Mentor Library kicks off summer reading with super party

Colt and Rusty help kick off summer reading at Mentor Library. This year's theme is "Every Hero Has a Story."

Thanks to everybody who helped us kick off our Summer Reading program on Saturday! (And sorry about the rain. I blame Thor.)

The party may have ended, but the fun has just begun and there's still plenty of time to sign up for summer reading.

And just a glance at our calendar shows you all the fun events and programs we have coming up.

Grant and Linsey take aim at supervillains during our Summer Reading kickoff party.

On Marvelous Mondays, kids can have fun with superhero crafts, games and experiments on the Read House lawn. Our first is June 8. Kids can come dressed as their favorite superhero.

On Thursday evenings, community heroes like nurses, police officers and firemen will join the library for special story times. After all, not all heroes wear capes. On June 11, a nurse will lead a teddy bear clinic.

The library will also be celebrating literary heroes like Junie B. Jones, Wimpy Kid and Dr. Seuss this summer. For example, kids can learn the power of positive thinking with Pete the Cat at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, at our Main Branch.

Tristan hulks up during our kickoff party.

We believe that reading is its own reward. However, kids can still receive prizes from us for reading or being read to. Every hour they read earns them a ticket in a raffle where they can win everything from telescopes and microscopes to Lego sets and Princess Powerful Barbie. If they read 20 hours this summer, they also receive a golden ticket in a raffle to win one of two $50 gift certificates from Toys 'R' Us.

Additionally, children who read or are read to up to 15 hours will receive a Library Champion lawn sign and window cling.

Matt tests his accuracy with a shield during our Captain America challenge.

We've talked a lot about kids here, but summer reading is for anyone who wants to stimulate their creativity and satisfy their curiosity.

Our summer reading program for teens is Unmask! and for adults is Escape the Ordinary. You can register for both the teen and adult programs online. (However, to apply for our children's program, you will have to come to one of our branches.)

Everyone who participates in the summer reading programs—either by reading books or attending library programs—has a chance to win prizes. The more someone reads, the better chance they have of winning.

For more information on Mentor Library’s summer reading program, call 440-255-8811 or visit Mentor Library’s website.

Natalie is really excited about the Hulk Smash.

For more photos from our Summer Reading kickoff, visit Mentor Library's Facebook page.

Let your mind wander, even if you’re staying home

Going anywhere?

That’s the first question people ask when they’re talking about summer vacation. Are you going to the beach? Out west? Buenos Aires? How are you making the most out of these few, fleeting moments of freedom?

So what do you do if you don’t have the time or money to travel?

Well, even if you’re body’s stuck at home, you can still let your mind wander.

Mentor Public Library has a summer packed with events and programs that are designed to satisfy your curiosity and stimulate your creativity.

For example, if you want to learn more about the most influential director in the history of cinema, come to our One Night with Orson Welles program at 6 p.m., Thursday, June 4, at Great Lakes Mall Atlas Cinemas. Want to listen to some new music? We’re hosting a free concert by folk duo Simple Gifts on Wednesday, July 29, at MPL’s Read House. Want to expand your food palate? Come to our Tasty Tuesday program and sample different balsamic vinegars and olive oils with the experts from the Olive and the Grape on June 30 at our Main Branch.

Maybe you want to know more about those superheroes who are lighting up the multiplexes. Come listen to comics scholar Valentino Zullo talk about the history of the Avengers at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, at the Main Branch.

Want to keep your kids’ minds’ active too? Two words: summer reading.

Everyone who participates in the summer reading programs—either by reading books or attending library programs—has a chance to win prizes. Those prizes include gift cards from Toys ‘R’ Us and Lake County Captains tickets, as well as gift cards from other local businesses. The more someone reads, the better chance they have of winning.

On Marvelous Mondays, kids can have fun with superhero crafts, games and experiments on the Read House lawn. On Thursday evenings, community heroes like nurses, police officers and firemen will join the library for special story times. The library will also be celebrating literary heroes like Junie B. Jones,Pete the Cat, Wimpy Kid and more.

Kids who read or are read to up to 15 hours will receive a Library Champion lawn sign and window cling.

Meanwhile, teens can compete in Clashing Controllers—the library’s video-game tournament for casual and hardcore gamers alike. It will be held on the third Wednesday of each month at the library’s Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch. Teens can also enjoy special programs like the Top Chef Challenge where they will team up to create new ice cream flavors at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at the Main Branch. Then they can face off during the Hunger Games Water Wars at 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, at the Read House. (Bring a towel.)

For more information on Mentor Library’s summer reading program, call 440-255-8811 or visit Mentor Library’s website.

So don’t let a lack of vacations keep your mind from traveling. Because your imagination can go wherever you want it to this summer.

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.

Paws-ing to Read this Summer at Mentor Library

There are few audiences as supportive as a canine. Diva listens to Noni read during Paws to Read at Mentor Library.

So you want to get your children involved in summer reading, but they're reticent readers.

Perhaps, it's difficult to motivate them or they simply get nervous when they have to read in front of an audience.

Have you considered having them read with a therapy dog? It's a supportive audience that only listens and never criticizes.

A lot of children become more confident and enthusiastic readers by participating in Mentor Library's Paws to Read program.

Caesar relaxes while listening to Alyssa.

Paws to Read pairs young readers (between the ages of six and 12 years old) with therapy dogs, who listen to the children as they read.

Registration for the June sessions start June 3. There will be two 30-minute sessions on June 17 at our Headlands Branch; one beginning at 6:30 p.m., the next at 7 p.m. We only have so many therapy dogs; so, unfortunately, there’s a limit on how many kids can participate each month.

Furthermore, those spots tend to fill up quickly, so contact the children’s department at Mentor Public Library soon if you think you child could benefit from Paws to Read.

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

Justice scratches Ruckus's ears neck between pages.

For more photos from Paws to Read, visit Mentor Library’s Facebook page.

$5 Book Sale at the Read House this Weekend

Buy as many books as you can fit into a bag for $5 this weekend at MPL's Read House.

The Friends of Mentor Public Library will hold a $5 bag sale at Mentor Library's Read House from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, May 23, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Sunday, May 24.

That means you can buy as many books—picture books, chapter books, fiction, nonfiction, whatever you want—for just five dollars.

Best of all, the money from these book sales go to support library programs and services, including:

• Summer reading programs
• Author visits
• Children’s story time and programs
• Teen programs

So visit the Read House, buy some cool books (for really cheap,) and help support the library.

And if you'd rather not spend money on books, that's fine. I know this cool place where you can borrow as many books as you want for free.

Young artists test their brains with Studio MPL

By turning common objects upside down, Leah transforms a familiar item into a series of unfamiliar shapes.

Studio MPL—Mentor Library’s art club for kids—tested the artistic and organizational parts of their brain on Monday, May 18.

They did this by drawing recognizable objects—hands, horses, even a Pablo Picasso painting—while the objects were flipped upside down.

“By turning them upside down, you transform a horse into a group of unfamiliar shapes instead of the familiar ‘horse,’” said Lisa Layton, the children’s associate from Mentor Public Library who oversees Studio MPL. “This forces you to use the organizational part of your brain when drawing it, instead of your artistic side.”

Mira recreates a Pablo Picasso painting with markers during Studio MPL, an art club for kids at Mentor Library.

Studio MPL meets on the third Monday of most months. Each month, students work on different art challenges, as well as their own projects. However, it will be on hiatus during the summer and shall return in September.

In the meantime, kids can participate in Mentor Library’s summer reading program. This year, the theme for children is “Every Hero Has a Story.” The kickoff party is May 30 at MPL’s Main Branch.

Kids can win fun prizes—up to the grand prize of a $50 gift certificate from Toys ‘R Us—just for reading (or being read to) and coming to fun programs at Mentor Public Library.

Colin starts sketching his superhero for MPL's "Every Hero has a Story" summer reading program.

To see more photos from Studio MPL, visit Mentor Library's Facebook page.

One Night with Orson Welles at Great Lakes Malls Atlas Cinemas

Local Orson Welles expert, Chris Lambert, will introduce a free screening of "Touch of Evil" as Welles himself.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Orson Welles’s birth with a special, free screening of his noir classic “Touch of Evil” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, at Great Lakes Mall Atlas Cinemas.

“Touch of Evil” tells the story of a Mexican Drug Enforcement Agent (played by Charlton Heston) and an American police captain (Welles) who investigate a car bomb. They must discover who committed the crime, as well as uncover who is planting the evidence that would frame an innocent man.

The screening will be hosted by Chris Lambert, a local Welles expert who will introduce the film while in character as the director.

Lambert has spent decades studying Welles and the last three years speaking as him. He has performed at places as diverse as bookstores, churches and even the Cleveland Museum of Art. He will talk about both Welles and the creation of “Touch of Evil” before the screening. His talk will begin at 6 p.m. with the film following at 7:30 p.m.

“‘Touch of Evil’ is special, I feel, because it is underrated,” Lambert said. “With repeated viewing, we see both how multilayered the film is how and how tortured Welles’s character, Captain Quinlain, is.”

The screening can serve both as a celebration and as an introduction to Welles, one of cinema’s most celebrated directors. Furthermore, one need not be an expert to appreciate Welles’s work, Lambert said.

“You do not need to be a cinephile to enjoy a Welles film,” he said, “but it helps to find all the interesting and minute details in his films, as he makes such complex films.”

This special screening is presented by Mentor Public Library and Atlas Cinemas and sponsored by the Mentor Community Arts Commission.

“Orson Welles was a pioneer in filmmaking whose approach to writing, acting and directing is studied and interpreted even today,” Atlas Cinemas Director of Operations Christopher Baxter said. “He was an artist. Making films wasn’t just a job. His passion came through as he was personally connected to the films that he made.”

Try Sensory Wine Tasting with MPL and Red Wine & Brew

Be honest. You wish you knew what tannins were or what people meant when they talked about "dry" wines. (How can a wine be dry? It's a liquid.)

You don't need to be a sommelier or anything. You just wish you knew enough about wine to learn about what you like, instead of always taking recommendations from people who sound as if they might know what they're talking about.

You can learn how to cultivate your own personal taste in wine with our Tasty Tuesday program. We're having a special Tasty Tuesday at 7 p.m. on May 26 at Red Wine & Brew, which is located at 9620 Old Johnnycake Road in Mentor.

Doniella Winchell from the Ohio Wine Producers Association will lead a discussion on how to taste the different elements in a glass of wine. The program is free if you RSVP by May 19, and you can do so on Mentor Library's website or by calling 440-255-8811 ext. 216.

The program is free, thanks to the sponsorship of the Friends of the Mentor Public Library.

So come join us, enjoy some wine, and learn what you like.

By the way, it might go without saying, but you need to be 21 or older to participate in this program.

Summer Reading is Super at Mentor Library

In 2014, more than 2,000 kids, teens and adults signed up for summer reading at Mentor Public Library.

This year, the library has something even more super in store.

Mentor Public Library will run a trio of summer reading programs this year and all three are focused on superheroics. The children’s program is Every Hero Has a Story; the teens’ is Unmask!; and adults’ is Escape the Ordinary.

People can start registering for Mentor Public Library’s summer reading on Saturday, May 30. There will also be a special kickoff party that day at Mentor Library’s Read House.

Kids can play superhero games with Skipper from the Lake County Captains and Chuck E. Cheese, as well as sign up for the library’s summer reading program.

Throughout the summer, Mentor Library will host fun programs on all types of super subjects for kids, teens and adults.

On Marvelous Mondays, kids can have fun with superhero crafts, games and experiments on the Read House lawn. On Thursday evenings, community heroes like nurses, police officers and firemen will join the library for special story times. The library will also be celebrating literary heroes like Junie B. Jones, Pete the Cat, Wimpy Kid and more.

Kids who read or are read to up to 15 hours will receive a Library Champion lawn sign and window cling.

Meanwhile, teens can compete in Clashing Controllers—the library’s video-game tournament for casual and hardcore gamers alike. It will be held on the third Wednesday of each month at the library’s Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch.

Teens can also enjoy special programs like the Top Chef Challenge where they will team up to create new ice cream flavors at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at the Main Branch. Then they can face off during the Hunger Games Water Wars at 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, at the Read House. (Bring a towel.)

Adults can get in on the fun too. Comics scholar Valentino Zullo will talk about the history of the Avengers at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 23, at the Main Branch. Then, on Wednesday, July 29, the library will host a concert by folk duo Simple Gifts at the Read House.

Everyone who participates in the summer reading programs—either by reading books or attending library programs—has a chance to win prizes. Those prizes include gift cards from Toys ‘R’ Us and Lake County Captains tickets, as well as gift cards from other local businesses. The more someone reads, the better chance they have of winning.

For more information on Mentor Library’s summer reading program, call 440-255-8811 or visit Mentor Library's website.

Wonder Woman--secret identity: Olivia--is gearing up for summer reading at Mentor Public Library..

There's still time to enter MPL's 'Loving Life' photo contest

There's still five days left to enter Mentor Library's Loving Life photography contest!

Kids up to the age of 12 can submit a photo to show us how they're loving life! You can use any device—a phone, tablet, even a camera—to take your winning snapshot.

But each child can only submit one shot. So make sure the photo you submit is your best.

Between now and May 20, bring a printed copy of your photo (no bigger than 5” by 7”) to the children’s department of Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch or email it to marilyn.weiss@mentorpl.org.

All of your contest entries will be displayed in the children’s department; and, from May 20 until the end of the month, everyone can vote on their favorites.

The top three vote-getters will win a prize.

We've already received some pretty adorable entries, but maybe you can top them. Only one way to find out...

Mardi Gras Masks & Friendship Bracelets: American Girl Book Club

Eva, Claire and Sabrina show off the Mardi Gras masks they made at Mentor Library.

We met twice the American Girls and made twice the crafts during our American Girl Book Club meeting last week!

Our club met Cecile and Marie-Grace and used their books to take a trip down to New Orleans. We then decorated Mardi Gras masks and made friendship bracelets.

Clara and Maddie string their friendship bracelets.

Our American Girl Book Club meets on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss a different American Girl book and make a new craft.

If you have a child who likes the American Girl books or dolls, then he or she can join the fun. They can even bring their dolls with them, if they like. (Of course, the dolls aren’t required.)

Our next meeting is 4 p.m. on June 3 in the children’s section of our Main Branch on Mentor Avenue. The girls will be meeting Kirsten.

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

Addie draws rings of blue and purple around her Mardi Gras mask.

For more photos, check out Mentor Library’s Facebook page.

Después el Cinco de Mayo

The fifth of May has come and gone. Perhaps you celebrated by wearing a sombrero, but Mexican culture is much more than a hat, a taco or a margarita. So if I may, I'd like to suggest a few more books, movies and artwork from Mexican artists for consumption, even if I'm poquito tarde.

1. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

One of Mexico's famous novels tells the story of Tita, who is not allowed to marry her love, Pedro. Instead, she has to take care of her mother, so she can only express her love through cooking.

Esquivel's book is sweet and funny and lovely and sad. it also experiments a little with form. Each chapter begins with a recipe of a traditional Mexican dish that will later tie into the story.

Not only is Like Water for Chocolate a wonderful book. It also made for a great movie.

2. Pan's Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro is one of the most popular and successful directors in Hollywood, but (give or take Pacific Rim) he is best known for a Spanish-language film about the oneiric stepdaughter of a sadistic officer based in Franco's Spain.

It mixes fairy tales and frightening reality as the girl must face the magical denizens in her garden to save her mother. However, her final threat does not come from the word of magic.

You will smile several times while watching this film, and gasp, but it will finish with you crying.

3. Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera

I intended to write separate entries for both of these artists, but they are so often paired together that it seemed unnatural. Of course, these artists were married (and divorced) (and then remarried;) but they are just as important as individuals as they were a couple.

Kahlo's best known for her self-portraits; but, by painting herself, she depicted the female form and experience without compromise. Her work also celebrated both Mexicans national and indigenous traditions.

Meanwhile, Rivera is best known for his frescoes and his role in establishing the Mexican Mural Movement. He painted murals in Mexico City (including in the National Palace), Cuernavaca, Detroit, New York and San Francisco. His murals sometimes included elements of culture, politics and religion (which he regarded as a collective neurosis.)

4. The Poems of Octavio Paz

Octavio Paz is a singular poet. I could tell you his awards. (He's won the Nobel and Miguel de Cervantes prizes.) Discuss his subject matter. (Reality, revolution, love.) Try to give you comparisons. (Walt Whitman meets Jorge Luis Borges, maybe?)

But none of that cuts to the quick, and the quick is this: Paz is an intense, thoughtful poet. His words will move you.

5. The Book of Life

Jorge Gutierrez's first feature film uses Mexican folklore and the celebration of the Day of the Dead to tell the story of three friends' love triangle.

Gutierrez said one of his goals for the movie was to "show you what I think are a hundred of the thousands and thousands of ideas of what a Mexican is."

6. Ugly Betty

You're snickering or indignant right now. I just lumped in Ugly Betty with Frida Kahlo and Octavio Paz. How dare I?

But the telenovelas on which Ugly Betty is based and emulated are a big part of Latin American culture. Also, don't be so judgmental. Ugly Betty was great.

7. Y tu Mamá También

Before Alfonso Cuaron directed Harry Potter or Gravity, he wrote and directed this story about two teens who travel across the country with an older woman. However, their mutual attraction for the woman threatens their friendship.

Learn how to use Legal Forms Library

Legal forms can be confusing. Attorneys can be expensive.

Consequently, it can be a pricey venture if you need help creating a will, affidavit or some other legal form.

Wouldn't it be great if someone set up a database with different legal-form templates that people could view or even download for free?

Someone (or, rather, someones) did. It's called the Legal Forms Library, and it's one of the dozens of databases that Mentor Library offers access to for free.

There are thousands of form templates for all types of topics: divorce, bankruptcy, power of attorney, name changes, wills, estates and more. (So you know, you'll need to click through to the Legal Forms Library from the Mentor Library site for these hyperlinks to work.) And you can view, download or edit all these templates for free. There are also completed samples that you can view as a PDF or Microsoft Word file. This can give you an idea what your finished form should look like.

There are also legal definitions and explanations for each form, so you can understand what you're reading.

The forms available on the Legal Forms Library include forms drafted by attorneys for a particular legal matter, forms from public records and participating companies and attorneys. "Official" forms for many states are included, as well.

For more information, you can visit the FAQ section of the Legal Forms website.

A final disclaimer here: Mentor Public Library cannot provide legal advice. Users should consult an attorney in all serious legal matters.

Ohio Means Jobs hosting Job Recruitment at Mentor Library

Ohio Means Jobs is holding a job recruitment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, May 15, at Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch.

They will be filling more than 50 local Lake County jobs during the recruitment. Job applicants should bring resumes with them because employers may be on site.

Open positions include CNC press break operator, CNC milling programmer, maintenance supervisor, human resources assistant and more.

Those looking for more information can email Christina Dakis of Ohio Means Jobs at Christina.dakis@ohio.jfs.gov or call 440-350-2493.

Also, if you want more help in your career hunt, check out Ohio Means Jobs' tips for writing a resume and searching for jobs online.

Party like a Princess at Mentor Library

Lila coordinates her cupcake with her crown during the princess party at Mentor Library.

Every year, Mentor Library hosts a tea party in May. Two years ago, our theme was Pinkalicious. Last year, we had a practically perfect Poppins party.

This year we tried to top ourselves with a princess party!

Grace, Abby and Meghan pause to pose while making their magical mirrors.

We served the kids tea, finger sandwiches, and cupcakes while they made hennins (those conical princess hats) and mirrors (so they can ask who’s the fairest.)

We also played Princess Bingo and Pin the Kiss on the Frog.

Natalie tries to plant a lip print on the frog while blindfolded.

And this is a library; so, of course, there was a story time. Ms. Mary and Ms. Kim from our Children's Department performed Leah Wilcox's Falling for Rapunzel.

Ms. Mary narrated and Ms. Kim performed as Rapunzel.

Even if you missed the party, there's still plenty of fun to come. Check out the online calendar for more programs and events at all three of Mentor Library's branches.

And visit our Facebook page for more photos from our Princess Party.

Emmie and Ellie share cupcake-stained smiles during our tea party.

Learn How to Get the Most out of your eReader at Mentor Library

Learn how to use your eReader to check out free books, movies and more at Mentor Library.

Are you getting the most out of your tablet, or are you just using it to check email and play Candy Crush?

If you're just using your device as an expensive paperweight  we can help you by turning your digital doodad into a repository for the books, magazines and even movies you love.

The Mentor Public Library is holding a series of free tutorials in Maywhere we’ll show you how to get the most out of your Kindles, Nooks, tablets, smartphones, Kobos or any other kind of eReader device.

And—I can’t stress this enough—these classes are free and open to everyone.

All the classes are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at our library’s Main Branch. You can register for them on the library’s website or by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 216.

The first session is Wednesday, May 6, and it’s specifically for those with Kindles and Kindle Fires.

The second session is Wednesday, May 13. It’s for people who want to learn how to check out library eBooks, audiobooks and other materials onto their tablets (including iPads) and smartphones.

The final session is Wednesday, May 27. It’s specifically for people with Nooks, Kobos and other types of eReaders but not Kindles, Kindle Fires, smartphones or tablets. If you want to learn how to download books to your Nook, this session is for you.

Mentor Public Library offers a lot of digital services that are always available, even when our buildings are closed; and you can use them from the comfort of your own home.

Once you know how to do it, you’ll be able to check out library eBooks, stream audiobooks and even watch movies (depending on what kind of device you use) on your eReader, smartphone or tablet from home.

No excuses: You’re never too old or old-fashioned (or too young, for that matter,) to learn something new.

If you’re pretty tech savvy and think you can figure out how to use your eReader without too much help, we’ve posted a bunch of how-to’s for each device on our website.

But if you want a little more help, feel free to register for one of our classes. Or you can bring your device to the library and one of our reference librarians will show you how to get the most out of it.

Besides, your eReader is more valuable as an eReader than it is as a paperweight that lets you play Candy Crush.

Kids can enter Mentor Library's 'Loving Life' photo contest

Kids, show us how you're loving life during our May photo contest!

The Mentor Public Library is holding a photography contest for kids from May 1 through 20; so, if you’re handy with a camera (or phone,) hit us with your best shot!

The theme for the contest is "Loving Life."

Kids up to the age of 12 can submit a photo, but each child can only submit one shot. So make sure the photo you submit is your best.. And, yes, you can use any device—a phone, tablet, even a camera—to take your winning snapshot.

Between now and May 20, bring a printed copy of your photo (no bigger than 5” by 7”) to the children’s department of Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch or email it to marilyn.weiss@mentorpl.org.

All of your contest entries will be displayed in the children’s department; and, from May 20 until the end of the month, everyone can vote on their favorites.

The top three vote-getters will win a prize.

So get out there and show us how you're loving life!