Mercer County Library Blog

Here are some of the events and programs from around the Mercer County Library System for the month of December. For a complete list of events at your local branch, visit the MCLS Events Calendar . This December, MCLS branches are filled with festive programming celebrating holidays including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the New Year. Join us for visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, gingerbread house decorating, holiday craft sessions, and winter science activities throughout the month. For Kids Sensory Science: Winter Monday, December 1, 11:00 am Lawrence Headquarters Branch Hickory Holiday Party Thursday, December 4, 10:30 am Hickory Corner Branch Ornament Making for the Free Little Library of Things Thursday, December 4, 3:30 pm Lawrence Headquarters Branch A Visit with Santa Saturday, December 6, 10:30 am Saturday, December 6, 1:30 pm Robbinsville Branch Slime Time Grinch Slime Saturday, December 6, 2:00 pm Lawrence Headquarters Branch Holiday Slime Saturday, December 6,...

When I was a freshman in high school, one of my friends created a manga club and asked all of her friends if they would consider going to it. I had never read manga before, but decided to give it a shot because my friend was so enthusiastic about it. Some recommendations she gave me remain some of my favorites to this day. (In case you were wondering, she suggested Death Note , Yu-Gi-Oh , and Fairy Tail . All still great choices to read.) I didn’t have much time for extracurricular reading while in college, but now that I’ve been working at MCLS, I’ve had time to pick up manga again, and some of the series that have come out are amazing! I have probably over a dozen series I’d love to recommend; here are some that are available at the Mercer County Library System: Firstly, I’d like to suggest Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK). It’s a blend of urban fantasy, supernatural horror, and action-adventure. We follow Japanese high school student Yuji Itadori as he is dragged into jujutsu society, a hidd...

The Hickory Corner Branch puzzle table is popular. The Community Jigsaw Puzzle is visited on a regular basis by patrons of all ages who take some time to unwind while building friendships with one another. While patrons bring the puzzle pieces together, the puzzle pieces conversely bring the patrons together. As autumn begins winding down and the crisp winter air takes hold, now is a good time to try something fresh and new to keep the winter blues at bay. Below is a selection of fun indoor hobbies along with programming available throughout the Mercer County Library System. Start one at home or come to the library and enjoy a new hobby with others in the community. Winning American Mah Jongg Strategies: A Guide for the Novice Player 795.34 SAN 2012 "Discusses strategies for playing mah jongg, covering the use of defensive tools, finding the best hand, and reading exposures, and explains the differences between Chinese and American mah jongg." Colorful graphics and straight...

What do you think of when you think of STEM? Homemade erupting volcanoes? Building with a modern-day erector set? STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In recent years, STEM has become a very big focus in the library world. What STEM encompasses grows every year as technology expands. With your Mercer County Library System card, you are able to access a multitude of STEM-based online resources. One such resource is Fiero Code . If your child wants to learn more about coding, Fiero Code is a great choice. They offer self-paced courses that are labeled by skill level and there are games that make coding fun to learn for children. The challenges offered are good ways to practice and reinforce what was taught in the courses. In addition, Fiero Code lets its users design their own games, websites and other creative outlets. And it’s not only for kids – Fiero Code also offers courses for different careers. MCLS has a wide variety of STEM based materials availabl...

For those of you who have been following my journey as a Mercer County Library System Blog contributor, you surely remember some of my previous submissions, like the thrilling and action packed Solo Boardgames and 2017’s hit There’s No I in Team: Introducing the Cooperative Board Game . And if that’s the case, after reading this article’s title you are once again on the edge of your seat. Or maybe that’s not the case. Honestly, it probably isn’t. Anyway, I’m here to talk about games again. This time to shine light on National Game and Puzzle Week and how the Mercer County Library System takes that idea and celebrates it year-round. National Game and Puzzle Week is an annual event, starting on November 20 th this year and continuing through November 26 th , that celebrates all games and puzzles. From Chutes and Ladders to Warhammer 40k to mah jongg, and not forgetting jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, and crosswords, National Game and Puzzle Week does not discriminate when it comes to games a...

Growing up, I always looked forward to Thanksgiving. The thrill and excitement of seeing my family and spending time with them would keep me up at night with anticipation. It was always hard to focus at school the day before Thanksgiving because I knew, as soon as those bells rang to dismiss us for the day, my mom would pick my sister and me up, and we would be on our way to my Grandma's. We would literally drive over a river and through the woods to get to her house. And once you stepped inside the house, you were greeted with loving hugs and warm wishes from my Grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Once all of the greetings were done, we were put to work. In my family, we did a lot of the Thanksgiving prep work the day before the big feast. It was during this time of dicing/peeling vegetables, tearing apart the stall bread, or prepping the pies that it was time for everyone to catch up with one another. The kitchen would be filled with conversations, jokes, and laughter. It was ...