Having Fun at the Lake and Headlands Branches

Some fun from the chalk art program at Mentor Library's Headland Branch.

We have a lot of fun over at our Main Branch on Mentor Avenue with our dragon training and Mad Science Mondays, but you'll miss a whole lot if you never venture to our Headlands and Mentor-on-the-Lake Branches.

Just last week, we dyed T-shirts with Kool-Aid over at Lake Branch, and kids broke out the chalk and practiced their sketch art at Headlands.

We've also been having Lakeside Labs over at our Headlands Branch where we've learned about UV rays and built small hovercrafts.

It's about to get colorful at our Tye-Dye program.

The fun continues this week. Travelin' Man Band is playing a free concert this Wednesday evening at our Headlands Branch. (Bring a lawn chair or a blanket, if you like.)

And Know Poe—our month-long celebration of Edgar Allan Poe—continues at the Lake Branch tonight with Mystery on the Lake. Kids can use their sleuthing skills to solve a whodunnit. (After all, Poe did invent the detective genre, as well as horror.)

We're even making lava lamps on June 30 at our Headlands Branch. (You can use them while wearing your new tye-dye shirt.)

Getting creative with the chalk on the Headlands Branch sidewalk.

You can see what other programs and events we have coming up this summer at Mentor Public Library's website. So check it out and join us for some fun at any of our branches this summer.

Forensic Fun at Mentor Library

CSI stood for Children's Science Investigation during our Forensic Fun program.

As we've mentioned before, this year we're dedicating our Summer Reading Program to science.

Last Friday, we focused on the science that helps law enforcement solve cases. Kids analyzed lip prints and learned how to lift fingerprints from evidence.

The kids learn how to identify different kinds of lip prints, just like they were fingerprints.

They even made their own badges.

The badges were pretty cute, but we're not sure where they have jurisdiction.

And there's still plenty of science left this summer.

We're having Mad Science Mondays every week where children can perform hands-on experiments and make crafts with different themes. (This week, we're making egg drops over at The Read House. Come join us!)

We’re also hosting Trashy Tuesdays every other week where kids can make fun crafts using recycled supplies.

Linsay presses down on her paper so it can dry out and solidify during Trashy Tuesday.

And this Thursday we'll be exploring the science of water. You can register for it on Mentor Library's website.

Mentor Public Library's summer reading program runs through Aug. 2, so there's still plenty of time for kids, teens and adults to sign up.

Everyone who participates in our summer reading programs—either by reading and/or attending library programs—has a chance to win prizes. Grand prizes include a $100 gift card from Toys ‘R’ Us for kids and Nook eReaders for teens and adults. The more someone reads, the better chance they have of winning something.

If you want to sign up for summer reading, you can register for it at any of our branches.

Ms. Kim shows a couple of young scientists how to lift fingerprints.

Edgar Allan Poe for children

Zack squeezes the Tell-Tale Heart during our Poe-themed obstacle course.

As we may have mentioned once or twice already, Mentor Library has dedicated the month of July to Edgar Allan Poe. All month, we've been hosting Know Poe events: citywide book clubs, free film festivals, scary video contests; and we still have more to come.

However, admittedly, a lot of our Know Poe programs have been for adults and teens. After all, with all the people getting dismembered, buried or burnt alive, it's difficult to design appropriate Poe programming for children.

But Mentor Public Library is for the whole family, so we took it upon ourselves to create programs that would introduce children to Poe without traumatizing them.

Peyton and her mom, Theresa, sort out some Poe codes during our cryptography program at Headlands.

For example, we held a program for kids about Poe’s love of cryptography last Saturday at our Headlands Branch.

Cryptography, in case you haven't heard of it, is secret writing. Or, rather, it’s using codes and rubrics to hide secrets in plain sight. Poe was fascinated by cryptography and hid all sorts of secret messages in his prose and poetry. For example, he hid the name of his friend Sarah Anna Lewis in his poem “An Enigma.”

On Saturday, the kids used one of Poe's own rubrics to crack codes and learn secret messages.

Erin came dressed in costume for our life-sized, Poe-inspired game of Clue.

Then this week, we had a special life-sized version of Clue in which we transformed the Garfield Room into an enormous game board. Then we substituted Colonel Mustard and company with characters, places and demises from Poe stories.

Some people even showed up in costume.

Elizabeth hides in the House of Usher.

Just yesterday, we unveiled a special obstacle course where all 10 obstacles come from Poe stories. Kids had to dodge The Pendulum, escape The House of Usher, break The Gold-Bug's code and even make their own mask for a masquerade.

For more photos from the obstacle course, check out Mentor Library's Facebook page.

And we're not done yet.

On July 22, kids can use their sleuthing skills to solve a mystery at our Mentor-on-the-Lake Branch. After all, Poe did invent the detective genre, as well as horror.

(By the way, I know it’s not for children but we’re hosting a special horror writing workshop for teens on on Saturday at our Main Branch. It’s a fun opportunity for young writers to hone their crafts.)

You can sign up for any and all of these Know Poe events on Mentor Public Library’s website.

Paws-ing to Read

Nobody finds Paws to Read more relaxing than Caesar.

I've been talking about Poe and science so much this summer that I've neglected an old favorite—Paws to Read.

This program is a personal favorite. It 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. (Especially if your son or daughter is also a dog lover.)

Annaliesse read to our newest Paws to Read volunteer: Jazz.

The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 20, at Mentor Library's Main Branch.

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

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

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

Jenna and Diva take a reading break for some snuggle time.

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

Mermaids and parades with Mentor Library

Mentor Public Library broke out its finest beachwear for the Fourth of July parade in Mentor Headlands. Our theme: Dive into reading!

If you missed us on the Fourth, you can see us at the CityFest Parade on Aug. 23.

Jason channels Jimmy Buffett.

Driver/Navigator prepares for the parade route.

That's right. We found a real live mermaid. Her name is Marilyn and she works in the children's department.

Doreen, Gail and Shannon get ready to dive in.

The gangs all here!

Beach bums Cailey, Meredith, Kristin, Marilyn and Catherine get ready for the parade. (And that's lifeguard Kim on duty in the background.)

Our sand castle has a drawbridge (but no sand.)

No water in sight? Easiest lifeguard job ever.

For more photos from the parade and other library programs, visit our Facebook page.

Teens have a Minute to Win It

Teens competed in our Minute to Win It competition this Saturday.

You're going to want to watch the video—if only to see the faces the contestants made during Face the Cookie. (They have to move a cookie from their foreheads to their mouths, using only the muscles in their face.)

By the way, teens still have time to sign up for Mentor Library's summer reading program and our free horror writing workshop this Saturday.

Teens can enjoy a spa day at Mentor Library

Angelina and Rosa relax with their face masks on during the Spa Day at the library last year.

Hey teens, that summer job got you down? The looming return of school already feel overwhelming?

You deserve a break. Enjoy a free spa day on us this Tuesday at our Main Branch.

You can make yourself avocado face mask, paint your nails, get a hand massage—just relax.

(Oh, and while you're here, make sure to sign up for our summer reading program and our free horror writing workshop this Saturday.)