Download & stream Grammy winners for free with Freegal

Download and stream the music of Grammy winners like Bruno Mars for free using your library card and Freegal.

Want to listen or download music by some of the Grammy winners and nominees without having to spend money on iTunes or Spotify?

Several of them have their music available on Freegal, which is free to use if you have a Mentor Public Library.

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. You can download up to five songs a week.

You also get unlimited streaming, if you prefer that.

Here are some of the Grammy winners and nominees you can download now from Freegal:

Record of the Year

Winner: "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars (The rest of Mark Ronson's Grammy-nominated album, Uptown Special, is also available on Freegal.)

Best New Artist

Winner: Meghan Trainor (You can get all of Trainor's bestselling Title and her new song, "Better When I'm Dancing" from the Peanuts movie from Freegal.)

Nominee: Courtney Barnett

Best Pop Vocal Album

Nominee: Piece by Piece by Kelly Clarkson, which includes the Grammy-nominated "Heartbeat Song"

Best R&B Album

Winner: Black Messiah by D'Angelo and the Vanguard

Nominee: Reality Show by Jazmine Sullivan

Nominee: Forever Charlie by Charlie Wilson

Nominee: Coming Home by Leon Bridges

Best Alternative Album

Nominee: Vulnicura by Bjork

Best Rap Album

Nominee: 2014 Forest Hill Drive by J. Cole

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Winner: The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern by Tony Bennett & Bill Charlapp

Nominee: Shadows in the Night by Bob Dylan

Best Rock Performance

Nominee: "Something for Nothing" by Foo Fighters

Nominee: "Ex's & Oh's" by Elle King

Nominee: "Moaning Lisa Smile" by Wolf Alice

Best Dance Recording

Nominee: "We're All We Need" by Above & Beyond

Best Country Solo Performance

Nominee: "Little Toy Guns" by Carrie Underwood

Nominee: "Burning House" by Cam

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Winner: "Cherokee" by Christian McBride Trio

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Winner: "Wanna Be Happy?" by Kirk Franklin

Best Latin Pop

Winner: A Quien Quiera Escuchar by Ricky Martin

Best Americana Album

Winner: Something More than Free by Jason Isbell

Best Blues Album

Winner: Born to Play Guitar by Buddy Guy

Best Arrangement: Instrumental or A Capella

Winner: "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" by Pentatonix

Best Metal Performance

Nominee: "Identity" by August Burns Red

Nominee: "512" by Lamb of God

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Nominee: Ego Death by The Internet

Nominee: Wildheart by Miguel

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Winner: For One to Love by Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Roots Gospel Album

Winner: Still Rockin' My Soul by The Fairfield Four

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album

Winner: Hasta la Raiz by Natalie Lafourcade

Winner: Dale by Pitbull

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Nominee: "Classic Man" by Jidenna

Best R&B Performance

Nominee: "If I Don't Have You" by Tamar Braxton

Nominee: "Breathing Underwater" by Hiatus Kaiyote

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Nominee: The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV by Kirk Whalum

Nominee: Guitar in the Space Age by Bill Frisell

Best Regional Roots Album

Winner: Go Go Juice by Jon Cleary

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

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.

And if you prefer to stream music, you can do that too!

If you have a Mentor Public Library card, you can download five songs for free every week from Freegal, and there's no limit to how many songs you can stream.

So here are just a smattering of your seasonal choices.

1. Pentatonix, That's Christmas to Me

Last year's most popular Christmas album is likely to stay in heavy rotation this year. You can even check out the new tracks the group added to their Deluxe Edition.

2. 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."

3. 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.

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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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."

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

9. 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.

10. Glee Cast, Blue Christmas
If you don’t like Glee…

11. 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 a video explaining how to navigate its web site.

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.

Get your kid a library card this Christmas

Maybe you're the type of person who spends a lot of money on your kids, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, siblings et. al. around the holidays.

Maybe you're not.

Either way, the most important gift you give your kids (or grandchildren etc.) might be free. Better than free--it could probably save you money.

A Mentor Public Library card gives you access to more than 200,000 books, audiobooks, movies, video games and albums, as well as hundreds of thousands of more materials from libraries throughout the state via OhioLink.

And, if you're borrowing instead of buying, you could be saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. (If you want, you can use this online calendar to tabulate how much money a library card can save you.)

And 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.

So how do you sign up your kid for a Mentor Public Library card?

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.

Oh, and Merry Christmas.

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.

1. Kelly Clarkson, Wrapped in Red
Clarkson has a new Christmas album out and it's 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 Pay 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.

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 Lines, you 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.

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.

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.

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.

So how do you sign up for a Mentor Public Library card?

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.

For the Love of The Beatles

That's what I'm talking about.

I can't think of anything better than a beautiful summer's evening and Beatles music.

If you missed the Abbey Road concert Wednesday at the Read House, the video gives you a taste of all the fun. (But, to be honest, it's just a taste.)

Abbey Road is one of the longest-performing Beatles tribute bands in the world. They have more than 30 years of experience playing the tunes of the Fab Four. On Wednesday night, they played for about 170 people outside of Mentor Public Library's Main Branch.

We host concerts at Mentor Public Library for a lot of reasons. Sometimes, it's to promote local talent. Sometimes, it's to introduce you to something new.

Now, granted, there aren't many people left on this planet who don't know The Beatles. But, believe it or not, there were some young children who came to the Abbey Road concert last night who didn't know their "Hard Day's Night" from their "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

Now they do. They got to learn about The Beatles in the funnest way possible without a time machine. I suspect they'll be some kids raiding their parents CD collections this weekend... or their grandparents' records.

Another thing we love about concerts -- the costumes.

But the two biggest reasons we host concerts is because they're fun and we love music.

So we want to thank the band and everyone who saw them perform. (And the Mentor Arts Commission who sponsored the performance.) We hope you all had as much fun as us.

By the way, that may have been the last outdoors concert of the season over at the Read House, but we have a couple of other performances coming up.

Travelin' Man Band will be playing everything from The Rolling Stones to Sam Cooke to Janis Joplin at 2 p.m. Saturday at our Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch. (The show will be right after the Labor Day Parade.)

Then, on Sept. 9, a clarinet quartet will talk about the evolution of jazz and perform songs from the 1920s through 1950s in the Garfield Room at our Main Branch.

Both shows are free. We hope to see you there.

One last thing: if you love music, you should check out Freegal. As its name implies, it's a free and legal way to download mp3s from hundreds of artists including Pink, Beyonce and Kenny Chesney.

You can download up to three mp3s per week. And they're yours to keep -- load them on your iPod, burn them on CD, play them on loop ad infinitum -- forever.

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

The Library's Never Closed... Even When It's Closed

You and I are talking in this scenario.

I start by saying, "The Mentor Public Library is like Oscar the Grouch's eyes. Neither ever close."

But you say, "What do you mean the library never closes? Aren't you closed this Sunday and Monday for Memorial Day?"

Then, I say, "Sure, the buildings may be closed. But there's still a ton you can do with your library card -- download music and eBooks, watch indie films and take a class online -- even if all the branches are locked."

And you say, "Tell me more."

"It's all on our web site," I say. "You can still check out eBooks onto your tablets, smartphones, eReaders and laptops using Overdrive. They include books by best-selling authors like Janet Evanovich, James Patterson and Nicholas Sparks. You can even check out that new Dan Brown book everyone's talking about. By the way, this also includes audiobooks that you can load onto your mp3 players."

• Here's a link with step-by-step instructions on how to download eBooks and mp3 files of audiobooks onto your tablets, smartphones, Apple gizmos, laptops et. al.

Next you ask, "Didn't you say something about music?"

And I reply, "Yes, I did. Free music. All you need is a Mentor Public Library card and you can use Freegal to download music from hundreds of artists including Pink, Beyonce and Kenny Chesney. You can download up to three mp3s per week. And they're yours to keep -- load them on your iPod, burn them on CD, play them on loop ad infinitum -- forever. For free."

So you narrow your eyes and say, "But what if I want to watch a movie? I can't check out a movie if the branches are closed."

I smirk and say, "But you can still check out full-length and short indie films from festivals all around the world. (Seriously, no hyperbole, every continent besides Antarctica. I don't know if they have a film festival there yet.) It's called Indieflix. They have thousands of films that you can watch on your computer and it's free if you have a Mentor Public Library card."

"What if I want a magazine?" you ask. "How do I check out a magazine if you're closed?"

"It's called Zinio. It lets you check out digital versions dozens of magazines from Smithsonian to Cosmopolitan to Newsweek to Marie Claire to ESPN..."

"Let me guess," you interrupt. "All I need is a library card."

"That's it," I say, nodding. "It's a free service to anyone with a Mentor Public Library card."

You seem less skeptical now. So you raise your eyebrow and ask, "You talked about taking classes online through the library. How do I do that?"

"I love this service," I say. "It's called Ed2Go. Having a Mentor Public Library card gives you access to hundreds of online courses -- from Accounting & Finance to Writing & Publishing -- for free. Each course runs for six weeks and they're run by expert instructors."

"And I can take the course from home?" you ask.

"From home, from the coffee shoppe, from your kids' soccer practice, wherever."

"Even when the library's closed," you say.

And I smile because you've finally gotten it.

• Here's a step-by-step breakdown on how to use Ed2Go.

Then I say, "What about Breakfast at Tiffany's."

And you say, "I think I remember that film."

Then I say, "I think we both kind of liked it..."

And you say, "Never end on a non sequitur."

Here's a pretty concise breakdown of all the online services and digital materials we offer -- even when the buildings are closed.