Monthly Archives: September 2021

09 28, 2021

Revisit the Vietnam Wars with Lecture Series from MPL

By |2021-09-28T12:00:49-04:00September 28, 2021|

Our resident historian Dr. John Foster discussed the continued fighting in Vietnam from 1954 to 1963 during a special program last week. We recorded it for anyone who could not attend.

He discussed the leadership of Ngo Dinh Diem, the frustration of John Paul Vann, and the catastrophic Battle of Ấp Bắc.

This is the third lecture in Foster’s year-long series on The Vietnam Wars. Both of the previous lectures in Foster’s series can be viewed in their entirety on our website:

As part of his talk, Foster recommended several books on this era in Vietnam, including:

In addition to being a reference librarian, Foster has a doctorate degree in history. He has taught history at both high school and college levels. Previously, he has led series on the Battles of World War IIthe Cold Warthe American Revolution and US Presidents of the 20th Century at the library.

09 19, 2021

Discussing Dementia: How to Have the Tough Conversations

By |2021-09-19T06:00:35-04:00September 19, 2021|

Earlier this week, a representative from the Cleveland Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association offered advice on how to broach difficult subjects with a loved one who is experiencing dementia, including:

  • how to encourage them to see a medical professional
  • when it’s time to give up the car keys
  • how to make medical and financial plans for the future.

That program can now be watched in its entirety in the video embedded above.

Additionally, we’ve hosted other programs that can help families dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. They are still available to watch on our YouTube channel.

09 18, 2021

All Booked Up with Cailey & Meg: Phenomenal Fall Food

By |2021-09-18T12:00:55-04:00September 18, 2021|

Cailey and Meg love fall and cooking, so this is basically their favorite topic ever. They recommend four phenomenal cookbooks that will make your autumn dishes delectable! Check out

  1. The Great Big Pumpkin Cookbook by Maggie Michalczyk
  2. Foolproof Preserving: A Guide to Small Batch Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Condiments & More by America’s Test Kitchen
  3. Cook It in Your Dutch Oven by America’s Test Kitchen
  4. Grilled Cheese Please! by Laura Werlin

Most of the books we discuss can also be borrowed as ebooks using OverDrive or Libby. All you need is your Mentor Public Library card.

09 16, 2021

How to Access LinkedLearning & The Great Courses for Free with your Mentor Public Library Card

By |2023-11-04T08:56:54-04:00September 16, 2021|

Our own Ms. Pelton offers a tutorial on you can learn from experts in practically any field FOR FREE using your MPL library card, LinkedIn Learning, and The Great Courses.

LinkedIn Learning offers video tutorials on thousands of topics from the artistic to the technical. If has short videos, in-depth courses, and in-depth learning paths.

If you have a card with an Ohio public library, then you can use LinkedIn Learning without charge. And you don’t need a LinkedIn account to use it. Visit our LinkedIn Learning page for more details. (By the way, you may be familiar with LinkedIn Learning as Lynda.com. It’s the same useful content with a new name.)

Meanwhile, The Great Courses are a collection of phenomenal lectures series created by esteemed college professors for the general public on fascinating topics from history, science, the art, food, and even travel. They’re engaging, enlightening, and understandable.

The only downside? They can be a touch expensive to buy. Fortunately, your Mentor Public Library offers three ways that you can enjoy more The Great Courses for free.

  1. We have several DVD sets of Great Courses series that you can borrow from our collection, including:

Browse from the dozens of sets in our collection.

2. Stream them using Kanopy

If you’re not familiar with Kanopy, it’s a streaming service that lets you watch some of the world’s greatest films and documentaries. And it’s free with your library card!

It also has dozens of Great Courses series that you can stream onto your computer, phone, tablet, or Smart TV.

Learn as much as you want to about historyskillshobbieshumanities and science.

3. Stream audio versions of the Great Courses for free with Hoopla

By the way, if you prefer streaming audio, you can stream more than 100 Great Courses in their entirety as audiobooks using Hoopla. Once again, Hoopla is free to use with your Mentor Public Library card. You can borrow up to 20 items per month from its collection, which also includes audiobooks, movies, music, and comics.

09 11, 2021

Leaders & Legacies of the Civil War: The Extraordinary Life of General Jack Casement

By |2021-09-11T12:00:19-04:00September 11, 2021|

For many, being a Civil War general would be the pinnacle of their life. But for Painesville’s John Stephen Casement, it was a prologue.

General Jack found more wealth and fame as a railroad man. He even smote the Golden Spike that connected the transcontinental railroad.

Learn more from David Lintern, a volunteer at James A. Garfield National Historic Site. When you watch his talk, you’ll also discover Lintern’s personal connection to General Casement.

Our Civil War series continues next month at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 13. Rangers Allison Powell and Rebecca Hayward will share tips for researching your family members who served in the Civil War. We will be meeting in person at our Main Branch! We look forward to seeing you here. Registration is required, and you can sign up on our website.

(By the way, if you’re interested in genealogy, our Lake Branch hosts a genealogy club that meets next on Nov. 3.)

Finally, if you’re interested in Civil War history, several talks in our series can be viewed online in their entirety, including:

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