Saturday, January 30, 2016

Write your own story (because no one can do it better)

Professional writer Deanna Adams will show you how to turn your memories into written stories.
Have you ever thought about writing your life story but don't know where to start?

Professional writer Deanna Adams will show you how to transform your memories into written stories during a special program at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb, 4, at Mentor Public Library's Main Branch.

Adams has written several books, including Rock ’n’ Roll and the Cleveland Connection, Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Roots and Peggy Sue Got Pregnant.

Her latest book is The Writer's GPS: A Guide to Writing & Selling Your Book.

Bring a pad of paper and cherished photos to spark memories at our workshop.

This program is free and open to all seniors—no writing experience is necessary.

You can register for the workshop on Mentor Public Library's website or by calling 440-255-8811 ext. 241.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Mini Golf around the world (at Mentor Public Library)

Taryn plays mini golf in our children's department.
Kids could play a round of gold earlier this week at our Main Branch.

The played through nine holes, each of which were themed after a different country. For extra fun, kids that named all nine countries won a special surprise prize.
Rhea putts in the Brazil-themed hole.
Afterward, golfers grabbed a cup of hot chocolate, and the winner of each round had their photo taken for our Wall of Fame.

By the way, thanks to Dairy Queen for letting us borrow their clubs and balls.
Landon gets a little help from his dad.
Visit Mentor Public Library's Facebook page for more photos from our international mini golf game.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Winter Blues Book Bingo

Need to shake up your reading during these chilly winter months?

Come to Mentor Public Library's Main Branch and pick up a Book Bingo sheet from the reference desk.

From Feb. 1 through March 31, you can earn entries into a prize drawing by filling out a Book Bingo card. Each space is a different kind of book. When you finish reading that type of book, mark your space. Then bring it to the Reference Desk when you’ve completed a BINGO.

For each BINGO you get, you get an entry into the prize drawing. If you fill in the whole card, you get an extra entry into the prize drawing! Winners will be pulled April 1.

Need help getting started? Here are some suggested titles:

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (Read a book with a sad ending) – Lou Clark gets a job caring for a young man who has recently become paralyzed. Neither realizes the impact each will have on the course of their lives.

Voracious by Cara Nicoletti (Read a cookbook) – Nicoletti, a Brooklyn butcher, complies a list of recipes inspired by books that have had an impact on her life.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (Read a graphic novel) – Stevenson’s tale of a villain’s henchgirl was recently shortlisted for a National Book Award. The accolades are well deserved, she turns a silly premise into a moving story of identity and acceptance.

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer (Read a memoir/biography) – Krakauer chronicles one of the most dangerous Everest expeditions in recent history.

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain (Read a book about a war) – Billy is on leave for a “victory tour” after his unit faced fire during the Iraq War. He and his fellow soldiers are used a PR props to drum up support for the war during election season.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (Read a classic) – Set in the 1930s, Cassandra Mortmain recounts tales of her eccentric family in diary entry form.

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (Read a sci-fi book) – 11 year old Julia must cope with growing up while also dealing with the slowing of the earth’s rotation; an unexplained phenomenon that throws life into disarray.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Learn about Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi at Mentor Public Library

Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz is one of the best, if not the best, books on the subject.
To commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Mentor Public Library will host a special talk on Holocaust survivor Primo Levi at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, at our Main Branch.

In addition to surviving Auschwitz, Levi is renowned as both a chemist and a writer. His complete works, as well as his autobiographical Survival in Auschwitz, can be borrowed from our library.

The program will be led by our own reference librarian Dr. John Foster, who earned a doctorate degree in history with a specialization in Modern German History.

Foster will discuss how people managed to survive being sent to Auschwitz, using the examples of Levi and his contemporary Paul Steinberg.

The talk is free and open to everyone. You can register for it on MPL's website.

If you're interested in seeing more of Dr. Foster's programs, you can find them on our YouTube page, including his talks on Napoleonic France and the German Final Solution.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Our sock hop with MaryEllen

Faith keeps her hoop moving during the hula-hoop contest at our sock hop Saturday.
We welcomed the newest historical American Girl, MaryEllen, with a party—and not just any party. MaryEllen's a 1950's girl, so we threw her a sock hop!

There were crafts, games, rootbeer floats, and the girls all learned how to do the twist and hand jive.
The girls try their hand at the hand jive.
The girls also competed in hula-hoop and bubble-blowing contests, but it was all in good fun.
The girls see who can blow the biggest bubblegum bubble.
We love the American Girl books so much at Mentor Public Library that we have a book club dedicated to them.

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss a different American Girl book and make a new craft.

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

You can register your child for the book club on our web site or by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221.
Alia smiles and shows off the glasses she customized during our sock hop.
Visit Mentor Public Library's Facebook page for more photos from our sock hop.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

The history of Mentor with Tom Matowitz



Thomas Matowitz—author, local historian, and Mentor resident—recently visited our library to talk about his newest history book, Mentor.

In his book, Matowitz traces this history of Mentor from a sparsely populated outpost (one of the first in the Western Reserve) to the city it is today.

Matowitz also discusses the city's most famous residents, including the country's 20th president, James A. Garfield.

Mentor is available for sale at James A. Garfield National Historic Site, at local bookstores, and online. Of course, you can also check it out at Mentor Public Library.

Matowitz has written seven books about local history; and, as he mentioned during his recent visit, his next book will be about a Mentor family and what they went through during World War II.

When it comes out, we'll be sure to have that book on our shelves, as well.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Kids can play a round of mini golf at Mentor Public Library

Families can play a round of mini golf on Monday, Jan. 25, at Mentor Public Library's Main Branch.
Searching for something fun to do on a chilly Monday afternoon?

How about playing mini golf at Mentor Public Library?

From 1 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25, kids can play a round at our Main Branch. Groups of four can pick up their clubs and balls at our children's desk on the second floor. (Thanks to Dairy Queen for letting us borrow their gear!)

Children can play through nine holes, each of which will be themed after a different country. For extra fun, kids that can name all nine countries will win a special surprise prize.

Afterward, golfers can grab a cup of hot chocolate, and the winner of each round will have their photo taken for our Wall of Fame.

The mini golf program is open to all kids and no registration is necessary.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Get moving this year with a free boxing class


Looking for a fun, different way to get moving this year?

Take a free beginners boxing class at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at TITLE Boxing Club at 7601 Mentor Ave., Mentor.

The class is part of the Mentor Public Library’s Get Healthy Series. Each month the library will offer a free program on how to improve all aspects of one’s health.

The boxing class is open to everyone. No previous experience is necessary. In addition to learning some basic techniques, participants will also learn the different parts of the body that boxing exercises. (It’s more than the arms.)

Participants should prepare for a workout, be dressed to move and come about 15 minutes early so they can get their hands wrapped. TITLE Boxing Club will provide hand wraps and boxing gloves, though people can bring their own if they prefer.

You can register for the class on Mentor Public Library's website or by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 216.

The Get Healthy series continues with a talk on happiness on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at Mentor Public Library’s Main Branch. James Kargakos, a psychology professor and certified life coach, will discuss the science behind happiness and what detracts from happiness.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

15 Books, Videos & Albums from the Civil Rights Movement for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

While the holiday is named after him, Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates everyone who strives for justice and equality.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we wanted to compile a list of books, documentaries, movies and albums either from or about the Civil Rights Movement.

At first, we intended to limit it to 10, but that cap made for a superficial list. We increased the total to 15, but that still excluded too many favorites.

We eventually realized that we could stretch the list to 100, and it still wouldn’t include everything we considered recommended reading, viewing and listening. So this list is admittedly incomplete; or, rather, it’s far from exhaustive, and we preemptively apologize if we failed to include a personal favorite.

If anything, we hope this list introduces you to something new or reminds you of something important.

One final caveat: There has been more than one Civil Rights Movement in America and hundreds more across this planet. This list focuses on black Americans’ fight for freedom and equality in their country. To try to include every Civil Rights Movement would be casting a web too wide for a single post.

However, this won’t be the only list of its kind. The story of any people who are striving for justice and equality matters.

1. A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr.

The holiday is named after the man. We might as well begin with Martin Luther King Jr.

His most moving words are all here: his Nobel Prize acceptance speech; his Christmas sermon on peace; “Why We Can’t Wait”; his final speech delivered on April 4, 1968; and, of course, “I Have a Dream.”

2. April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Death and How It Changed America by Michael Eric Dyson

“I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we as a people will get to the Promised Land.”

Those were King’s words from his final speech the day he was murdered. Dyson uses the fortieth anniversary of King’s assassination as a starting point for a comprehensive reevaluation of the fate of America, specifically Black America, over the ensuing years. He investigates the ways in which we as a people have made it to the Promised Land that King spoke of. He also illuminates the ways we still have a long way to go. (April 4, 1968 can also be streamed as an audiobook via Hoopla.)

3. Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years

Both the PBS documentary and book do a masterful job of recapping the Civil Rights Movement from Brown v. Board of Education to the march from Selma to Montgomery—equally useful as an introduction and as a reminder.

4. Nina Simone’s The Definitive Collection

Struggle is never far from Nina Simone’s music, whether it be the struggle of her race (“To Be Young, Gifted and Black” or “Mississippi Goddam”) or her sex (“Four Women” or “Pirate Jenny.”) Life is difficult. The only thing that seemed to come easy were the songs; and, even then, they are sometimes painful to listen to.

You can stream Simone’s music on Hoopla or download her songs from Freegal.

5. Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution by Diane McWhorter

McWhorter won the Pulitzer Prize fore her investigation of her hometown and segregationist family during a pivotal year in the Civil Rights movement.

6. The Autobiography of Malcolm X


King was not the only leader during the Civil Rights movement. Malcolm X’s leadership, vision and rhetoric still influences millions of people. To learn more about the man you can read his autobiography (which, in full disclosure, was primarily written by Alex Haley.) Malcolm Marable’s Malcolm: A Life of Reinvention also offers an interesting counterpoint to his autobiography, as well as more information on his marriage to Betty Shabazz. (It’s also available as an eBook on OverDrive.)

If you’d rather watch than read, Malcolm X is one of Spike Lee’s finest films.

7. If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold

Ringgold may be better known for her story quilts, but she has also written and illustrated more than a dozen children’s books. If a Bus Could Talk is an excellent way to teach and talk to kids about Rosa Parks and Civil Rights.

8. Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom by Peter Guralnick

Guralnick tells the story of how musicians—Spooner Oldham, Otis Redding, Booker T. Jones and more—cut across racial lines to make music that was both timely and timeless.

9. Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On?

Speaking of sweet soul music, Gaye’s plaintive question is as pertinent now as it was in 1969. You might know the singles already (the title track, “Inner City Blues” and “Mercy, Mercy Me”) but this album rewards those who listen to it in its entirety.

10. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

In a year that was marked with racial and civil unrest, no one explained the still hazardous plight of the black male better than Coates. He uses both national and personal history, statististics and stories, to illuminate his points.

11. Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford

Eight-year-old Connie can’t eat her ice cream at Woolworth’s lunch counter. This book was written for third through fifth graders, but adults will appreciate its message too.

12. Voices of Freedom: An Oral History of the Civil Rights Movement from the 1950s through the 1980s

The worthy followup to Eyes on the Prize. This book tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement from people who were there, both the famous and the unknown.

13. Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders by Eric Etheridge

This book uses modern photos and the historical mug shots of the black and white protesters who rode across the country together protesting segregation.

14. Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody

The Civil Rights Movement isn’t just the story of Malcolm and Martin and Medgar Evers. It isn’t just the story of the people who refused to leave their seats on the bus or at the lunch counter. It was (and is) the story of everyone who has been belittled because of their race or sex or some other attribute beyond their control.

Anne Moody writes about her childhood, growing up in the Mississippi Delta in the 1940s and 1950s. Without embellishment or literary theatrics, she describes the risks her contemporaries faced for the sake of earning basic rights. And by telling her story, she tells all of our stories.

15. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Fiction can be a powerful way to share a people’s struggle and few people used it more powerfully than Harper Lee. If you’ve already read To Kill a Mockingbird but it’s been awhile, read it again.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Make your own Harry Potter T-Shirts

Kids made their own Harry Potter shirts at our Lake Branch, and you can do the same!
Kids made their own Harry Potter shirts earlier this year at our Lake Branch; and it was awesome, except for one thing.

You didn't get a shirt.

But we can fix that with the crafting experience of MPL Library Associate Ragan Snead. Follow her instructions, and you'll have your own personal Potterverse shirt to rock. Fabulosa!

Here's what you'll need:
  1. A simple, bold Harry Potter design (Spend some time searching the Internet, especially Pinterest, for one you like.)
  2. Cardstock
  3. Fabric paint
  4. Scissors or Exacto knife
  5. T-shirt (Any light-colored shirt will work, but the craft is easiest with a white shirt.)
Instructions
  1. Pick your Harry Potter-related design. The simpler it is to cut out, the easier your life will be.
  2. Print the design on cardstock and cut it out using an Exacto knife or scissors.
  3. Put an extra piece of cardstock inside the T-shirt to keep the paint from bleeding through to the back.
  4. Paint your design using fabric paint. For our craft, we used fabric paint in spray bottles giving the design a splattered look. With this method, you can get creative with what colors you use and how dark or light you want them.
  5. After you are finished painting, let the t-shirt dry for about 30 minutes before removing the stencil. The more paint you use the longer it will take to dry.
  6. After the paint is completely dry it can be washed normally.

For more fun and crafty programs at Mentor Public Library, visit our event calendar.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Job Fair at Mentor Public Library

Mentor Public Library is hosting a job fair from noon to 4 p.m. at its Main Branch.
Mentor Public Library is hosting a job fair from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29, at our Main Branch.

Several local employment agencies will be there, including The Reserves Network, Champion Personnel, Thomas Employment, Everstaff and Adecco Employment. They will be looking to fill positions in several fields.

Job applicants are encouraged to bring copies of their resume with them.

For more information, call Mentor Public Library at 440-255-8811 ext. 213.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Strike a pose with MPL's Comics Club

The kids of our Comics Club practice their craft by sketching one another.
Our Comics Club got both sketching and modeling practice at our last meeting.

Artists of all kinds, including comic artists, often use live models to create realistic pictures, paintings and sculptures of people. So some of our Comics Club members volunteered to pose while their friends sketched them.

Our Comics Club is for any 8- through 12-year-old who likes to read, talk about or draw sequential art. (And it's not just for superhero fans either. We love everything from Amelia Rules to Batman to Bone.)

Our Comic Club meets from 7 to 8 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month at our Main Branch.

At a typical meeting, the kids talk about a special theme. Then we introduce the kids to graphic novels and comics that can be found in the library’s collection.

Our next meeting is Feb. 2 at our Main Branch. The theme is autobiographical graphic novels. The kids will draw their own stories like Smile by Raine Telgemeier and El Deafo by C.C. Bell.

We close out each meeting with free time for the kids to draw or read.

Kids can sign up for our Comics Club online or by calling Mentor Public Library at 440-255-8811 ext. 221.
Young artists at work

Monday, January 11, 2016

Learn how to get the most out of our tablet or eReader at Mentor Public Library

Learn how to use your eReader or tablet to check out free books, movies and more at Mentor Public Library.
Did you get an eReader for Christmas or Hanukkah but have no idea to use it?

That’s OK. We can help you turn 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 January where we’ll show you how to get the most out of your tablets, eReaders and smartphones.

These classes are free and open to everyone.

The first session is for those with tablets (including iPads) and smartphones. It’s 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16, at our Main Branch. If you want to learn how to download books and audiobooks onto your tablet or smartphone, this session is for you.

The second session is 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at our Main Branch. It’s specifically for those with Kindles and Kindle Fires. Learn how to check out eBooks and more on your new eReader.

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.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Meet the newest American Girl, Maryellen, at Mentor Public Library

Kids can come to a sock hop with the newest American Girl, Maryellen, on Jan. 23 at Mentor Public Library.
We love the American Girl books so much at Mentor Public Library that we have a book club dedicated to them.

So it's only natural that we'd have a special program for the newest American Girl, Maryellen.

Maryellen’s a 1950s girl who follows her heart instead of the crowd; so we're throwing her a sock hop on Saturday, Jan. 23, at our Main Branch. There’ll be crafts, games and fun!

Our Meet Maryellen party is open to kids from six to 12 years old. You don’t need to be a member of our American Girl Book Club to come to the party. Of course, you can totally join the book club too, if you want!

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.

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

You can register your child for the book club on our web site or by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221.
See you at the party and feel free to bring your doll.
Visit our Facebook page for more photos from our American Girl Book Club.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Thanks for the Can-Do Spirit

Delivering donated food to the St. Gabriel's food pantry...
We want to thank everyone who donated to our Can Your Fines food drive (and that's a lot of people!)

Because of you, we delivered more than three dozen boxes of food to pantries at St. John Vianney and St. Bede in Mentor and St. Gabriel in Concord Township this week.

That’s a lot of food. And that food will help a lot of families.

A good deed is its own reward, but we also waived nearly $900 in library fines to those who donated.

Thanks again for your kindheartedness and generosity. You keep our community great.
Marty, a volunteer at St. Bede the Venerable, helps transport the donations we received during our Can Your Fines Food Drive.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Learn about the history of Mentor with Author Thomas Matowitz

Thomas Matowitz will discuss the history of Mentor and his new book about the city on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Mentor Public Library's Main Branch.
What do you know about the city of Mentor's history? Odds are that it's not as much as Thomas Matowitz.

He literally wrote the book on it, after all.

Matowitz will talk about his new book, Mentor, and the city's history at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Mentor Public Library's Main Branch. He'll discuss prominent families like the Garfields, landmarks like the Wildwood Estate, and more.

The talk is free and open to the public. You can register for it on our online event calendar.

After his talk, Matowitz will sign copies of his book which will be available for sale.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Get ‘Carried Away’ with our new book club for kids at our Lake Branch

Our new Carried Away Book Club is great for all kids, because it lets them read and create at their own pace.
The new Carried Away Book Club at our Lake Branch is different from most book clubs.

First of all, it’s for kids. (After all, we already have plenty of book clubs for adults, as well as one for teens.)

Second, there are no meetings. Instead, kids are encouraged to read and participate at their own pace.

Finally, the kids get to pick their own books!

Each month, the Lake Branch will display books based on a theme for a range of reading levels. January’s theme is Winter.

Inside these books, kids (and their parents) will find a sheet of paper with suggested activities, discussion questions, and an art opportunity. Younger children are invited to complete their activity sheets with an adult.

Bring your art project back to Lake Branch, and it will be displayed in our children’s area for everyone to see!

We hope that our new book club will encourage children to read, as well as give kids a fun chance to talk about what they read with friends, family and other kids.

For more information on our Carried Away Book Club, call our Lake Branch at 440 257-2512.

Kids get their passport to the stars at MPL's Headlands Branch

Kids show off the solar systems they created during the Passport to the Stars program at Mentor Public Library.
Kids earned their passport to the stars during a special story time Saturday at Mentor Public Library's Headlands Branch.

The kids got crafty, creating night skies out of papier-mâché and constructing their own solar systems. They also learned all about constellations.
Riley celebrates creating her own tiny universe from papier-mache.
And the adventure has just begun!

Each month at our Headlands Branch, kids can earn another stamp in their Passport to the Imagination.

In February, they will travel to the arctic circle; in March, they'll go to the hometown of Linus, Lucy, Snoopy and good old Charlie Brown; and, in April, they'll go digital with a passport to passcodes.

All of these programs are free and open to all kids.

For more programs at Mentor Public Library, visit our online event calendar.
Cheyenne puts the finishing touches on her solar system.
Visit our Facebook page for more photos from our Passport to the Stars program.

Monday, January 4, 2016

Get moving (gently) with yoga at Mentor Public Library

Enjoy a free session of chair yoga every Monday morning this month at Mentor Public Library's Main Branch.
What’s your New Year’s resolution?

To lose weight? Be healthier? Reduce your stress? Try something new?

We can get you started with all of that in a single step.

Have you heard of chair yoga? It's a relaxing, low-impact way to get moving and reduce stress.

Every Monday morning in January, Mentor Public Library is hosting a free chair-yoga session at 10 a.m. in our Main Branch. The sessions will be guided by the professionals from Awaken Yoga in Mentor. They will teach some positions and maneuvers that can be practiced from the comfort of a chair.

You can register for any or all of these sessions on our online calendar.

Yoga has been linked to everything from reduced stress and boosted immunity to weight loss and stronger muscles.

Come join us this month and see what yoga can do for you.
Jennifer Langsdale of Awaken Yoga shows everyone how to relax their shoulders. "Shoulders hold all of our shoulds," she says. "That's why it can feel like they're carrying the weight of the world."

Sunday, January 3, 2016

5 ways Mentor Library can help you keep your New Year’s Resolution

Want to lose weight? Decrease stress? Mentor Library can help you with that and much more.
Depending on what think-piece article you’re reading, anywhere between 88 and 92 percent of New Year’s Resolutions don’t survive the year.

But you can shift the odds in your favor with help from your local library.

We at Mentor Public Library are ready to help you lose weight, save money, find a better job or attain whatever goal you have set for yourself in 2015.

1. Lose weight & be healthier

This is the most popular resolution, so let’s start here.

If you want to lose weight or just generally be more fit, we have books on eating better, cookbooks with healthy recipes and exercise DVDs you can borrow.

We also have a special weekly program for seniors who are trying to find a fun way to get moving.

Starting Monday, Jan. 4, Awaken Yoga is offering a free introduction to chair yoga at our Main Branch. Yoga is a great way to relieve stress, build strength and (when paired with a healthy diet) lose weight. You can register for it here.

For those looking for something a little more challenging, you can get a free intro to the health benefits of boxing on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Title Boxing Club in Mentor. An instructor will teach the basics of boxing. Boxing gloves will be provided but comfortable clothes are a must. Be prepared for a workout.

2. Learn something new

There are hundreds of thousands of ways to learn something new. Literally every item in our collection could potentially teach you something you didn’t already know.

Beyond that, you can check out Gale Courses for hundreds of online classes. They offer classes on everything from music to technology to accounting, many of which are taught by college professors. And they’re all free with your library card.

We also have programs at our library on everything from the Civil War to local history to Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi.

3. Save money and get your finances in order

We have more than 200,000 books, movies and CDs in our collection, and that’s not even counting our digital services that let you read eBooks and stream music, movies and audiobooks anywhere and at anytime. (And that includes several books on how to best manage your money.)

Every time you borrow something from us, that’s money you saved. That can add up to a lot of savings over the span of a year.

Also, if you want to know more about your finances, you can come to a free program about understanding your credit score on Feb. 25 at our Main Branch.

4. Find a better career

On Jan. 29, we're hosting a job fair with several local employment agencies from noon to 4 p.m. at our Main Branch.

Come by and bring your resume. It could be your first step toward your new career.

5. Spend more time with your family

We offer a menagerie of story times for families, and they’re starting a new session on Jan. 5.

But there are a lot of ways to use library resources to spend more time with your family. Borrow a stack of DVDs and start a family movie night.

And, while our story times are a lot of fun, there’s no substitute for reading to your child.

So we hope to see you soon. Whatever your resolution is, I’m sure we have a book, video or program that can help. Don’t be shy. Just come up to the reference desk and ask for recommendations!

Friday, January 1, 2016

Happy Noon Year!

Bo plays with one of the balloons during our Happy Noon Year party on Thursday.
We threw a Happy Noon Year party on Thursday for all the kids (and their parents) who'd rather not wait until midnight to celebrate.

Children crafted party hats and noise makers. They competed in limbo, Twister and donut races (where they saw who could eat a donut dangling from a string fastest.) There was even a balloon drop and a toast. (It's OK. It was Sprite.)

We hope you all enjoyed spending your 2015 with us and we look forward to seeing you at Mentor Public Library in 2016!

Kids raise a toast at our Happy Noon Year party.
Donia leans beneath the limbo stick.