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We can all be more creative. John Cleese shows us how in his book Creativity – A Short and Cheerful Guide. Who is John Cleese? He is a scriptwriter and performer who co-founded the Monty Python comedy troupe. He has appeared in many films, including, A Fish Called Wanda, James Bond, Harry Potter and various TV shows.

Everyone is creative. It’s a skill that anyone can acquire. Cleese shares insights into the nature of the creative process. 

• What do you need to get yourself in the right frame of mind?
• When do you know that your idea is worth pursuing?
• What to do if you have hit a brick wall?

Everyone is creative, including scientists, athletes, medical people, business people, basically all professions and people in all walks of life. You might think that creativity is only a gift for artists, writers, musicians, designers, illustrators etc. “There’s a myth that creativity is something you have to be born with. This isn’t the case. Anyone can be creative.”

This book is a quick read and explains how to get your juices flowing. Maybe we need to learn how to play again, or to think outside the box. Creativity is a frame of mind. It is also a process. We can all acquire this skill. 

Let John Cleese help you make that leap.

-Jan Ridenour, Library Assistant, Technical Services

Last Saturday, we had our first Paint Night in over a year and a half.

When I heard we could do in-person programming again, I knew I had to find some paint brushes, dust off the easels, and make sure the paints had not dried up during the pandemic.

I chose an easy and adaptable painting project for our first post-pandemic paint night: a tropical sunset. This painting features a gradient background and a silhouette foreground with white highlights.

I use a gradient background in a lot of our Paint Night projects. For this look, you paint quickly, with a big brush, and blend the colors directly on the canvas board as you go.

The next step is to wait for the background paint to dry. It doesn’t take long, as we use acrylic paint.

Then, you can add your island and your palm trees and birds with black paint. Don’t like palm trees? Go off-book and paint your own scene.

When the black paint is dry, you add the white highlights.

And that’s it! You have a finished painting!

I think of this painting as our beginner class. It’s easy to adapt to any kind of theme and has some very popular techniques. It’s a great place to start to learn how to use acrylics.

I look forward to building on the techniques in Tropical Sunset in future in-person Paint Nights! See you then!

-Liz Strauss, Teen/Outreach Services Manager

In April, I passed my Notary Exam! I had already taken the class in 2020 and then the state of Ohio shut down.

I decided to take the class again to refresh my memory and voila! I passed again! And this time I submitted all of my information to the Ohio Secretary of State and was awarded my official license.

Becoming a Notary was not an easy feat. You need to call the law library and set up a day and time for you to take the 3 hour class and exam. And it’s also a huge responsibility.

Since becoming a notary, I have notarized at least 11 documents with help from four library colleagues who are notaries.

Dover Public Library has five notaries that can help you with your notary needs at no cost to you!  There is usually always a notary here. Feel free to call and ask if we are available at 330-343-6123!

-Ellen Lint, Library Assistant

Summer 2021 is here and the craziness of 2020 is becoming a distant memory. At times last summer, we lived in fear of the unknown. We may have grieved the loss of loved ones, or we may have faced financial or employment challenges. We may have wondered what was becoming of our world, and faced the regret of all that was taken from us. From family gatherings to parades to festivals to graduation parties, 2020 was a summer like no other when you measure what we lost. As you read this, I hope you are doing well.

This summer, I challenge you to embrace a summer of no regrets. We all know how life can turn on a dime. As for me, I plan to play whiffle ball in the back yard with our boys, spend time with family, and READ. My goal is to finish the 100 Book Club challenge that the library offers by Labor Day. I have forty-eight books to go as of this writing!

One of my favorite places in all the world is our front porch on Main Street. Shaded by leafy green Buckeye trees and maples, surrounded by hanging ferns and flowering plants, we like to lounge on the porch, books and iced tea in hand. The best time of the day is when evening falls – eventide. The town quiets down, fireflies begin their evening dance, and you can hear the gentle thwack of a screen door slamming somewhere down the street. I don’t need Vegas. I don’t need Paris or the beach. Give me my front porch, a good book, and some good company. In the end, 2020 reminded us what is important and how little we actually need to be happy.

This summer, I invite you to find your own happiness and encourage you to make the Dover Public Library a part of it. Our theme for our annual summer reading program is Super Heroes, Super Readers. We have reading challenges for kids, teens, and adults, and a variety of prizes and fun programs and activities along the way. See you on the front porch!

-Jim Gill, Library Director