Come see us at NyanCon this Saturday at Lakeland

See you at NyanCon! We'll be the ones in full costume with the free manga.

Do you love anime? Gaming? Comics? All of the above?

Then you're going to love NyanCon.

NyanCon is Lakeland Community College's annual convention dedicated to anime, manga and all things awesome. It's from 1 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Mentor Public Library will be there giving away free manga. (Yes, giving them away for free.) That includes trades of Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Tokyo Mew Mew, Dramacon and more. Get them while our supplies last.

We'll also be making crafts, if you want to join us.

In addition, NyanCon will have special guests like inker Jeremy Freeman, artists Del Borovic and J.M. Dragunas, voice actors Daman Mills and Amber Lee Connors, Love and Capes creator Thom Zahler, and more.

There will be panels, vendors, a cosplay contest and all sorts of other fun.

Hopefully you'll be there too.

Jane Austen Tea Party for kids at Mentor Library

Sienna remembers to keep her pinky up while sipping tea.

Sienna remembers to keep her pinky up while sipping tea.

We're celebrating the life and works of Jane Austen with Austen in Autumn; and, yes, most of our programs are for teens and adults. But not all of them!

We threw a tea party on Saturday where kids could learn about Austen and Britain's Regency Era.

We also made nosegays, silhouette pendants and bilboquets (which you probably know as the ball-in-cup game,) while enjoying cucumber sandwiches and tea.

Katie pours her daughter Amanda another cup of tea.

We still have several Austen in Autumn programs coming up including our Austen film series. This Thursday, we're hosting a free screening of Clueless (which is a remake and modernization of Austen's Emma) at Great Lakes Mall Atlas Cinemas.

Also, the Geauga Lyric Theater will have a special reprise of its rendition of Pride & Prejudice at our Main Branch on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

We also have programs on silhouette art and world history during Austen’s life. All of which will be free and open to the public.

That includes a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies party for teens on Oct. 12. Teens can practice their skulking and celebrate Halloween a little early when they party like the undead.

For more information on Austen in Autumn, visit www.mentorpl.org/austen.

Lucy (wearing an awesome hat) ties the ball on to her bilboquet.

For more photos from our Austen tea party, check our Mentor Library's Facebook page.

Partying like a pirate at Mentor Public Library

All good pirates practice their Arrrrghs.

We pitched a pair of pirate parties as part of International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

The kids dressed as pirates, crafted their own ships and went on treasure hunts!

And, while it may be too late to sail with our crew of ne'er-do-wells, you can always enjoy the pictures.

Luke's not wearing a pirate hat. He's wearing a captain's hat.

Payton's ready to set sail.

Thanks to our entire rapscallion crew. We hope you had fun!

For a few more photos from our Pirate Party, check out Mentor Library's Facebook page.

Young artists get the point (as in pointillism) at Studio MPL

Kaylee recreates La Grande Jatte using the same pointillist technique that Seurat innovated.

Studio MPL—Mentor Public Library’s art club for kids—tried their hand at pointillism and learned about the art style’s founder, George Seurat, on Monday, Sept. 21.

Lisa Layton, the children’s library associate in charge of Studio MPL, also explained how computers and digitally animated films use pointillism.

“The pixels they use to draw those are just another form of dots,” Layton said. “Seurat did that more than 100 years ago, so let’s give it up for George.”

Colin blends different shades of blue to create the water.

The children then tried their own hand at making their own version of Seurat’s masterpiece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. They received an outline of the famous park scene and could color it however they wanted, but they had to use Seurat’s pointillist style.

Every month, Studio MPL takes on a new art project. They’ve created imaginary friends, made sun catchers, painted sunsets, weaved and even garnered inspiration from Jackson Pollock.

Circles can be used to make all kinds of art. Remo experiments with making different kinds of eyes, using felt circles.

Studio MPL meets on the third Monday of each month. If your kid likes art—any kind of art—they can join the fun.

Next month’s session will be Oct. 19 at Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch. The kids will learn about Vincent Van Gogh.

Giselle concentrates on her artwork.

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

10 Jane Austen Facts for Austen in Autumn

Austen in Autumn has just begun, and we're already having a lot of fun. Here are some fun facts about Jane Austen, the author who inspired us to host Austen in Autumn.

1. Jane Austen never finished her basic schooling. She and her sister, Cassandra, stopped going to school during a Typhoid outbreak and never returned.
2. Austen never married. However, she was proposed to by the brother of a friend and even said "yes." But after sleeping on it, she changed her mind and rescinded her acceptance.
3. While several people have gotten rich off of the Jane Austen cottage industry, Austen was not one of them. She received 110 pounds for writing Pride and Prejudice and 150 pounds for Sense and Sensibility. Even taking into account inflation, that's still a paltry sum considering the popularity and influence of her work.
4. Austen wrote anonymously because some still found women writing unseemly during her lifetime. Sense and Sensibility had the byline "by a lady" and Pride and Prejudice was credited "to the author of Sense and Sensibility." Her brother outed her as an author after she passed away at the age of 41 when he posthumously published her novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.
5. Jane Austen died at 41 and her exact cause of death has never been identified. Some think she died from Addison's Disease, a failure of the adrenal glands. Others suggest she may have died from arsenic poisoning. (Before she died, Austen wrote a letter that described some symptoms that fit arsenic poisoning -- specifically, discoloration. Of course, they fit other things, as well.)
6. Not much of Austen's personal life is known from Austen herself. In part because Cassandra, her sister, burned a number of the letters she and Jane wrote to one another before she died.
7. When Austen died, she left behind an unfinished novel called The Waltons. Three Austen family members have since tried their hands at completing it. Catherine Anne Hubback, her niece, used it as the basis for The Younger Sister. Then Hubback's granddaughter, Edith Brown, wrote another version: also called The Watsons. Finally, in 1977 another version of The Watsons was released -- credited to Jane Austen & Another. This "another" was distant relation David Hopkinson.
8. Several famous authors have also tried their hand at revisiting Austen's work. A. A. Milne, the author behind Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too, wrote Miss Elizabeth Bennet: A Play from 'Pride and Prejudice' in 1936. Then, in 1940, Aldous Huxley of Brave New World fame cowrote a Pride and Prejudice movie.
9. This latest Austen revival saw a distinct uptick in 1995: the year of Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility and the BBC's Pride and Prejudice. In the pre-Colin Firth era, publishers released about 10 Jane Austen-centric books (either revisions, unauthorized sequels or books with Austen as a character) per year. In 2012, there were more than 100 published.
10. Austen's prodigious influence essentially stems from six novels -- the aforementioned four, as well as Emma and Mansfield Park -- which were published from 1811 to 1817. These have spawned hundreds, even thousands, of books, articles, films, plays and more. For example, Stephanie Barron has written more novels starring Jane Austen as a detective (11) than Austen wrote in totality.

If you want to know more about Austen, check out all of our Austen in Autumn programs. You could also visit your local library. We have her books, biographies, movies and more.

Jane Austen Tea for kids at Mentor Library

Mentor Library is throwing a special Jane Austen tea party for kids this Saturday.

Not to sound braggy, but we're pretty good at tea parties at Mentor Public Library.

Be they princess, Pinkalicious or Poppins parties, the kids always have a good time. (And we do too!)

As part of Austen in Autumn, we're hosting a special Jane Austen-themed tea at 2 p.m. this Saturday at our Main Branch.

Kids can learn about Jane Austen and the Regency Era while enjoying tea. (We'll provide the tea. Please bring your own tea cup.)

The kids will make their own bilboquet, silhouette hangings and flower cones.

You can register your kid for the tea on Mentor Library's website or by calling MPL at (440) 255-8811 ext. 221.

See you at the tea party!

Free ACT Prep Sessions this October at Mentor Library

Mentor Library is offering free ACT prep courses to teen on Saturday, Oct. 3 and 10.

Stressed out about the ACTs?

Why wouldn’t you be?

It’s one of the cruel truths of young adulthood that you spend four years volunteering, participating in student groups and working hard in class, and then a single standardized test taken on a Saturday morning can completely undermine you.

So standardized test are, in a word, stressful.

But there’s no better remedy for that stress than being well prepared.

The Mentor Public Library is offering two free ACT prep sessions this September. The first session is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. It will focus on general test preparation and the reading courses. The next session is Oct. 10. Its focus will be the science and math sections of the ACT. You can register for them on our website.

These sessions provide practical experience in terms of the types of questions you’ll see on the ACT, and they also offer strategies for test prep (that, by the way, work on tests besides the ACT.)

All sessions will be led by Dr. John Foster, one of our reference librarians at Mentor Public Library. Foster has a doctorate in history from the University of Washington and has taught at both the high school and college level.

And, yes, all of our sessions are free and open to anyone preparing for the ACT.

If you have any questions on our ACT prep sessions, you can call the library at (440) 255-8811 ext. 215.

Students prepare for their upcoming ACT at Mentor Library.

Jane Austen on the Big Screen: The Austen in Autumn Film Festival

During the Austen in Autumn film festival, you can see some of the best movies based on Jane Austen's novels for free.

A good story is malleable. It doesn't necessarily matter if it's told in a book or a movie or by the campfire with the accompaniment of a jangly guitar.

And Jane Austen wrote some of the best stories ever, so it's not surprising that her six novels have repeatedly been turned into movies, miniseries and even YouTube series.

As part of Austen in Autumn—our month-long celebration of all things Jane—we've picked four of the best Austen-influenced films of all time and are screening them for free at Great Lakes Mall Atlas Cinemas.

The series begins this Thursday and the films include:

• Persuasion on Sept. 24
• Clueless on Oct. 1
• Sense and Sensibility on Oct. 8
• Bride and Prejudice on Oct. 15.

Each of the screenings will begin at 7 p.m. on their respective Thursday and are open to everyone. And, yes, they are free thanks to a grant from the Mentor Arts Commission.

The film series is just one part of Austen in Autumn. For more information on our programs—which include everything from a citywide book chat about Austen's Persuasion to a special encore of Geauga Lyric Theater's Pride & Prejudice performance—visit www.mentorpl.org/austen.

Finally, Mentor Public Library would like to thank the generous financial support of The Friends of the Mentor Public Library, Mentor Community Arts Commission, Ohio Arts Council and Ohio Humanities Council for making Austen in Autumn possible, as well as the following organizations for providing time and resources to make Austen in Autumn the best it can be: Atlas Cinema; the City of Mentor; Cleveland Candle Company; Geauga County Ohio Bee Keepers; Geauga Lyric Theater Guild; Jakprints; Little Mountain Brewing Company; Local Tavern; Redhawk Grill; Sisters Tea Room; and Ten 10 Design.

Paws to Read: Kids, Pups & Books

Michael reads a Pete the Cat book to Hattie during Paws to Read. (Hattie, for her part, didn't object to the cat book.)

Looking for a way to get your child excited about reading?

Give him or her an audience.

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.

The dog is an ideal listener--attentive but never judgmental. (A canine, even the smartest one, has never corrected a child's pronunciation.) The program helps build the child's confidence and makes reading fun for them.

Caesar relaxes while Maria reads to him.

Registration for the June sessions start Oct 7. There will be two 30-minute sessions on Oct. 21 at our Main 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.

Adianna and Hannah share a book about unicorns.

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

Join our Jane Austen Book Talks during Austen in Autumn

Have you read Jane Austen's Persuasion? Come join us for a book chat during Austen in Autumn.

So you picked up a free copy of Jane Austen's Persuasion at one of our branches, Little Free Libraries or Pop-Up Library.

You read it and loved it—or hated it; you’re entitled to your opinions—and you want to know what to do next.

How about joining us and other readers to talk about it?

As part of Austen in Autumn, we're having book chats all over the city and we'd love for you to join us.

Share what you loved, what you disliked, what made you swoon or roll your eyes. Find out what other people thought.

You can join us at any of the following locations to discuss Austen and her work. If you’ve always been interested in joining a book club or just love reading, this is a great place to begin.

Let’s get all of Mentor reading! Discussions will be at:

• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Local Tavern in Mentor as part of our 20/30 Book Club
• 6:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 5, at Redhawk Grill in Concord Township
• 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Wildwood Cultural Center in Mentor

For more information, you can call Mentor Public Library at (440) 255-8811 ext. 215.

By the way, we have a bunch of programs involving Jane Austen coming up, including a free film festival at Atlas Cinemas Great Lake Mall, a theatrical performance of Pride & Prejudice and a date with Jane herself. Click here for a full list of all our Austen in Autumn programs.
You can still find free copies of Persuasion, for now, at Mentor Public Library's branches.

Meet Jane Austen during Austen in Autumn at Mentor Library

Meet Jane Austen, Or, rather, meet Debra Ann Miller who be appearing as Austen this Saturday at Mentor Public Library.

We're celebrating Jane Austen all month long with Austen in Autumn, and how can you celebrate Austen without inviting the writer herself to speak?

However, Austen's been difficult to book since dying nearly 200 years ago, so we did the next best thing.

Debra Ann Miller, of TalkLikeJaneAusten.com, will speak as Austen 2 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 19, at Mentor Library's Main Branch.

Miller portrays Jane Austen in the most vibrant and hopeful time of her life, from Chawton Cottage in the autumn of 1815 after her first three novels—Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park—were published and Emma was complete

You can hear from Jane’s own lips what she is writing and all about her inspiration and life.

Miller's performance delves deeply into Austen's personal life. Learn about her exotic cousin Eliza, her mentor and friend Madame LeFroy and the loves and losses that shaped her life and informed her perception of the world.

A Date with Jane is perfect for the casual reader and the devoted Janeite. See it for free this Saturday.

Why Banned Books Week Matters

From Sept. 27 to Oct. 3, libraries and schools across the country will recognize Banned Books Week.

It’s a chance for us to remind you about all the society-changing books that have been banned or challenged. And there’s a good chance that list includes your personal favorite.

Imagine your bookshelf without To Kill a Mockingbird, Color Purple, Animal Farm, Lord of the Rings orHarry Potter.

And you might say: But that was a long time ago. We don’t still do stuff like that today?

Yes, we do.

Authors from Sherman Alexie to Marjane Satrapi to Toni Morrison were repeatedly challenged in the last year. Their books were accused of being sexually explicit, unsuited for their age group or promoting a specific political viewpoint.

Kids books have been challenged too. In fact, on Sept. 23, we're throwing a Captain Underpants party to celebrate what is still one of the most frequently challenged books in the United States.

Now Banned Books Week isn't about forcing yourself to read authors you don't enjoy or whose views you disagree with. And it isn’t just about championing books that other people might have concerns about. After all, everyone’s entitled to their own taste in literature.

Banned Books Week is about having the freedom to read.

There’s a reason we chose “Bradbury” as the password in our Banned Books video.

Ray Bradbury said, “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”

So it doesn’t matter if no books are ever banned or challenged again. That is, it doesn’t matter if nobody reads them anyhow.

So commemorate Banned Books Week in the best possible way: Read.

Read a book that’s been banned or challenged. Read whatever you like.

But read. And decide for yourself what belongs on your bookshelf.

Learn about your family's history at Mentor Library

This probably isn't your family. But you CAN find out more about your family with the databases at Mentor Library.

How far back do you know your family's history? Do you know your great-grandparents? Do you know their great-grandparents?

Do you want to?

Mentor Public Library is having a special, free genealogy class at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, at its Main Branch.

A librarian will explain all of the online tools that people can use to explore their family tree. That includes the ancestry.com database, which compiles centuries worth of official documents.

You can use the Ancestry database for free when you visit any of the Mentor Library branches. You can access it on the Databases page in the Research & Tools section of our website. (Unlike most of our digital services and databases, you do need to use a Mentor Library computer to access the Ancestry database.)

If you know the name of the person you're researching and somewhere they lived, then you have all you need to begin.

You don’t need to know much to get started on the Ancestry database either—a name, somewhere that person lived and it helps to know his or her approximate birth year. (And, frankly, if you don’t know your great-grandfather or great-great-mother’s birth year, it usually only takes a single search to find out.)

Ancestry then searches through millions of public records for information about him or her: census and immigration information, birth/marriage/death certificates, and more. Not only can you view these documents, but you can email them to yourself and your family members.

So let our librarians help you get started, and soon you'll be combing through family history you never knew you had.

Give it a shot. After all, you don’t know what you'll find until you look.

MPL Is Pitching a Pirate Party

This Saturday is that most respected of all holidays, Talk Like a Pirate Day.

So Mentor Library is celebrating by throwing not one but two Pirate Parties on Sept. 19.

We'll have a story time followed by a treasure hunt at 1 p.m. at our Main Branch.

Then, we'll get crafty, making pirate ships and parrots at 2:30 p.m. at our Headlands Branch. Afterward, the Headlands Pirates will have a treasure hunt of their own.

You can register your kids for one or both pirate parties on MPL's event calendar.

So avast whatever ye be doing and come to the Pirate Parties this Saturday at Mentor Library!

Author takes people on tour of Cleveland memories

Gail Ghetia Bellamy--the author of the Cleveland Memories series--will talk about the city's past this Monday at Mentor Library's Main Branch.

Gail Ghetia Bellamy has written three books about Cleveland Memories—Cleveland Christmas Memories, Cleveland Summertime Memories and Cleveland Food Memories—but there's more to her memories than just recalling the past.

"While nostalgia books have an element of history, they also encompass popular culture and even a bit of memoir," she told the Heights Libraries when they interviewed her. "Also, as an author, writing nostalgia books is a wonderful experience because people are so warm and enthusiastic when they’re sharing their own memories."

Bellamy will bring her memories, warmth and enthusiasm with her during her free author talk Monday evening at Mentor Library's Main Branch.

She'll share photos and stories from Cleveland's past and take us on a tour of the city's yesteryear.

Bellamy is a renaissance woman—a poet, scholar, author and magazine editor who is a certified culinary professional with her doctorate degree in creative writing. Her writing, which includes everything from poetry to journalism, has been published in books, anthologies and magazines.

In addition to sharing her stories and memories, Bellamy will also be signing books after her talk Monday.

Our children's media has a new home

We've moved the children's movie, CDs and audiobooks to the second floor at our Main Branch near our kids books.

This way, we have more space for children's media, which helps us give you more options for family movie night.

If you can't find an old favorite on our shelves and aren't sure if we've moved it, you can always ask one of us for help or check our online catalogue.

If it says the item is in our Main Family location, then that means it has a new home on our second floor.

Do You Have Your Copy of Persuasion Yet?

You can pick up copies of Jane Austen's Persuasion all around town as part of our Austen in Autumn series.

You can find Jane Austen all over Mentor right now—at the park, your bank, City Hall, your favorite restaurant.

We've put copies of Austen's posthumous masterpiece Persuasion all around town as part of our Austen in Autumn series. These books need not be returned to the library. They are yours to keep forever, if you like.

(If you haven't read Persuasion, it's the story of a kind, smart young woman who must decide what to do when a former love reappears in her life after nearly a decade away.)

You can find Persuasion in everywhere from local coffee shoppes to many of our Little Free Libraries. When in doubt, you can also grab one from any of Mentor Library's Branches.

Adults can also pick up a copy of Persuasion during MPL’s Austen in Autumn Kickoff Party on Thursday evening, Sept. 17, at Little Mountain Brewing Company. (Little Mountain is even releasing a special beer for the event, Austentatious IPA.)

After you read Persuasion, feel free to join us in one of our book discussions around the area. We'll be meeting at Wildwood Cultural Center, Local Tavern, Redhawk Grill and more.

All are welcome!

And that's just the beginning of our Austen in Autumn activities. We have a free film festival, short film contest, an Austen reenactor, a theatrical performance of Pride & Prejudice, and more.

For more information on Austen in Autumn, visit Mentor Library's website.

Rock the Mic with Mentor Library’s new club for kids

Kids, get ready to Rock the Mic at Mentor Public Library’s newest club.

We’ll be hosting an Open Mic Night (well, Open Mic Afternoon) for children at 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14.

Kids can come and practice speaking in front of their peers, tell jokes, play an instrument, sing, practice for a school report, or perform a monologue.

This club will build self-esteem and confidence while having fun. A snack and drink will also be provided.

Amy Raischal—Ms. Amy, to those who’ve been to Mentor Library story times—used to be nervous about talking in front of people. (You would never know it now.) She’s starting the Rock the Mic Club to help kids who might get the same nerves.

“Most people have the same fear and feel the same way about speaking in front of peers,” she said. “I have found that practicing and preparation help tremendously in this type of situation. The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you will feel; and that will show when you perform during the actual event.”

During our first meeting, kids can tell us about themselves and help us create our club goals.

They’ll also have a chance to rock the mic!

So work on your best jokes, brush up on that solo, and we’ll see you at the library.

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.

How do you use your Mentor Public Library card?

September is Library Card Sign-up Month. If you don't have a card yet, we want to help you get one.

If you have a card, we'd love to know how you use it.

Because a library card gives you access to a lot: books, movies, music, magazines, eBooks, online courses, language tutorials, databases and more—all for free.

So do you use your card to check out books and movies, watch Hoopla on the go, download music on Freegal, practice Spanish, read books on your Kindle or iPad, improve your photography skills?

All month we'll be chatting with library patrons about how they use their cards.

First, Giselle and Colin talked about the value of reading for fun (especially when you're young.)

How do you use your MPL card? If you want to tell us your story, email jason.lea@mentorpl.org.