Monday, September 30, 2013

Used Computer Sale at Mentor Library

We are selling some of our old computers to make room for the new.

That means the public can buy a used computers for as little as $50.

We always try to do what's best for our patrons. In this instance, that means selling you discounted computers instead of throwing them out or recycling them.

The Mentor Public Library’s used computer sale will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or when supplies run out) on Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the James R. Garfield Room of our Main Branch.

The sale is cash and carry -- no checks, no credit cards. All computers and accessories will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

There will be a strict limit of one computer per buyer, and the computers are sold as is with no expressed or implied warranty.

The money collected from the sale will be used to buy new computer hardware and equipment for the library.

The following will be available at the sale:
  • More than a dozen Dell computers—complete with a flatscreen monitor, keyboard, mouse and some with speakers. Each computer has been tested with either Windows XP or 7 Professional. Prices recently installed. The computers will cost from $50 to $150 each. Models include Dell GX520, Dell 745, Dell 755 and Dell 780.
  • Computer accessories, including surge protectors, wireless networking equipment and fax machines.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Mentor Library hosting College Prep Series to help teens and adults get ready for next step

Let's be honest.

Searching for and applying to college is scary.

If you're a high school student, a parent or even an adult who wants to go back to school, the college-preparation gauntlet can be overwhelming.

How do you pick a school? What's the best way to apply?

And that's not even talking about money.

Most students are looking at five figures' worth of debt (if not six) unless they get fluent in the language of scholarships and grants.

The Mentor Public Library is hosting its College Prep Series next Tuesday through Thursday to help people through this overwhelming process.

On Oct. 1, Patricia Saddle, an independent educational consultant from The College Planning Center, will present an overview on all aspects of the college-application process. She will discuss choosing a college, applying and financing a college education. She will also offer tips to those who are new to the process.

On Oct. 2, Shamecka Nelson from Bryant & Stratton College in Eastlake will talk about how to write great college application essays. Then Lisa Wilson, also from Bryant & Stratton, will discuss how to choose a major. Wilson will also explain the application process from the standpoint of a college’s admissions office.

On Oct. 3, Andrea Tracy, a representative from Lake/Geauga Education Assistance Foundation or LEAF, will talk about financing a college education. She will discuss loans, grants and scholarships, explain the differences between the three and tell students the best way to get them.

All the workshops will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the library's Main Branch.

Also, all of the workshops are free and open to everyone.

We do ask that people register for the programs beforehand. You can do so by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 214 or by visiting www.mentorpl.org.

So if you or a loved one is thinking about attending college in the next year or two, come to the library next week. Our experts can make the whole process a lot less intimidating.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Help Us Finish Our Painting

Marilyn Weiss, from our Children's Department at Mentor Public Library, is working on the above painting.

When it's done, her books will be surrounded by characters from classic children's stories.

But she wants your recommendations on what characters she should include.

Who should Marilyn paint?

She's already received nominations for Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, Clifford, the Cat in the Hat, Olivia, Charlotte and Junie B. Jones.

You can leave your suggestions here or on our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
Marilyn, hard at work on her masterpiece.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

What's Your Trail Name?

Bob Grau -- a 59-year-old hiker from Berea -- traveled the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. That's 2,181 miles of rocks, tree roots and trails; and he walked the final 380 miles on a broken ankle.

He also wrote a book about it, 5 Million Steps on a Journey of Hope.

Grau visited Mentor Public Library Tuesday to talk about his journey and his book.
Bob Grau and some of the tools that helped him hike 2,181 miles.
Here are some fun tidbits from his talk:

1. The Appalachian Trail is almost 3,000 miles, but that's just one way to measure it.

The trail also crosses 270 mountains and traverses 14 states -- Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

About 500 of the trail's miles are in Virginia. No other state even has 300 miles (but Maine comes close.)

2. The trail also has about 90 miles of elevation change during its length.

In other words, while traveling the trail, you'll climb a total of 90 miles and descend another 90 miles.

That's the equivalent of 17 Mount Everests.

3. Grau had no hiking experience when he saw a documentary on the Appalachian Trail and decided he wanted to walk its length. He didn't even own a pair of hiking boots.

That meant Grau made some rookie mistakes during his hike.

For example, he carried way too much stuff.

When he left Springer Mountain, Georgia, on March 22, 2011, he carried an enormous pack that weighed about 53 pounds.

After four days of hauling that load, he stopped at an outfitter, bought lighter gear and mailed the things he didn't need back home. Afterward, his pack only weighed 40 pounds.

4. About 80 percent of all thru hikers -- that is, the people who hike the entirety of the Appalachian Trail -- start in Georgia as opposed to its northern terminus, Mount Katahdin in Maine.

They do that for timing reasons. It takes about six months to travel the entire trail and, if you wait for Mount Katahdin to warm up, it will almost be Thanksgiving by the time you finish.

The downside to starting in Georgia? Mount Katahdin closes on October 15 each year for safety reasons. So you need to finish your hike before then, because it's a felony if you trespass in the park when it's closed, Grau said.

5. The trail is marked by about 180,000 "white blazes." The blazes are 2-by-6 white rectangles left on trees. They let hikers know they are on the right path.

Grau guessed that he walked an extra 10 to 15 miles during his hike because he lost track of the white blazes at one time or another.

Similarly, blue blazes indicate a path to a shelter, water source, privy or historical site. (No, this is not where the phrase "where in the blue blazes" originated.)

6. Ever heard of trail magic?

It's when a stranger leaves a gift along the trail for a hiker to find. Usually, there's a note attached to let a hiker know where it's from.

From when Grau began his trip on March 22 to when he finished on Sept. 7, he was the beneficiary of trail magic on 30 occasions. In two instances, somebody left full picnic meals for him and his fellow hikers.

The gifts are usually left by other hikers.

"It exemplifies the support of the hiker community," he said.

7. When Grau started hiking, he would travel about eight miles a day.

It's not uncommon to start slow and then speed up as you get more used to the rhythms of hiking. In fact, it's risky to start off too fast.

"You see it all the time," Grau said, "too fast, too soon, to home."

The most Grau traveled in a single day was 27 miles.

Once he got into his rhythm, he would burn between 4,000 and 5,000 calories a day.

8. When you're hiking, you get a trail name. Either you pick one or it is bestowed upon you.

Grau went with Buckeye Flash because he's from Ohio and a Kent State grad.

To learn more about Grau's trip and his book, visit his blog. For more on programs at the Mentor Public Library, check out MentorPL.org.

Monday, September 23, 2013

The Importance of Story Time

A person can learn to love reading as an adult. It happens and it's wonderful when it does.

But it's easier for children to learn -- not just how to read but to love doing it.

Studies have shown that children (even as babies) have brains built for learning. In the same way that it's easier for a child to learn Portuguese or decipher the intricacies of a smartphone, it's easier for a kid to learn how to read.

And it almost always starts with story time.

After all, children don't learn how to read by spontaneous literacy. It begins with someone reading to them. That someone can be a parent, grandparent, teacher and librarian. (Ideally, it's all of the above.)

Story time has been linked to improved communication skills, logical skills, enhanced concentration and other things that we want our children to have.

That's just one of the reasons early literacy is important to us at the Mentor Public Library. We also think reading stimulates children's curiosity and love of learning.

So we offer a multiplicity of different story times for children and families in hopes that you'll find the right one for you and your kids.

We have Tiddlywinks for children who are 36 months and younger (and their parents,) Preschool Story Times for kids who are a bit older, Family Story Times, and Mother Goose on the Loose which is designed to stimulate the learning process for babies and toddlers.

We have story times at all three of our branches, and all of them encourage participation with music, rhymes and (of course) stories.

For older kids, we also have our Comic Book Club, American Girl Book Club, Studio MPL Art Club and Lego Brick Building Club.

You can check out all of our kids book clubs and story times on the event calendar on MPL's website.

And don't forget to have story times of your own with your children. They'll thank you later!

Because, after all, they can learn to love reading as adults. But it gives them such an enormous head start if they do it as children.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Banned Books Week & Why We Should Still Care

From Sept. 22 to 28, libraries and schools across the country will recognize Banned Books Week.

It's a chance for us to remind you about all the genre-shattering, society-challenging books that have been banned or challenged. (Lest you think we're indulging in hyperbole, look at this list. To Kill a Mockingbird, Color Purple, Animal Farm, even Lord of the Rings and many other classics have all been banned somewhere.)

And you might say: But that was a long time ago. We don't still do stuff like that today?

Wrong. Just earlier this week, a school board voted to ban Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man from its school libraries. One board member claimed he voted against the book because he saw "no literary merit" in it.

Now, Banned Books Week isn't about telling you what you should read. This school board member is entitled to his literary opinions.

Banned Books Weeks is about giving people the freedom to read what they want. And, while one person might not see the value of Invisible Man, plenty of others do. (It was ranked 24th in Radcliffe Publishing Course's Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century.)

Furthermore, Banned Books Week is ultimately about having the freedom to read.

There's a reason we chose "Bradbury" as the password in our Banned Books video.

Ray Bradbury said, "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”

And there lies the rub.

It doesn't matter if no books are ever banned or challenged again. That is, it doesn't matter if nobody reads them anyhow.

So commemorate Banned Books Week in the best possible way: Read.

Read a book that's been banned or challenged. Read whatever you like.

But read. And decide for yourself what does or doesn't have merit.
For more information on banned or challenged books, visit Mentor Public Library or www.mentorpl.org.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Songs I Chose to Download on Freegal this Week

Each week I can use my Mentor Public Library card to download five songs from Freegal. (It's called Freegal because you can download the music for free and it's legal.)

And each week it takes me almost an hour to decide which songs I'm going to get. Because, when it comes to Freegal, I'm the proverbial kid in the candy store.

Except, in this case, the candy is mp3s of music and the store's selection includes Elvis, The Civil Wars, Frank Sinatra, Miley Cyrus, Kenny Rogers, John Coltrane, The Beatnuts and a whole lot more.

And you can keep the candy forever -- play it on your computer, sync it with your phone or mp3 player, burn it on CD -- whatever you want. It's yours.

So these are the five songs I chose to download this week. It'll give you a sense of all the different music Freegal has to offer. (And, once more, it's free with your library card.)

Two quick caveats first: One, these aren't necessarily the five songs you should get. You can download whatever five songs you want -- with your parents' permission.

Two, this isn't a "Mentor Public Library" endorsement of these songs or the artists. Once more, they're just the five songs I downloaded. (In case you're wondering, the "I" here is Jason Lea. I'm the Community Outreach Coordinator for the library.)

So, without further prologue, my Freegal picks from this week:

1. Jolene by Dolly Parton: This is classic country. Even Questlove loves this song.

2. Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford & Sons: You can download the music video for this song on Freegal, as well. (I hope Ed Helms and Jason Sudeikis appear in more music videos. They could do some brilliant stuff with 2 Chainz.) But you should know, videos count for two downloads; so that means you'll get one less song that week.)

3. Chameleon by Herbie Hancock: I prefer Hancock's original; but if you like Maynard Ferguson's brassier, more aggressive version, they have that on Freegal too.

4. Brave by Sara Bareilles: This was my song of summer and somehow I went the entirety of the summer without downloading it. I was probably too busy getting Suit & Tie and Get Lucky. (Yes, both are available on Freegal. However, if your summer jam was Robin Thicke's Blurred Linesyou can use your library card to stream the whole album from Hoopla.)

5. Nas Is Like by Nas: I could have expended all five downloads on Nas songs... or Herbie Hancock or Dolly Parton, for that matter. That's why this is such a difficult choice each week.

But it's a choice worth making because, when it's over, you get a whole lot of free music to love.

One last note: If you're having trouble navigating Freegal, MPL Adult Reference Librarian Mary Pelton made a video explaining how you can sign up and use it.


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Art without Barriers... and also Colored Pencils

Lily Winans tries different shading techniques during the Studio MPL meeting Monday.
"I think it's really fun and there are no barriers," Lily Winans said.

The question: Why do you like art?

"You can create anything," answered Isabella Dominguez.

Lily, Isabella and a roomful of like-minded, art-loving kids came to our Studio MPL session Monday. If you don't know, Studio MPL is our kids group that explores a different form of artistic expression each month.

On Monday, Mentor Public Library's Lisa Layton and Judy Schulz showed the kids how they can use different techniques of shading, saturation and color pairings to get the most out of an everyday art tool -- colored pencils.

Next month, the kids will make Henri Matisse-inspired paper collages. Lisa and Judy are talking about having a session on line dances too.
Ruthie Gemmen uses her picture to experiment with different hues of the color orange.
But Studio MPL isn't just about drawing or dancing. It's not even just about celebrating different types of art.

If Studio MPL is about one thing, it's about stimulating the imagination.

It's fun to learn new coloring techniques. It's cool to make paper collages. But what we hope is that Isabella uses these new ideas she learns at Studio MPL to create whatever she wants. We hope it helps Lily break down whatever barrier is in between what she imagines and what she can make.

We hope every kid who comes to Studio MPL has fun. But, even more than, we hope it inspires them to do something.

Something fun, something different, something unique, something incredible -- we hope it helps them create something that only they could make.

Because that's art.
Maggie Shea, Bridget Kristo and Sadie Shea talk about the model for their still life during Studio MPL.
Studio MPL is open to any child from first through fifth grade. Next month's session will be Oct. 21 at our Main Branch. You can register for it here.

For more photos from our Studio MPL session, check out our Facebook page. For more information on programs and events for children, teens and adults at Mentor Public Library, visit www.mentorpl.org.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Lowe's at the Library Teaches You How to Be That Guy

Everybody has that person they turn to when they have a home improvement project.

For some people, it's an in-law; for others, a handy cousin. Maybe the person's not a professional, but you wouldn't fix a leaky sink or re-seed your lawn without consulting them first.

Everybody has their DIY Guy. (To be clear, we're using "guy" in a gender-neutral sense. For a lot of people, their guy is a woman.)

But if you go to Lowe's at the Library, you can be that guy.

Lowe's at the Library is a series we host at Mentor Public Library where professionals from Lowe's talk you through home-improvement and landscaping projects.

For example, the Lowe's pros talked about building a deck or pergola last week.
The month before, they offered tips for painting the outside of your house.

While an evening's worth of knowledge might not make you an expert, it can be the difference between hiring a contractor and having the confidence to do something yourself. (In other words, it can save you money.)

The next Lowe's session is Oct. 30. The pros will talk about fall cleanup and prepping your lawn for winter.

That's something most of us -- dilettante and professional alike -- will have to do; so, if you want a leg up, come to Lowe's at the Library. You can register here.

And remember -- you can be that guy.

For more information on programs and events at Mentor Public Library, visit www.mentorpl.org.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

K-9 Bo Visits for a Special Story Time

"Can I pet your dog?"

It wasn't the first question the kids asked when Mentor Police Officer Bill Mackey and his K-9 Bo visited for a special story time Tuesday at Mentor Public Library. But it was the question everyone wanted to ask.

With all due respect Officer Mackey and our own Kim Sidorick (who read the kids "Officer Buckle and Gloria,") Bo was the headliner Tuesday night.
Luka Rajic dressed as a police officer for the story time with Bo and Officer Mackey.)
And the answer was, yes. Of course they could pet Bo. A few lucky kids even got to play a quick impromptu game of fetch with him.

Bo's a hard-working police dogs. He can sniff out drugs and fugitives; but he's also a four-legged, fuzzy ambassador for the police department.

Whenever Mackey and Bo are out and about, kids (and grownups) ask if they can pet Bo; and Mackey never minds. (As long as they ask first. Bo's a nice dog, but you still don't want to surprise a K-9.)
Lily Mahony pets Bo during story time.
Generalizations are dangerous things. If we say "every kid loves dogs," you'll find the child who doesn't. But can we agree that a lot of kids love dogs?

Police dogs. Firetruck dogs. Big dogs. Little dogs. Dogs of moderate size.

Pretty much any dog of even temperament is going to be a hit with a quorum of kids.

That's why we host Paws to Read, which helps shy readers get more comfortable by pairing them with therapy dogs.

It's so wonderful to watch the kids become more confident readers during a Paws to Read session. The dogs put them at ease and allow them to accomplish what they've been able to do all along.
By the same token, a police officer - or any new adult, for that matter - can be intimidating to a kid. But everyone is a lot more approachable when they have a dog with them.

And Bo made a wonderful icebreaker Tuesday night!

So thanks to Mackey, Bo and the Mentor Police Department. While we don't want to speak for everyone, we're pretty sure the kids had a great time.

They got to pet Bo, after all.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Sweet Jazz at Mentor Public Library

No 1,000-word monologues today. Just some music.
The Four Clarinets performed Monday night at the Mentor Public Library Main Branch. They played jazz standards like "Girl from Ipanema," "I'll Take Romance," "Jitterbug Waltz" and "Try a Little Tenderness."

(Yeah, "Try a Little Tenderness" was a jazz standard before Otis Redding funked it up.)

The Four Clarinets also talked about the history or jazz and basics of jazz improvisation. If you missed the show, I've embedded a video of them breaking down the blues. It gives you a taste -- but I'll be honest -- it's not a substitute for being there.

If you love jazz, feel free to drop by Mentor Public Library and check out some of our hundreds of CDs. You can also use your library card to download a lot of great jazz music on Freegal or stream it on Hoopla.

We have a lot of books on jazz too, if you're a reader. (And if you're reading a library blog, then we bet you are.)

Monday, September 9, 2013

Mentor Library offers streaming movies, music and audiobooks with Hoopla

If you like streaming services like NetFlix, YouTube or Spotify, then Mentor Public Library just signed up for a service that should make you very happy.

It's called Hoopla, and it allows patrons to stream more than 300,000 movies, TV episodes, audiobooks and music albums to their smartphones, tablets and computers.

It's also free and lets you borrow media without even setting foot in a library.

All you need is a library card to use it.

Hoopla is fantastic with several smartphones and tablets and is compatible with:
  • any iPhone 3G or newer
  • iPad 2 or newer
  • iPad mini 
  • iPod Touch 4 or newer
  • any Android 4.0 and above. 
To use Hoopla, you need only download its app from the Apple or Android store.

If you prefer to stream onto your computer, you can visit www.hoopladigital.com and the site offers all the same videos, music and audiobooks as the app. The Hoopla web site is compatible with browsers Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Once the app is downloaded (or you're on the Hoopla web site,) you only need to provide an email address and your library card number. Then you can browse and borrow from Hoopla’s extensive library and watch or listen wherever they are.

If any of that sounded confusing, MPL Librarian Mary Pelton made a video that walks you through the sign-up process.
On Hoopla, you can borrow a video for three days, a music album for seven and an audiobook for 21 days.

Using cloud computing, you can even borrow titles with your home computer, begin watching on a tablet and resume watching with your smartphone – anywhere there’s an Internet connection.

If you are going somewhere without an Internet connection, then you can download a title using the Hoopla app and watch or listen to it later. (For DRM reasons, downloading is only available on the app – not on Internet browsers.)

MPL patrons can borrow up to five items per month using Hoopla.

In addition to Hoopla, Mentor Public Library also offers several other digital services. You can stream independent films from festivals around the globe using IndieFlix, you can download mp3s using Freegal, borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks using OverDrive, take online classes with Learn4Life or borrow digital versions of magazines using Zinio.

You also have access to dozens of databases with information on topics from auto repair to local history to case law.

And -- once again, it should be noted -- all of these services are free with a Mentor Public Library card.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Get Hep to the Jive with a Jazz Show at Mentor Library

Louis Armstrong had a line, "If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know."

Far be it from me to disagree with Pops, but everybody from dilettantes to Charlie Parker had to start somewhere.

I started at the library. As a kid, I used to borrow stacks of CDs and cassette tapes -- Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Sarah Vaughn, Arturo Sandoval, Parker, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus and, of course, Armstrong. (Yeah, cassettes -- that gives you a sense of how old I am.)

I was introduced to most of my favorite jazz artists at the library.

But I never got to hear them play live at the library.

Jazz lovers (and those with just a passing interest in the genre) can enjoy the music firsthand this Monday at our Main Branch.

The Four Clarinets will perform jazz tunes from the 1920s through 1950s from 6:30 to 7:45 in the Garfield Room as part of our Monday University series.

They'll play their own arrangements of standards like "I'll Take Romance," "Jitterbug Waltz," "One Note Samba" and more. They'll also give historical anecdotes on the music and explain the basics of jazz improvisation.

The program is free and open to the public -- kids and adults. However, we do ask that you register for it beforehand. You can do so on our website or by calling the Mentor Public Library at (440) 255-8811.

By the way, jazz lovers, have you tried Freegal yet? It's a program that allows you to legally download mp3s of your favorite artists for free. And you can keep the mp3s forever. Play them on your iPod, burn them to CD, record them to cassette (if they still make those) -- whatever you want to do. They're yours.

Freegal's library includes John Coltrane, Abdullah Ibrahim, Jerome Kern, Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, Wynton Marsalis and a lot more.

And it's free with a Mentor Public Library card. Check it out.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Healthy Food Substitutions with Lake County General Health District

Cori Kitaura of the Lake County General Health District visited the library Wednesday to talk about some of the ways people can get healthier by changing some of their cooking habits.

She didn’t say that you could never have a steak or cake again. After all, almost any food is OK as an occasional treat. Instead, she made some recommendations that modify your favorite foods and make them healthier.

For example, fried chicken is delicious, but so is roasted or steamed chicken; and the latter options have fewer calories and less fat than their fried counterpart.

You can also eat healthier by remembering to cut excess fat off of meat, removing the skin from chicken, or rinsing canned vegetables – which tend to be bathed in salt – before you cook and eat them.

Cori also suggested some substitutions that can make some of your favorite recipes healthier. While they will taste a little different, they’ll still be delicious – and a lot better for you.

Her tips include:
  • using applesauce, prune puree, mashed bananas or avocados, or even black beans as a substitute for butter, margarine, oil, shortening or other solid fats while baking. (A note: If you do this, you may need to reduce the baking time by about 25 percent. The substitutions cook faster than solid fats.)
  • instead of canned vegetables, use frozen vegetables without sauces.
  • substituting low- or no-fat dairy products for their whole- or full-fat counterparts. (Exception: while fat-free plain yogurt can sometimes be used as a substitute for sour cream, bear in mind that yogurt isn't heat stable so you can't really cook with it.)
  • swapping in pureed fruit or no-sugar-added applesauce for syrup.
  • reducing the amount of sugar in the baked goods you make by anywhere between a fourth and third. Cinnamon, vanilla and almond extract also can add sweetness without adding sugar. (You don't want to remove all the sugar from yeast breads because the sugar provides food for the yeast.)
  • eating romaine lettuce, endive or baby spinach instead of the nutrient-devoid iceberg lettuce.
  • using whole grain, brown rice, wild rice, whole cornmeal (not degermed,) whole barley, bulgur, kasha, quinoa or whole-wheat couscous instead of white rice or enriched grains.
More healthy tips are available at the Cleveland Food Bank website.

Speaking of Cleveland Food Bank, Mentor Public Library is participating with the Ohio Association of Foodbanks and organizations all around the state for Feed Ohio 2013.

Throught Sept. 11, you can donate nonperishable food items at any MPL branch and they will go to a local food pantries.

For more information on events and programs at Mentor Public Library, visit www.mentorpl.org.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Mentor Police K-9 Is Visiting Library for Special Story Time

Kids can meet Mentor Police K-9 Bo and his partner, Officer Bill Mackey, during a special story time 7 p.m. Sept. 10 at Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch.

Bo is the one with fur.
Bo is a 3-year-old German shepherd who joined the department in May 2012. He lives with Mackey’s family. He's also pretty adorable.

This program is a great way to introduce kids to their local police department. A police officer – or any new adult, for that matter – can be intimidating to a child. But everyone is a lot more approachable when they have a dog with them.

I'll take it a step farther. When you're a kid, dogs make almost everything better. (That's why we do Paws to Read.)

During the program, kids will listen to librarians’ favorite dog stories and Mackey will tell stories about Bo. Kids can also make a craft or even check out a police cruiser.

Bo often helps the Mentor Police Department by helping to sniff out suspects, drugs or missing people. But he also serves as a de facto ambassador for the department whenever he's out and about.

This special story time is open to children of all ages. It’s free and open to the public.

However, parents are asked to register their children beforehand. They can do so by visiting the Mentor Public Library's website or by calling the library at (440) 255-8811 ext. 221.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Why You Should Have a Library Card

All a library card needs to be good is a little exercise.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. And I encourage anybody who doesn't have a library card to get one. But just as important, if you already have a library card -- use it.

A card gives you access to the more than 200,000 books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs and video games in the Mentor Public Library's collection.

But that's just a fraction of what your library card allows you to do.

You can take online classes with Learn4Life. (The classes include everything from computer programming to English as a second language to fiction writing. It's worth a look.)

You can download eBooks and eAudiobooks with OverDrive and digital magazines with Zinio.

You can download free music and even music videos from Freegal -- more than 7 million songs are available from more than 28,000 record labels, including Sony. And once you download a mp3 or mp4, you can keep it forever. Put it on your iPod, listen to it from on your phone, burn it to a CD, whatever you want. It's yours.

You can stream thousands of independent films via IndieFlix and soon you'll be able to stream even more movies, music and audiobooks to your mobile devices and computer via Hoopla.

You can still borrow books, movies and music from libraries all around the state using OhioLINK.

And your card also gives you access to dozens of databases with information on topics from auto repair to local history to case law.

Most importantly, a library card -- and everything that comes with it -- is free.


It's easy. You can do it at our circulation desk.

Adults, you're going to need a current photo ID, such as an Ohio Driver’s License or State of Ohio ID card, with your current address. If your photo ID doesn't have your current address, a personal check, utility bill, envelope or post card with a recent postmark showing your current address will do.

Meanwhile, kids need their guardian's signature to get a card. Adults assume responsibility for their children's borrowing privileges.

One quick note: If you're not an Ohio resident, you must give a $10 deposit to get a card. You will receive the deposit back once you produce an Ohio form of photo ID. Or, if you aren't moving to Ohio, you will receive your deposit back when all materials and the library card are returned.

You can also get a temporary card online that allows you to place up to five holds on items in the Mentor Public Library catalog.

If you have any questions, visit any of the Mentor Public Library's branches and you'll find people eager to help you get your library card.

And, if you already have a card, get out there and give it a workout.

For more information on Mentor Public Library and its services, visit www.mentorpl.org.