Upcoming events at Main, Lake, Headlands, & The HUB!
Registration for most programs opens 14 days before the program.
A number of program videos from the library can be found online on MPL’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Summer Reading 2024
May 30-July 27, 2024
Sign up using the Beanstack app or stop into the library!
Main Branch
Let’s Cook: Fresh Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce@ Main
Thursday, May 9, 2024
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Join us for a cooking demonstration featuring plant-based recipes with LaDonna from “Let’s Cook!” mobile cooking school.
For May, LaDonna will be making Fresh Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce. These fresh spring rolls are a light and healthy appetizer or main dish. Crunchy veggies, green onions and cilantro all wrapped in a rice paper wrap and served with a homemade Thai Peanut Sauce. Space is limited.
This program is free and open to the public. The program will be held in the lower level of the Main Library in the Village Room. Call the library at 440.255.8811, ext. 247 for more information or register online. Registration begins April 25, 2024.
Board Game Saturdays @ Main
Saturday, May 18, 2024
9:00am – 4:30pm
Join us every third Saturday for board gaming at the library! You are welcome to bring in your own games to play or use board games from our “Library of Things.” Adults and teens over age 16 are welcome to join the club and show up whenever you’re available as there are always games starting and ending to join in on the fun. Registration isn’t required; just show up and play! You are welcome to bring food and beverages (no snacks on the game tables, please.)
This program is free and open to the public. The program will be held in the lower level of the Main Library in the Garfield Room. Call the library at 440.255.8811, ext. 247 for more information.
Aromatherapy with Jennifer Langsdale @ Main
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
6:30pm – 7:45pm
Explore the use of aromatherapy to impact your emotions and health. Jennifer Langsdale, a professional holistic aromatherapist, will discuss the basics of aromatherapy, safety when using essential oils, and how to begin incorporating it into your life. Essential oils and fragrances will be used as part of this class. Each attendee will take home a sample.
This program is free and open to the public. The program will be held in the lower level of the Main Library in the Village Room. Call the library at 440.255.8811, ext. 247 for more information or register online. Registration begins May 7, 2024.
Tiny Food Party @ Main
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Grades: 7-12
Want to try food that is adorable and tasty? Enjoy some bite-sized foods for all the meals of the day. We’ll have some trivia all about food!
This program is free and open to the public. The program will be held in the lower level of the Main Library in the Village Room. Call the library at 440.255.8811, ext. 247 for more information or register online. Registration begins May 21, 2024.
Let’s Cook: Ponzu Noodle Salad @ Main
Thursday, June 13, 2024
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Join us for a cooking demonstration featuring plant-based recipes with LaDonna from “Let’s Cook!” mobile cooking school.
Ponzu is a soy and citrus based sauce very popular in Japanese cooking. In this class you will learn to make Ponzu and then mix it with simple vegetables and brown rice noodles to create a perfect summer salad.
This program is free and open to the public. The program will be held in the lower level of the Main Library in the Village Room. Call the library at 440.255.8811, ext. 247 for more information or register online. Registration begins May 30, 2024.
Board Game Saturdays @ Main
Saturday, June 15, 2024
9:00am – 4:30pm
Join us every third Saturday for board gaming at the library! You are welcome to bring in your own games to play or use board games from our “Library of Things.” Adults and teens over age 16 are welcome to join the club and show up whenever you’re available as there are always games starting and ending to join in on the fun. Registration isn’t required; just show up and play! You are welcome to bring food and beverages (no snacks on the game tables, please.)
This program is free and open to the public. The program will be held in the lower level of the Main Library in the Village Room. Call the library at 440.255.8811, ext. 247 for more information. No registration needed.
Teen Advisory Board @ Main
Thursday, June 20, 2024
6:30pm – 7:30pm
Grades: 7-12
Teen Advisory Board (TAB) meetings are opportunities for teens to discuss and influence teen services at MPL. Participants help develop teen programs, make suggestions for the teen spaces, and much more! TAB is open to all teens grades 7-12. Snacks and a craft will be provided. Today we will be making CD art.
This program is free and open to the public. The program will be held in the lower level of the Main Library in the Garfield Room. Call the library at 440.255.8811, ext. 247 for more information or register online. Registration begins June 6, 2024.
Lake Branch
Switch Mario Kart Party! @ Lake
Thursday, May 9, 2024
6:30pm – 7:30pm
Ages: 9-14
Teens and Tweens battle it out for the coveted Gamer Cup! Bring your switch or use ours! Registration is required.
For additional information, contact the Lake Branch – 440-257-2512 or register online. Registration begins April 25, 2024.
Bad Art Night! @ Lake
Thursday, June 6, 2024
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Creativity is messy, it’s ok to make mistakes, and you don’t have to be perfect! Join us at Lake Branch to make the art of your choice. At the end of the night we vote, and the Best “Bad Art” wins a trophy! Registration required.
For additional information, contact the Lake Branch – 440-257-2512 or register online. Registration begins May 23, 2024.
Headlands Branch
Next Level Video Game Club @ Headlands
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
6:30pm – 7:30pm
Ages: 8+
Do you enjoy playing games like Smash Brothers, Mario Kart and Nintendo Sports? Come join us at the Headlands Branch as we take turns playing video games for the Nintendo switch. You can also bring your own portable device, and just hang out and meet new people!
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins April 24, 2024.
UFOs Past, Present, & Future @ Headlands Community Center
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Thomas Wertman is a Ufologist from MUFON of Ohio. He has been the MUFON of Ohio Director as well as the Chief Field Investigator for over a decade. He has been on a number of television shows and documentaries about UFOs or UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomenon) as designated by the US Government.
Ohio is ranked 8th in the country for UFO sightings. Director Wertman will share stories about his hundreds of investigations in the US and Canada.
Before our May 15th presentation being held in the newly remodeled Headlands Community Center at 9096 Lake Overlook Drive, Patrons can check out Director Wertman’s podcast UFOdyssey and visit the MUFON of Ohio website http://www.mufonohio.com/ for the latest updates on UFO activity hovering above in our Ohio sky.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins May 1, 2024.
The Basics of Sports Photography @ Headlands
Saturday, May 18, 2024
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Our speaker will be John H. Reid III. John has been self-employed his entire life primarily as a professional photographer. John will be speaking about techniques that can be used to take photos of your children/ grandchildren/ friends playing sports.
John was the team photographer for the Cleveland Browns for 35 years. He was also a NFL contract photographer and photographed 800 NFL games including 11 championship games and 1 Super Bowl. He was also a MLB contract photographer and photographed 5 World Series and 4 All Star Games. John is a member of the Americans Society of Media Photographers (ASMP).
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins May 4, 2024.
Headlands Crafternoon
Thursday, May 21, 2024
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Calling all crafters! Come to the Headlands Branch for a fun afternoon of crafting! Bring your current project, meet others with similar (or radically different) interests & maybe learn a new thing or two! Open to fiber/textile artists, beaders, paper crafters, etc. All skill levels and ages welcome! No registration necessary.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000.
Nature Journaling @ Headlands Beach State Park
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
6:00pm – 7:30pm
All Ages
The library meets the wilderness! Join us every month at a different Mentor park to forge a deeper connection with yourself and with the marvels of nature living in our own neighborhood. We’ll explore different journaling techniques across a variety of mediums.
No experience necessary – open to all ages and skill levels. Limited instruction will be given, as this is a way for each individual to find ways to create a habit of observing and connecting to nature. All supplies provided (but feel free to bring your own!).
Meeting will take place at the Headlands Beach State Park (9601 Headlands Rd.).
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
Drawn In To Graphic Novel Book Club @ Headlands
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
6:30pm – 7:30pm
This unique book club will feature graphic novels for 12 to 17 year old patrons. Graphic novels are an engaging genre which highlights not only the narrative but artistic expression as well. This group will meet on the last Monday of the month at Headlands Branch from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. In addition to reading current graphic novels, attendees will be given a graphic novel journal and encouraged to write and share their own stories with the group.
Our May graphic novel is Seven Secrets Volume 1 by Tom Taylor, Daniele Di Nicuolo, and Walter Baiamonte.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins May 13, 2024.
Headlands Treasures Hunt
Saturday, June 1 – July 31
All Day Event
That’s right, it’s a treasures hunt!
Your summer adventure starts in your own neighborhood! The best treasures we have in our area are our parks. Stop by the Headlands Branch to pick up a map of these parks to explore. Visit as many as you can (mark off on your treasures map) and return to the Headlands Branch before August 1st for a prize and a special chance to win a $25 gift card!
No registration required – stop in to participate! For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000.
Creating Herbal Salves @ Headlands
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
6:30pm – 8:00pm
As a follow-up program after Dr. Shanon Sterringer’s presentation “Planting Medieval Herb Gardens Rooted in the Tradition of Hildegard of Bingen,” we will be gathering at Headlands Community Center (9096 Lake Overlook Drive Mentor, OH 44060) to create home remedies in the form of herbal salves using beeswax, olive oil, and essential oil at our program entitled, Creating Herbal Salves.
Dr. Shanon Sterringer is the owner of The Green Shepherdess, a fair-trade shop and local art studio, also in Fairport Harbor. She has traveled to the Rhine Valley several times since 2015 (most recently in January 2023) to walk in the footsteps of St. Hildegard. She has dedicated the last ten years of her life to studying Hildegard’s charism, most particularly as it relates to holistic health and spirituality. While on sabbatical in 2019, Shanon spent most of the year learning about herbs while working for a local herbalist Lynn Abbey at Blue Lake Botanicals in Willoughby, Ohio.
Dr. Sterringer has offered many retreats and educational presentations on the topic of Hildegard and Herbs, including a variety of online classes/seminars and a presentation at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens for the Western Reserve Herb Society. She has presented to the Herb Society of America, the Western Reserve Herb Society at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and Western Pennsylvania Unit of Herb Society of America.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins May 22, 2024.
Headlands Crafternoon
Thursday, June 6, 2024
1:00pm – 2:00pm
All Ages
Calling all crafters! Come to the Headlands Branch for a fun afternoon of crafting! Bring your current project, meet others with similar (or radically different) interests & maybe learn a new thing or two! Open to fiber/textile artists, beaders, paper crafters, etc. All skill levels and ages welcome! No registration necessary.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000.
Next Level Video Game Club @ Headlands
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
6:30pm – 7:30pm
Do you enjoy playing games like Smash Brothers, Mario Kart and Nintendo Sports?Come join us at the Headlands Branch as we take turns playing video games for the Nintendo switch.You can also bring your own portable device, and just hang out and meet new people! Ages 8 and up. Registration Required.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins May 29, 2024.
Headlands Crafternoon
Thursday, June 18, 2024
1:00pm – 2:00pm
All Ages
Calling all crafters! Come to the Headlands Branch for a fun afternoon of crafting! Bring your current project, meet others with similar (or radically different) interests & maybe learn a new thing or two! Open to fiber/textile artists, beaders, paper crafters, etc. All skill levels and ages welcome! No registration necessary.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000.
Drawn In To Graphic Novel Book Club @ Headlands
Monday, June 24, 2024
6:30pm – 7:30pm
This unique book club will feature graphic novels for 12 to 17 year old patrons. Graphic novels are an engaging genre which highlights not only the narrative but artistic expression as well. This group will meet on the last Monday of the month at Headlands Branch from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. In addition to reading current graphic novels, attendees will be given a graphic novel journal and encouraged to write and share their own stories with the group.
Our June graphic novel is Pixels of You by Ananth.
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins June 10, 2024
Nature Journaling @ Mentor Lagoons
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
6:00pm – 7:30pm
All Ages
The library meets the wilderness! Join us every month at a different Mentor park to forge a deeper connection with yourself and with the marvels of nature living in our own neighborhood. We’ll explore different journaling techniques across a variety of mediums.
No experience necessary – open to all ages and skill levels. Limited instruction will be given, as this is a way for each individual to find ways to create a habit of observing and connecting to nature. All supplies provided (but feel free to bring your own!).
This month’s meeting will take place at Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve & Marina (8365 Harbor).
For additional information, contact the Headlands Branch – 440-257-2000 or register online. Registration begins June 11, 2024.
The HUB
Please check back for upcoming Teen programs
Recommended Teen Books
- Teen’s Top 10 – YALSA – A “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year!
- “Best of the Best” Fiction for Young Adults – YALSA
- Printz Awards – An award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.
- TIME’s 100 Best Young-Adult books of All Time – TIME compiled a survey to honor the best best books for young adults. (Produced in January 2015)
Test Prep Websites – SAT/ACT
Looking to Prepare for your SATs or ACTs? Try the following websites for tutorials and practice tests.
- Practice Tests and Training – Click on Access Learning Express Anonymously (Provided by Ohio Means Jobs)
- Lynda.com
- Khan Academy
Download eBooks & Audiobooks!
Don’t read your books – Listen to them instead! Not only can you download eBooks at MPL, but now you can also download Audiobooks. Audiobooks can now be loaded onto PCs, Macs®, MP3 players, and many other mobile devices directly from your computer at home.
Mentor Public Library has expanded its online services by adding “eAudiobooks,” available to download from the library’s Web site through a new service powered by OverDrive. The service is free to patrons with a Mentor Public Library card. Users will need to install OverDrive® Media Console™ a free software found on the library’s Web site. For more information, go to our Digital Library page or call 440-255-8811 ext. 215.