Sunday, November 30, 2014

Have Yourself a very Freegal Christmas

Thanksgiving is over. Nobody can give you a dirty look for playing Christmas music now.

So if you're looking for something different to play this Christmas or just need a new copy of an old favorite, you should check out Freegal.

Freegal is one of the library's digital services, which lets you download DRM-free mp3s of your favorite songs. Moreover, once you download a song, you can keep the mp3 forever. Put it on your phone, your computer, your iPod--wherever you want. It's yours.

If you have a Mentor Public Library card, you can download five songs for free every week from Freegal. Note: It's difficult picking just five because there are so many options.

So here are just a smattering of your seasonal choices.
Welcome to 34 consecutive days of Christmas music
1. Kelly Clarkson, Wrapped in Red
Clarkson's Christmas album is already ubiquitous. You can start downloading songs from it now for free. (If you have the patience to spread it out over a couple of weeks, then you can get the entire album. And, yes, I still call them albums.)

Personal favorite: I'm always game for a new cover of Run, Run Rudolph. I'm less enthusiastic about Baby, It's Cold Outside, which is pretty much the holiday version of Blurred Lines.

2. Harry Belafonte, Christmas
Belafonte could sing about muddy slush and it would still sound great with his voice, so it's a delight to hear him sing these carols.

3. Dolly Parton, Home for Christmas
As a general rule, I love Dolly. This is doubly true during the holidays.

4. Ukulele Christmas
This album's for all the people who loved Israel Kamakawiwo`ole's version of Over the Rainbow. And, no, these standards aren't performed by IZ, but they have that same combination of earnestness and sweetness.

Personal favorite: Auld Lang Syne, but you might also like the Over the Rainbow/We Wish You a Merry Christmas medley.

5. Kirk Franklin, Christmas
If you need some gospel music this time of year, Kirk Franklin and the Family have you covered. Standards like Go Tell It on the Mountain and O Come All Ye Faithful sound sweeter than ever.

6. Harry Connick Jr., When my Heart Finds Christmas
Connick has a lot of Christmas albums in his discography. This one's my favorite but they are all available on Freegal.

Personal favorite: I Pray on Christmas.

7. Parranda All-Stars: Navidad
There's a lot more to Latin Christmas music than Feliz Navidad. This album is a good place to start.

8. NSYNC, Home for Christmas
Any NSYNC fans out there? There must be some. These guys only sold 50 bajillion records.

If you bought the CD or even *gasp* the cassette when you were in middle school, here's a chance to update your medium for free.

9. Glee Cast, Blue Christmas
If you don't like Glee...

10. Elvis, The Classic Christmas Album
Freegal has the Elvis version of Blue Christmas too.

What are some of your favorite Christmas albums?

If you're having trouble with Freegal, MPL Librarian Mary Pelton made video explaining how to navigate its web site.

Friday, November 28, 2014

It’s a Peanuts Thanksgiving at Mentor Library, Charlie Brown

We hosted a special screening of "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" on Wednesday, Nov. 26, and also served the kids a feast of popcorn, toast and ice cream.
Where’s the turkey, Chuck?

We may not have had any poultry at our Charlie Brown Thanksgiving party, but we had enough popcorn and ice cream to make Chef Charlie Brown proud.

We screened the classic A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on Wednesday at our Main Branch and even served the same lunch as Charlie Brown did for his friends—popcorn, pretzels, toast and ice cream sundaes.
Rachel tosses the football during the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving party.
Afterward, the kids tested their football skills (as not to get tricked my Lucy) and transformed plastic utensils into Peanuts pilgrims.
The menu at our Thanksgiving party
For more photos from Mentor Library programs and events, check out our Facebook page.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

A lot to be thankful for this year

This is Maddalyn. She's one of the reasons we're thankful this year.
We have a lot of reasons to be grateful at Mentor Public Library and a lot of people to thank.

Let's start with our volunteers.

So much of what we do depends on our volunteers. We couldn't deliver books to our homebound patrons without the volunteer drivers. There would be no Paws to Read without the therapy dogs and their owners. Many of our programs depend on the money that the Friends of the Mentor Public Library raise during their book sales at The Read House. (If we have to single out one person from this helpful group, Dennis Hauer has raised more than $25,000 for the library from online book sales!)

The teens who help run our children's programs in the summer, the St. Gabriel parishioners and employees from Selman who painted our second floor, and the Boy Scouts who built a pergola outside of our Headlands Branch—we wouldn't be the same without you!
Andrew Brachna, one of our homebound drivers, brings books and movies to patrons who couldn't get them otherwise.
We also need to thank our Board of Trustees. They offer their time and expertise to make Mentor Library the best library possible.

And our partners! We work with a lot of organizations, businesses and nonprofits in our community. Some of them support our Summer Reading Programs. Others have teamed with us on our Core Card, book clubs or on programs. And then there are groups like the Mentor Community Arts Commission who support us with grants.

Thank you all! It's a pleasure to work with you.
Diva, one of our therapy dogs from Paws to Read, interrupts Leah's reading for a canine kiss.
Finally, we want to thank our patrons—every single person who crosses our threshold, whether it's to use our computers, read our books or check out a movie. Maybe you just need a clean well-lit place to study. We're thankful that we can help.

A library is ultimately a reflection of its community; and, if we're a good library, it's because of your support and patronage.

Thank you and we hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for making us part of your lives.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Try one of the online book clubs at Mentor Library

Pick from more than a dozen online book clubsfrom romances to science fiction, new releases to classics.
Mentor Library has book clubs for art lovers, mystery enthusiasts, teens, seniors, American Girl fans and more.

And they're all great (largely because the people who come to them are wonderful.) Besides, a book club's a fun way to discover new books and chat about them with like-minded folks.

But what if your schedule is too erratic for a traditional book club? Is there still a way for you to participate?

Of course!

There are 14 online book clubs you can sign up for through Mentor Public Library. They include clubs for classics, new releases, romances, science fiction, audiobooks and more. (Here's the full list.)

All you have to do is give your email address. Then, chapters from the clubs' books will be emailed directly to you.

It's a great way to sample books without having to commit to them. You get a couple of chapters emailed to you. If you have time, read them. If you love it, check the book out from your local library. If you don't have time or don't love it, skip the book and try again next time.

And if you really love the book and want to talk about it, each book club has a moderated forum where you can talk about it with other readers.

Check out your options and join a book club that works around your schedule.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Willy Wonka visits Mentor Library for his birthday party



It's the 50th anniversary of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so we threw a birthday party for that clandestine chocolatier Willy Wonky on Saturday at our Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch.

Kids made their own candy concoctions, tested their Wonkavision and got a taste of our chocolate river. Then Mr. Wonka himself appeared!

He even bore gifts. One lucky child found a golden ticket in their Wonka Bar that provided him with four tickets to the Fine Art Association's performance of Willy Wonka, which runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 21.

We want to thank the Fine Arts Association and Willy Wonka for dropping by!

Even if you missed the party, you should check out the video. In it, Mr. Wonka explains how the Federal Aviation Administration (the other FAA) governs Fizzy Lifting Drink and what became of the ill-fated and iller named Hornswozzie candy.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Art for Adults at Mentor Library

Aileene admires her handiwork during a jewelry-making session Monday at Mentor Library's Main Branch.
If you're older than 13, you may wonder why it's the kids who always seem to be getting crafty.

It's the children who get to make cornucopias or build lava lamps or splatter paint everywhere.

But there are plenty of chances for teens and adults to flex their artistic side at Mentor Library too.

Just in the last year, we've hosted free watercolor painting and inking classes.
Rita carefully threads her beads onto her necklace.
On Monday, Terry O'Leary showed how to make beautiful custom earrings-and-bracelet sets. Some people made their jewelry as Christmas gifts. Others loved what they made too much to part with it.

(We need to pause here to thanks the Mentor Community Arts Commission. They sponsored the jewelry-making, watercolor and inking programs. We couldn't do this without them!)

If you missed Monday's program, there's another opportunity to get in touch with your artistic side this year.

On Monday, Dec. 8, at our Main Branch, Jenn Cline from the Ohio Paper Folders will teach a hands-on introduction to origami. See what you can do with just a few pieces of paper. Registration for the workshop begins Nov. 24.
Clare and John search for just the right beads to complete their bracelets.
For more photos from our jewelry-making workshop and other programs, visit Mentor Library's Facebook page.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Making cornucopias with Studio MPL

Eva begins by outlining the pumpkin in her cornucopia.
On Monday, Studio MPL—our art club for kids in first through fifth grade—made cornucopias of self-expression. They made collages from magazines to show what they were thankful for this year.

This continues their theme of self-expression. Last month, they used hair to depict their inner selves.
Remo colors the grapes in his cornucopia.
They've also made sun catchers, painted sunsets, weaved and even garnered inspiration from Jackson Pollock.

Studio MPL meets on the third Monday of each month.

Next month’s session will be Dec. 15 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.
Natalie uses rounded geometric figures like spheres and ovals to sketch a turkey.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Thanks to the volunteers from St. Gabriel

Michael rolls a fresh layer of paint on the wall.
Volunteers from St. Gabriel Parish visited us this Saturday and painted a pair of our second-floor corridors.

We owe them our gratitude, just as we need to thank all of our volunteers.

No library is better than its community, and we are fortunate to live and work in a great place with wonderful people.
Mother-daughter team of Ina and Daiva give our upstairs corridor a fix-up.
For more photos of our helpful volunteers, visit Mentor Library's Facebook page.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Welcome to our newest Core Card partner

Brightwood Animal Hospital is our newest partner in the Core Card program.
You want to talk about value? Let's talk about the value of your Mentor Library card.

It gives you access to more than 200.000 books, movies and albums. And it also provides you with 24-hour access to our digital services, so you can download music, listen to audiobooks, stream video or read eBooks even when our branches are closed.

But, wait, there's more!

We've partnered with more than a dozen local businesses and organizations who provide you with discounts, just for having a Mentor Library card, as part of our Core Card program.

You can save money at everywhere from Awaken Yoga to Gallery One Art Gallery to Mentor Heisley Racquetball and Fitness Club. And now we've added our newest partner, Brightwood Animal Hospital.

Now, anyone with a Mentor Library card can save $5 on their first express grooming with Brightwood's groomer Chris White. Your pet will look prettier, you'll save money, and all you need is a library card.

Peruse the list of all of our Core Card partners and see how you can get more out of your library card.

Because, at Mentor Library, we want you to check out books, movies, music and your community.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

More music, more movies: We're doubling your Hoopla

If you use streaming services like Netflix, YouTube or Spotify, then you should love Hoopla.

It lets you stream more than 300,000 movies, TV episodes, audiobooks and music albums to your smartphones, tablets and computers. You can use it 24 hours a day, and it's as available as your nearest Internet connection or WiFi hotspot.

And, like all of our digital services, it's free if you have a Mentor Public Library card.

Until recently, you could stream up to five audiobooks, movies or albums per month. But that wasn't enough, so we're doubling it to 10!

That means you no longer have to pick between streaming the Frozen soundtrack, Ariana Grande's My Everything, What's Going On, or A Love Supreme; watching To Kill a Mockingbird, My Little Pony or Brewster's Millions; or listening to the audiobook versions of The Hunger Games, King Lear and Veronica Roth's Insurgent, .

You can do it all, and then try something new next month!

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.)

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, learn another language with Transparent Language 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 more, with feeling—all of these services are free with a Mentor Public Library card.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Learn the languages of the world for free with Mentor Library


Quiere hablar español? या हिन्दी? أو العربية؟? 日本語または? Oder Deutsch?

Or maybe you just want to know what that last paragraph meant.

If you want to learn another language but don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on classes, books or software, try Transparent Language for free from Mentor Public Library.

Transparent Language offers a simple, intuitive way to learn the basics of more than 80 different languages—pretty much any language you can think of, everything from Albanian to Zulu. And—not to put too fine a point on it—if you have a Mentor Public Library card, it’s completely free.

Transparent Language offers dozens of language lessons, which can help you negotiate everyday conversations, as well as vocabulary lists, proficiency tests, and pronunciation and conversation practice for each language.

And language is more than just knowing words and grammar, so Transparent Language includes culture blogs to add variety and depth to your learning experience. There are even interactive games for each language to help you practice.

There’s even an online community with more than 1.5 million people, all helping one another learn.

Transparent Language is also great for people who are learning English. It offers 24 English-as-a-second-language courses, including ones for people who speak Chinese, Czech, Hindi, Polish, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese and more.

It’s easy to sign up for Transparent Language too. You just need an email address and a library card. (If you’ve signed up for Zinio or IndieFlix—which are great services if you love reading magazines of watching independent films, respectively—then you’re already registered for Transparent Language.)

So whether you’re visiting France or just want to learn Urdu, check out Transparent Language. It’s just one of the dozens of useful databases available from Mentor Public Library.

Monday, November 10, 2014

The best films and documentaries for commemorating Veterans Day

Thank you for your service.
First and foremost, thank you to our veterans from all branches of the military.

We cannot not do what we do unless we are first safe, and you are the ones who have kept us safe.

Secondly, all of Mentor Library's branches will be closed this Veteran's Day. But, with our digital services, you still have access to all sorts of movies, books, audiobooks and music even when the library's buildings are closed.

Also, IndieFlix and Hoopla have several films and documentaries that are appropriate reminders of what Veteran's Day is all about. You can stream the videos to your computer, tablet or phone for free if you have a Mentor Library card.

From IndieFlix:

1) Hooligans at War (67 min) Ages 18+

A compelling documentary that follows the United States Hooligan Platoon inside their day-to-day lives fighting in war-torn Afghanistan.

2) Coming Home (14 min) Ages 13+

This moving personal documentary was made by Vietnam War veteran Herb Sennett. I learned that if I am not able to help the people in another land, I can sure help the people around me, Herb says. Coming Home features his recollections of that time, his impressions of Vietnam and its people, and the legacy it left on his life.

3) The Negro Soldier (43 min) Ages 13+

A documentary focusing on the contributions to the American war effort by African-American soldiers.

4) Who Will Stand (112 min) Ages 13+

This feature documentary takes a close look at what happens to 21st century veterans when they return home: the joy of reconnecting with loved ones, the pain of dealing with lingering wounds.

5) Finnigan's War (54 min) Ages 13+

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, actor/filmmaker Conor Timmis sets out on a yearlong journey to honor his late grandfather and the heroes of America's forgotten war.

6) A War to End All Wars (120 min) Ages 13+

Fascinating and unique tales from World War I, narrated by UK broadcaster Robin Thompson.

From Hoopla:

7) Where Soldiers Come From (91 min) Not Rated

This documentary follows three young men from Michigan's Upper Peninsula as they receive their basic training and are sent to Afghanistan, patrolling roadways looking for improvised explosive devices. The film charts their evolving attitudes about the war and American foreign policy as they see how it works up close, as well as their sometimes tense relationships with their families, who aren't certain the young men will ever come home.

8) A Perfect Soldier (56 min) Not Rated

An extraordinary and inspiring documentary about one man's journey from child soldier to international hero. A Perfect Soldier tells the story of Aki Ra, who as a young boy was taken by the Khmer Rouge and forced to plant hundreds of landmines in the Cambodian countryside. As an adult, he has devoted his life to removing them, one landmine at a time. In 2010, he was named one of CNN's Top 10 Heroes of the Year.

9) Ken Burns: The War (seven episodes, each 120 min) TV14

Ken Burns' seven-part documentary series directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, explores the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective by following the fortunes of so-called ordinary men and women who become caught up in one of the greatest cataclysms in human history. Six years in the making, this epic 14-hour film focuses on the stories of citizens from four geographically distributed American towns—Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and the tiny farming town of Luverne, Minnesota.

10) The Winning of World War II: The Road to Victory (16 episodes, each 60 min) Not Rated

Join General John Eisenhower as he retraces World War II. From the rise of Hitler to the historic battles and the eventual involvement of U.S. forces, witness the Allies' road to victory. Then, discover the top commanders who made this victory possible.

11) Crusade in the Pacific (26 episodes, each 30 min) TVPG

Experience the epic television documentary event that chronicles all the bloody land, sea and air battles for the Pacific, produced by the legendary March Of Time newsreel unit and featuring never-before-seen footage from the archives of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as film captured from the Japanese government.

Here's a link to all of Mentor Library's digital services, all of which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Also, if you're not sure how to use them, we've created videos explaining how to access Hoopla and IndieFlix. Both services are free, as long as you have a Mentor Public Library card.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Help your heart by skipping the salt


The Lake County General Health District visited us last week and suggested ways in which people can prevent or control high blood pressure.

One of their tips was to eat less salt.

While we need salt to live, most people eat way more salt than they need. The recommended daily amount of salt is 2,300 milligrams or about one teaspoon.

And it can be difficult to eat less salt. First of all, it's delicious. Secondly, it seems as if it's in everything.

So Lake County General Health District, with some help from the USDA, offered 10 tips for cutting back on salt.

1. Think fresh

Processed foods—like cured meats, pizza, canned soup and chili—tend to have more salt than fresh foods. You don't have to cut out all processed foods, but eat fewer of them and more fresh food.

2. Enjoy home-prepared foods

If you cook at home, you'll be in control of your food and know exactly how much salt is in there.

3. Fill up on vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits—fresh or frozen—are naturally lower in sodium. Eat them with every meal. (Keep an eye on canned vegetables though. They sometimes have sodium added.)

4. Choose dairy and protein foods that are lower in sodium

Fat-free and low-fat milk has less sodium than cheese. Similarly, fresh beef, pork, poultry and seafood has less sodium than deli meat or sausages. Also, opt for unsalted nuts and seeds.

5. Adjust your taste buds

If you suddenly cut back on all of your salt, you'll be jones-ing for a deli sandwich and french fries in no town. Cut back on your salt a little at a time and your taste buds will adjust to this new normal.

6. Skip the salt

This one seems obvious, right? Just leave the salt off the kitchen counter when you're cooking and the dinner table when you're eating, and you'll be less tempted. Try other spices and herbs like red or black pepper, basil, curry, ginger or rosemary, instead.

7. Read the label

Processed food is convenient, but it can also be unhealthy. Read the label and know exactly what you're eating.

8. Ask for low-sodium foods when you eat out

Eating out can be tricky because, once again, you can't completely control what's in your food. However, you can always ask for a lower sodium version of a food, sauce or salad dressing.

9. Pay attention to condiments

Foods like soy sauce, ketchup, pickles, olives, salad dressings and seasoning packets are high in sodium. Choose a low-sodium version of your favorite condiment and substitute carrots or celery sticks for pickles and onions.

10. Boost your potassium intake

Potassium is known to lower high blood pressure. Most people know that bananas have potassium, but so do potatoes, beets, greens, tomato juice and sauce, sweet potatoes, beans and orange juice.

Here are 10 tips for building a healthy meal from Lake County General Health District.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

A literary mixtape for Ohio

It began as a conversation with Belfast Central Library.

I mentioned a few of my favorite Irish authors and artists, and my counterpart in Belfast admitted to being less familiar with Ohio writers.

But this begs the question: If I had to pick a handful of writers to represent my state and make the literary equivalent of a mixtape, whom would I include?

1. Toni Morrison

Let’s start with the obvious and by “obvious” I mean the only living person born in the United States to be named a Nobel laureate.

Morrison was born in Lorain and has a residency at Oberlin College, but it seems reductive to strap her to a particular place. Yes, she’s from Ohio, and I hope she thinks fondly of her home state; but you don’t need to be a buckeye to appreciate her writing. You just need to be human.

Beloved is her best known work, and it’s on the short list of books I’d recommend to anyone. However, if I’m being honest, I prefer reading Sula and Song of Solomon.

But any Toni is better than no Toni. You can even share her with your kids, thanks to some charmingchildren’s books she wrote with her son, Slade Morrison.

2. Harvey Pekar

I don’t know if any one author can embody an entire city, but Harvey Pekar got close.

What James Joyce is to London, what Naguib Mahfouz is to Cairo, what Lu Xun is to Beijin, Harvey is to Cleveland.

And what’s most amazing is that he didn’t set out to tell the story of Cleveland—at least, not at first. He only wanted to talk about his life. But by telling the stories of his coworkers at the VA hospital and his fight with cancer, he depicted the frustrations and hopes of an entire city.

If you need a starting point for Pekar, read American Splendor—any of it, all of it. If forced to pick a favorite, I’d recommend Our Cancer Year.

3. Ambrose Bierce

Pekar wasn’t even the most cynical writer to come from Ohio. That distinction belongs to Ambrose Bierce.

Bierce was our Oscar Wilde—a provocateur, an invective. His words were so pointed, some people blamed them for President William McKinley’s assassination.

For an appetizer, read his short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek.” For a feast, try The Devil’s Dictionary. It’s composed of every pithy quip you’ll ever need to terrorize a dinner table. A few examples:

Love, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage.

Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility.

Cynic, n. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are not as they ought to be.

4. Gloria Steinem

Women everywhere (and people who care about the treatment of women) can claim Gloria as their own; but, yes, she was born in Toledo, Ohio, which makes her one of us.

While we may not think of Steinem firstly as a writer, she can and often did write brilliantly.

She wrote a 2-part expose about her experience as a Playboy Bunny that changed how many people perceived Hugh Hefner’s empire. Her collection of essays, Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, will make you laugh, cry and grit your teeth. Hopefully, it will make you think too.

5. Bill Watterson

Speaking of writers that can make me laugh and cry…

Ohio has a knack for producing sequential arts: Brian Michael Bendis, Brian K. Vaughan, Jeff Smith, as well as the aforementioned Pekar, all Ohioans.

And then there’s Bill Watterson. With his art, he made the most ephemeral thing—a young boy’s imagination—tangible.

Calvin & Hobbes doesn’t need another elegy, but it could always use more readers.

(By the way, this means the same state that gave us Gloria Steinem also birthed the Get Rid Of Slimy girlS Club.)

6. R.L. Stine

If you think it’s presumptuous to include R.L. Stine in the same list as Toni Morrison and Ambrose Bierce, then you’ve never been to a Scholastic Book Fair.

In a pre-Harry Potter world, Goosebumps was every third grader’s favorite book series. We turned each lunch break into a book club meeting, as we talked about and swapped Stine’s books. (I should have never traded Monster Blood.)

Goosebumps may have been for kids. But, for a lot of us, he was the gateway to Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen.

7. Harlan Ellison

Coincidentally, Stine was also my gateway to Harlan Ellison.

This is the the guy who wrote—let’s just say it—the best Star Trek episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever.” (Even though he was displeased with edits Gene Roddenberry made to his script.)

He’s won Hugo Awards and Nebulas and Edgars. He pushed the boundaries of science fiction so far that people had to call it by another name, speculative fiction.

And he also voiced himself in a Scooby-Doo cartoon.

8. Jill Bialosky

Jill Bialosky is the increasingly rare triple threat.

Her poetry, fiction and nonfiction are all moving.

She was first known as a poet and her Intruder is one of my favorite poetry books of this still young century.

Her novels—House Under Snow and The Life Room—are both worth reading.

But it’s her memoir, History of a Suicide: My Sister’s Unfinished Life, that breaks me. Read it. Read it and feel.

9. Hart Crane

You might not know Hart Crane, but your favorite writer probably does.

Tennessee Williams, Derek Walcott and Harold Bloom all thought of him as one of the most important poets of his generation.

His work was lyrical and beautiful, but dense and esoteric.

From Chaplinesque, one of his best known poems:

The game enforces smirks; but we have seen

The moon in lonely alleys make

A grail of laughter of an empty ash can,

And through all sound of gaiety and quest

Have heard a kitten in the wilderness.

Crane struggled with alcohol and depression, in part because he tried to suppress his homosexuality. He ultimately killed himself, jumping overboard while on a steamship in the Gulf of Mexico.

While it hurts to see genius cut short, we can still be grateful for what he left behind.

10. Sherwood Anderson

A lot of the authors I’ve talked about have come from cities and their suburbs: Cleveland, Lorain, Toledo, Columbus. (The exceptions—Ambrose Bierce, whose Miegs County is almost as rural now as it was when he was born; and Hart Crane, who was born in Garrettsville.)

I compensate with Sherwood Anderson, whose Winesburg, Ohio is still the most enduring depiction of small-town Ohio.

His short stories overlap as our lives often do, each person thinking they’re the heroine or hero of their own story when, in reality, we’re all just part of the larger tapestry.

So that’s my list. It’s imperfect. It should have included Suzy Kassem and Christopher Moore and Andy Borowitz and Zane Grey, but 10 is such a nice round number.

But this is just my mixtape. Who would you include in yours?

Friday, November 7, 2014

Meeting the girls of our American Girl Book Club

Lynn tries to fly her kite indoors during our most recent American Girl Book Club.
There aren't a lot of book clubs out there for elementary school-aged girls.

But considering how popular our American Girl Book Club is, maybe there should be more.

Since we started the book club last year, anywhere between a dozen and 30 girls have come to each meeting. A lot of them bring their dolls with them, but a doll isn't mandatory.
Lindsay designs her paper kite during our American Girl Book Club meeting.
The girls are always eager to talk about the American Girl book they've read over the last month.

They also make a craft. They've made everything from dream catchers to jewelry to guacamole to God's eyes.

This month, we met Kit. Then we made paper kites, just like they used to do when Kit was a kid.

Kim Sidorick, our children's services manager, had the idea for the book club after we held an American Girl-themed tea party two years ago. She thought the book club would help bring together girls with like interests who want to have fun.

After all, the books are classics and still circulate well at the library.
Giselle and Abby play a game, trying to drop clothespins into a bottle.
Our last meeting of the year is Dec. 3. (The meetings are always 4 to 5 p.m. at our Main Branch on the first Wednesday of the month.) The girls will meet Samantha.

If you have a girl who is between eight and 12 years, then they can join the fun. They don't need a doll or anything like that. However, they should read Meet Samantha beforehand so they can participate in the discussion.

You can register your child for the book club on our web site or by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221. Registration isn't mandatory, but it makes it a lot easier for us to prepare if we have a good idea how many kids are going to be there.
All of the girls at our American Girl Book Club, like Layla here, are super girls.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

10 tips to keep you safe when shopping online

Keep yourself safe while shopping online this holiday season.
Online shopping can be convenient and thrifty.

It can also be dangerous.

You don't want strangers using your money to buy their holiday gifts, so keep yourself safe by following a few helpful tips from MPL Librarian Mary Pelton.
  1. Make sure you're on a secure, encrypted site. Fortunately, there's an easy way to tell if a site is secure. Make sure the URL of the website begins with https:// as opposed to http://. Some sites also use "padlock" icons to show they're secure.
  2. Know who you're buying from. Research the company's reputation, return and privacy policies, restocking fees, and shipping and handling costs. All of this information should be stated on the company's website. You should also check for reviews and buyer feedback if you're buying from an individual.
  3. Only provide the necessary information when you're buying something online. No vendor needs your social security number or birth date.
  4. Don't use your debit card when buying online. Use your credit card. It comes with fraud protection. Also, criminals can do more damage with a debit card because it draws directly from your bank account.
  5. And only use one credit card for online shopping. This makes it easier to monitor your purchases. (Gift cards are another safe buying option.)
  6. Never—I repeat, never—send your account numbers or any other personal information via email. Email is not secure.
  7. Keep records when you shop online. Either save or print out receipts.
  8. Keep your security software and web browsers up to date to protect against viruses, malware and other online threats.
  9. Have good passwords—long passwords with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. This is good advice for email accounts too.
  10. Make sure you're using a secure Wi-Fi connection/network whenever money is changing hands.

These tips come courtesy of Mary Pelton's monthly Computers & Cookies series. In December, she'll be offering tips for those who are looking to buy a computer or tablet—either for themselves or as a gift.

The talks are free and open to everyone. You can register for them on Mentor Library's website.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

It's Hip to Be a Square at Mentor Library's Minecraft C

One of our Minecrafters buily a haunted house during our last meeting.

Do your kids love Minecraft?

Do they spend hours building masterpieces from blocks?

Are they always trading strategies with friends or watching Machinima videos for new ideas?

If they do, then they would probably love our Minecraft Club.
The club meets from 4 to 5 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of the month at our Main Branch. Our next meeting is Nov. 6.

Each session features a new challenge. Kids mine, explore and share strategies in the wide world of Minecraft on the library's server.

For our two November Club meetings, we will be holding a Minecraft Thanksgiving Challenge. In this challenge the kids will have to build an entire village and farm in survival mode, much like the pilgrims did when they first came to America. (Of course, the pilgrims didn't have to worry about cave spiders or fireball-spouting blazes.)

They are welcome to work in groups, or by themselves. At the end of the meeting, the group with the largest village and farm will receive a prize.
The club is for children from eight to 12 years old. Each kid must bring his or her own charged laptop, tablet or mobile device and have an active Minecraft account.

You can register your child (or children) for our Minecraft Club on our library's website or by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Monday, November 3, 2014

Learn about high blood pressure at Mentor Library


Let's start with the bad news.

About one in three Americans—an estimated 67 million people—has high blood pressure.

You can have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) for years without symptoms. And if it persists it can weaken your arteries and cause health problems, including stroke, kidney disease, loss of vision and heart disease.

Certain factors like family history, poor diet, drinking too much alcohol and not exercising can increase your likelihood of having hypertension.

But there's good news too.

There are things you can do to manage your high blood pressure: maintaining a healthy weight, drinking less (and especially avoiding binge drinking,) managing stress and exercising.

Eating healthy and limiting your sodium intake can also help.

A dietician from the Lake County General Health District will talk about the role of nutrition in preventing and controlling high blood pressure at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Mentor Public Library's Main Branch.

The talk is free and open to everyone. You can register for it here.

Join us Wednesday and learn more about how you can help yourself.