Westlake Porter Public Library’s August Calendar of Events

Following is Westlake Porter Public Library’s August 2024 calendar of events. All programs are subject to change. Please check westlakelibrary.org or follow the library on Facebook and Instagram (@WestlakePorter) for the latest updates.

Thursday, August 1 (10–11:30 a.m.) Microsoft Word – Learn the basics of Microsoft Word, and how to access Northstar Digital Literacy for self-paced online learning. Please register.

Thursdays, August 1 and 8 (11 a.m.-Noon) Family Literacy Day – Use games, music and art in this interactive family activity incorporating tips about how to boost your child(ren)’s literacy skills. For families with children in grades K-8. This program series is made possible through the Accelerated Learning Grant, funded by the Ohio Department of Education, and facilitated by Making A Difference Consulting.

Thursday, August 1 (1-7 p.m.) American Red Cross Bloodmobile

Thursdays, August 1, 15 and 29 (4-5 p.m.) Roblox Arcade (Virtual) – Join us in the Roblox Arcade! We have private servers set up for tweens in grades 4-6 to enjoy some of the most popular games. Please register.

Saturday, August 3 (2-4 p.m.) Make It, Take It! – Stop by Youth Services to complete a featured craft. While supplies last. PreK-Grade 2. No registration required.

Saturday, August 3 (3–4 p.m.) Illustration Creation – Learn about a featured illustrator then create a project inspired by their art. Grades 1-3. Registration begins June 29.

Sunday, August 4 (2-3 p.m.) Art Smarts – Learn about a well-known artist and then use what you’ve seen to create an art piece of your own. Grades 4-6. Please register.

Monday, August 5 (9 a.m.-9 p.m.) August Adventures Craft Kit Pick Up – Celebrate holidays and other special days in August with some fun crafts. Space is limited. Kits are available until Sunday, August 11, unless other arrangements are made. Registration begins July 29.

Tuesday, August 6 (7–8:30 p.m.) World at War Forum: The Korean War – Between 1950 and 1953 American and South Korean armed forces fought Chinese and North Korean forces to a bloody stalemate. Library Director Andrew Mangels will discuss the battles, troop movements, and the decisions and command style of General Douglas MacArthur.

Wednesday, August 7 (2-2:30 p.m.) Virtual Author Talk: Jennifer Levasseur “Behind the Scenes at the Space Station” – Virtually step inside one of the greatest international achievements with a behind the scenes guide to space exploration with Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum curator Dr. Jennifer Levasseur. Streamed live. Please register.

Wednesday, August 7 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) Horror Film Club – Join us for another creepy classic from the Vault! New members are welcome, but children under 13 must be with an adult. Please register.

Wednesday, August 7 (6:30-8 p.m.) Makerspace Foundations: CNC Orientation – Attend an orientation to learn the basics of using the CNC router and become a verified user of the machine. Registration begins July 31.

Thursday, August 8 (10–11:30 a.m.) Internet and Email Basics and Safety – Learn the basics of the internet: using email, how to stay safe online, and how to access Northstar Digital Literacy for self-paced online learning. Registration begins August 1.

Thursday, August 8 (6-7 p.m.) Yoga @ the Pavilion: Chair Yoga – Join us for an outdoor session of Chair Yoga, with certified instructor Jen Nebraska. Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga done while sitting and still gaining the benefits that yoga has to offer. If inclement weather, indoor location will be the Porter Room. Please register.

Thursday, August 8 (7-8 p.m.) Thursday Night Book Discussion – This group now meets the second Thursday of every month. This month’s title is “You Are Here” by David Nicholls. A limited number of copies will be available at the Circulation Desk. Please register.

Friday, August 9 (4-5 p.m.) and Sunday, August 18 (2-3 p.m.) Brick Builders – Do you love Legos^©? Then bring your ideas and imagination to Brick Builders! Bricks provided. No registration required, but room capacity is limited. First come, first served. Ages 5-12.

Sunday, August 11 (2-3 p.m.) Come Play With Me – Open playtime for children ages 2-5 with a caring adult. Siblings welcome! No registration required.

Sunday, August 11 (3-4 p.m.) The Friends Present Magician Rick Smith, Jr. – Experience the thrill of mind-bending card magic and a fresh approach to the art of illusion with Rick Smith, Jr. Plus cool off with a frozen treat from the Kona Ice truck from 2:45-5 p.m. No registration necessary.

Tuesday, August 13 (7-8:30 p.m.) Tuesday Evening Book Club (In Person AND Virtual) – Join the WPPL Tuesday Evening Book Club in person or on Zoom to discuss “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” by Patti Callhan Henry. The discussion will be held in person and on Zoom simultaneously. Please register. If you register for the Zoom option, you will receive a Zoom invitation and instructions by email.

Tuesday, August 13 (7-8:30 p.m.) Craig Caldwell: A Birder’s Odyssey – Join Craig Caldwell as he shares his birdwatching experiences from all over the world, as well as general advice for beginning birders and enthusiasts. Please register.

Wednesday, August 14 (4-5 p.m.) Comic Club: All About Panels! – Learn about every comic’s basic building block: the panel. Explore, share and create comics with your friends. Grades 2-5. Bring your favorite comic book, or a comic that you made, to share with the group. Learn some comic-making basics and bring your ideas to life! Registration begins August 7.

Thursday, August 15 (10-10:30 a.m.) Music with Mr. Tim – Sing and learn pre-literacy and developmental skills and appreciate the joy of music in this class taught by Mr. Tim, BS in Music Education. Ages 3-6, siblings welcome. Please register each child attending. This program is hosted outside in our Pavilion, please dress accordingly. Registration begins August 8.

Thursday, August 15 (2-3 p.m.) Virtual Author Talk: Irena Smith, “The Golden Ticket to College Admissions” (Virtual) – Join us for this talk with author Irena Smith, PhD, to hear about constructive and healthy ways to approach the college application process, for both parents and teens. Streamed live. Please register.

Saturdays, August 17 and 24 (10:30-11 a.m.) Family Storytime – Join us for rhymes, songs and play! Children are welcome to wear their pajamas and bring along a stuffed animal! Ages 2-6 with a caregiver. No registration required.

Saturday, August 17 (1-2 p.m.) Pokémon Fun – This will be a time to view and trade cards, do a craft (if desired), and play a Pokémon Bingo game. Feel free to bring your cards. Ages 6-11. No registration required.

Saturday, August 17 (1-2:30 p.m.) Decorative Wire-Wrapped Wine Glasses – Have fun decorating two wine glasses using wire, beads, and pearls. These make great hostess gifts! Registration begins August 10.

Monday, August 19 (9 a.m.-9 p.m.) Kinder Club Kit Pick Up – Each bag will contain a variety of early literacy concepts that will be featured on our Kinder Club Blog. Ages 4-6. Kits are available until Monday, August 26 unless other arrangements are made. Registration begins August 12.

Monday, August 19 (1-2:30 p.m.) True Crime Book Club – This club meets the third Monday of every month except June and December. This month’s title is “I Know Who You Are” by Barbara Rae-Venter. Please register.

Tuesday, August 20 (10-11:30 a.m.) Introduction to Proposal Writing – Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher? If so, you don’t want to miss this class, which will provide you with an overview of how to write a standard project proposal to a foundation. Presented by David Holmes of Candid. Please register.

Wednesday, August 21 (2-3 p.m.): Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion – The Wednesday Book Group meets the third Wednesday of each month. This month’s title is “Dirt Creek” by Hayley Scrivenor. No registration required.

Wednesday, August 21 (6:30-8 p.m.) Make Your Own Lithophane – Learn to use online tools to transform your digital photo into a 3D printed lithophane, a 3D printed relief that brings your photograph to life when lit from behind. Please bring your favorite digital image with you to the program. Creations will be printed in the Makerspace and available for pick up a week following the program. Teens are welcome with a signed user agreement form. Registration begins August 14.

Wednesday, August 21 (2-3 p.m.) Virtual Author Talk: Shelby Van Pelt, “Remarkably Bright Creatures” – Join us online for a chat with “New York Times” bestselling author Shelby Van Pelt about her debut novel about widow’s unlikely friendship with a giant Pacific octopus. Please register.

Thursday, August 22 (1-2:30 p.m.) Sun Printing – Learn how to make a cyanotype print using the sun, found objects in nature, and Cricut-cut shapes from the Makerspace! Registration required. Children may attend with a caring adult. Registration begins August 15.

Sunday, August 25 (2-3 p.m.) Indian Classical Music Performance: Sugata Chatterjee – Join us for an enriching performance of Hindustani classical music by Recording Academy artist Sugata Chatterjee. Please register.

Monday, August 26 (9 a.m.-9 p.m.) Tween Craft Kit – Register beginning August 19, then stop by Youth Services starting at 9 a.m. for a Tween craft kit! For tweens in grades 5-7.

Tuesday, August 27 (7–8 p.m.) Adult Creative Writing Group: Back to School Edition – Creativity is more than putting pen to paper. It’s about breaking away and trying something new! Age 16 and up welcome. Please register.

Tuesday, August 27 (7-8:30 p.m.) Writing the Edge of Doubt: An Evening with Local True Crime Author David Miraldi – David Miraldi is a lawyer, writer, and artist from Lorain, Ohio. His most recent book, “The Edge of Doubt: The Trial of Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen,” delves into a shocking case, its aftermath, and the reverberations that moved through the community. Please register.

Wednesday, August 28 (3-5 p.m.) Back-to-School Teen Lounge – It’s the start of a new school year. Come to the Pavilion for a special Teen Lounge! Enjoy ice cream, games and music. In case of inclement weather we will meet in the Porter Room. Grades 7-12. No registration necessary.

Wednesday, August 28 (7-8 p.m.) A Force of Nature: Teddy Roosevelt, John Muir, and the National Parks – Largely Literary Theater Company co-founders Sara Showman and Mark Dawidziak perform a lively two-person show about the founding of the National Park Service. Come hear the story of the meeting between two incredibly forceful and colorful American figures, President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir, in Yosemite. Please register.

Friday, August 30 (4–4:45 p.m.) Fun Science Friday – Amazing Ants: Join Mrs. K as we explore the life cycle of an ant. What makes this insect unique? For ages 4-6, up to Kindergarten. Registration begins August 23.

Saturday, August 31 (2-3:30 p.m.) Wild Herbs of Summer: Gentle Foraging & Intro to Tea-Blending – Come for a peaceful walk, and meet some of our favorite wild herbs of this season! Learn about the gifts of these plants, and explore how they can offer support to our bodies and emotions. This walk will be led by Lorain County Community College adjunct professor Alison McKim. This class will also involve the optional consumption of wild plants which may contain allergens. The class will be held in the Pavilion, weather permitting. Registration begins July 31.

Saturday, August 31 (2-3 p.m.) Fall Into Organic Lawns – Learn about safe, chemical-free and earth-friendly approaches to lawn care with Mel Hauser of Good Nature Organic Lawn Care. Registration begins August 1.

To register for any of the programs, please visit westlakelibrary.org/events.