Mentor Public Library in Ohio has introduced a unique lending program allowing patrons to borrow cooking kits guided by a librarian-chef. The Shelf to Chef kits include specialized equipment and instructional videos to help users prepare specific recipes. This initiative aims to enhance culinary skills through accessible library resources.
Mentor Public Library has started loaning Shelf to Chef kits from its Main Branch at 8215 Mentor Ave. Each kit contains a cookbook, specialized cooking gear, and a QR code that links to a video tutorial featuring Chef Stefanie Paganini. Paganini serves as a librarian at the library and brings over 15 years of experience as a pastry-chef educator from the International Culinary Arts & Sciences Institute in Chester Township, along with teaching stints at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.
The available kits cover recipes such as paella, madeleines, carrot-cake muffins, pain de mie, quiche, and crème-fraiche tarts. In her videos, Paganini demonstrates the recipes using the kit's equipment while sharing educational details, including the origins of vanilla, the history of paella, and the science behind yeast.
Adults holding a library card from the CLEVNET consortium can borrow these kits for up to two weeks, with no option for renewals. Borrowers must pick up and return the kits at the Main Branch and sign a Library of Things Waiver & Release form. CLEVNET comprises 47 local library systems, encompassing all public libraries in Lake and Geauga counties.
For those interested in the tutorials without borrowing, Paganini's videos are available on the Mentor Public Library's YouTube channel. The program launched on March 8, 2026, expanding the library's offerings beyond traditional cookbooks to hands-on culinary experiences.