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.

Mentor Library launches 3 Free for Me card for kids

Kids can borrow up to three children's books with the 3 Free for Me card.

Mentor Public Library wants everyone to have access to books, especially children.

That’s why MPL has launched the 3 Free for Me library card just for kids.

The 3 Free for Me card doesn’t require a parent or guardian’s signature. With it, kids 12 and younger can borrow up to three children’s books at any Mentor Library branch. That way, no child has to leave the library empty handed.

This special card is only good for children’s books. It cannot be used to check out movies, music or adult books. If children want to borrow any of those items, then they will need their parent’s or legal guardian’s permission to get a MPL all-access card.

Getting a new book (or three) to read, just got easier with the 3 Free for Me card from Mentor Library.

Kids armor up during the Cool Knights program at Mentor Library

Alyssa takes a close look at a helmet that is hundreds of years old.

Ever wished you could get closer to the exhibits at the museum—so close you could touch them?

The kids who came to our Cool Knights program got to do just that.

They got to see, touch and even wear real armor from the European Middle Ages and Renaissance on Wednesday evening at Mentor Library’s Main Branch.

The armor was from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and included a gauntlet, crossbow bolt, close helmet, breastplate, vambrace and more.

The kids also got to learn about where the armor originated and how it was used.

Nicolas sees what it's like to wear a knight's gauntlet.

For more information on Mentor Library's children's programs, check out our event calendar. For more photos from our Cool Knights program, visit our Facebook page.

Meet the K-9s of Big Creek Search Dog Team at Mentor Library

Want to know what a search dog does or learn how they're trained?

If so, come meet the K-9s of the Big Creek Search Dog Team at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, at our Main Branch.

These dogs (and their human partners) assist law enforcement, fire departments, park services and other agencies by locating missing persons.

Find out how these amazing K-9s work on Monday.

The talk is free and open to the public. People are asked to register for the program beforehand. They can do so on Mentor Library's website or by calling 440-255-8811 ext. 216.

We love our working dogs at Mentor Public Library. That includes the therapy dogs who visit each month for Paws to Read and Mentor Police K-9 Bo who has joined us for a special story time.

We look forward to meeting the Big Creek Search Dog Team, as well, this Monday.

Halloween Fun at Mentor Library

The kids race to see who can turn themselves into a mummy quickest during the Goosebumps Party at MPL's Lake Branch.

We threw a Goosebumps-themed party Monday at our Lake Branch.

Kids transformed themselves into mummies, played a spooky guessing game, and created glow-in-the-dark slime that they could take home.

Owen tries to guess what's waiting for him in the bowl.

The Halloween fun isn't over at Mentor Library either.

Kids can make monster boxes tonight at our Main Branch.

Then, Mr. Dennis will host his annual spooktacular puppet show on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at our Headlands Branch.

Finally, kids can trick or treat at Mentor Library’s Main Branch from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at our Main Branch on Friday, Oct. 30.

All programs are free but some require registration. For more information, call Mentor Public Library at 440-255-8811 or visit Mentor Library’s website.

Olivia gets all wrapped up during the mummy race.

For some more photos from the Goosebumps party, visit Mentor Library's Facebook page.

Donations Drop-Off Box Moving at Mentor Library

Our donations box will be moving on Nov. 4 to outside of our Read House.

The donations drop-off box will be moving at Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch.

Beginning Wednesday, Nov. 4, people will be required to drop off their donations to Mentor Library—including books, movies and music—in the outdoor box provided at the Read House, which is next door to the library’s Main Branch.

A new turn-around driveway was added to the Read House, so patrons can enter and exit the property safely without needing to back out on Mentor Avenue.

There will no longer a donation box beside the driveway at the Main Branch.

The move puts the donations closer to where they are stored at the Read House. From there, they are given away via MPL’s Little Free Libraries or Pop-Up Library, donated to local nonprofit organizations, or sold during a Friends of the Mentor Public Library Book Sale.

The donation box moving is also the first step in a project that will add a drive-up window to the Main Branch and change its driveway’s direction.

A Magical Day at Hogwarts (at Mentor Library)

Paige sports the Luna Lovegood look during her day at Hogwarts.

Some kids who had Friday off from muggle school because of NEOEA Day decided to try their hand at wizarding school, instead.

For one day only, Mentor Public Library transformed its Main Branch into Hogwarts on Oct. 16.

The young wizards made and decorated their own hats and wands. Then they attended magic and potions classes. They even had lunch in a room that had been redecorated to look like Hogwarts’ Great Hall.

Jaden makes sand art, mixing the various colors during the potions class.

During potions class, the children mixed different colored sands to make colorful art. Each of the sands had a fun label on their bottle, claiming they contained octopus tentacles, spider hair, sea horse tails and more.

Finally, the kids took magic class with magician Mr. Zap, also known as Bob Durante. First, they watched his magic show; then, he taught them a few sleight-of-hand tricks of their own.

Professor Zap shows Anna how a poacher's pouch works.

Mentor Public Library has more Halloween programs coming up in the next few weeks including:

• a special Goosebumps-themed party on Monday, Oct. 26,at our Lake Branch.
• Mr. Dennis’s annual Halloween puppet show on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at our Headlands Branch.

Finally, kids can trick or treat at Mentor Library’s Main Branch from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its Main Branch on Friday, Oct. 30.

All programs are free but some require registration. For more information, call Mentor Public Library at 440-255-8811 or visit Mentor Library's website.

Paws-ing to Read at Mentor Library

Addilyn and Norman share a good book during Paws to Read at Mentor Library.

I know I’ve written about our Paws to Read program, but I’m not missing any opportunities to share photos of kids reading to dogs.

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.

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. The program works well for dog lovers, but it’s also helped some kids who are scared of dogs get over their phobia.

Caesar must find Patrick's voice relaxing.

Paws to Read is going to take a brief break during the holiday season, but it will return in January.

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

This was moment's after Norman licked the side of Jenna's face. She took it in stride and kept reading.

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

Studio MPL meets Vincent Van Gogh

Ruthie creates her own version of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" during Studio MPL.

Studio MPL—Mentor Public Library’s art club for kids—experimented with the style of Vincent Van Gogh on Monday.

They even tried their hands at sketching and painting their own versions of his "Starry Night."

Haley creates her evening sky before adding her stars.

Every month, the kids take on a new art project. They’ve created imaginary friends, made sun catchers, painted sunsets, weaved, tried out pointillism and even garnered inspiration from Jackson Pollock.

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 Nov. 16 at our Main Branch. You can register for it here.

Gavin mixes different shades of blue and black together for his night sky.

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

Kids can get close to awesome armor at Mentor Library

Kids will be able to see armor up close during the Cool Knights program at Mentor Library.

Ever wished you could get closer to the exhibits at the museum—so close you could touch them?

Kids can live that thrill and see real armor from the European Middle Ages and Renaissance up close during the Cool Knights program at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Mentor Library's Main Branch.

The armor is from the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection and includes a gauntlet, crossbow bolt, close helmet, breastplate, vambrace and more. (It's OK if your kids don't know what a gauntlet or vambrace is yet. They'll learn at the program.)

Kids will even get to touch some of the armor—s0rry, not the helmet—while wearing protective gloves.

This is a hands-on program for first through fifth graders. Each child will need to have one parent with them and nobody younger than first grade will be allowed room.

The program is free. However, we ask that you register beforehand. You can sign up by calling our children's department at (440) 255-8811 ext. 221.

MPL Talks: Napoleon Bonaparte & the Age of Imagination

We host a lot of programs at Mentor Public Library and it’s hard to catch them all.

And sometimes you miss one you really wanted to see.

That’s why we’ve started MPL Talks, where we post full programs online for you to watch at your convenience. It’s not quite the same as being there. (For example, you don’t get to ask questions.) But it’s better than missing out.

Recently, our own Dr. John Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, also has a doctorate degree in history—discussed Napoleon Bonaparte's life as part of our Austen in Autumn series. (If you're wondering what Bonaparte and Jane Austen have in common, Foster answers that question in the first few minutes of the video.)

Learn what made Bonaparte so successful on the battlefield (hint: it involves math), the terrors of a Russian winter and how the changes of Bonaparte's lifetime still affect the western world today.

If you enjoy this talk, you'll probably want to hear Foster discuss the origins of the Nazi Final Solution.

For more information on programs at Mentor Public Library, visit our event calendar; and for more videos of MPL programs and events, check out our YouTube channel.

Get College Financial Aid Tips at Mentor Library

Get suggestions on how to afford college during the College Financial Aid program on Oct. 20 at Mentor Library.

Getting a college degree can be expensive—frighteningly, mind-numbingly expensive.

As of 2014, the average, in-state public college costs more than $23,000 before you got a 4-year degree; and the average private school is twice as expensive.

That price tag is enough to make your eyes cross.

Of course, there are funds available to help, including loans and scholarship, but you still have to know how to get them.

Fortunately, the experts are here to help.

On Oct. 20, a representative from Lake/Geauga Education Assistance Foundation (LEAF) will talk about financing a college education at Mentor Public Library. They will discuss loans, grants and scholarships, explain the differences between the three and tell students the best way to get them.

The talk will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the library’s Main Branch.

The program is free and open to the public, including teens, parents and adults who want to go back to school.

The library asks that people register for the program beforehand. They can do so by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 215 or by visiting Mentor Library’s event calendar.

Spend a Day at Hogwarts (by way of Mentor Library)

Make your own wand and take a magic class this Friday, Oct. 16, at Mentor Public Library.

School's out this Friday, Oct. 16, for NEOEA Day, so why not spend the day at Hogwarts?

For one day only, Mentor Public Library's turning its Main Branch into Harry Potter's wizarding school.

Kids (from ages eight to 13) can take a magic class with Mr. Zap or a potions course with Ms. Kim. They'll also be able to make their own wand and enjoy a snack in the Main Hall.

The program is free and open to the public, but parents need to register their kids for it beforehand. They can do so online at Mentor Library's website or by calling the library at 440-255-8811 ext. 221.

Other Halloween events the library has upcoming include:

• a Zombie Party for teens on Monday, Oct. 12, at its Lake Branch. Teens can just bring themselves. The library will provide the zombie makeup, “brains,” fog machine and laser show.
• a Ghost Hunting talk on Monday, Oct. 12, at its Main Branch. Join members of the Banded Spirits group as they talk about their adventures ghost hunting.
• a special Goosebumps-themed party on Monday, Oct. 26, at its Lake Branch.
• Mr. Dennis’s annual Halloween puppet show on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at its Headlands Branch.

Finally, kids can trick or treat from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at MPL's Main Branch on Friday, Oct. 30.

House points to everyone who attends.

Gail Ghetia Bellamy discusses her own Cleveland Memories

Gail Ghetia Bellamy—the author of the Cleveland Memories series—visited Mentor Library recently to discuss her books.

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.

While at the library, Bellamy discussed the value of nostalgia and how it can bring people closer.

She also explained what her poetry has in common with the Cleveland Memories series.

For more author interviews, check out Mentor Library's YouTube page.

Zombies are invading Mentor Library

Zombies are invading Mentor Library's Lake Branch on Monday.

We're throwing a Zombie Party and people will by dying to get there.

Teens can get made up as the undead and get their photos taken in our Zombie Photo Booth.

There will also be games, a laser light show, and snacks—brains for the undead, cupcakes for the living.

The party starts 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, at our Lake Branch.

Teens can register for the zombie party on our website.

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.

Pumpkin Painting & Getting Ready for Halloween

Peyton gives her pumping the Jackson Pollock treatment during the Pumpkin Decorating program at Mentor Library.

The wind is blowing, the leaves are turning and everything edible now comes in a Pumpkin-Spice variety.

It must be October.

At Mentor Library, we're ready for autumn and Halloween, in particular.

On Wednesday, families decorated pumpkins together at our Main Branch.

When your kid wants to paint but you don't want to wash paint stains from his shirt...

And the fun's just begun. We have several Halloween programs coming up in the next few weeks including:

• A Day at Hogwarts on Friday, Oct. 16, at our Main Branch. Kids can make their own wands and take potions and magic classes.
• a Zombie Party for teens on Monday, Oct. 12, at our Lake Branch. Teens can just bring themselves. We'll bring the zombie makeup, "brains," fog machine and laser show.
• a Ghost Hunting talk on Monday, Oct. 12, at our Main Branch. Join members of the Banded Spirits group as they talk about their adventures ghost hunting.
• a special Goosebumps-themed party on Monday, Oct. 26, at our Lake Branch.
• Mr. Dennis's annual Halloween puppet show on Wednesday, Oct. 28, our Headlands Branch.

Finally, kids can trick or treat at our Main Branch from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at our Main Branch on Friday, Oct. 30.

Might as well get as much use out of their costumes as possible.

Presenting 'Pride & Prejudice' at Mentor Library

The actors of Geauga Lyric Theater will reprise their performance of "Pride & Prejudice" Oct. 13 at Mentor Library's Main Branch.

Jane Austen's work has been recreated as movies, miniseries, webisodes and zombie romps, so it's unsurprising that her stories made their way to the stage.

As part of Austen in Autumn, Geauga Lyric Theater will perform vignettes from Pride & Prejudice at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at our Main Branch.

The actors are reprising their roles from Austen's classic, which they performed as part of their summer season.

You can see Elizabeth, Jane, Darcy and more during this one-night-only encore at Mentor Public Library.

The performance is free and open to the public. You can register for it on Mentor Library's website.

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

We also have programs on silhouette art, world history during Austen’s life and 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.