Your Mentor Public Library Card can now do more than ever…

You likely already know that you can check out books, movies, music and video games with your Mentor Public Library CORE Card. After all, that’s what most library cards do. You might even be aware of all the different digital services to which your card gives you access.

But we at Mentor Public Library wanted to do more. Yes, we want you to check out books and movies. We want you to use your card to stream indie films and download music you love, but we also want you to use your library card to check out your community around you.

After all, we’re fortunate to live in a wonderful community. But even the most plugged in person might not know everything about Mentor or Lake County.

For example, did you know there’s a business in Mentor that can teach you to be a pilot? Did you know there’s an art gallery that attracts world-class artists to Center Street?

You probably know about Lakeland Community College. You might have even taken classes there but are not be aware of all the concerts, exhibitions and shows it hosts.

You probably aren’t aware of all the different wonderful ways this community helps us stay in shape:fitness clubs, karate dojos, dance studios, yoga and more.

Our community is a lot like a well-stocked bookshelf or movie collection. You don’t know everything in it; but, if you start looking, there’s a good chance you’ll find something that you love.

That’s why we’re launching our CORE Card partnership, which begins April 13 in conjunction with National Library Week.

So how does the CORE Card help you check out your community? (By the way, the CORE Card is just another name for you Mentor Public Library card. You don’t have to get another card if you already have one.)

We’ve partnered with 12 businesses and nonprofits (with more to come) to offer MPL cardholders a discount as a way to encourage our patrons to check out their organizations. In other words, you get a discount at all these awesome places—just for having a library card!

Furthermore, all of our inaugural 12 partners in the CORE Card reinforce the library’s goals of stimulating the imagination and encouraging lifelong learning.

So check them out. Your CORE Card discount might be the incentive you need to first visit them, but you’ll stick around for all the awesome things they do.

Without further ado, our CORE Card partners are:

• Lakeland Community College. MPL cardholders will now pay the student rate for all of its civic performances. 
• Lake County YMCA. Cardholders get a 1-time, 1-day free family guest pass at any branch. Additionally, if the family signs up for a membership that day, they get a 20 percent discount on their sign-up fee.
• Lake Humane Society. Cardholders receive 25 percent off any item in the pet shop. 
• Mentor Heisley Racquetball and Fitness Club. MPL cardholders get a 1-day free guest pass. 
• City of Mentor Parks and Recreation, who is offering different seasonal discounts. In April, cardholders can purchase 2014 pool passes at 2010 rates. In May, June and July, MPL cardholders get $1 off nine holes and $2 off 18 holes of golf at Black Brook Golf Course. 
• Gallery One Art Gallery. MPL cardholders get $25 off any purchase of more than $100 of either fine art or custom framing. 
• Vector Aviation. Cardholders receive a 10-percent discount on their first flight lesson. (That doesn’t include discovery flights.) 
• Karate Institute. MPL cardholders get their first class free. 
• Family Karate. MPL cardholders get their first class free.
• Awaken Yoga. MPL cardholders who buy a 5-class package get a sixth class for free. 
• Spotlight Dance Studio. MPL cardholders get their first class free.
• Mentor Skateland. Cardholders receive a discount to skate during afternoon sessions and will only pay $3 for admission instead of $4.50. 

This is just the beginning. We hope to add more partners in the near future and to give you more ways to check out your community.

If your business or organization is interested in participating in the CORE Card program, call the Mentor Public Library at (440) 255-8811 ext. 213.

Thanks to all of our partners who made this exciting program possible. You make Lake County a better place to work, live and learn.