways. For me, this came down to two books. A short list, to be certain. But, to me, a meaningful one. What's on your list? An Immense World by Ed Yong My wife has been reading Ed Yong since his early days as a blogger, straight through to his days at The Atlantic and beyond. In my first Ed Yong experience with the book Immense World , this pre-eminent science writer explores the topic of animal senses. Not the "what" do animals think, but the "how" they think and, likely, perceive the world based on their biology - be it echo-location of bats or the vast world that a dog experiences through its sense of smell. While not at all a book that is trying, in any way, to persuade someone to become a vegetar...

I have a confession: I am a librarian who, for a long while, wasn’t reading much. Now, is the library just about books? Of course not. As public libraries continue to evolve and offer all sorts of services to their patrons, like arts and crafts activities, computer classes, and job help, librarians still hold reading (or listening to audiobooks!) in the highest regard. Do any basic search on your preferred search engine about the benefits of reading and you’ll find many, including reducing stress, improving brain function, and building empathy. For me, the question was simple: how do I read more? I was looking through past Mercer County Library System blog posts to see if any of my colleagues had written about this before. One such post, written by my colleague Lydia, particularly resonated with me. She discusses the distractions that often get in the way of reading, and the methods she used to start reading more (an interesting one is due dates). After this I looked to find more te...

If you’ve been keeping a close eye, you’ll know our website has changed recently in regards to how we list the programs and events hosted at each branch of the library. We have a new system for registering for these events called LibCal. Located at https://mercercounty.libcal.com or via the navigation menu at https://mcl.org (“ Events ” dropdown → “ Event Calendar ”), you can find a list and monthly calendar of all the programs and events we offer at all the branches of the library (including virtual programs and computer classes)! The header includes links to major recurring events like book clubs and discussion groups, as well as a subscription link for our newsletters, which includes monthly updates from each branch and their featured programs. On this homepage you will find the details of all upcoming programs, with new ones added a month in advance on or around the 15 th of each month. If you select (click on or tap) on the “ Browse by Calendar ” dropdown, you can select a ca...