News

05 6, 2018

MPL Talks: The Easter Rising of 1916

By admin|2018-05-06T06:00:56-04:00May 6, 2018|

We have a treat for those who enjoy the work of our resident historian John Foster.

Foster recently discussed the Easter Rising of 1916 during a special program at Concord Township Community Center. We filmed and are sharing the talk for those who could not attend.

The Easter Rising (also known as the Easter Rebellion) began when a small group of Irish republicans tried to wrest independence from the United Kingdom in the midst of World War I.

Foster explains what transpired during the Easter Rising and how its failure (and its leaders’ executions) launched a series of Irish uprisings.

For those who want to learn more, Foster recommends 1916: One Hundred Years of Irish Independence by Tim Pat Coogan.

Additionally, Foster — who, in addition to being a reference librarian, has a doctorate degree in European history — began his US Presidents of the 20th Century series in April. He started with a lecture on the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt.

His series continues at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, with a focus on Woodrow Wilson. The talk is free to attend and open to all.

Other historical talks by Foster can be watched on our YouTube page, including:

05 1, 2018

Christina Baker Kline on her writing, favorite books & who she’s reading now

By admin|2018-05-01T06:00:56-04:00May 1, 2018|

Orphan Train author Christina Baker Kline was our keynote speaker during the inaugural Northcoast Writers’ Showcase last week.

We had the opportunity to interview her, and she discussed:

why never goes anywhere without Anna Karenina and Madame Bovary
why she loves Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko
where she got the inspiration for her newest novel, A Piece of the World
what she’s working on now

Visit our YouTube channel for more author interviews

04 25, 2018

Theodore Roosevelt: Making the Modern American President

By admin|2018-04-25T06:00:25-04:00April 25, 2018|

Our resident historian Dr. John Foster started his US Presidents of the 20th Century series last week with Theodore Roosevelt.

We’ve filmed and shared his talk for those who couldn’t join us that night.

Learn how Roosevelt’s morals affected his approach to war, conservation and philanthropy. Also, discover how Roosevelt’s innovations helped create the modern presidency.

If you enjoy Foster’s talk and want to learn more about Roosevelt, Foster recommends Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris and Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands by Roger DiSilvestro.

Our series continues at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, with a focus on Woodrow Wilson. The talk is free to attend and open to all.

Other historical talks by Foster can be watched on our YouTube page, including:

04 22, 2018

Borrow traffic cones from Mentor Public Library

By admin|2018-04-22T06:00:15-04:00April 22, 2018|

You can now borrow traffic cones from Mentor Public Library.

Is your kid learning how to drive?

Firstly, our condolences. Secondly, you can now borrow a set of five traffic cones from us, so your new driver can practice.

Here’s the deal:

All you need is an adult Mentor Public Library card in good standing.
You get to borrow the cones for two weeks. (No renewals.)
You owe $5 in fines for each day they are late and $10 for any cone that isn’t returned.

Use the cones for driving practice, garage sales — however you need them. (Just try not to run them over.)

How to reserve traffic cones, hotspots, ukuleles, and other items from our Library of Things

04 16, 2018

MPL Talks: The Mexican-American War

By admin|2018-04-16T06:00:55-04:00April 16, 2018|

Consider this a prologue to our Civil War series. David Lintern, a volunteer at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site, discussed the Mexican-American War during a program last week at the library.

The Mexican-American War is where most Civil War officers saw their first active combat.

Learn about Ulysses Grant’s remarkable equestrian escape during one battle, the march to Mexico City, and why Santa Anna was a hero to some Mexicans and a traitor to others.

If you’re interested in history, we have two more programs this month you’ll enjoy.

First, our resident historian Dr. John Foster is starting a series that will focus on the US Presidents of the 20th Century. It begins with Rough Rider and conservationist Theodore Roosevelt.

Foster—who, in addition to being a librarian, has a doctorate degree in history—will discuss one of our country’s most fascinating presidents at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, at our Main Branch. The talk is free and open to all. You can register to attend online or call us at (440) 255-8811 ext. 247.

Additionally, Foster will discuss the Easter Rising of 1916 at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21, at the Concord Township Community Center—7671 Auburn Road in Concord Township.

On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, a group of Irish patriots staged a rebellion against British rule in Ireland. Although it failed, the Easter Rising opened the door to Irish independence within a decade. Learn about the rebels and their reasons during Foster’s lecture.

The Easter Rising talk is also free to attend. To register, call Suzy Cobb at (440) 639-4650.

Finally, our Civil War series continues at noon on Wednesday, May 9, at our Main Branch. The topic will be President James A. Garfield and the First Decoration Day.

By the way, if you’re interested in Civil War history, some other previous talks in our Civil War series can be viewed online in their entirety:

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