Program and Class Handouts

The Mercer Public Library sponsors dozens of lectures, classes, and workshops each year. If there are any available handouts or other materials from an MPL event, you can access them here.

• Monthly “Taste Test” program: Handouts and spice/ingredient samples are available at the library each month while supplies last.
  • March 2024: Cinnamon (PDF)
  • April 2024: Black Pepper (PDF)
  • May 2024: Chia (PDF)
  • June 2024: Cardamom (PDF)
  • July 2024: Adobo (PDF)
  • August 2024: Curry (PDF)
  • September 2024: Lavender (PDF)
  • October 2024: Nutmeg (PDF)

• Common Scams and Frauds – an informational program with Jeff Kersten, Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection, June 6, 2024: The BCP website has consumer tips and information, guides and resources, and information on what to do to protect yourself from identity theft.
• “Know Your Invaders” – a terrestrial invasive species program with Zach Wilson, Iron County Land & Water Conservation Department, May 8, 2024: program slides (PDF, 24 MB)
• Another Great American Eclipse: What you need to know: handouts and information
• Tech Lingo 101 – Presentation slides (PDF, 1.7 MB) 3/8/2024 and 4/26/2024
• What is the Cloud? – Presentation slides (PDF, 1.9 MB) 2/9/2024
• Getting started with video streaming on Kanopy – Kanopy cheat sheet

• “Moonshine in the Northwoods” by Jim Bokern of the Manitowish Waters Historical Society, October 23, 2023
• The Role of AI in Research – a BadgerTalk presented by David Williamson Schaffer on June 21, 2023 — Click here for a list of resources shared during the program
• Introduction to Landscaping with Native Plants – presented by Darrin Kimbler, Iron County UW Extension, March 31, 2023
  • Program recording: An Introduction to Landscaping with Native Plants (YouTube video, 22:45)
  • Recommended books:
    • Landscaping with Native Plants of Wisconsin
    • Landscaping with Native Plants of Michigan
    • Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees & Butterflies: Upper Midwest
  • Prairie Nursery catalog and other resources
  • Wisconsin native plant list
  • Native plant resources from DNR
  • Midwest Invasive Plant Network
  • Iron County Land & Water Conservation Department – hosts an annual native plant sale
    • Shoreland Stabilization – A Guide for Homeowners & Conservationists for Inland Lakes & Flowages
  • Top Ten Native Shrubs for Wildlife – from UW Stevens Point
  • Recording available soon – approx. 30 minutes long

• Meet Libby: an introduction to the library’s digital reading app. April 6, 2023 – Getting Started with Libby (PDF, 3.3M)
• Online Security Basics presentation, March 21, 2023 – Presentation slides (PDF, 671k)
• Mercer Public Library Digital Services — Digital Services summary handout (PDF, 135k)

• 2022 Friends of the Library Fall Celebration – September 10, 2022
  • By popular request, here are the appetizer recipes from our annual Fall Celebration: Fall Celebration recipes
• Turtle River Watershed stakeholders meeting, Rice Lake Association – October 12, 2022
  • Recorded program
• Home Composting with Darrin Kimbler, Extension Iron County Horticulture specialist – June 22, 2022
  • Recorded program
  • Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension: “Making and Using Compost in the Garden“
• “Geology for Tourists” – June 3, 2022
  • Bibliography
  • The Mercer Gold Deposit
• Zero Waste Living presentation at the Mercer Library Earth Day Fair – April 23, 2022
  • Presentation by April Hepokoski, Zero Waste Duluth (Instagram | Facebook) – Recorded presentation (49 minutes)
• “Ditch the Dish” Streaming Media class – February 24, 2022
  • Presentation slides (PDF, 1.3MB)
  • Consumer Reports, “How to Turn off Smart TV Snooping Features” article dated Feb. 17, 2021

• 2021 Holiday Trivia playlist – December 21, 2021
• “Protecting Your Trees and Shrubs from Damage by Wooly Critters” with Extension Iron County horticulture specialist Darrin Kimbler, October 11, 2021 – program recording
• “Growing Fruit Trees in Zones 3 & 4” with Extension Iron County horticulture specialist Darrin Kimbler, April 28, 2021 – program recording
  • UW-Madison Division of Extension Horticulture
  • Home Fruit Cultivars for Northern Wisconsin
  • Growing Apples in Wisconsin
  • Training and Pruning Apple Trees
  • Presentation Evaluation Survey
• “Home Improvement Contracts under Wisconsin law” with Jeff Kersten from the Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection, April 22, 2021
  • Tips Before Signing a Contract
  • Wisconsin Statutes Chapter ATCP 110 – Home Improvement Practices
• “Identity Theft: Prevent and Protect” with Jeff Kersten from the Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection, April 8, 2021
  • Brochure: ID Theft Consumer Tips
  • Computer Protection Tips
  • Free Credit Reports
• “Growing tomatoes in cool climates” with Extension Iron County horticulture specialist Darrin Kimbler, March 24, 2021 – program recording
• “Planning a seed-saving garden” with Extension Iron County horticulture specialist Darrin Kimbler, March 3, 2021 – program recording
  • Saving Vegetable Seeds – University of Minnesota Extension
  • An Introduction to Seed Saving for the Home Gardener – University of Maine
  • Seed Savers Exchange Seed Saving Guide

• Kombucha 101 program, November 12, 2020 – presentation slides | recipes
• “Preparing your garden for winter” with Extension Iron County horticulture specialist Darrin Kimbler
• “Growing Garlic” presentation with Extension Iron County horticulture specialist Darrin Kimbler, September 24, 2020 – YouTube video with closed captions
• “Information Literacy: critical thinking and practical skills” – Fe University course, September 2020
• “Ditch the Dish” streaming media class, February 13, 2020 – Presentation slides (PDF)
  • “Ditch the Dish” recorded presentation – April 9, 2020 – YouTube video (1:03)

• Online photo card services class and demo, November 11, 2019 – Class handout (PDF)
• Internet Skills 201, August 19, 2019 – Presentation slides (PDF)
• “Better Angels: Reuniting America,” May 17, 2019 – www.better-angels.org
  • “How to talk to a difficult liberal: a guide for conservatives“
  • “How to talk to a difficult conservative: a guide for liberals” 
• Email Marketing for Small Businesses & Organizations, May 10, 2019 – Slides (PDF, 327kb)
• Bullet Journaling for Beginners, a presentation with library director Teresa Schmidt, March 5, 2019 – Slides (PDF, 4Mb)
• Social Media for Business,  a presentation with Jessica Riedy, Social Siren Media – Slides (PDF, 4Mb)
• Northwoods Archaeology with Cindi Stiles, February 19, 2019 – Sites to Visit (PDF)
• iPad Basics and Beyond tech class, February 12, 2019 – Outline (PDF)
• Lake Ice and Climate Change lecture with John Magnuson, UW-Speakers Bureau
  • New York Times: Climate Change Could Leave Thousands of Lakes Ice-Free by Nadja Popovich, 2/5/2019
  • Nature Climate Change: Widespread loss of lake ice around the Northern Hemisphere in a warming world, 1/28/2019.
• Becoming a Library Superuser computer class, January 29, 2019 – Outline and notes (PDF)
• WordPress 101 January 24, 2019 – Slides (PDF) and Class outline (PDF)

• Researching antiques prices and folk artists, February 2020 – Links and information (PDF)