Annual report of the Cleveland Public Library for 2007

              Cleveland Public Library
Literacy
2007 ANNUAL REPORT
Cleveland Public Library
325 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44114 - 1271
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for Life
Comments from Board President
Alice G. Butts
Alice G. Butts
President
1
Our community is fortunate to have what many consider to be one of the nation’s
finest public libraries. Faced with many opportunities and challenges, Cleveland
Public Library continues to create new and exciting ways to not only service the
needs of Greater Clevelanders, but also to expand programming, resources, and
access to library collections.
This annual report looks back on the many accomplishments and success stories
of 2007. Throughout the year the Library continued to strengthen partnerships with
many community organizations and forge new relationships to work toward shared
goals. In addition, goals and initiatives of the 2002 Strategic Plan moved forward,
providing the highest standards of information and service to all residents.
As we look to the future, we are excited about the opportunities and projects for
2008. As President of the Board of Library Trustees, it has been my pleasure and
honor to serve you in 2007. The Board salutes the Library staff and administration
who strive each day to achieve excellence in library service and continued growth of
Cleveland Public Library. Our staff acts as caring role models to a new generation
of readers, inspiring our citizens to reach for the rich rewards of an ever- expanding
global connectedness.
Alice G. Butts
President, Board of Trustees
David Fritz, Vice President of Public Affairs, University Circle, Inc.;
Holly Carroll, Deputy Director; Maritza Rodriguez, Secretary, Board of
Trustees; The Most Reverend Richard G. Lennon, Bishop of Cleveland;
Sister Juanita Shealey; Alice G. Butts, President, Board of Trustees;
Venerine L. Branham, Board of Trustees at the Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day commemorative celebration where Bishop Lennon was
the keynote speaker.
( top) Charlene A. Jones, Board of Trustees; author Thrity Umrigar;
Alice G. Butts, President, Board of Trustees; and Holly Carroll, Deputy
Director, at the Writers and Readers series.
Members of the
Board of Library Trustees
Charlene A. Jones
Vice President
Through June 2007
Lori McClung Vita C. Redding
Through February 2007
Alan Seifullah
Beginning March 2007
Rick Werner
Beginning July 2007
Thomas D. Corrigan
Vice President
Beginning September 2007
Venerine L. Branham
The People’s University:
Striving For Excellence
The mission of the Cleveland Public Library is to
be the best urban library system in the country
by providing access to the worldwide information
that people and organizations need in a timely,
convenient, and equitable manner.
MI S S ION S TAT EMENT
of “ The People’s University” is to be the
learning place for a diverse community,
inspiring people of all ages with the love
of books and reading, advancing the
pursuit of knowledge, and enhancing the
quality of life for all who use the Library.
Vision
Maritza Rodriguez
Secretary
COVER:
The day care center of the West Side Ecumenical Ministry was the
first to take advantage of the “ On the Road to Reading” program.
The new mobile unit visits 31 sites weekly, where pre- K teachers and
care providers use a certified curriculum created by Library staff
to introduce children to the world of books and reading.
“ On the Road to Reading” also services 12 pediatric
and Women, Infants, and Children ( WIC) centers
throughout the community.
The Harry Potter Bus Tour
visited our Rockport Branch,
one of only two libraries in
Ohio that were on the tour.
Library staff and friends
are annual participants in
Parade the Circle
Cleveland Public Library
3
In May of this year your
community proudly hosted
“ The Changing Face of Cities,”
part of the Urban Libraries Council’s
Partners for Success conference
series, which explores how libraries
can be resources for addressing urban
issues. Library professionals from
across the country convened in
Cleveland to talk about the vital role
urban libraries play in cultivating com-munity
and fostering knowledge and
innovation. Cleveland was the ideal
site for this gathering of dedicated
library leaders; in the last six years
we’ve transformed your Cleveland
Public Library based on your aspira-tions.
You asked for increased hours of
operation in neighborhood Branches;
for more programs for children, young
adults, senior citizens, and New
Americans; and for more computers
and computer classes. We promised
to meet these needs and we kept our
promises. You have taken full advan-tage
of our enhanced services; this is
our reward for six years of hard work
and dedication.
This annual report provides a record
of our accomplishments in 2007.
During its production we secured your
most significant vote of confidence;
on March 4, 2008, Issue 2, a five-year,
5.8 mill replacement property
tax levy passed by a more than
sixty- five percent margin. We remain
committed to our goal of ensuring
that the Main Library and Branches
are the center of our city’s neighbor-hoods.
Our buildings are as lively as
the people who work and serve, and
study, read, gather, create, and learn
within them. This 2007 annual report
illustrates just how engaged you are
in your Library’s programs, exhibi-tions,
and activities. Thanks to the
combined efforts of our staff, Board,
community partners, and— most
importantly— our dedicated patrons,
Cleveland Public Library is a center
of dynamic innovation and creativity.
Most importantly, however, our build-ings
are places where lifelong learn-ing
happens. Your Library inspires
literacy for life.
Fosters Learning
and Literacy for Life
Message from the Director
2
This year Cleveland Public Library garnered significant national recognition. On June 25
“ The People’s University On Wheels” visited Capitol Hill, where we served as exemplary
backdrop for the welcoming of Members of Congress during the American Library
Association Annual Conference and for a press conference led by ALA president Loriene
Roy. Your Library also co- hosted Cleveland’s first national Urban Libraries Council
Conference in May, and received the 2007 Award for Outstanding Commitment to the
Preservation and Care of Collections from the American Institute for Conservation of
Historic and Artistic Works and Heritage Preservation on April 4.
In September, following a Community Attitude Survey by TRIAD Research Group,
which revealed that Cleveland voters are very positive about their Library, a series of Town
Hall Meetings were held to discuss the status of our five library service initiatives. Sixty
percent of voters supported their Library and our new plan on May 6, 2003. Your support
remains steadfast; as this annual report goes to press, we are celebrating the March 4, 2008
passage of a 5.8 mill replacement property tax levy. Clearly, your response to our new
initiatives has been very positive!
This year we also strengthened our ongoing partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan
School District; to improve the academic performance of Cleveland’s students, full sets of
school textbooks are now available in our 28 neighborhood Branches and Youth Services
Department, Main Library, on a non- circulating basis.
The State Auditor’s Office issued a good audit for our Year 2006 financial records,
thereby continuing our history of earning good audits as custodians of the public’s trust.
Plans are underway for relocating the Garden Valley Branch into the new Bridgeport
Place, building a new Rice Branch, and renovating the Woodland Branch.
Thank You Cleveland for your confidence in and support of “ The People’s University”!
Andrew A. Venable, Jr.
Director
The Urban Libraries Council Conference was held
at Cleveland Public Library on May 4- 5 to explore how
libraries can be resources for addressing urban issues.
( left to right) Rose Zitiello, Manager, Bank Relations,
City of Cleveland; Sari Feldman, Executive Director,
Cuyahoga County Public Library; Christopher Ronayne,
President, University Circle, Inc.; Deborah L. Sutherland,
Mayor, City of Bay Village; Steven A. Minter, Executive
in Residence at Cleveland State University; Andrew A.
Venable, Jr., Director; Martín Gómez, President, Urban
Libraries Council, and Cleveland City Councilman
Joe Cimperman.
Programs for Youth at Your Library
Andrew A. Venable, Jr., Director, with Teen Read Week
participants ( top) and with Summer Reading Club
participant at the program’s finale.
The Preservation Department receives the 2007
Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation
and Care of Collections. Attending the presentation
Laura Wallencheck; Elizabeth Bardossy; Alice G. Butts,
President, Board of Trustees; Ann Olszewski, CPL
Preservation Manager; Lawrence L. Reger, President,
Heritage Preservation; Eryl Wentworth, Executive
Director, American Institute for Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works; Andrew A. Venable, Jr., Director;
Albert Albano, Director, Intermuseum Conservation
Association ( ICA); Andrea Chevalier, Senior Conservator,
ICA; Lyla Chilkcutt; Gloria Massey; and Renee Pride.
Your Neighborhood Library
We presented more than 13,800 programs at CPL, in schools
and daycare and community centers.
Our programs were attended by more
than 142,500 Library patrons.
Dance performance during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Harry and the Potters event at
our Lake Shore Facility.
The Library’s Staff Holiday Chorus
performed in the Louis Stokes Wing
under the direction of Andrew A.
Venable, Jr., Director.
Chess for Success event
( left) at Main Library.
Children perform during
Chinese Lunar New Year
two- day celebration.
Reading
Clubs
4
The annual Read, Baby, Read! Reading
Celebration was held at Cleveland Public
Library’s Lake Shore Facility auditorium
on May 15.
When we hear the word “ literacy,” we
most often think of reading and writing.
But living in today’s complex, competitive
information society requires that we are
“ literate for life.” Attaining life literacy
requires that we have easy access to the
Internet, and to textbooks and materials
that are fundamental to public education
and intellectual development. Our visual
culture— the realm of television, billboard,
magazine and Internet advertising—
encourages us to consume fatty, sugary,
high- carbohydrate foods; therefore, we
must stay informed about good nutrition
and exercise. Your Library makes these
resources available to you on site at the
Main Library and neighborhood Branches,
and we also bring them to you with our
Mobile Library units, our community part-nerships
and programs, and our website.
Books clubs, which promote group
interaction and a sense of community,
remain popular vehicles for sharing ideas
and intellectual growth. Creating a success-ful
club sometimes means connecting with
people where they live, study, and gather.
Since 1999 your Library has partnered
with A Cultural Exchange, a literacy- based
nonprofit multicultural arts organization
for children, on Read, Baby, Read!,
a multicultural book group for second
graders from approximately 20 public,
charter, and parochial schools. In 2007
Read, Baby, Read! launched Spotlight, a
magazine with a circulation of 5,000. This
year we began an important collaboration
with Care Alliance, an agency that provides
medical and dental care to homeless
people in Northeast Ohio, and Lutheran
Metropolitan Ministry, the organization
that operates the 2100 Lakeside Homeless
Shelter. Each week, men living at 2100
Lakeside Homeless Shelter gathered to dis-cuss
books such as Barack Obama’s Dreams
from My Father and Is Bill Cosby Right? by
Michael Eric Dyson. The group provided
camaraderie and conversation; it also gave
men the opportunity to explore their own
problems and circumstances in relation to
authors’ experiences, the tribulations of
fictional characters, and the challenges
faced by their homeless peers. Another
goal of the discussion group was to have
members read books by authors who were
scheduled to appear at the Library; like all
Clevelanders, homeless individuals are wel-come
to attend author events and programs
held at their Main neighborhood Library.
Reading/ Literacy for Life TEEN
SUMMIT
Patrons borrowed more than 5.4 million
items from the Library
Over 3.9 million people visited a
Cleveland Public Library
We answered more than 2.1 million questions
And more than 389,500 items were added
to the collection
The Summer Reading Club participants,
and Lyrics contest winner.
Winter Reading Club events took place at the
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo ( top right) and
at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, where
puppet shows were just part of the fun.
Teen Empowerment:
A Motivational Summit 2007
East Tech graduate Richard Starr ( far
right) kicked off the Teen Empowerment:
A Motivational Summit 2007 with a
motivational talk about his life journey to
adulthood.
Fit For Life
Fit For Life was created to inspire teens
to become physically fit. It was made
possible by a grant from MetLife.
Poetry Slam
Teen Read Week
During the American Library Association’s
tenth annual Teen Read Week, young
writers wrote, read, and performed their
own work at a poetry slam.
Literacy for Life means offering programs like
Live Long & Like It where Linda Jaeckel,
Addison Branch Manager, presented “ Seniors
Take Charge: Money Matters!”
5
6 7
Mobile Library Arrives in
Washington DC
Often getting people engaged in read-ing
and connected to their Library means
taking books, DVDs, CDs, and materials
to them where they live and work. We
expanded our Mobile Services Department
this year; an $ 80,000 Library Service and
Technology Act grant from the State
Library of Ohio made the purchase of the
new mobile unit possible, and a $ 40,000
grant from Starting Point helped us stock
the shelves with books and materials. The
new project, “ On the Road to Reading,”
strengthens our commitment to early
childhood education. Library staff wrote
a certified curriculum for pre- K teachers,
which is focused on teaching early literacy
skills. Next year the Woodland Branch,
home to Mobile Services, will be expanded
and updated to better accommodate the
staff and fleet.
Another rewarding 2007 endeavor
involved filling requests for books for the
Richland Correctional Institution’s Library.
Your Library’s Interlibrary Loan staff
worked with the correctional institution’s
librarian, to meet the reading interests
of incarcerated men. These efforts keep
confined men involved in reading
and engaged with positive institutional
programming.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts
of Cleveland Metropolitan School District
( CMSD) and Cleveland Public Library
staff, public school students now have
access to a full set of textbooks— 2,000
copies in all— at their neighborhood
Branch and in the Youth Services
Department of the Main Library.
Beginning in September of this year,
books from every subject taught at
CMSD for first through twelfth grades
were available to students and their
caregivers for on- site use.
“ The Library’s collaboration with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District ensures that
students and their caregivers can access the textbooks after school, five evenings a
week and on weekends. Cleveland Public Library's literacy mission is to
provide as much educational support to school- age students as possible.”
— Merce Robinson, Literacy Coordinator, Cleveland Public Library A Special Invitation
Library patrons and Cleveland
Municipal School District students at
their Jefferson Branch ( left to right)
Miyera A. Showers, Rayanne Bassin,
Nathaniel Bassin, Natasha Rivera,
Orlando Hackney, Kyle Stacey, and
Teleza M. Reeves.
Holly Carroll, Deputy Director, Cleveland
Public Library ( CPL); John M. Moss,
Board, Cleveland Municipal School
District ( CMSD); and Venerine Branham,
Board of Trustees, CPL collaborated with
CMSD to include textbooks in all Library
branches and Youth Services. With the
help of the Library’s Technical Services
Department, this was completed in time
for the beginning of the school year.
November 16 launch of “ On the
Road to Reading.”
Childrens��� Book Week author
Ashley Bryan ( circle photo) was
on hand to read to young patrons.
Rhonda Fulton ( center), Children’s
Librarian, Mobile Services, works with
teachers at West Side Ecumenical
Ministry as part of “ On the Road
to Reading.”
On June 25 “ The People’s University
on Wheels” visited Capitol Hill. A
number of mobile units from libraries
across the country convened on
Washington DC. Your Library’s vehicle
was chosen to serve as a lively back-drop
for the welcoming of members of
Congress during the American Library
Association Annual Conference ( ALA).
ALA president Loriene Roy also held a
press conference in front of our Mobile
Library, and media outlets dispersed
images of it throughout the U. S.
Exhibition New Life Literacy for New Americans
Freedom
8
In May Cleveland hosted the Urban
Library Council conference, “ The
Changing Face of Cities.” A dynamic,
dedicated group of librarians, administra-tors,
and politicians from across the U. S.
engaged in dialogues on the contributions
of urban libraries to the quality of life in
the city. Historically, American cities have
always been hubs of racial, ethnic, and
socioeconomic diversity. Cities remain
multicultural centers; however, new immi-grants
of the 21st century need different
skills than those who came before them. In
industrial cities like Cleveland, nineteenth
and early twentieth century immigrants
settled in ethnically unified communities
near factories. Industrial jobs did not
require immediate mastery of the English
language and native languages were
commonly spoken in tight- knit ethnic
communities. In Cleveland’s post- industrial
era, New Americans often look to their
neighborhood Library for a way to stay
connected to their new neighbors, native
languages, and traditions.
For the second year in a row, we part-nered
with the Arts League of Michigan to
mount an exhibition and program series at
the Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch gallery.
This year’s exhibit, “ Freedom: A Visual
Arts Exhibition,” incorporated a series of
programs on the nuanced meanings of
freedom. The January 12 opening featured
performances by The Singing Angels and
Spirit Plus Show Band, and drew 400
people. In March, a panel, “ Freedom:
New American Perspectives,” featured
people from many different countries.
“ Freedom Dance: A Celebration
of Women and Their Girls” performed
as part of the Freedom exhibition.
Chinese Lunar New Year
celebration at Main Library.
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month,
programs in Spanish and English were held
throughout the Library system.
Participants from Guatemala,
Nigeria, Vietnam, Puerto Rico,
Jamaica, and Ireland responded to
questions on what freedom in America
meant to them. The exhibit and programs
inspired conversations about freedom and
its variable meanings across race, gender,
generation, and socioeconomic status.
New Americans planning to apply for
citizenship were given free assistance in
mastering the newly revised U. S. citizen-ship
exam. In collaboration with the
Cleveland Metropolitan School District,
your Cleveland Public Library offered free
citizenship classes on Saturday mornings
at the Main Branch. The citizenship course
is one of the many ways your Library is
working to meet the changing needs of our
diverse, changing, urban community.
Your Library earned recognition in the
global community; Shanghai Public Library
selected us as a partner in their “ Window
of Shanghai” program. Our Foreign
Literature Department received 500 copies
of top- notch Chinese language books
covering a wide range of topics, many of
which were printed in bilingual formats. By
accepting the invitation to participate in
this international endeavor, your Cleveland
Public Library joins the ranks of some of
the world’s most prestigious institutions.
Programs
Bishop J. Delano Ellis II, Senior Pastor,
Pentecostal Church of Christ in University
Circle; Charlene A. Jones, Board of
Library Trustees; Holly Carroll, Deputy
Director; and The Most Reverend
Richard G. Lennon, Bishop of Cleveland
Keith Beauchamp visited CPL
on January 28 as part of African
American History Month.
JAN 2007 JAN 2007 FEB 2007 SEPT 2007
Library patrons Macer Diaz
and Esperanza Arias at their
Jefferson Branch.
9
and
A series of programs on the meaning of
freedom occured throughout the exhibition.
Rev. Dr. Marvin A. McMickle ( circle photo)
and speakers Dr. Spencer R. Crew,
President, National Underground Railroad
Freedom Center, and Avery Friedman,
Attorney at Law, Law Professor and CNN
Legal Correspondent participated in one
of the programs.
“ Freedom: A Visual Arts Exhibition” was on
display at the Martin Luther King, Jr. branch
and included a Free Speech Zone.
Valentina, Bela, Vilen, Rita, Larisa, Ima,
German, Dmitri, Aleksandra, Leon, Galina,
Jacob, Vilen, Linaida, Vult, Tatiana, and Irina
participate in the Russian Language Book Club led by
Foreign Literature Librarian, Victoria Koba. The club
meets at the Memorial- Nottingham Branch.
Library patrons with Bishop Lennon
at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
commemorative celebration.
11
“ In our collaboration with the Cleveland Public Library and
the Cuyahoga County Public Library, we were able to bring together hundreds
of library leaders, public officials, and other experts to discuss the
changing challenges faced by our libraries in our rapidly changing communities.”
— Martín Gómez, President, Urban Libraries Council
10
Cleveland Public Library is the city center
of intellectual discourse and creative
engagement. This spring at the Urban
Libraries Council “ Partners for Success”
conference in Cleveland, keynote speaker
Ohio Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher
cited three essential elements to economic
development, “ Knowledge, innovation, and
talent— all of which,” he added, “ libraries
nurture.” 1 Your Library is the third largest
public research library in the United States
and we are a leader in creating technologi-cal
advancements such as e- Books and
online services such as KnowItNow24x7.
We also inspire and support your creative
and intellectual endeavors.
Researchers from all over the world—
from India and Ireland to the United
Kingdom and Germany— travel to
Cleveland, or work with our librarians via
telephone or email to get the information
they need to write chronicles on historic
chess clubs, dissertations— including one
on composer Leslie Adams of Oberlin
College— and essays on topics such as East
Prussian folklore, or on chess greats Bobby
Fischer and Boris Spassky. The Public
Administration Library ( PAL), located in
Cleveland City Hall, Room 100, was estab-lished
in 1912 and is one of the oldest
municipal reference libraries in the country.
While PAL specializes in the history of the
city of Cleveland, city- authored documents,
and our city’s current and historic laws, it
also houses an important collection of
books and papers on age, race, and gender
discrimination, green design and sustain-able
urban development, public health and
safety, and urban parks and recreation.
1“ Urban Librarians Meet Politicos in Cleveland,” American Libraries
( June/ July 2007), 43.
Cleveland Public Library:
Your Urban Center for Research
and Intellectual Inspiration
Titles 2,257,497
Book Volumes— Main Collection 2,622,300
Book Volumes— Branch Collection 799,610
TOTAL 3,421,910
Bound Periodicals 274,597
Computer Media ( CD- ROM, Software) 8,989
Government Documents 815,454
Maps 178,556
Microforms 4,644,278
Paperbacks 128,122
Photographs, Pictures 1,381,795
Sheet Music 18,000
Sound Recordings ( CDs, Cassettes) 162,699
Videos, DVDs 165,634
2007 COLLECTION STATISTICS
Urban Libraries Council
Exhibit
Cleveland’s Evolving Public Library: 138
Years of Books, Information & Service,
an exhibit on the third floor of Main
Library, was featured at the opening night reception of the Urban Libraries Council’s con-ference.
More than 100 photographs, letters, timelines, and maps chronicled the Library’s
rise from a modest one- room operation in 1869 to the citywide system it is today. Among
the notable figures highlighted was librarian Linda Anne Eastman who, with director
William Howard Brett, helped to shape our service ethic and develop the collections for
which the Library became known. When William Howard Brett was tragically killed in
1918, the Library’s trustees unanimously selected Eastman to succeed him, making her the
first woman in the U. S. to direct a large metropolitan library system. Eastman’s greatest
single accomplishment was the construction of the Main Library. When it opened May 5,
1925, Cleveland’s library represented a substantial break from traditional central library
architecture in that every element of the building was focused on bringing books and
information as close to users as possible. Influential librarian John Cotton Dana, who
sought throughout his long career to make libraries relevant to the lives of patrons, had
this achievement on his mind when he sent Eastman this congratulatory letter ( above).
PAGE 10 ( top to bottom)
Frank Jackson, Mayor, City of Cleveland; Sari Feldman, Executive
Director, Cuyahoga County Public Library; Tim Hagan, Cuyahoga
County Commissioner; Charlene A. Jones, Board of Trustees; and
Martín Gómez, President, Urban Libraries Council.
Martín Gómez, President, Urban Libraries Council; Andrew A.
Venable, Jr., Director; Sari Feldman, Executive Director, Cuyahoga
County Public Library; Lee Fisher, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio;
Mary A. Dempsey, Commissioner, Chicago Public Library; and
Peter Lawson Jones, Cuyahoga County Commissioner.
Attendees at the Urban Libraries Council conference at
Cleveland Public Library.
Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman; Christopher Ronayne,
President, University Circle, Inc.; Deborah L. Sutherland, Mayor,
City of Bay Village; Rose Zitiello, Manager, Bank Relations, City of
Cleveland; and Steven A. Minter, Executive in Residence at
Cleveland State University.
The John G. White Chess Collection,
located in Special Collections, is used by
researchers from around the world.
This unique, hand written 18th century
manuscript ( far left) illustrates how to
play chess.
Chessmaster, Gioachino Greco created this
17th century manuscript that illustrates
chess traps and gambits. Cleveland Public
Library owns eight of these manuscripts.
Coating Implement with Material Supply in an Expendable Sheath
Occupant Propelled Land Vehicle
What if you are ready to patent your idea but you don’t know the language of patents? Or you are looking for the most effective
way to search for patent information? Since 1886 your Library has been a Federal Depository Library and the staff in
Government Documents provides hands- on training using U. S. patent search processes and research tools, including the
Cassis DVD- ROM system, the PubWest database, and the United States Patent and Trademark ( USPTO) web site. Classes are
available to help patrons understand how to work with the USPTO web site.
You can use the Government Documents resources for historic patent information and trademark research. The department
also has census, congressional publications, legislation, consumer information, and federal statistical resources available to the
community for research.
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Cleveland Ohio from 1886- 1910 are
now available online through the Cleveland Public Library Image Collection
( http:// cplorg. cdmhost. com/). Unlike the black and white versions available through
OhioLink, these are full- color maps scanned from originals. These historical colorized
maps assist researchers in determining building construction material content through
a color- coded symbol key. More information is available in the Map Collection.
Death Certificates
Library patrons can now view and copy any death certificate issued in Ohio
between December 20, 1908, and December 31, 1953, by using the Library’s
newly acquired collection of Ohio Death Certificates. A rich source of primary
information for genealogists, death certificates include information such as the
names and birth places of the deceased person’s parents, the place and date of
the decedent’s birth, marital status, occupation, and place of burial. The examples
shown here are for American sharpshooter Annie Oakley, whose married name
was Annie Oakley Butler, and Tom Loftin Johnson, mayor of Cleveland during the
Progressive Era. Complete information on locating and obtaining death certificates
is available at www. cpl. org ( click Do Research and Genealogy).
PATENT CLASSIFICATION
FOR A PENCIL AND A BIKE
In 2007, over 1,400 digital
scans were requested by
patrons and researchers
for reproduction in books,
journals, videos and for
personal use. All photographs included in the book Historic
Photos of Cleveland are from the Photograph Collection and
range in date from 1850 - 1979. The exhibition Visions of a City
with a Soul: Four Photographers in Cleveland, 1925 - 2005 at
the Beck Center for the Arts was our first loan of photographs
for an exhibition organized outside the Library system.
Page from Official Gazette of the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office, March 1982
and pages from U. S. Patent Application Publication, June 2007, for Vibram FiveFingers, ®
named one of TIME Magazine’s best inventions of 2007.
13
“ It is very encouraging to know that, even within this challenging
economic climate, Cleveland Public Library remains committed to
preservation, which is at the very heart of its mission
to the public, and a cornerstone for sustaining Cleveland's heritage.”
— Albert Albano, Executive Director of the Intermuseum Conservation Association
Intermuseum Conservation Association
paper conservator Emily Helwig ( left) with
Ann Olszewski, Preservation Librarian
( center) Senior Technician Renee Pride treating
a book in the CPL Preservation Lab.
( below) Preservation staff members Lyla
Chilkcutt, Gloria Massey, Elizabeth Bardossy
and Renee Pride.
12
More than 1,500 patrons attended the
Sunday Afternoons for Writers and Readers Series.
Michael Kimmelman and Dave
Eggers, at the December 13
SPECTRUM Dialogue.
Our dedication to caring for our exten-sive
collection of research materials—
books, photographs, works on paper, and
works of art— was recognized this year, as
your Library was granted the 2007 Award
for Outstanding Commitment to the
Preservation and Care of Collections. This
annual award is presented jointly by the
American Institute for the Conservation of
Historic and Artistic Works and Heritage
Preservation. Since its inception in 1999,
we were the first public library to receive
this honor; previous recipients include
art museums such as the Museum of Fine
Arts in Boston, and historic sites such as
Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. The
award was presented in October at a
Board of Trustees meeting, which was held
at our Lake Shore Facility, home of the
Preservation Department.
2007 marked the third year of
SPECTRUM... The Lockwood Thompson
Dialogues, a partnership with Cleveland
Public Art, which is funded by an endow-ment
from the trust of Lockwood
Thompson. This year’s Pen & Ink series
explored how, in combination, words and
images have played crucial roles in story-telling
and visual communication. Art
Spiegelman, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning
title Maus, spoke to an audience of
more than 300 patrons. At a later program,
Dave Eggers, a voice of Generation X,
author, and founder of McSweeney’s, an
independent book publishing house in
San Francisco, and moderator Michael
Kimmelman, chief art critic for The New
York Times, engaged in a public dialogue
on the ways artists and writers are pushing
publishing in new directions and challeng-ing
perceptions of high and low art.
Book of Mormon, 1830 ( center) was restored
by the Northeast Document Conservation Center.
Lakefront Garden plan detail ( background top)
and Italian Cultural Garden plan ( background
bottom) were treated by CPL Senior technician
Elizabeth Bardossy.
Ambrozi Paliwoda’s Out of the Past, the Present
( top left) and Donald Duer Bayard’s Early
Transportation: Cleveland’s Waterfront About
1835 ( below) are two restored murals considered
when Cleveland Public Library received the
Preservation Award.
Jim Harrison
Connie Briscoe
Erin Gruwell ( center) signs books for Library patrons.
Marie Arana
Thrity Umrigar
Sherman Alexie
Michael Chabon
15
Becoming “ literate for life” encompasses
more than computer and Internet profi-ciency.
Technology- based cultural literacy
also means being able to access and use
computers and online resources to get the
information you need to apply for jobs,
stay healthy, write reports or research
papers for school and work, and stay
informed on topics that are interesting and
important to you and your family and com-munity.
A study conducted this year by the
Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Internet
and American Life Project reveals that
urban libraries are helping city- dwelling
families— particularly Latino/ as and
African Americans— bridge the newest
iteration of the “ digital divide.” Today this
divide is not simply about having Internet
access; according to the Pew study, most
young people use computers and the web
on a daily basis at their neighborhood
libraries and public schools. What many
less affluent families lack are computers
and high- speed Internet connectivity at
home. Bridging the digital divide means
ensuring that people have broadband con-nectivity
and the skills required to make
the most of the Internet as an interactive
tool for life and learning. Urban Latino/ a
and African- American families are less
likely than suburban white families to have
broadband Internet connections at home.
Forty- three percent of affluent white fami-lies
enjoy broadband access, compared with
only 29 percent of Latino/ a and 31 percent
African American city- dwelling families. 2
The Pew study supports what you told us
at Town Hall meetings beginning in 2003;
you depend on us to provide computers
and training that is effective, efficient, and
accessible.
Because you depend on your Library’s
computer hardware and staff expertise,
we added 35 new patron computers to the
Main Library and neighborhood Branches.
And laptop users can now enjoy wireless
Internet access at all 29 Library sites.
Also new this year is our new teen web
site, Voices Rising of Cleveland ( VROC).
VROC is a youth- centered space that
features new fiction, manga, and anime,
as well as Library events planned just
for teens. Young people are invited to
“ be heard” through the online discussion
forum, YRead?, and “ get help” via a
link to HomeworkNow, a service of
KnowItNow24x7, which offers homework
assistance from librarians.
2Catherine Holahan, “ America’s Digital Divide Narrows,”
http:// www. businessweek. com/ technology/ content/ mar2007/ tc20070315_
573361. htm? chan= top+ news_ top+ news+ index_ technology ( first accessed
May 20, 2008).
Technological Literacy for Life:
Your Library launched a new web site
design in 2007. The new site includes a
blog, a page for Ohio Center for the Book,
and subject department homepages, such
as Fine Arts and General Reference.
Voices Rising of Cleveland ( VROC) is a
new web site for teens.
CLEVNET 1982 - 2007
“ CLEVNET allows even the smallest library to have access to
the largest collection in Northeast Ohio, that of the Cleveland Public Library.”
— Steve Wood, Director, Cleveland Heights- University Heights Public Library
first CLEVNET member to join in 1982
In 1979 Cleveland Public Library
Director Ervin Gaines and staff began
an automation project with Data
Research Associates ( DRA). The system
they envisioned would be capable of
expanding the number of programs it
could manage, deliver information
simultaneously to a large number of
terminals quickly and efficiently, and
have maximum data storage capacity.
The first tasks to be automated with
the new DRA system included the card
catalog, circulation procedures, serial
and periodical records, and an index
to Cleveland newspapers. Our catalog
was partially online in July of 1980, and
by December of that year, it was fully
online and the new circulation system
was working in every Library agency.
The following year, Dr. Gaines predicted
that our independent database would
attract other Cleveland area libraries to
be a part of a regional bibliographic
database. Cleveland Heights- University
Heights Public Library became the first
area library to engage in a collaborative
dialogue. In six months an agreement
was signed and by the end of 1982
Cleveland Heights- University Heights
Public Library went live, launching
the CLEVNET consortium.
Today, under the leadership of Director
Andrew A. Venable, Jr., your Library has
30 CLEVNET partners, making it one of
the largest public library systems in the
world and offering innovative online
community and reference services such
as KnowItNow24x7, HomeworkNow, and
ReadThisNow.
Your Library as Innovative Catalyst
In 2007, CLEVNET celebrated 25 years of
More than 1 million card holders in 10 counties in Northern Ohio
Patrons placed more than 2 million holds for themselves
commitment to access and public service
More than 23 million items were checked out
3 million items were shared among the CLEVNET members
( sent from one library system to another to fill holds)
Access to 60 online databases paid for by CLEVNET members
CLEVNET members downloaded 38,000 audio eBooks, 37,000 eBooks,
and over 4,000 files of music and videos
for Bridging the Digital Divide
14
CPL Homepage and blog Ohio Center for the Book
Homepage for General Reference
Homepage for Fine Arts
2007 Member Libraries
Cleveland Public Library
Bellevue Public Library
Birchard Public Library ( Fremont)
Burton Public Library
Cleveland Heights– University Heights Public Library
Clyde Public Library
East Cleveland Public Library
Elyria Public Library
Euclid Public Library
Fairport Harbor Public Library
Hudson Library & Historical Society
Huron Public Library
Kirtland Public Library
Lorain Public Library
Madison Public Library
Medina County District Library
Milan– Berlin Township Public Library
Orrville Public Library
Peninsula Library
Perry Public Library
Ritter Public Library ( Vermilion)
Sandusky Library
Shaker Heights Public Library
Twinsburg Public Library
Wadsworth Public Library
Wayne County Public Library
Wickliffe Public Library
Willoughby– Eastlake Public Library
2007 Non- Public Member Libraries
Cleveland Law Library
( services are restricted to members only)
Global Issues Resource Center
Hawken School
16 17
Ensuring that our neighborhood patrons
have tools for life literacy is central to our
mission; we also want to lead and collabo-rate
on neighborhood projects that enliven
our city. One of our greatest ventures of
2007 was planning the new Garden Valley
Branch. Garden Valley is one of our small-est
Branches in size, yet it serves the largest
number of children. The new building,
designed by Richard Bowen and Associates,
will be located in the Bridgeport Place
Plaza, and the space and collection, fur-nishings,
and technology it will house are
being planned based on the needs and
interests of these enthusiastic young
patrons and their families and neighbors.
Neighborhood Progress, Inc. and
Buckeye Area Development Corporation
invited us to be a part of a major undertak-ing
in the Buckeye- Larchmere neighbor-hood,
where our Rice Branch is located.
NPI and Buckeye Development are planning
and building an environmentally friendly,
“ green” district and the Rice Branch is
part of the scheme. Bostwick Design
Partnership is working on the new Branch
design, which will reflect the important
move toward greener, more sustainable
architecture and neighborhoods.
To meet the goals of our newly expand-ed
Mobile Services Department, a larger
garage and office space are in the works at
the Woodland Branch. The space will meet
the demands of this growing department,
which is currently divided between a
garage adjacent to Woodland and a carpen-ter’s
shop on the Branch’s lower level.
Mobile Services’ new home will ensure
that staff can maximize workflow efficiency
and— with two state- of- the- art vehicles to
Multi- purpose rooms are available
in all Branches for
many local groups and community
organizations to meet in
a safe and comfortable place.
VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE
THE BOY SCOUTS LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
STARTING POINT
STREET CRIME WATCH GROUPS
METRO YOUTH OUTREACH
BLACK LITERARY GUILD
HOMEOWNER’S SEMINARS
CPR CLASSES
CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT
FAITH METHODIST CHURCH PRESCHOOL
CHILDREN’S HUNGER ALLIANCE
GLENVILLE SENIOR HEALTH FORUM
CLEVELAND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
NASA
New Needs = New Facilities,
New Practices + Processes
“ Planning for the Garden Valley and Rice Branches is very rewarding because both
are collaborative projects involving community stakeholders. These partnerships
allow us to pool resources and bring progressive, creative concepts to fruition.”
— Holly Carroll, Deputy Director, Cleveland Public Library
“ The new Rice Branch is designed to reflect Cleveland Public Library’s vision for
revitalizing service at the neighborhood level. We’ve been lucky to share
our process with CPL administration and staff; they’re a natural
extension of our team and will continue to help guide the design to achieve their mission.”
— Richard L. Ortmeyer AIA LEED A. P., Principal, Bostwick Design Partnership
Architects’ initial planning for Garden Valley Branch, including floor plan
( background photo) and isometric drawing of the interior. Plans courtesy
of Richard Bowen and Associates, 2007.
CPL Board of Library Trustees and Administration, including Andrew A.
Venable, Jr., Director; Jan Ridgeway, Branches and Outreach Services
Administrator; and Venerine L. Branham, Board of Trustees; were committed
to bringing a new branch to the Garden Valley community.
In 2007 a committee discussed the needs of our neighborhood
patrons and determined which materials would be most widely
used and appropriate for a range of ages. The staff knows our
patrons from the neighborhood and can make decisions that
are beneficial to all who use that Branch.
BUILDING A COLLECTION
Several months before the new branch was opened, selections for
the Garden Valley Branch collection are sent to Collection Management
where they are reviewed, compiled, and sent to Acquisitions.
When we build a new Branch, we spend time planning the facility, and we
also plan the new collection for our patrons. Technical Services oversees
the workflow process so all materials arrive at the branch.
TECHNICAL SERVICES
Acquisitions creates purchase orders and submits orders to vendors
electronically. Later materials will be returned to Acquisitions where they
are received in the Library’s system and invoices are processed.
ACQUISITIONS
When books, DVDs, CDs, and other materials arrive they are unpacked
by Shelf Shipping where property stamps and barcodes are applied. The
materials are placed on book trucks and returned to Acquisitions.
SHELF SHIPPING
Book trucks travel to the Catalog Department where items are entered
into the online catalog for future check out. The item records are
associated with a record for each title so all copies are displayed together
in the online catalog.
CATALOGING
Materials arrive at Book Preparation where they receive labeling and
plastic covers. Items are stored at Shelf Shipping until the week before
the opening.
BOOK PREPARATION
Materials are shipped to the new Garden Valley branch several days
before opening. Technical Services staff unpack and set up materials so
they are ready for the opening.
GARDEN VALLEY BRANCH
COLLECTION MANAGEMENT
Bostwick Design Partnership’s initial plan-ning
sketches for Rice Branch were part of
a collaborative process documented by the
above photos of Library administration and
staff and the architects. Plans courtesy of
Bostwick Design Partnership, 2007.
manage and maintain— it also allows for
better traffic flow and route organization.
In addition to offering you Internet
access through one of our many computers,
patrons looking for wireless service can
now find it at all of our Branches and at
the Main Library. Making some of our
historic buildings wireless was a necessary
and worthwhile endeavor, however, adapt-ing
all of them for wireless Internet access
was no small task, especially since many of
our buildings are decades or nearly a cen-tury
old. Imagine installing wireless routers
in Carnegie West, Lorain, or Sterling,
which were all built between 1910 and
1913, long before computers— much less
wireless communication— had entered
architects’ imaginations!
The new Garden Valley
Branch will be located at:
7201 Kinsman Road,
Suite 101
Fifty Years of Service
JEAN PIETY
Revenues
Library and Local Government Support Fund ( State General Revenues) $ 26,867,387
Property Taxes ( City of Cleveland) 29,671,067
Intergovernmental Aid 5,860,400
Charges for Services ( CLEVNET) 2,882,600
Other Revenue 3,090,650
Total Revenue $ 68,372,104
Fund Balance: January 1 30,233,948
Available for General Operations $ 98,606,052
General Operating Fund
Expenditures and Encumbrances
Salaries and Benefits $ 41,246,226
Library Materials 15,513,328
Utilities and Purchased Services 11,865,556
Other Expenditures 2,332,874
Transfer to Building and Repair Fund 3,000,000
Total Expenditures and Encumbrances $ 73,957,984
Carried Forward for the Next Year’s First Quarter Operations 24,648,068
$ 98,606,052
How Library Dollars Were Spent
A Cash Basis Report of the General Operating Fund
2007
19
Jean Piety, Science and Technology Manager, celebrated fifty years of Library service in
August of this year. When she began working at Cleveland Public Library, salaries were
$ 4,000 per year, and the affluent, Post- World War II United States was in the midst of
a competitive race to space with the Soviet Union ( now Russia). 1957 was also the
International Geophysical Year; as a result of developments in this moment
in history, Mrs. Piety focused on the challenges and innovations of
science and technology as she began her career. After a party honoring her half-century
of Library service, Mrs. Piety announced a January 31, 2008 retirement date.
During Mrs. Piety’s tenure, our Science and Technology Department has
become known for its collection on dogs, which contains more than 3,000
volumes on specific breeds, care and training, canine psychology, and texts on breed-ing,
showing, and kennel management. Stud books from American Kennel Club,
Canadian Kennel Club, and the Kennel Club ( UK) provide patrons and researchers
with the means to trace pedigrees back to the mid- nineteenth century.
Monetary gifts from the Western Reserve Kennel Club and breeds clubs generously
help us purchase books and magazines for the dog collection. Dog lovers also
give unique and significant gifts to this collection; this year Mary
Schuetzler of California donated the print series German Shepherd Dog Champions
1918- 1982 to the Science and Technology Department’s dog collection.
18
Donors of Up to $ 99
Darrell & Marlene Smith • Rick & Joan Andersen • Steve &
Evelyn Sahul • Ursula Korneitchouk • Ellen Mayer • Janet
Armstrong • Lawrence & Mary Weber, TTEE • Louis & Linda
Neely Yurasits • John & Dora Yatson • Sally Windle • Jean Miske
OCSEA/ AFSCME Local 0220 • Oakwood Correctional Facility
• Betty J. Taylor • Bath Local School District • Eyedoc Properties
LLC • James M. McDowell • Lakewood Board of Education •
Larissa Bleiker Living Trust • John & Mary Ward • Lynn &
Marian Voegeding • Richard & Carolyn Moles • William Tomcho
Donors of $ 100 to $ 499
Marian Elizabeth Andrade • Marsha Coffman • Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Inc.– Gamma Delta Zeta Chapter • David Schoedinger
• Waterloo Aerie– Ladies Auxiliary General Fund • Estate of
Ruth E. Ketteringham • Pysht Fund
Donors of $ 500 to $ 999
Library of Congress– Center for the Book • American Society of
Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers, Inc.–
Cleveland Chapter • Harley C. Lee and Elizabeth K. Lee Fund
Donors of $ 1,000 to $ 4,999
Irwin Jack and Lena Pincus Foundation • John Wiley & Sons,
Inc. • Dr. John F. Burke, Jr. and the Honorable Nancy A. Fuerst
• Western Reserve Kennel Club
Grants
• Senior Gateway – $ 49,452 for service and programs for the elderly
• LSTA KnowItNow– $ 325,176 for providing reference services 24x7
Other Funds Received Regularly
• Friends of the Cleveland Public Library – $ 16,801 for program support
• Estate of Anna M. Schweinfurth – $ 39,458 for the purchase of
architectural materials
• Frederick W. and Henryett Slocum Judd Fund – $ 204,351 for the
Library’s Homebound Service
• Lockwood Thompson Memorial Fund – $ 157,094 for the purchase of
fine arts materials, lectures, staff recognition, and travel expenses
• Winifred Beech Young Testamentary Trust – $ 38,121 for services to
blind persons of the Connecticut Western Reserve
Donors
The following individuals and organizations made generous
donations to the Library in 2007. Some gifts were made in
honor of loved ones, while others were made to enhance specific
Library services, programs, or collections. All gifts to the
Library are greatly appreciated, as they improve our ability to
deliver high quality service and to build outstanding collections.
This year the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped was awarded a grant for
approximately $ 10,000 from the State Library of Ohio’s Library Services and
Technology Act Funds for the purchase of pre- loaded, self- playing audio books
called Playaways. A few days after the department staff sent information marketing
the new devices, the phones began ringing and didn’t stop. During the month of August
more than 700 Playaways were in circulation and staff answered more than 1,000 calls
about the new self- playing audio books.
LBPH Receives Generous Grant for
New acquisitions from the Lockwood Thompson Memorial Fund
include At the Zoo: A Book of Block- Prints of Wild Animals Sketched
at Washington Park Zoo by Kendrick Bell, published in Milwaukee
at the State Teacher’s College, WPA Handicraft Project, circa 1935;
Das graphische Werk Max Pechstein’s by Paul Fechter, published in
Berlin: Fritz Gurlitt, circa 1921 ( limited edition design by leading
Expressionist artist, Max Pechstein).
Self- Playing Audio Books
Andrew A. Venable, Jr., Director and Main
Library Subject Department Managers
celebrate fifty years of Library service with
Jean Piety ( center).
Jean Piety assists Library patrons, 1969.
Print from 2007 gift to the dog collection,
1982 German Shepherd champion Merkel’s
Vendetta
1950s
Friends of The Cleveland
Public Library
Robert F. Pincus, President
Amy McMaken, Vice President
Willie Ann Maddox, Treasurer
J. Stefan Holmes, Secretary
Anne Marie Warren, President
Pamela Blake, Tracy L. Conn,
Melissa M. Gleespen, Lute Harmon, Sr.,
Kathleen B. Havener, Mike Kelly, John M.
Moss, Allison L. E. Wallace, Trustees
Mary Scelsi, Director
Tom Feczkanin, Associate
Administration
Andrew A. Venable, Jr., Director
Holly Carroll, Deputy Director
Bruce Johnson, Main Library Administrator
Janice M. Ridgeway, Branches & Outreach
Services Administrator
Robert T. Carterette, Automation Services
Administrator
Timothy R. Diamond, Planning and
Research Administrator
Michael A. Janero, Chief of Security Operations
Patricia E. Lowrey, Technical Services
Administrator
Myron Scruggs, Facilities Administrator
Joan L. Tomkins, Finance Administrator
Sharon L. Tufts, Human Resources Administrator
David L. Williams, Public Relations Administrator
M. Main Library*
325 Superior Avenue
( 216) 623- 2800
Public Administration Library
( in City Hall)
601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 100
( 216) 623- 2919
1. Addison l E
6901 Superior Avenue
( 216) 623- 6906
2. Broadway l C
5417 Broadway Avenue
( 216) 623- 6913
3. Brooklyn l W
3706 Pearl Road
( 216) 623- 6920
4. Carnegie West l W
1900 Fulton Road
( 216) 623- 6927
5. Collinwood l E
856 East 152nd Street
( 216) 623- 6934
6. East 131st Street l E
3830 East 131st Street
( 216) 623- 6941
7. Eastman* l W
11602 Lorain Avenue
( 216) 623- 6955
8. Fleet l C
7224 Broadway Avenue
( 216) 623- 6962
9. Fulton l W
3545 Fulton Road
( 216) 623- 6969
10. Garden Valley l C
7100 Kinsman Road
( 216) 623- 6976
11. Glenville l E
11900 St. Clair Avenue
( 216) 623- 6983
12. Harvard- Lee l E
16918 Harvard Avenue
( 216) 623- 6990
13. Hough l E
1566 Crawford Road
( 216) 623- 6997
14. Jefferson* l C
850 Jefferson Avenue
( 216) 623- 7004
15. Langston Hughes l E
10200 Superior Avenue
( 216) 623- 6975
16. Lorain l W
8216 Lorain Avenue
( 216) 623- 7011
17. Martin Luther King, Jr.* l E
1962 Stokes Boulevard
( 216) 623- 7018
18. Memorial- Nottingham* l E
17109 Lake Shore Boulevard
( 216) 623- 7039
19. Mt. Pleasant l E
14000 Kinsman Road
( 216) 623- 7032
20. Rice* l C
2820 East 116th Street
( 216) 623- 7046
21. Rockport* l W
4421 West 140th Street
( 216) 623- 7053
22. South l C
3096 Scranton Road
( 216) 623- 7060
23. South Brooklyn* l W
4303 Pearl Road
( 216) 623- 7067
24. Sterling l C
2200 East 30th Street
( 216) 623- 7074
25. Union* l C
3463 East 93rd Street
( 216) 623- 7088
26. Walz l W
7910 Detroit Avenue
( 216) 623- 7095
27. West Park l W
3805 West 157th Street
( 216) 623- 7102
28. Woodland* l C
5806 Woodland Avenue
( 216) 623- 7109
FULTON
Cleveland Public Library
System Map
M
Library for the Blind &
Physically Handicapped*
17121 Lake Shore Blvd.
( 216) 623- 2911
( 800) 362- 1262
All sites feature high- powered closed- circuit TV enlargers for
people with declining vision. * These sites feature additional
adaptive equipment for people with special needs. Call
( 216) 623- 2911 for details.
18a. l E
Annual Report Credits
RESEARCHER, WRITER, EDITOR. Lyz Bly
DESIGNER. Pam Cerio Design
PHOTOGRAPHY. The following photographers’ work
was used in this publication: Rodney Brown; Frances
Kacala and Sam Norton ( Friends of the Cleveland
Public Library); Diana McNees; Thomas Darryl Polk;
and Don Snyder
The People’s University
on Wheels”
Mobile Services l C
( 216) 623- 7114
“
Music Celebration
Nathaniel Dett Program
The Cleveland School of the Arts Choirs ( bottom)
and R. Nathaniel Dett Choir gave a lively performance
to an audience of more than 400 patrons.
Neighborhood
Libraries
E l East
C l Central
W l West
20
In 1957 one of the Friends of the Cleveland
Public Library initial actions was to make
retired Library director Linda A. Eastman
the group’s first honorary member. Their
1958 charter luncheon was held at The
Higbee Company on November 7, where
tables featured centerpieces designed to
reflect popular book titles. At that time
Friends membership cost $ 3.00 a year. We
have undergone a great deal of change
in fifty years, but one thing has remained
constant— the Friends commitment to
your Cleveland Public Library.
The Friends have actively advanced our
vision of being a learning place for you—
our diverse community— and for inspiring
people of all ages to develop a life long love
of books and literacy in all of its forms.
Over the years they’ve held numerous
fundraisers, which have included book sales
and auctions, Flower Fairs, and, more
recently, three “ Treasures Events” in 2004-
2006. A book sale in 1986 grossed $ 24,000,
and “ Treasures 2004” raised $ 22,000 for
our Summer and Winter Reading Clubs,
Children’s Book Week activities, children’s
programs, and Special Collections.
Throughout the years, the Friends of the
Library has also given gifts from a fund
dedicated to purchasing rare books to
embellish the collection by deepening
research facilities. In the 1980s, for
instance, they approved the purchase of a
facsimile edition of the famous anti- slavery
newspaper The Liberator, which was pub-lished
by William Lloyd Garrison from
1831- 1865.
In 1991 Friends created The Eugenia
Thornton Scholarship Fund to recognize
Eugenia Thornton’s nineteen years as
dedicated writer of the Friends’ literary
newsletter, Marginal Notes. Annually the
fund provides four $ 1,000 scholarships in
support of Library staff and their depen-dents,
patrons, and Friends members for
post- secondary education pursuits.
Cleveland Public Library board, staff,
and patrons extend our sincere gratitude to
our Friends and congratulate them on this
fifty- year milestone!
FRIENDS CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY, 1957- 2007
Behind the Scenes
1960s 1970s
980s
February 25, 1970 ( center) farewell tea for retiring
personnel officer Edith A. Case; staff and receiving line
( left to right): Dr. Fern Long, Acting Director; Miss Case;
Miss Clara Lucioli ( mostly hidden), Acting Asst.
Director; Mrs. Harley C. Lee, immediate past President,
Friends; Mrs. Varelia Farmer, asst. to Director of Main
Library; foreground R: Miss Dorothea Whitney, Head of
Philosophy, Psychology, Religion Department
Crowds shop at Friends Book sale with proceeds
used to support CPL programs.
September 1969 Friends of CPL Scholarship recipients ( left to right) Miss Linda Maset,
Mrs. Shirley Lee, Miss Lena Nance, Miss Elaine Lynch, and Mrs. Harley C. Lee, President
of the Friends
August 1970 ( above) Friends of CPL Scholarship recipents ( left to right) Miss Susan Green;
Miss Gloria Coles; Dr. Fern Long, Acting Director, Cleveland Public Library; Miss Barbara
Barstow; Mrs. Sybil Green and daughter Sabrina; Mrs. Eunice Peters
2000s
1990s
Mary Scelsi serving patrons at the Friends Gift Shop
( circle photo at left) in September of 1987
Funded by The Friends, artist Malcolm Cochran’s
Pig Bank ( left) was installed in 1999 in the Business,
Economics and Labor Department at Main Library
Treasures Events are fundraisers with opportunities
for patrons to view treasures from the Library’s
collection. Treasures: Experience the Magic,
2005, and Treasures III: 1001 Cleveland Nights
included a performance by the Cleveland Boy
Choir, 2006
September 7 the Friends celebrated their 50th Anniversary
Year with a Garden Party. Jamual Deadwyler ( top) second
place winner of the 2007 “ My Life as Poetry” Essay
Competition with Friends Trustee, Mike Kelly, and Vice
President Amy McMaken.
ESU Shakespeare Competition Monologue performer
Shanetta Dorsey ( circle photo), with Anne Marie Warren,
Friends Past President.
Attendees enjoy an evening of entertainment in the
Eastman Reading Garden.
Miss Linda Eastman,
circa 1950