There’s More to the Story! Non-Traditional Items
Westlake Porter Public Library circulates books, sure, but did you know you can check out a DVD player? That's just one of the non-traditional items that the library makes available…
Learn a New Language from the Comfort of Home!
Expand your horizons and increase your appeal in the job market by learning a new language. From Spanish to Swahili, the library offers two databases, Mango Languages and Transparent Language…
A Quick History of Black Cartoonists
American comic strips have been around for just over a century. The newspaper business took off around 1900, and comics were one way to draw more readers to the paper.…
The Commonplace Book
I've always been a big fan of writing, journaling, note-taking, etc. But, I've found it hard over the years to keep up with a diary or a bullet journal. There's…
Little Books with Giant Characters!
There is something truly awe-inspiring about a giant! These characters are truly "larger than life" and add a wonderful dose of fantasy to any story. Some giants are good and…
15 Classic Children’s Books for Readers of All Ages
There's nothing quite like a classic children's book. As I'm sure many of my dedicated readers already know, this librarian is a huge fan of the classics. And I especially…
Folklore Fun! Winter Traditions
Ohioans are no strangers to winter weather. December means low temperatures, big sweaters, and sometimes even snow! This time of year, citizens of the northern hemisphere are bundling up and…
Reading Challenge 2023
Hello, readers! Every year, I put together a big reading challenge for the staff here at the library. This comprises of 40+ prompts that they can use to help them…
More Graphic Novels You Can Read Right Now with Hoopla
A few weeks ago, I came to you with a list of graphic novels you could read online right now. If you liked what you saw and would be interested…
An Elderly Native American Woman (Navajo) Wearing Turquoise Rings on Her Fingers Touches a Woven Navajo Basket
Youth and Teen Fiction in Honor of Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. This month has been chosen to honor the complexity and honor of Native American culture and history. The following are titles aimed at a…
The Benefits of Water, Inside and Out
Humans and water are inseparable. We drink it, work with it, exhale it, and play with it. The human body can only last mere days without it. It has been…
Folklore Fun! Slavic Tales
Just when I stared considering my next folklore post, I saw The Castle of Tangled Magic on display. Those beautiful domes on the cover reminded me of St. Basil's Cathedral,…
Tales of Friendship, Love, and Hospitality
Hospitality is a very special gift. It's a giving of yourself, from your time, your resources, and your heart. The tales included below are all stories of hospitality in some…
More Than One Story
More Than One Story is a card game designed to build bridges between people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures. Our staff checked out some of the questions posed in…
Andy Serkis Reads Lord of the Rings
I've been a Lord of the Rings fan for years--in that I've seen the movies (extended editions!) at least half a dozen times, and I quote it often enough. But,…
Suma Vacation
Hello everyone! Suma the Puma here. I love being the beautiful face of the Westlake Porter Library's Youth Services department, but sometimes I wish for a little more adventure in…
The Classic of the Month: Don Quixote
Welcome to the Classic of the Month-- an ongoing series dedicated to putting the right classic into the hands of the right reader! This month, we're looking at a really…
Make a Jump Rope with Plastic Bags
plastic bag jump rope Let's be kind to our planet by thinking of ways to use less plastic and finding creative uses for the plastics that we already have. Making…
Libby, Hoopla, and ComicsPlus: Which Should I Use and When?
Westlake Porter Public Library has a whole host of excellent Download and Stream options. From ebooks to movies, we have a little something for everyone. But, sometimes with this much…
Folklore Fun! Indigenous Tales of North America
I did a lot more reading than usual while I was prepping for this blog post. Until now, I've covered cultures that I had already researched on my own time,…
Egg Drop Challenge
The last two years saw the annual WPPL Egg Drop Challenge as a streamed event. This year, we are back in person and the splatters will be heard live in…
STEAM Week: Sand and Shells
My favorite place in the world has to be the beach. The warmth of the morning, the heat of the afternoon, and the cool of the night--it's always a lovely…
Spineless, Brainless, Beautiful, and Deadly: The World of the Jellyfish
If you ask me, the jellyfish is one of the most beautiful animals in nature. These gorgeous creatures, which do not possess brains, spines, or even eyes or ears, come…
Graphic Novels and the Fate of Literacy
Visit my webcomic, No Pizza After Midnight, for more fun comics! Don't make the same mistake I did! Check out all these great graphic novels: Bone, American Born Chinese, Robot…