Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.

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This week

Eating Your Way to a Healthy Heart will be 1 to 2 p.m. March 28 at Mentor Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. A representative from Lake Health will speak about how a healthy diet can alleviate the risk factors for heart disease. Attendees will learn about which foods to choose and other guidelines for choosing and preparing food. Details: 440-255-8811, ext. 215, or www.mentorpl.org.


Business Day 2011 will be 6 to 8 p.m. March 28 at Madison Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road. Representatives from banks, realtors, day cares, landscapers, dry cleaners, beauty shops, book stores, balloon decorators, therapists, and many more businesses will be there to talk about their products and services. During Madison Township's 200 years many businesses have come and gone. This is your chance to learn a little more about the area in which you live today and the hard working people that keep today's businesses going.


Lake Health will be hosting a non-fasting diabetes screening from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 30 at the Mentor Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. The screening will cover cholesterol, HDL, blood pressure and glucose. Participants must pre-register with Lake Health by calling 440-953-6000.


Saving for College will be at 7 p.m. March 30 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. Learn how to make saving for college easy and affordable as a representative from College Advantage, Ohio's 529 savings plan, will explain the program. Registration required: 440-943-4151.


How to Select a Caregiver will be at 6:30 p.m. March 31 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square. This program will help select a caregiver and perhaps keep a loved one at home. Registration required: 440-942-3200.


Introduction to PowerPoint and Excel 2007 will be at 6:30 p.m. March 31 at Eastlake Library, 36706 Lake Shore Blvd. A two-part program designed on the basics of creating slideshow presentations with PowerPoint, and spreadsheets and data with Excel. Class size limited to seven; registration required: 440-942-7880.


Getting Started with Medicare will be at 7 p.m. March 31 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. If you are approaching age 65, or just going on Medicare for the first time, this is your opportunity to gain a basic understanding of how Medicare works. You will learn what Parts A, B, C, and D cover and what is not covered. You will learn the difference between a Medicare Supplement and a Medicare Advantage Plan. Speaker Laura Mutsko designed this class to make Medicare easy to understand and answer all your questions. Registration required: 440-943-4151; www.welibrary.info.


Meet Rick Porrello, author of "To Kill the Irishman," from 7 to 9 p.m. March 31 in the Eykyn Room at Geauga West Library, 13455 Chillicothe Road, Chester Township. Porrello will share his experiences writing about organized crime, and the book's long road to Hollywood. There will be a book sale and book signing prior to the event. The event is sponsored by the West Geauga Friends of the Library and is free to the public. Details: 440-338-8023. Find more info about Porrello and the book here.


Friends of the Kirtland Public Library will host the monthly book sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 2 in the Book Cellar at Kirtland Library, 9267 Chillicothe Road. Featured this month along with novels, biographies, self-help and more will be many books on gardening. Recorded books, DVDs, CDs and books on cassette will be available. Donations of gently-used adult and children's items to sell are appreciated and may be made during library hours.


Burton Library will host the annual Edible Book Festival from 11 a.m. to noon April 2. The Edible Book Festival is celebrated worldwide every year on or around April Fool's Day. The object is to make an edible book, document it, then eat it. All ages are welcome to participate in this creative time. Participants should use their imagination and make something edible that somehow represents a book. Participants should make their edible book at home and bring it to the library at 11 a.m. April 2. There will be prizes for funniest, most realistic and most unique edible books. Call the library at 440-834-4466 to register. The library is located at 14588 W. Park St. in the center of Burton Village.


Reading to the Dogs at Perry Library, 3753 Main St., is scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. April 2. School-age children can read aloud to a friendly, gentle dog who is licensed and trained to be a good listener. The dogs' handlers sit nearby to help ease the interaction. Participants can register for one 15-minute time slot each session; drop-ins are welcome if time slots are available. Each child will receive a souvenir photo and free book to take home. To register, call 440-259-3300.

Coming up

Mentor Library's Monday Night Book Discussion takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. the first Monday of each month from October through June, with the next meeting being April 4. For this month's selection, contact librarian Barb Hauer at 440-255-8811, ext. 210. The library provides books, and refreshments are courtesy of the Friends of the Library.


The Lupus Foundation of America Inc. Greater Cleveland Chapter will host the Willoughby Area Support Group from 6:30 to 8 p.m. April 5 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square. Details: 440-717-0183.


The Citizens for Chardon Schools Levy Campaign Committee is sponsoring a Levy Information Night at 7 p.m. April 6 at the Chardon High School Library. Chardon Schools Superintendent Joseph Bergant, Treasurer Stephanie Swain and leaders of the volunteer levy committee will be on hand to answer questions on Issue 2, the district’s operating levy request, which is on the May 3 ballot.


John Stark Bellamy II, author of "The Last Days of Cleveland," will be in the area at the following times, dates and locations:

• 7 to 8 p.m. April 6, Gates Mills Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 1491 Chagrin River Road. Details: 440-423-4808.
• 7 to 8 p.m. April 10, Chagrin Falls Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 100 E. Orange St. Details: 440-247-3556.
• 7 to 8 p.m. April 12, Mayfield Village Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 6080 Wilson Mills Road. Details: 440-473-0350.
• 7 to 8 p.m. April 14, Willowick Public Library, 273 E. 305th St. Details: 440-943-4151.

Reel Talk-Book and Movie Discussion Group meets at 2:45 p.m. the second Monday of every month in Morley Library's meeting Room B, with the next meeting taking place April 10. Books and DVDs are available at the check-out desk on the main floor. The library is located at 184 Phelps St. in Painesville. Details: 440-352-3383 or www.morleylibrary.org.

Ongoing events

If you are 60 years old or older and a middle- or low-income taxpayer, you can get free tax assistance with an AARP tax aide volunteers. Call the Mentor Library at 440-255-8811, ext. 215, to make your appointment. Volunteers will be at the Main Library, 8215 Mentor Ave., from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through April 12. Bring your completed tax forms from last year and valid I.D. to your appointment. AARP help is by appointment only.


Claire Zurbuch, a resident of Hambden Township for nearly four decades, is the season’s featured artist at “Art in the Mart” at the Middlefield
Library, 16167 E. High St. Zurbuch is a photographer who specializes in film. His work features nature, landscapes and photos from a recent trip to Italy with his wife, Kay. Zurbuch will present “Photographing Italy” at 7 p.m. April 28. More than a travelogue, the free program will include tips on how to photograph a vacation. “Art in the Mart” is sponsored by the Geauga Council for Arts & Culture, whose mission is to bring art and people together. All of the items are for sale and the proceeds benefit the artist, the council and the Middlefield Library. Other Art in the Mart locations include the New York Deli, the Geauga YMCA and University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center. Those interested in purchasing a piece, can email artinthemart@gmail.com or call 440-537-3344.


Mentor Public Library is celebrating National Library Week by hosting a writing contest for children ages 12 and younger. From now until April 11, children can show off their creative spirit and have a chance to win Barnes & Noble gift cards. Everyone who enters the contest will have their story published in a book that can be checked out at the library. Entries will be judged in age groups: 6 and younger, 7 to 9, and 10 to 12. Children should submit a typed or clearly written story, 1,000 words or less, about "A Night at the Library." Younger patrons who have not learned to write may draw their story. Participants should write their name, age and phone number on submissions. Details: 440-255-8811, ext. 221.



-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl