Historic first family visiting Mentor Public Library

There have been 44 presidents of the United States.

And Mentor can claim the unique distinction of being one of those president’s hometowns, specifically President James A. Garfield.

While it would require a séance to summon President Garfield and his wife Lucretia for a conversation, children can enjoy the next best thing at 7 p.m. Feb. 5, Wednesday, at Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch.

The historical recreationists of We Made History will have a special program for kids. Deborah Weinkamer and Edward Haney—as Lucretia and James Garfield, respectively—will talk about what it was like to be a presidential family.

Kids can also ask the Garfields questions, make a presidential craft and take a photo with the first family of Mentor.

“Mentor is one of the few communities that can boast about having a president who lived there,” said Kim Sidorick, the manager of Mentor Public Library’s Children’s Services Department. “The Garfields also have a tie to the library. It was founded by their descendants.”

Mentor Public Library will also hold a presidential scavenger hunt in its Children’s Department starting Monday, Feb. 3.

Kids can search the library, looking for clues based on President Garfield’s life. Those who complete the scavenger hunt can pick up a small prize at the children’s services desk in the library’s Main Branch after the First Family program on Feb. 5.

Children who wish to sign up for the First Family program can do so by calling the Mentor Public Library at (440) 255-8811 ext. 221 or by registering on Mentor Library's website.

Author holding writing workshop for teens at Mentor Public Library

Rachele Alpine

Teens who like to write will have a special opportunity this Saturday, Feb. 1, at Mentor Public Library.

Rachele Alpine—the author of the Young Adult novel, Canary—will host a writers workshop especially for teens from 1 to 3 p.m. at the library’s Main Branch.

Everyone who registers for the workshop will also get a free copy of Canary. Alpine’s book tells the story of Kate Franklin, a teenage girl who is sexually assaulted by a popular student-athlete and then told by her father to keep it a secret.

We talked to Alpine in anticipation of her workshop.

1. What made you want to be a writer?

I've always loved words. I can’t remember a time when I wasn't surrounded by books or telling stories to people. I have always been the type of person who wonders, “what if?” Writing allows me to explore that question and create worlds where I can answer it.

2. Why is the story of Canary special to you?

Canary actually started as a project I did in undergrad about 12 years ago. I was an education major, and we had to research a topic that was a problem in schools or among teenagers. I chose sexual harassment and assault.

Instead of presenting the findings in a standard research, my teacher had us create a multi-genre paper. This is a more creative way of sharing your work by using poetry, short stories, pictures, song lyrics, comments and other artistic elements.

One of the poems in my piece told that story about a girl who was afraid to speak up about what was going on in her school. It was this poem that stuck with me and I kept going back to year after year. It felt like a story that needed to be told.

When I sat down to write Canary, I went back to this poem as inspiration. The coolest thing is that the poem ended up in the final copy of the book.

3. What do you hope the teens who come to your writing workshop will get out of it? 

I want teens to leave the workshop full of new ideas, story starts, and an excitement for writing. We’ll be doing a variety of writing exercises to get their creative juice flowing and keep them writing well beyond the workshop.

I’m also looking forward to talking with them about publishing, everything that goes into getting your book onto the shelves, and answering any questions they might have about writing.

4. What is the best writing advice you ever received? 

The best advice I ever received was to read as much as I can (anything and everything because books are your best teachers) and to write every single day. It doesn't matter whether what you’re writing is good. You just want to get into the habit of creating new words each and every day.

5. Canary is, in part, about a young girl who is scared to tell her story? Why is it important that young people tell their stories--either through writing or other means? 

It is so important to get your story out and never have your voice silenced. No matter how hard it is, someone is going to listen. It’s through stories that people find understanding, strength and inspiration. We need to tell our stories because if we don’t, who will?

Teens can register for Alpine’s writing workshop by calling the Mentor Public Library at (440) 255-8811 ext. 215 or on the library’s website.

People can learn more about Alpine and her writing at www.rachelealpine.com.

Progressive's Charlene Long offers 10 tips for job hunters

Charlene Long, the Talent Acquisition Specialist for Progressive Insurance, kicked off our monthly Career Coffee Talks Thursday.

The talks are organized by Ohio Means Jobs Lake County and we host them at our Main Branch.

Long offered a lot of great advice for people who are working on their resume or preparing for a job interview.

While we can't recapitulate verbatim all her helpful suggestions, here are 10 of her best tips—five for resumes and five for job interviews.

Tips for resume writers

1. When drafting your resume, think about he company to which you're applying and the job that you want.

Don't write that your objective is to be a manager if you're not applying for a management position. (Likewise, if immediately being a manager is important to you, then maybe you shouldn't apply for that job.)

2. Don't feel the need to make a resume one page, but make sure everything on the resume is relevant.

Along those lines, what's relevant information for one potential job might be irrelevant for another.

3. Make sure your resume tells your story.

If you have gaps in employment, don't be shy about explaining them. (You don't have to get too specific. You can always say "personal reasons," Long said.)

Also, on a related note, you probably did more than you realize during your gaps in employment. If you volunteered or got any training, make sure to include that. It helps tell your story.

4. Keep your resume free of spelling and grammatical errors.

Spelling and grammar gaffes upset some people more than others. Some folks will ignore them if they think a person is, otherwise,a strong candidate. But for some people, it's an automatic disqualification.

Err on the safe side and don't make any spelling errors.

5. To write a cover or not to write a cover letter?

Long acknowledged that cover letters don't always get read. However, depending on circumstances, they can also be a difference maker.

"When we do read them, we depend on them to learn your motivation for the job.

Tips for job interviewees

6. If you put in time to prepare, you'll be much better off.

Research the company beforehand. No what questions you want to ask, which brings us to our next point.

7. Ask questions.

Ask about the culture of the company. Ask about the expectations of the job. (Don't ask about salary yet. Save that for when they make a job offer.)

You're interviewing them too.

Also, bring a pen and pad to the interview.

You don't have to record everything they say, but you should at least jot down the answers they provide to your questions.

8. When the interviewers ask you a question, answer with a specific example.

For example, if they ask how you dealt with an angry customer, don't say, "I would do that a lot." Say "I did..."

9. If you're on a phone interview, focus on the interview.

Long had some horror stories.

"You hear the flush," she said.

10. Thank the interviewer afterward.

It's OK to thank them via email.

The next Career Coffee talk is Feb. 20 at Mentor Public Library's Main Branch. the speaker will be from Lake Health. You can register for it here.

Progressive offering advice to job seekers at Mentor Public Library

Did you resolve to find a better job this year or are you trapped in what seems like an endless job hunt?

Either way, we want to help.

We've partnered with Ohio Means Jobs Lake County to host a series of monthly career coffee talks at our Main Branch.

The talks are designed to help people get the tools they need to help them find the career they want.

The first talk will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23; and the speaker will be Charlene Long, the Talent Acquisition Specialist for Progressive Insurance.

She’ll offer advice on what companies like Progressive are looking for in prospective employees.

This talk is also free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. Just come in, get some coffee and hear some advice that just might change your life.

Studio MPL kids practice their inking

Last time the Studio MPL kids got together, they made a bit of a mess. (That's what happens when you channel Jackson Pollock.)

This Monday, our art club for kids practiced their inking and penwork; so the work was cleaner but no less impressive.

Don't believe me? Check out the photos:

Don't be distracted by the fuzzy purple hood or the green sequin bow. Gavyn's doing some precise inkwork.

Kaylee concentrates on her inking.

Caleb confers with Ms. Judy.

Studio MPL is open to any child from first through fifth grade. Next month's session will be Feb. 17at our Main Branch. You can register for it here.

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

The Return of Paws to Read

It's been three months since we posted any photos from Paws to Read, our monthly program that pairs young readers with trained therapy dogs.

If your child can read independently but doesn't like to do it in front of other people, you might try signing them up for Paws to Read. (Especially if your son or daughter is also a dog lover.)

The next session is slated for Feb. 19 at our Main Branch and registration for it begins on Feb. 5.

Registration fills up quickly, so contact the children's department at Mentor Public Library soon if you think you child could benefit from Paws to Read.

There is often a waiting list for the program once registration begins.

Cara reads "How do Dinosaurs Go to School?" to Kody.

Haylee rests her head while Ella reads to her.

Nick scratches Caesar's belly as he reads.

Taylor reads "Pete the Cat" to Hannah.

For more information on Paws to Read and other children’s programs at Mentor Public Library call (440) 255-8811 ext. 221 or log on to www.mentorpl.org.

And for more photos from our most recent Paws to Read session, visit our Facebook page.

7 Tips for Setting & Sticking to a Healthy New Year's Resolution

Cori Kitaura of the Lake County General Health District visited the library Wednesday to talk about some of the ways people can stick to their New Year's resolutions to be healthier.

Some people want to lose weight. Others want to eat better. Some just want to feel fitter.

Either way, Kitaura offered seven tips (via Cleveland Foodbank) that can help. Those tips are:

1. Make a specific goal. Don't just say you want to exercise more. Specify how many days a week you're going to exercise and for how long.

2. Phrase your goals positively. Don't say, "I want to eat less junk food." Say that you want to eat more fruits and vegetables.

3. Write your goals down. Then put them in a place where you can't ignore them: your wallet, your bed stand, as the background on your computer.

4. Be reasonable with yourself. It's good to have big goals, but make sure you give yourself small goals on the way to your big ones. Don't try to do everything at once. All you'll do is overwhelm yourself.

5. Tell your friends about your goals. This (like Tip #3) is another way to keep yourself accountable. Also, the more people you tell, the more support you will have.

6. Forgive yourself if you make a slip-up. You can miss one workout or eat one chocolate bar and the world won't collapse. Lifestyle changes take time.

7. Quality over quantity. Just set one or two goals and focus on them. If you stretch yourself too thin, you'll stress yourself out and that might do more harm than good.

Here's a weekly meal planner that may help you with your resolutions.

The LCGHD will return to our Main Branch on Feb. 5 to talk about heart healthy diets. As always, the talk is free and open to the public. You can register for it here.

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

Cleveland storyteller shares stories from the city's gilded age

"Our mission is to make Clevelanders more proud of Cleveland through its great history."

That's what storyteller Dan Ruminski said before his talk on the families of Millionaire's Mile Monday.

Ruminski told his stories to a packed house at our Main Branch; but, if you missed his talk, that doesn't mean you have to miss his stories.

You can still buy Ruminski's book, Cleveland in the Gilded Age, from his website. The book costs $20 and part of the proceeds go the Willoughby Rotary Autism Project, which purchases iPads for children with autism.

We had the chance to interview Ruminski before his talk Monday. See what he had to say about Cleveland, its history and the power of stories.

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

This Week in Adorable: Our American Girl Book Club Makes a Quilt

Our American Girl Book Club had its first meeting of the year last Wednesday.

They met Kirsten, worked together to make a quilt and played pick-up sticks.

But why talk about it when I can show you the pictures?

Isabella Glauser and Sushmita Rajan arrange different fabrics to see how they want to design their quilt squares

Bela Moore layers her fabric swatches.

The girls worked together to make their quilt.

Katie Klepcyk signs her finished quilt square.

Abby Colbow puts the finishing touches on her square.

Jacquelyn Minich and Isabella play pick-up stick when they're finished with their quilt.

The book club will meet Marie Grace and Cecile during its next meeting on Feb. 5.

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

You can register your child for the book club on our web site or by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221.

Notes from a Civil War Battlefield

Fort Sumter, 1861, courtesy of Wikipedia

Rangers and volunteers from the James A. Garfield National Historic Site have been hosting a monthly series of talks about the battles of the Civil War at the Mentor Public Library.

On Wednesday, Park Ranger Scott Longert took library patrons on an armchair tour of Civil War battle sites.

It would be impossible to repeat everything Longert said, so I'm just going to hit you with one interesting/funny/unbelievable fact from each battle field.

1. Bull Run—This is the battlefield where General Barnard Bee bestowed a famous nickname on General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

Watching Jackson's troops fight, Bee said, "Look, men, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer."

However, some civil war experts have suggested that Bee meant his comment (at least partly) as a jibe. He was implying that Jackson was a "stone wall" because he was taking too long to move his troops.

2. Shiloh—The Battle of Shiloh was a resounding victory for the Confederacy and one of Ulysses Grant's lowest ebbs as a general.

The Union certainly lost that day but the question has always been, "Did they lose (at least partly) because Grant was drunk and, thus, unfit to command?"

The South ambushed the Union soldiers that morning and Grant was late to appear on the battlefield. Grant's opponents—mostly those in the North—claimed it was because Grant was inebriated.

However, others have claimed it was because Grant was nursing an injury after falling from his horse.

3. Fort Sumter—At the onset of the Civil War, only 65 Northern soldiers manned Fort Sumter even though the fort was designed for a garrison of 650.

Consequently, the Union soldiers never had much of a chance of defending the fort. But only one Union soldier died during the battle that began the Civil War. (The number of Union casualties doubled during the surrender ceremony.)

Fifty-two Confederate soldiers died at Fort Sumter during the span of the war. Slaves were killed while working there, as well, but we don't know how many.

4. Gettysburg—I've already written at length about the Battle of Gettysburg; so, as to avoid redundancy, I want to highlight a modern addition to the Gettysburg National Park.

If you visit the park, make certain to see the Gettysburg Cyclorama. It is a circular, 37-foot high, 377-foot long depiction of Pickett's Charge.

It was painted by the French artist Paul Philippoteaux and is absolutely breathtaking.

5. Appomattox Court House—One short anecdote about General Robert Lee's surrender.

Apparently, Lee was very put out during the surrender (and not for the obvious reasons.) While the Confederate general had worn his best outfit for the ceremony, General Grant wore muddy boots and looked like he had slept in his clothes.

Lee was irritated by the Union general's lack of decorum.

The James A. Garfield National Historic Site's next Civil War talk will be noon on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Mentor Public Library's Main Branch. The topic will be art inspired by the war. It's free and open to the public.

Ohio Means Jobs & The Reserves Network hosting job fair at Mentor Library

Ohio Means Jobs Lake County and The Reserves Network are teaming for a job fair to help people find both temporary and long-term employment.

The fair will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Jan. 17, at Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch.

The Mentor branch of The Reserve Network helps match people to positions throughout Lake County and parts of Geauga County. Those positions from packing and assembly to machine operation and inspection.

The Reserve Network has immediate needs for labor candidates with industrial skills, including CNC machinists, machine operators and assembly. General-labor positions are also available.

The job fair is open to everyone and no registration is necessary. Job seekers should bring a resume and two forms of identification. They should also be professionally dressed and prepared to interview.

With the aim of helping job seekers, Ohio Means Jobs Lake County has also partnered with Mentor Public Library to host a series of monthly career coffee talks at our Main Branch.

The talks are designed to help people get the tools they need to help them find the career they want. The first talk will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23.

The speaker will be Charlene Long, the Talent Acquisition Specialist for Progressive. She’ll offer advice on what companies like Progressive are looking for in prospective employees.

This talk is also free and open to the public. No registration is necessary.

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. 

Just Keep Fishing: Steelhead Tips from Gander Mountain

It may sound crazy to talk about fishing in the midst of a polar vortex; but it's supposed to be 52 degrees this Saturday, according to the 5-day forecast. (Ohio, am I right?)

Round here, that makes it steelhead weather.

When fishers talk about it being “the season,” they’re not talking about blizzards or frozen pipes. They’re talking about steelhead trout.

Lake County is one of the best places to catch steelhead in the state. The Chagrin and Grand Rivers both receive more than 90,000 yearlings annually.

But catching steelhead can be difficult for novice or even the experienced angler. Consequently, the Gander Mountain and Mentor Public Library are teaming for a seminar on the fly fishing steelhead this Thursday at the library’s Main Branch.

The experts from Gander Mountain will talk about the best places to find steelhead, what baits and lures work best, and offer some inside tips on making the most of the season. They will also go over the basics of fly fishing with gear and demonstrations.

The seminar is free and open to the public. However, people are asked to register beforehand. They can do so by calling the library at (440) 255-8811 ext. 214 or by visiting the library's website.

Mentor Public Library and the Gander Mountain in Mentor have been holding programs for hunting and outdoor enthusiasts since 2002. In the last two years, the experts from Gander Mountain have talked about urban deer hunting, the safe way to deep fry a turkey, fishing from a kayak and much more.

And they're not done. The library and Gander Mountain will continue the outdoor series in 2014.

They will have seminars on Lake Erie fishing, grilling, camping and tailgating later next year. All of those talks are free and open to anyone.

Thanks for the Can-Do Spirit

Sorry that we don't have better photos. It was COLD that day.

We want to thank everybody who donated during our annual Can Your Fines food drive.

Thanks to you, we were able to donate about 880 pounds of food to the food pantries at St. Gabriel and St. John Vianney on Monday.

That food, in turn, will go to families in the community that need it.

A good deed is its own reward, but we also waived nearly $700 in library fines to those who donated.

By the way, this 880 pounds is in addition to the 175 pounds of food you all donated to the Cleveland Food Bank during the Feed Ohio food drive in autumn.

Thanks again for your kindheartedness and generosity. You keep our community great.

Joe sorts the donations at the St. John Vianney Food Pantry.

Mentor Public Library starts writing club for kids

Mentor Public Library has a book club for children who love to read, a comics club for fans of sequential art and Studio MPL for kids who love every other kind of art.

But, until recently, it didn’t have a club for burgeoning writers. That’s why Judy Schulz, who you know as Ms. Judy from our Children's Department, started the Wordplay Creative Writing Club.

“I decided to start this monthly club after working with Lisa Layton on our Studio MPL programs and with Marilyn Weiss on our Comics Club,” Judy said. “The one area we don’t address is writing, but we have had several children who have mentioned that they write stories. I thought that a group like Wordplay could bring together the children who enjoy writing.”

Our writing club give the kids some creative ways to develop their interests.

“I plan to do some interactive word games, use story starters and prompts and provide time for the kids to share what they are working on if they choose to do so,” Judy said.

Wordplay’s first meeting will be 4:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at our Main Branch. After that, the club will meet the second Wednesday of every month.

The Wordplay Creative Writing Club is free and open to any kids in third through sixth grade.

However, the library asks that parents or guardians register their child for the program beforehand. They can do that by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221 or by visiting our website.

Our New Year's Resolutions for 2014

We've swept the confetti and picked up the balloons.

We've eaten our last Christmas cookie for about 11 months.

This morning, we had no holiday to observe—just driveways to shovel and trees to take down.

It's 2014. The holidays may be over, but that doesn't mean there's nothing left to celebrate.

Now we celebrate the ways in which we will make ourselves better this year.

What was your New Year's Resolution? Even if you don't make resolutions, what do you want to accomplish this year?

Do you want to get fitter? Find a better job? Learn something new? Spend more time with your family? Mentor Public Library can help you do all those things and more.

And, yes, we have some resolutions this year too. We want to create young readers, stimulate your imagination, satisfy your curiosity, connect you to the online world, and help you find and understand the information you're looking for.

We're also resolving to read more. (We are, after all, a library.) And we hope you join us.

Over at our Main Branch, some of us will fill out stars with our Reading Resolutions—that is, the names and number of books we resolve to read in 2014.

You're all welcome to post your Reading Resolution at the library too. These stars will decorate the Main Branch's first floor.

You could even win a prize. All you have to do is check out a young adult or adult book at Mentor Public Library and bring the receipt to the reference desk at the Main Branch. That will enter you into our “Reading Resolution Raffle.”

You have all of January to enter the raffle. The winner will get a $25 gift certificate from Barnes & Noble.

But our biggest resolution (this year and every year) is to help you be the best possible you that you can be.

So whatever you want to do this year, come to Mentor Public Library. We'll help you do it.