A dozen awesome Nova documentaries you can watch with Hoopla

Get the best of NOVA for free with Hoopla and your Mentor Public Library card.

We’ve talked about Hoopla before. It’s a cool digital service we offer that lets you stream music, TV shows and movies anywhere and at any time for free with your Mentor Public Library card.

It also has an awesome collection of NOVA documentaries; so if you're interested in physics, history, space, dinosaurs—pretty much anything—you could be learning about it right now.

Here are some of our favorites.

1. Bigger than T-Rex

Almost a century ago, paleontologists found the first tantalizing hints of a monster even bigger than Tyrannosaurus Rex, perhaps the largest predator ever to walk the Earth: spectacular fossil bones from a dinosaur dubbed Spinosaurus. But the fossils were completely destroyed during a World War II Allied bombing raid, leaving only drawings, lots of questions, and a mystery. Learn about Spinosaurus—the dinosaur that waited 70 million years (and then another century) to be discovered.

If you like that, then watch: Arctic Dinosaurs and Last Extinction: Megabeasts' Sudden Death.

2. Dogs Decoded

New research is revealing what dog lovers have suspected all along: Dogs have an uncanny ability to read and respond to human emotions. Humans, in turn, respond to dogs with the same hormone responsible for bonding mothers to their babies. How did this incredible relationship between humans and dogs come to be?

If you like that, then watch: How Smart Are Animals?

3. Ghosts of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the most famous archeological ruin in the Western hemisphere and an iconic symbol of the power and engineering prowess of the Inca. NOVA joins a new generation of archeologists as they probe areas of Machu Picchu that haven't been touched since the time of the Incas and unearth burials of the people who built the sacred site.

If you like that, then watch: Cracking the Maya Code, Emperor's Ghost Army, and Riddles of the Sphinx.

4. Deadliest Volcanoes
From Japan's Mount Fuji to the “Sleeping Giant” submerged beneath Naples to the Yellowstone “Supervolcano” in the United States, NOVA travels with scientists from around the world who are at work on these sites, attempting to discover how likely these volcanoes are to erupt, when it might happen, and exactly how deadly they could prove to be.

If you like this, then watch: Killer Landslides and Hunt for the Supertwister.

5. Doctors' Diaries

In 1987, NOVA's cameras began rolling to chronicle the lives of seven young, bright medical students embarking on the longest and most rigorous endeavor in higher education: the years-long journey to become a doctor. From their first days at Harvard Medical School to the present day, none of them could have predicted what it would take, personally and professionally.

If you like this, then watch: Vaccines - Calling the Shots.

6. Is There Life on Mars?

This NOVA showcases the latest scientific results from the Mars Rovers and NASA's Phoenix probe, which are poised to reveal provocative new clues in the tantalizing search for water and life on the Red Planet.

If you like this, then watch: Can We Make It to Mars?

7. Bible's Buried Secrets

Go on a scientific journey to the beginnings of modern religion, and dig into both the Bible and the history of the Israelites through the artifacts they left behind. This powerful exploration of science, scripture, and scholarship examines the most pressing issues in biblical archaeology.

If you like this, then watch: The Bible Unearthed.

8. Fabric of our Cosmos

From the passenger seat of a New York cab driving near the speed of light to a pool hall where billiard tables do fantastical things, Brian Greene reveals space as a dynamic fabric that can stretch, twist, warp and ripple under the influence of gravity. Space, far from being empty, is filled with some of the deepest mysteries of our times.

If you like this, then watch: Physics and our Universe.

9. First Air War

By World War I's end, the essential blueprint of the modern fighter aircraft had emerged: it was now an efficient killing machine that limited the average life expectancy of a front line pilot to just a few weeks. To trace the story of this astonishingly rapid technological revolution, NOVA takes viewers inside The Vintage Aviator, a team of New Zealand-based aviation buffs dedicated to bringing back classic WWI fighters.

If you like this, then watch: Rise of the Drones and Bombing Hitler's Dams.

10. Ape Genius

The great apes—which include chimps, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos—seem to have rich emotional lives similar to our own. But just how smart are these animals? A new generation of investigators is revealing the secret mental lives of great apes, and our evolutionary next-of-kin are turning out to be far smarter than most experts ever imagined.

If you like this, then watch: Becoming Human.

11. Why Planes Vanish

NOVA tells the inside story of the search for Flight MH370 and meets the key players from all corners of the globe who have spent months searching for the lost plane. How easy is it to make a plane disappear? Or can new technology guarantee that in the future, nothing will ever be 'lost' again?

If you like this, then watch: Ben Franklin's Balloon.

12. Judgment Day: Intelligent Design

One of the latest battles in the war over evolution took place in a tiny town of Dover in eastern Pennsylvania. In 2004, the local school board ordered science teachers to read to their high school biology students a statement that suggested there is an alternative to Darwin's theory of evolution. The science teachers refused to comply with the order, and alarmed parents filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing the school board of violating the separation of church and state. Suddenly, the small town of Dover was torn apart by controversy, pitting neighbor against neighbor

If you like this, then watch: What Darwin Never Knew.

If you want to watch any of these videos but don’t know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.

12 Christmas Specials You Can Watch for Free on Hoopla

In the mood to watch something seasonal but don't feel like leaving home today?

That's not a problem. With Hoopla, you can stream more than 300,000 audiobooks, movies and albums to your phone, tablet or computer anywhere at anytime. And it's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

Here are 12 different Christmas movies and TV episodes that you can start streaming now.

1. Madeline's Christmas

All lists that can include Madeline's Christmas should, including lists about holiday specials, beloved children's literature characters, and pandemics.

There's not a whole lot of plot to Madeline's Christmas (but since when has Madeline been about things happening.) Basically, Madeline must take care of her classmates who have fallen ill around holiday time.

That's right. Any cartoon character can save Christmas! Madeline saves the holiday and cures the common cold. Is there anything this adorable moppet can't do?

2. The Office (UK)—BBC Special

No, not the one with the Yankee swap. This is the original British The Office—the one that inspired the American variant and made Ricky Gervais your favorite comedian's favorite comedian.

This isn't just a Christmas special. It's also the finale. Can David Brent (Gervais as the pre-Michael Scott entertainer/boss) find a date in time for the office Christmas party? And will Dawn and Tim—the British versions of Pam and Jim, but you probably figured that out—make it work?

3. Bah Humduck! A Looney Christmas

There are hundreds of iterations on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but this is the only one with Daffy Duck.

Ergo, it must also be the best. (Though we also acknowledge the awesomeness of A Muppet Christmas Carol.)

4. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa

Speaking of the Muppets, Kermit and friends need to make it to the North Pole before Christmas so they can deliver letters to Santa in this adventure.

It's got music, merriment and Pepe the King Prawn flirting haplessly with Uma Thurman.

5. Holiday Inn

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire sing and dance their way into your heart in the musical comedy classic. Crosby plays a song and dance man who leaves showbiz to run an inn that is open only on holidays. Astaire plays his former partner and romantic rival for the affections of Marjorie Reynolds.

6. One Christmas

Another classic filled with famous performers, including Katherine Hepburn and Henry Winkler. This film, based on Truman Capote's autobiographical story, is about a young man who visits his estranged father for Christmas in 1930 in New Orleans.

7. The Small One

Usually when Disney does Christmas, it involves Mickey Mouse or Scrooge McDuck getting visited by three ghosts.

But there's neither mouse nor Claus in sight during this animated short. Instead, it tells the story of the donkey who carries a pregnant Mary to Bethlehem.

8. Yo Gabba Gabba: Very Awesome Holiday Show

Join DJ Lance Rock, Brobee, Foofa, Muno, Plex and Toodee as they dance, sing and decorate the tree to prepare for the arrival of Santa Claus

9. Super Mario World, The Night Before Cave Christmas

This is, by far, the most ridiculous entry on this list. It's sillier than Sonic and Inspector Gadget saving Christmas combined.

After all, what can be more ridiculous than Mario and Luigi trying to stop King Koopa from stealing a bunch of cavemen's Christmas gifts?

10. Abbott & Costello: The Christmas Show

The original kings of comedy celebrate Christmas as only they can.

11. The Story of Christmas

Christmas isn't just about Daffy Duck and princess-saving plumbers. It's not just about Santa Claus or talking snowmen either.

The Story of Christmas recounts the tale of Jesus's birth simply and sweetly. Watch it with your kids if they start to forget the reason for the season.

12. Krampus: The Christmas Devil

And on the opposite side of the spectrum, we have a horror film about a demon who's come to punish all the kids on the naughty list.

Get all the Christmas music you need with Hoopla & your MPL card

Do you need some Christmas music to set the mood for your all-day gift-wrapping marathon?

We have you covered.

With Hoopla and your Mentor Library card, you can stream up to 10 different albums for free each month. And they have an enormous catalog of Christmas music from which you can choose.

Here are some of your favorites, but feel free to browse around the Hoopla site and see what they have.

(By the way, if you don’t know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.)

1. White Christmas (40 Unforgettable Classics)

There are hundreds of Christmas compilations with different legends singing different standards. This is one of the best. You want Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday? You want Peggy Lee and Elvis? You want "White Christmas" and "Ave Maria?" This album has you covered—40 classics from the artists you want to hear sing them.

2. The Ultimate Motown Christmas

The Jackson 5 singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Stevie Wonder singing "Ave Maria," The Supremes singing "Joy to the World," Four Tops, Johnny Gill, Marvin Gaye, even the Funk Brothers playing "Winter Wonderland"—after all, it's not Christmas without some soul. Speaking of which,Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle also have Christmas albums you can stream via Hoopla.

3. Bing Crosby Sings Christmas Songs

For a generation, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the Christmas song, but Bing has more classics than that in his catalog. Hear him sing everything from "Adeste Fideles" to "The Christmas Song." And if you're in the mood for a Rat Pack Christmas, check out holiday albums from Frank Sinatra,Dean Martin and the whole gang.

4. Muppet Christmas Carol: Special Edition

I'm not saying the Muppets own Christmas, but you could make a pretty awesome holiday playlist just using Muppets soundtracks.

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

The only downside to listening to Vince Guaraldi's classic soundtrack is you won't be able to get "Linus and Lucy" out of your head for a couple of days. You're probably humming it already. If you're looking for other kid-friendly Christmas albums, try Veggie Tales' A Very Veggie Christmas.

6. Christmastime in Larryland

Meanwhile, this one's definitely not for the kids. But sometimes you just want to hear Larry the Cable Guy fart "Jingle Bells." If you need more blue-collar Christmas, Bill Engvall has you covered.

7. Christmas with the Ray Brown Trio

Ray Brown's one of the greatest jazz bassists of all time, and this album's perfect for jazz fans who will snap if they hear "Run, Run Rudolph" one more time. For more Christmas jazz, check out Ray Brown's old bandmate Oscar Peterson.

8. This Is Christmas (Elvis Presley Performing Timeless Christmas Classics)

If Bing owns "White Christmas," then nobody sang "Blue Christmas" like the King. He also has a beautiful version of "Peace in the Valley."

9. Bach: Advent & Christmas Cantatas

For lovers of classical music or for those who need background music during Christmas dinner. More classical Christmas: The Royal Philharmonic take on seasonal standards.

10. Christmas Grass Too

A sweet compilation of bluegrass Christmas songs that includes Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, the Larkins and more. For more Christmas country, try Alan Jackson's Let It Be Christmas.

11. Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites

"I Really Don't Hate Christmas" is probably my favorite Christmas song. Thank you, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

12. An All-4-One Christmas

What? Sometimes, you just want a New Jack Swing Christmas.

Hoopla also streams video. Check out 12 Christmas specials you can watch on Hoopla right now for free if you have a Mentor Library card.

The best documentaries and videos for commemorating Veterans Day

Mentor Veterans Memorial

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, ebooks, audiobooks and music even when the library’s buildings are closed.

Also, Hoopla has 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.

1) 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.

2) You're the Enemy—Welcome Back! (46 min) Not Rated

Forty years after the end of the war, a few brave American veterans have returned to the place their country devastated. The amazing forgiveness and optimism of the Vietnamese people as they welcome these former enemies with open arms is the most potent form of therapy for the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and the guilt which made the lives of many veterans so difficult when they returned home.

3) Comedy Warriors (84 min) Not Rated

Four professional comedians (Zach Galifianakis, Bob Saget, B.J. Novak and Lewis Black), work with five wounded veterans (Stephen Rice, Darisse Smith, Rob Jones, Bobby Henline and Joe Kashnow) to hone their stand-up acts. This documentary shows healing power of humor.

4) The Ghost Army (60 min) Not Rated

From PBS: War, deception and art come together in this astonishing true story of American G.I.s who tricked the enemy with rubber tanks, sound effects and carefully crafted illusions during World War II. This remarkable tale of a top-secret mission that was at once absurd, deadly and amazingly effective is told through the stories of the veterans, many of whom—like Bill Blass and Ellsworth Kelly—would go on to have illustrious careers in art, design and fashion.

5) D-Day: The Price of Freedom (54 min) Not Rated

Five D-Day veterans return to Normandy and revisit the locations they landed on June 6, 1944, sharing their own very personal stories of war. This documentary won Emmy Awards for writing and photography.

6) The Battle for the Midway (50 min) TVPG

One thousand miles from anywhere lay a lonely outpost of coral and sea called Midway. It was here in 1942 where the U.S. and Japan fought one of the greatest naval battles of World War II that changed the course of history. And it is here again where Titanic discoverer Dr. Robert Ballard now leads a team of experts and four World War II veterans on the voyage of their lives. They're on a race against time to do the impossible: find at least one of the five downed aircraft carriers. Join them as they pay their final respects to their fallen comrades.

7) World War II: Saving the Reality (55 min) Not Rated

This documentary tells the story of an individual who owns the largest private collection of World War II artifacts in the world. More than 50 interviews with veterans and survivors of the war help tell the story of the meaning of the over 7,000 individual items in the collection of Kenneth W. Rendell.

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.

12) Vietnam: 50 Years Remembered (seven episodes, each 50 min) TVPG

This 7-part documentary series tells the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Featuring personal stories from veterans and detailing the battles, strategy, and politics of a war that consumed multiple U.S. Presidents. Vietnam: 50 Years Remembered is a chronicle of the tragedy that tested the strength of our country and forever changed the social and political landscape of the world.

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 Hoopla, we've created an explanatory video.

A Very Hoopla Halloween

Check out some of our favorite Halloween videos for free with Hoopla and your MPL card.

Looking for a spooky movie, ebook or audiobook for Halloween?

Mentor Public Library has you covered. You don't even need to visit one of our branches to browse the hundreds of Halloween selections available from our digital selections.

For example, Hoopla has video, music and books that you can check out right now, including:

• Dozens of scary stories from authors like Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe that you can stream anywhere (as well as some slightly less scary stories if you're looking for something for kids)
• Twenty classic Goosebumps audiobooks from R.L. Stine
• Halloween videos for kids and terrifying films that are very much not for children
• And even music for your Halloween party.

Here are a few of our favorites. (And, remember, you can check out up to 10 albums, videos, ebooks or audiobooks from Hoopla each month.)

1. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead: It's a movie about a play based on another play (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead) which is based on another play (Hamlet.) Also, there are vampires.
2. The Wiggles: Wiggly Halloween: Need a kid-friendly Halloween video? You can trust the Wiggles.
3. Stonehearst Asylum: Based on an Edgar Allan Poe short story, this movie tells the tale of an asylum where it's impossible to tell the patients from the staff. Starring Kate Beckinsale, Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley.
4. A Very Brave Witch: A short, kid-friendly story about a witch who wants to see what Halloween's all about. Based on the Alison McGhee picture book.
5. The Crazies: A reinvention of the George Romero classic. A vat of chemicals in the drinking water transforms an idyllic, rural town into a murderous free-for-all.
6. Alligator X: It's a horror story starring an enormous, prehistoric monster billed as "the T-Rex of the ocean." What more do you need?
7. Room on the Broom: From the creators of The Gruffalo. A gang of animals cooperate to save a friendly witch from a scary (but not too scary) dragon after she shows them kindness.
8. Bride of Frankenstein: The Boris Karloff classic, one of the most popular horror films of all time.
9. The Sisterhood of the Night: A modern horror story about three girls who slip off the social-media grid and create a mysterious sisterhood that's invitation-only and protected by a vow of silence.
10. Mind of a Rampage Killer: Scary for a completely different reason than anything else on this list. The PBS special discusses the combination of circumstances that compel someone to commit the most inhumane of crimes.

Check out Hoopla and the rest of our digital services for more free movies, music, ebooks, eaudiobooks and more.

Read DC, Vertigo, Dark Horse & Image comics for free on Hoopla

Read Neil Gaiman's Sandman and more for free on Hoopla.

We've talked about Hoopla before. It's a cool digital service we offer that lets you stream music, TV shows and movie anywhere and at any time for free.

It's also gradually accumulated one of the best comics collections that you can read for free.

We've mentioned Hoopla's comics offerings previously; but, since then, they've added comics from DC, Vertigo, Image and Dark Horse to their collection. That means you can read some of the best comics ever written and drawn from the comfort of your home (or anywhere else.)

Here are 10 of our favorites from their collection—which, not to belabor the point, you can now read for free.

1. Sandman: I don't think I'm exaggerating when I call this the most celebrated comic series ever. The stories of Dream and his ageless siblings won't just change the way you look at sequential art. They'll change your perception of everything from Shakespeare to Thor to Death herself.
2. Invincible: Every comic writer is trying to create the next Spider-Man, the snarky teen hero with great power and greater responsibility. Robert Kirkman, with Invincible, comes closer to recreating the magic than anyone else. (You may have heard of Kirkman's other series, Walking Dead, which is, by the way, also available on Hoopla.)
3. Fables: What if Snow White, the Big Bad Wolf, Little Boy Blue, Cinderella, Pinocchio and all their other fairy-tale friends were living undercover in New York? Judging by Bill Willingham's opus, Fables, it would be endlessly entertaining.
4. Hellboy: Hellboy takes the story of Ragnarok (an unavoidable apocalypse) a step farther. Now, not only is the end of the world coming, it will be the hero Hellboy's fault. If that sounds depressing, then you'll be surprised how much humor Mike Mignola can fit into his story of well-intentioned (but doomed) misfits.
5. Y: The Last Man: Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra tell the story of Yorick, the last man on earth. During his odyssey, he tangles with pirates, secret agents, misanthropic biker gangs and an unhygienic monkey named Ampersand.
6. Saga: If you liked Y, double-down on Vaughan and read his epic about literal star-crossed lovers. Two fugitives from warring worlds fall in love and flee their respective governments (and a bunch of bounty hunters,) while trying to raise their infant girl.
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: You loved the show and weren't ready for it to end. Fortunately, the story continues in the comic. And there's no squabbling over what is or isn't canon, because the comics are overseen (and often written by) Joss Whedon himself.
8. Suicide Squad: Do your research now before the movie blows everyone away. Suicide Squad is the story of C-list villains forcibly enlisted into a government black-ops group. And, as you probably guessed from the title, the whole team almost never makes it back.
9. Watchmen: Not an exaggeration to call this one of the most important comics ever. Alan Moore wrote a story that changed how a generation perceived the violence, morals and "heroics" of superheroes. Watchmen and Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns forced comics to mature as a medium. They also happen to be really good stories.
10. Batman: The Long Halloween: The best Batman story ever. That's just my opinion and your mileage may vary, but you can read it for free to see if you agree.

Fair warning: As you probably gathered from some of these descriptions, these titles aren't all appropriate for your young ones. For the younger crowd, I'd recommend the Fraggle Rock or Adventure Time comics. (Both of which are also free on Hoopla.)

So get reading, and don't be shy about telling us your favorite reads on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Open the Disney vault with Hoopla

Hoopla just added a big chunk of everybody's childhood to its collection.

If you don't remember Hoopla, it's that cool digital service we offer that lets you read eBooks and comics, stream music and audiobooks, and watch TV shows and movie anywhere and at any time for free.

You can now stream a lot of Disney movies, music and more using Hoopla. (And it's still free with your Mentor Library card.) Check out some of the Disney classics, rarities and oddballs that Hoopla added to its library.

Movies

Let's get this out of the way. No, Frozen is not on Hoopla—not the film, at least, not yet.

No, right now Hoopla's great for finding that bit of forgotten freshness from your childhood.

Did you love Oliver & Company? The Sword in the Stone? Black Cauldron? Hoopla has them all.

Hoopla's Disney collection is especially kind to those who came of age in the 1990s. Did you sing along with Tevin Campbell while watching A Goofy Movie? Did you enjoy the Ducktales, Recess and Doug movies? You can watch them all right now for free.

Hoopla also has cult favorite Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. Depending on whom you are, that either doesn't matter to you or is the single most important thing you'll learn all day. (She's blind and rides a horse off a high dive!)

Hoopla also has some cool Disney documentaries, including the environmentally minded Sacred Planet and Trail of the Panda.

Animation buffs will love Frank & Ollie—a documentary about Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two of Disney's most famous artists—and The Hand Behind the Mouse, the story of Mickey Mouse's other creator, Ub Iwerks.

Music

Pretty much all of the classic Disney soundtracks are available to stream on Hoopla: Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Sleeping Beauty, Jungle Book, and, yes, Frozen.

There are also more Princess compilations than you can shake a scepter at. The best of the batch is probably The Ultimate Song Collection.

It also has the soundtracks for Disney channel hits like High School Musical, Hannah Montana and the recently premiered Descendants.

You can also find Disney techno, country and jazz compilations. The jazz album, in particular, is splendid. (It's worth streaming just to listen to Esperanza Spaulding hum "Chim Chim Cher-ee.")

A lot of great singers and musicians have taken a shot at the Disney canon: Louis Armstrong, Brian Wilson, Los Lobos and more. You can listen to their takes for free.

Here's a pro tip. You're best bargain of the bunch is Disney Classics. (Remember, you can check out 10 items from Hoopla each month, so you want to get the most out of each checkout.) In one album, Disney Classics gives you nearly 100 songs that you've probably known by heart since you were 12. Borrow it before your next vacation, and it will become the soundtrack for your every road trip.

More

Hoopla also has a useful collection of Disney audiobooks based upon the novelizations of their films: Toy Story, Brave, Big Hero 6, Tangled, Frozen and more. They're great for car rides with the kids.

You can even stream episodes from all five seasons of Bill Nye the Science Guy.

That's a lot to watch, listen and love. Start wherever you like. Me, I'm rewatching Goofy Movie.

10 comics you can check out now on Hoopla

Remember Hoopla? That cool digital service we offer that lets you stream music, TV shows and movie anywhere and at any time for free?

It just got better.

You can now check out eBooks and comic books on your computers, phones and tablets too. (And, once again, it's all free with a Mentor Library card.)

Hoopla has hundreds of comic issues from dozens of titles in its collection. To help you get started, we're recommending 10 of our favorites.

1. Fraggle Rock: Journey to the Everspring

You remember Fraggle Rock, the glorious Jim Henson-created show with the Fraggles, Doozers, Gorgs and all-knowing Trash Heap. It's back in the form of sequential art.

All your favorite characters—Gobo, Wembley, Red, Mokey and Boober—must work together to find the legendary Everspring when Fraggle Rock runs dry.

2. Lumberjanes

Set in Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types, five of these hardcore lady types—Jo, April, Molly, Mal and Ripley—have to figure out the secret of their summer camp.

The story involves three-eyed foxes, holy kittens and mysterious bearwomen; but, if I had to sum it up in four words it would be FRIENDSHIP TO THE MAX!

3. Adventure Time

The adventures of young hero Finn and his shapeshifting dog-brother Jake have transcended the television. You can now follow their travails in the magical, post-apocalyptic land of Ooo via comic book.

Give it a read. It's mathematical. (Personal favorite: Marceline Gone Adrift where our heroes must find a freshly intergalactic vampire queen.)

4. Garfield

If you can't get enough of the lasagna-loving, Monday-loathing, Odie-taunting, owner-tormenting fat cat from his multiple television shows and movies, then there's always the comics.

Fair warning: This cat has not softened toward either Mondays or Nermal since you last saw him.

5. Doctor Who

If you are a Dr. Who aficionado, then decades of BBC programming and a dozen doctors aren't enough. You want as many stories in as many formats as you can get.

With this comic, you can follow the tenth through 12th doctors through anywhere in time and space.

6. Angel

Joss Whedon's Angel ended the Buffy-verse on a frustrating cliffhanger; but, through the magic of sequential art, the story can continue. Most of the comics are written or co-written by Whedon himself.

7. Peanuts

Charles M. Schultz may no longer be with us, but his stories about Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Sally and, of course, Snoopy will be with us forever.

8. Rocketeer

The Rocketeer feels like a franchise that should have happened. There were so many stories to tell with that character in that universe.

Fortunately, we have comics to continue the tale that began in the cinema.

9. Ghostbusters

Speaking of which...

With all due respect to the upcoming Ghostbusters films, if you want more stories about Dr. Venkman, Stantz and Spengler, then your best bet is the Erik Burnham-penned comics.

10. Jim Henson's Storytellers

Let's conclude with another story that began in the imagination of Jim Henson, specifically his Storytellers anthology.

The television show turned to mythology for inspiration. However, the comic takes a different tactic by retelling famous tales of witches.

Give it a read. You'll be enthralled by the pretty art, masterful storytelling and unorthodox design.

Streaming Christmas Music with Hoopla

Do you need some Christmas music to set the mood for your all-day gift-wrapping marathon?

We have you covered.

With Hoopla and your Mentor Library card, you can stream up to 10 different albums for free each month. And they have an enormous catalog of Christmas music from which you can choose.

Here are some of your favorites, but feel free to browse around the Hoopla site and see what they have.

(By the way, if you don’t know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.)

1. White Christmas (40 Unforgettable Classics)

There are hundreds of Christmas compilations with different legends singing different standards. This is one of the best. You want Bing Crosby and Billie Holiday? You want Peggy Lee and Elvis? You want "White Christmas" and "Ave Maria?" This album has you covered—40 classics from the artists you want to hear sing them.

2. The Ultimate Motown Christmas

The Jackson 5 singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Stevie Wonder singing "Ave Maria," The Supremes singing "Joy to the World," Four Tops, Johnny Gill, Marvin Gaye, even the Funk Brothers playing "Winter Wonderland"—after all, it's not Christmas without some soul. Speaking of which, Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle also have Christmas albums you can stream via Hoopla.

3. Bing Crosby Sings Christmas Songs

For a generation, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the Christmas song, but Bing has more classics than that in his catalog. Hear him sing everything from "Adeste Fideles" to "The Christmas Song." And if you're in the mood for a Rat Pack Christmas, check out holiday albums from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the whole gang.

4. Muppet Christmas Carol: Special Edition

I'm not saying the Muppets own Christmas, but you could make a pretty awesome holiday playlist just using Muppets soundtracks.

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas

The only downside to listening to Vince Guaraldi's classic soundtrack is you won't be able to get "Linus and Lucy" out of your head for a couple of days. You're probably humming it already. If you're looking for other kid-friendly Christmas albums, try Veggie Tales' A Very Veggie Christmas.

6. Christmastime in Larryland

Meanwhile, this one's definitely not for the kids. But sometimes you just want to hear Larry the Cable Guy fart "Jingle Bells." If you need more blue-collar Christmas, Bill Engvall has you covered.

7. Christmas with the Ray Brown Trio

Ray Brown's been playing bass longer than most people have been doing anything, and this album's perfect for jazz fans who will snap if they hear "Run, Run Rudolph" one more time. For more Christmas jazz, check out Ray Brown's old bandmate Oscar Peterson.

8. This Is Christmas (Elvis Presley Performing Timeless Christmas Classics)

If Bing owns "White Christmas," then nobody sang "Blue Christmas" like the King. He also has a beautiful version of "Peace in the Valley."

9. Bach: Advent & Christmas Cantatas

For lovers of classical music or for those who need background music during Christmas dinner. More classical Christmas: The Royal Philharmonic take on seasonal standards.

10. Christmas Grass Too

A sweet compilation of bluegrass Christmas songs that includes Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, the Larkins and more. For more Christmas country, try Alan Jackson's Let It Be Christmas.

11. Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites

"I Really Don't Hate Christmas" is probably my favorite Christmas song. Thank you, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

12. An All-4-One Christmas

You'll know almost exactly how old I am if I admit that I used to have this on cassette.

Hoopla also streams video. Check out 12 Christmas specials you can watch on Hoopla right now for free if you have a Mentor Library card.

12 Christmas Specials You Can Watch for Free on Hoopla

In the mood to watch something seasonal but don't feel like leaving home today?

That's not a problem. With Hoopla, you can stream more than 300,000 audiobooks, movies and albums to your phone, tablet or computer anywhere at anytime. And it's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

Here are 12 different Christmas movies and TV episodes that you can start streaming now.

1. Madeline's Christmas

All lists that can include Madeline's Christmas should, including lists about holiday specials, beloved children's literature characters, and pandemics.

There's not a whole lot of plot to Madeline's Christmas (but since when has Madeline been about things happening.) Basically, Madeline must take care of her classmates who have fallen ill around holiday time.

That's right. Any cartoon character can save Christmas! Madeline saves the holiday and cures the common cold. Is there anything this adorable moppet can't do?

2. The Office (UK)—BBC Special

No, not the one with the Yankee swap. This is the original British The Office—the one that inspired the American variant and made Ricky Gervais your favorite comedian's favorite comedian.

This isn't just a Christmas special. It's also the finale. Can David Brent (Gervais as the pre-Michael Scott entertainer/boss) find a date in time for the office Christmas party? And will Dawn and Tim—the British versions of Pam and Jim, but you probably figured that out—make it work?

3. The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas

Ready to have yourself a Munster little Christmas?

Eddie is missing Transylvania so the rest of his family rallies around him in this holiday Munsterpiece.

4. Archie's Weird Mysteries, The Christmas Phantom

Speaking of holiday monsters...

We'll forgive you if you've never heard of Archie's Weird Mysteries. Simply put, some television executive thought it would be a good idea to turn the Riverdale gang into the Scooby-Doo Crew.

Consequently, in this series, Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead solve mysteries with a supernatural twist. It's every bit as awful/awesome as it sounds.

If you want a seasonal sampling, check out The Christmas Phantom. It's the best Christmas special about a specter lurking in a department store that we've ever seen.

5. The Night Before Christmas

Or if you're looking for something more traditional, you can watch as Anthony Edwards narrates this Christmas classic.

6. Strawberry Shortcake, Berry Merry Christmas

Just when you thought this shortcake couldn't get any sweeter, she made a Christmas special.

Get ready for some adorable. Strawberry Shortcake and her friends make Madeline look like Edgar Allan Poe.

7. Christmas with the Addams Family

Uncle Fester gets stuck in the chimney while dressed as Santa. That's all you needed to know, right?

8. The Story of Christmas

Christmas isn't just about mystery-solving teenagers and princess-saving plumbers. (Oh, we'll get to the Mario Christmas special later.) It's not just about Santa Claus or talking snowmen either.

The Story of Christmas recounts the tale of Jesus's birth simply and sweetly. Watch it with your kids if they start to forget the reason for the season.

9. Bah Humduck! A Looney Christmas

There are hundreds of iterations on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but this is the only one with Plucky Duck.

Ergo, it must also be the best. (Though we also acknowledge the awesomeness of A Muppet Christmas Carol.)

10. Christmas Kiss

Consider this the obligatory romantic comedy option.

On second thought, maybe you'd be better off borrowing one of our copies of Love Actually.

11. Franklin's Magic Christmas

Franklin's having a difficult Christmas. His grandpa's sick, Faraway Farm is snowed in, and his sister Harriet is driving him crazy.

I wonder if the holiday will teach him any special lessons about appreciating his younger sibling.

12. Super Mario World, The Night Before Cave Christmas

As is probably obvious by now, we have an enormous soft spot for Christmas specials that border on the ridiculous.

And what can be more ridiculous than Christmas with Mario and Luigi, especially when Mario is trying to stop King Koopa from stealing a bunch of cavemen's Christmas gifts?

Nothing. There is a not a single thing that can be more ridiculous than that.

If you want to watch any of these videos but don't know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.

And check out Mentor Public Library for more awesome holiday books, movies and music.

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.

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.

Mentor Public Library adds OverDrive streaming video

Mentor Public Library has added another way for you to enjoy streaming videos.

Now anyone with a MPL card can stream videos via OverDrive to their smartphones, tablets and computers.

If you browse OverDrive’s video collection, you'll find everything from The Adventures of Paddington Bear to cooking classes to award-winning foreign films and documentaries.

You can “check out” as many as five videos at a time and stream them at their convenience for the next three days. All videos will automatically expire at the end of the lending period so there are no late fees.

You can stream video on iPhones, iPad, Androids and any other mobile device that supports HTML5. Here's link to a step-by-step explanation from MPL Librarian Mary Pelton how to use the new streaming service.

(One note: Streaming video can consume a lot of data; so, if you have a data cap on your mobile plan, you should use a Wi-Fi connection when streaming.)

By the way, this new streaming service isn't replacing Hoopla or IndieFlix. You can still stream movies and music from Hoopla and watch feature-length and short films from film festivals all around the world with IndieFlix.

And I know I've said this before but it bears repeating: All of these digital services and more are available for free with a Mentor Public Library card. 

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.

Nine Christmas Specials You Can Watch for Free on Hoopla

The last time we talked about Hoopla, we were suggesting options for your Thanksgiving soundtrack.

Hoopla, in case you don't know, is the digital streaming service with more than 300,000 audiobooks, movies and albums that's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

Now we're listing nine different Christmas movies and TV episodes that you can stream onto your computers, tablets and smartphones.

Spend your Christmas with Madeline.

1. Madeline's Christmas
All lists that can include Madeline's Christmas should, including lists about holiday specials, beloved children's literature characters, and pandemics.

There's not a whole lot of plot to Madeline's Christmas (but since when has Madeline been about things happening.) Basically, Madeline must take care of her classmates who have fallen ill around holiday time.

That's right. Any cartoon character can save Christmas! Madeline saves the holiday and cures the common cold. Is there anything this adorable moppet can't do?

2. The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas
Ready to have yourself a Munster little Christmas?

Eddie is missing Transylvania so the rest of his family rallies around him in this holiday Munsterpiece.

3. Archie's Weird Mysteries, The Christmas Phantom
Speaking of holiday monsters...

We'll forgive you if you've never heard of Archie's Weird Mysteries. Simply put, some television executive somewhere thought it would be a good idea to turn the Riverdale gang into the Scooby-Doo Crew.

Consequently, in this series, Archie, Betty, Veronica and Jughead solve mysteries with a supernatural twist. It's every bit as awful/awesome as it sounds.

If you want a seasonal sampling, check out The Christmas Phantom. It's the best Christmas special about a specter lurking in a department store that we've ever seen.

4. The Night Before Christmas
Or if you're looking for something more traditional, you can watch as Anthony Edwards narrates this Christmas classic.

5. Strawberry Shortcake, Berry Merry Christmas
Just when you thought this shortcake couldn't get any sweeter, she made a Christmas special.

Get ready for some adorable. Strawberry Shortcake and her friends make Madeline look like Edgar Allan Poe.

6. The Story of Christmas
Christmas isn't just about mystery-solving teenagers and princess-saving plumbers. (Oh, we'll get to the Mario Christmas special later.) It's not just about Santa Claus or talking snowmen either.

The Story of Christmas recounts the tale of Jesus's birth simply and sweetly. Watch it with your kids if they start to forget the reason for the season.

7. Bah Humduck! A Looney Christmas
There are hundreds of iterations on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but this is the only one with Plucky Duck.

Ergo, it must also be the best. (Though we also acknowledge the awesomeness of A Muppet Christmas Carol.)

8. Christmas Kiss
Consider this the obligatory romantic comedy option.

On second thought, maybe you'd be better off borrowing one of our copies of Love Actually.

9. Super Mario World, The Night Before Cave Christmas
As is probably obvious by now, we have an enormous soft spot for Christmas specials that border on the ridiculous.

And what can be more ridiculous than Christmas with Mario and Luigi, especially when Mario is trying to stop King Koopa from stealing a bunch of cavemen's Christmas gifts?

Nothing. There is a not a single thing that can be more ridiculous than that.

If you want to watch any of these videos but don't know how to use Hoopla, you can check out this video tutorial that one of our librarians made.

And check out Mentor Public Library for more awesome holiday books, movies and music.

Let Us Provide Your Thanksgiving Soundtrack

Our library is closed today, but we can still provide the soundtrack to your Thanksgiving.

Remember Hoopla? It's the digital streaming service with more than 300,000 audiobooks, movies and albums that's free with your Mentor Public Library card.

So if you have a library card and a phone, computer or tablet, then we can provide you with the music for your family dinner. (Until the game comes on, then everybody leaves for the living room anyhow.)

You can stream whatever you want: classical, piano hymns, Motown standards, classic rock, even something for the kids table.

Hoopla also has something for those who are celebrating Hanukkah tonight.

And if you're already jonesing for some Christmas music, Hoopla has that too.

And if you're stuck at an airport or in the car today, Hoopla even has some Thanksgiving-themed audiobooks.

We wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving. (Don't try to deep fry a frozen turkey!) We're thankful for each and every one of you, and we'll see you again Friday.

By the way, if you're having a little trouble sorting out how to use Hoopla, MPL Librarian Mary Pelton made a how-to video that you can follow. (Just keep one eye on the stove while you're watching it.)

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.