Front cover:
Jazz Messengers, a colorful mosaic tile mural by Cleveland artist Malcolm Brown, graces the exterior entrance
wall of the Cleveland Public Library's Langston Hughes Branch. According to the artist, the mural reflects
"the past glory of jazz along E. I05th Street."
COMMENTS FROM BOARD PRESIDENT
VENERINE BRANHAM
The cover of this year's annual report features one of the fine examples
of the art that may be found throughout the Cleveland Public Library.
The colorful mosaic tile mural entitled, Jazz Messengers, by Cleveland artist Malcolm Brown,
graces the entrance of the Langston Hughes Branch and reflects the rich history of nearby E.
I05th Street.
The mural at the Langston Hughes Branch also is indicative of the importance that the
Library places on a tradition of incorporating art and architecture in our facilities that dates
back to the 1925 opening of the Main Library Building and continues with the exquisite public
art components of the Main library-Louis Stokes Wing and the Eastman Reading Garden.
Many of our branch libraries, like the Langston Hughes Branch, also have impressive works of
art on display or unique architectural features designed to engage the imagination.
We take pride in the Library's reputation for its premiere collection and quality services.
We also believe in the magical combination of words and images to fully and completely nourish
the human spirit.
On behalf of the Library Board of Trustees, I pledge to you our commitment to continuing
the Library's tradition for excellence and to do everything possible to provide the citizens of
Cleveland with the best quality of service that we possibly can and to make our facilities as
pleasing and enjoyable to visit as any in the nation.
Venerin Branham
President
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
CHARLENE A. JONES
FRANCES HUNTER
ROBERT C. PETRULIS
THOMAS D. CORRIGAN
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PATRICIA S. JAMES
SANDRA E. NOBLE
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
It seems like just a few short years ago that I came to Cleveland
from Atlanta, full of excitement and anticipation at the opportunity to
lead one of the nation's premiere libraries. Now, after 13 years as
director of the nation's best library, I will depart from Cleveland in
1999 to spend more time writing and teaching.
My tenure here has been rich and rewarding. I love this library and all who work so hard
to make it great. The Board of Library Trustees is one of the finest I have ever worked with.
Members are committed, concerned and we have had a very productive partnership.
The staff of the library are its heart and soul. Not only do they provide the best imaginable
service, which earns us our rating at the top of American urban library systems, but they
have made a phenomenal transition to making modern technology available to children, citizens,
scholars, businesses, and local organizations.
The Board and staff have made it possible for the Cleveland Public Library to lead the way
for other libraries into the information age.
But what makes this library truly great is the tremendous support it receives from the
wonderful citizens who use it and realize its value to this community. Because of that outstanding
support, Cleveland Public Library is one of the most envied libraries among librarians
worldwide.
To all of you I wish the very best in the coming years. I will leave knowing that Cleveland
Public Library is well positioned to serve its patrons far into the new millennium.
Marilyn Gell Mason
Director
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ANN U A J R~ P 0 R
Ready for the computers at the Langston Hughes Branch.
This is how we do origami, instructs
author Barbara Pearl.
Whatever it was that attracted them,
more than I, I00 came through the doors
of the Langston Hughes Branch to help
Library and city representatives celebrate
the opening of the facility described by
one resident as "the new Gateway to
Glenville."
Cleveland Mayor Michael R. White,
who was raised and who lives within walking
distance of the new branch, attended
the opening and noted a special role for libraries as "places where girls and boys, and not so
young girls and boys, can find their higher callings."
Throughout the year, a growing number of individuals
used the Langston Hughes Branch, the 27 other
branch libraries throughout the city and the Main
Library downtown to find their "higher callings," favorite
books, CDs, videos and other library materials.
In 1998, the number of people who visited
Cleveland Public Library increased by 9 percent over
1997. While circulation of library material remained
steady, electronic library activity continued to show a
phenomenal increase. When including electronic transactions
as well as circulation and reference service,
library usage in Cleveland has tripled over the past 10
years, said CPL Director Marilyn Gel! Mason.
"While circulation has gone up 26 percent (no
small achievement in a service area with a declining pop-
The bond between a branch library and its surrounding neighborhood was never more evident
than on a brisk Sunday morning in March, as people stood waiting for the opportunity to
inspect the new Langston Hughes Branch.
Long before the doors opened at the new branch library on Superior Avenue overlooking
Rockefeller Park, people were waiting to go in and explore the newest asset to their
community.
Some came to begin using the computers
at the branch; others to peruse the
branch's special collection of African
American writers. Others said they came
because the branch honored Langston
Hughes, one of Cleveland's more
renowned former residents.
5
ulation) and programs for children have expanded dramatically (a requirement for libraries
serving inner-city youth), nothing in the history of library service compares to the impact of
electronic information services," Director Mason wrote in the April 1998 edition of Library
Journal.
More people are using computers at the library, at their homes and their businesses, to
search the electronic catalog for books, CPL databases for research and articles, or to browse
the web for the vast resources and information available on the Internet. When this spectacular
phenomenon will begin to subside is anybody's guess.
Internationally acclaimed poet Gwendolyn Brooks.
AUTHORS,AUTHORS,
AUTHORS
While growing numbers of people are
attracted to libraries for computer use,
still significant are the many who come for
special programs which frequently feature
authors. In that regard, 1998 was an outstanding
year for authors at the Library.
Internationally acclaimed poet
Gwendolyn Brooks, the first AfricanAmerican
to win the Pulitzer Prize for
Literature, conducted two readings of her
poems at the Library, on April 5 and 6, in
observation of National Poetry Month.
Ms. Brooks, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1950 for her second book of poetry, Annie
Allen, read to capacity audiences in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium and at the Langston
Hughes Branch. Her works and biographical information
have been included in innumerable anthologies,
documentaries, tapes and CDs for use in schools,
organizations and for the general public.
Robert Miller, author of numerous stories about
the old west and the Black cowboy, delighted exuberant
audiences on April 25 at the Hough and Carnegie
West branches. His appearance was co-sponsored by
A Cultural Exchange, a non-profit arts organization for
children.
Children's author Irene Smalls, who has written 12
children's books set in the time of American slavery,
spoke at the Langston Hughes Branch on May 16.
Cleveland's own Mary Doria Russell, at CPL's Author Festival.
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Quincy Troupe, CPL's first Writer-in-Residence, and members of the Write Now
'98 Workshop.
The Library again joined with the Cleveland Foundation to host the June 2 Anisfield-Wolf
Book Awards. The highly successful program included awardees Walter Mosley, Jr. (Always
Outnumbered,Always Outgunned), Toi Derricotte (The Black Notebooks) and Gordon Parks
(Lifetime Achievement Award). The awards, founded by Edith Anisfield Wolf, the late Cleveland
philanthropist and CPL trustee, have been given annually since 1936 to one or two books that
make a significant contribution to the understanding of racism and diversity.
One of 1997's Anisfield-Wolf award
winners, James McBride (The Color of
Water:A Black Man's Tribute to His White
Mother), returned to Cleveland to present
two successful programs at the Library
on June 7 & 8. Both programs were cosponsored
by the Ohio Humanities
Council.
Acclaimed poet, journalist, essayist,
novelist, editor, biographer and educator
Quincy Troupe was the Library's first
Writer-in-Residence during the month of
July. Nearly 30 adults and teens attended
free workshops held at the Martin Luther
King, Jr. and Carnegie West branches.
Included were classes in poetry, memoir,
autobiography and narrative writing.
Mr. Troupe also conducted two public programs on jazz great Miles Davis, with whom he
co-authored an autobiography, and renowned author James Baldwin, about whom he also had
written. The Miles Davis program also featured the Kenny Davis Quartet, playing compositions
of the late, great jazz trumpeter. Both programs were partially funded by the Ohio Humanities
Council and the Friends of the Cleveland Public Library.
At the conclusion of his residency, Mr. Troupe and members of the workshop conducted a
public reading at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch. By the consensus of all involved, the first
Writer-in-Residence program was worthy of an encore.
A collaboration in September and October by the Library and A Cultural Exchange
brought an outstanding exhibition to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch, Words and Images:
Narrative Works of the Pinkneys. The exhibition featured the illustrations of Jerry Pinkney and
the children's books of his wife, Gloria Pinkney. Their children, Brian and Myles Pinkney, both
illustrators, also had works in the exhibition. All participated in programs at the Library in
conjunction with the exhibition.
Authors Mary Doria Russell, winner of the 1998 Cleveland Arts Prize for literature, and
mystery writer Les Roberts, a previous Arts Prize winner, headlined the SO authors participating
in the Cleveland Public Library's Eighth Annual Author Festival. The annual festival, which
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showcases Cleveland-area writers, was held at the Louis Stokes Wing, on Saturday, October
17, and drew several hundred people.
Finally, Eloise Greenfield, a nationally acclaimed author of children's books, assisted the
Library with its celebration of 100 years of service
to children by appearing at two programs on
November 16. Ms. Greenfield has written more
than a dozen books, including Honey I Love,
African Dream and Night on Neighborhood Street.
EASTMAN READING GARDEN
One of downtown Cleveland's most cherished
open spaces, the Eastman Reading Garden,
re-opened to the public on September 18, featuring
new artwork by nationally-acclaimed
artists Maya Lin and Tom Otterness.
Two of New York sculptor Tom Otterness' playful creations in the
Eastman Reading Garden.
The works by Lin and Otterness are the
focal points of a lush garden that also contains
an impressive variety of trees, shrubbery
and other assorted plants that combine
to form an exciting and contemplative
Enjoying lunch in the Eastman Reading Garden. space between the traditional Main Library
Building and the modern Louis Stokes Wing.
Lin, an Ohio native who now lives and works in New York,
first gained international recognition with her design of the
Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Lin's artwork at
the Library, Reading A Garden, is a reflecting pool and quiet fountain,
set in a contemplative setting surrounded by granite paving
stones etched with an abstract language poem. Lin collaborated
on this work with her brother, Tan Lin, a poet.
In Reading A Garden, the words follow the viewer's path leading
to the fountain. But unlike a book, the way the poem is read
is multidirectional.
Tan Lin,Tom Otterness and Maya Lin.
8
Members of the Winter Reading Program at Cleveland MetroParks Zoo.
Otterness, a New York sculptor, collaborated with the Lins to create solid bronze gates at the
north and south entrances to the Garden. The gates are a playful work that contains a lattice of letters
and a variety of rounded figures cavorting and working together to construct the post and lintel
gate structure. His work is frequently cited for its
various levels of interpretation, including fantasy,
social and political allegory.
The work by Lin and Otterness are part of the
Library's public art collection. In 1925, the inauguration
of the historic Main Library Building began
a tradition for the Library of incorporating art
within architecture. That tradition continues with
the Eastman Reading Garden and the new Main
Library-Louis Stokes Wing.
Included in the impressive and diverse collection
are new works by highly-acclaimed local and
national artists, including Anna Arnold, Dawoud
Bey, George Bowes, Bruce Checefsky, Malcolm
Cochran, Don Harvey, Mark Howard, Maya Lin,
John Moore, Holly Morrison, Paul O'Keefe,Tom Otterness, and Lyneise Williams.
The art program was coordinated by the Committee for Public Art, an independent and unique
organization dedicated to promoting and delivering the highest quality of public design.
The Eastman Reading Garden is named after Linda Eastman, the Library's director from 1918 to
1938. It had been closed since October 1993, in preparation for the $90 million Main Library
Construction and Renovation Project. The first phase of the project was completed in April 1997,
with the opening of the Louis Stokes Wing. The opening of the Garden completed the second phase.
Phase Three, the renovation of the landmark Main Library Building, is expected to be completed in the
spring of 1999.
These young patrons
are enjoying one of the
5.232 story hours CPL
provided last year.
9
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Although it took an official June 15 recount by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to confirm it,
Cleveland Public Library is grateful to its supporters for the passage of Issue 4, the Library's operating levy
which appeared on the May 5 primary ballot.
The five-year operating issue of 3.0 mill will permit the Library to:
* continue buying new books, reference materials and magazines;
* keep pace with today's ever growing informational needs;
* purchase additional computers to improve free public access to the world of cyberspace,
informational databases and other electronic services;
* maintain special programs for children and young adults;
* maintain special services for individuals who are physically challenged.
THANKYOU,CLEVELAND. WE'RE HERETO SERVE YOUR NEEDS.
Children's Librarian
Ruth Hadlow keeps
her audience
enthralled with a
favorite story.
There is no doubt where she stands on the
Library's operating levy.
10
Cleveland Cavs' basketball
player. Brevin Knight, at the
Hough Branch Library.
Author
Quincy Troupe (center)
and members of the
youth segment of the
Write Now '98 Workshop.
Author James McBride signs
autographs following a reading
at the Martin Luther King. Jr.
Branch.
II
How Library Dollars Were Spent
General Operating Fund Receipts
Tax Revenues:
LLGSF: .
Real Estate: .
Other (Delinquent Personal Property): .
Interest: .
Services to Contracting Libraries .
State Aid: .
Fines and Fees .
Misc. Costs and Refunds .
Total Receipts: .
Fund Balance: January I, 1998 .
Available for General Operations: .
Expenditures And Encumbrances
Salaries and Benefits .
Capital Outlay .
Transfers .
Office and Maintenance Materials and
Supplies .
Miscellaneous Expenditures .
Utilities and Purchased Services .
Library Materials .
Total Expenditures During the Year .
Carried Forward for First Quarter
Operations .
12
$ 26,041,373
$ 12,224,957
$ 245
$ 2,092,378
$ 1,649,054
$ 2,434,798
$ 623,884
$ 321,257
$ 45,387,946
$ 6,405,450
$ 51,793,396
$ 25,790,585
$ 478,860
$ 4,524,818
$ 1,128,156
$ 177,847
$ 7,752,468
$ 11,417,610
$ 51,270,344
$ 523,052
$ 51,793,396
THE COLLECTION
Titles 2,360,080
Volumes 2,709,170
Bound Periodicals 270,570
CD Roms (Circulating) 5,501
DVDs 105
Government Documents 802,679
Maps 160,607
Microforms 4,345,975
Optical discs 31
Paperbacks 444,915
Photographs, pictures 1,329,029
Sheet music 23,572
Software (Circulating) 1,294
Sound Recordings 239,073
Videocassettes 113,748
Joan Brown, Head of Human Resources (right) and participants in the Cleveland
Public Schools'Vital Links Program.
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In 1998 your CLEVELAND PUBLIC L1BRARY...
•
•
•
•
answered 1,851,630 questions
loaned 5,379,857 items for home use
loaned about 16,707 items on an average day
added 288,919 new items to the collections
Issued 28,960 library cards
registered 1,970 new blind and physically challenged readers for the Talking Book Service
provided 588,753 recorded and brailled books to blind and physically challenged readers
conducted more than 5,232 story hours, lectures, and other programs in branches
loaned 232,795 items to other libraries
• recorded over 39 million inquiries through the Electronic Library
Members of the Cleveland Public Library
Holiday Chorus.
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The Great Lakes Theater Festival performs,
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime, at the Rockport
Branch.
Board Of Library Trustees - 1998
Venerine L. Branham - President
Robert C. Petru lis - Vice President
Charlene A Jones - Secretary
Thomas D. Corrigan
Frances Hunter
Patricia S. James (from May 15, 1998)
Sandra E. Noble (from August 4, 1998)
Caesar D. Burkes (through July 2, 1998)
Alvin L. Schorr (through March 31, 1998)
Administration
Marilyn Gell Mason - Director
AndrewVenable - Deputy Director
Joan L. Clark - Head of Main Library
Sari Feldman - Head of Community Services
Donald Tipka - Head of Technical Services
Joan F. Brown - Head of Human Resources
Joan L. Tomkins - Head of Financial Services
Alan AA Seifullah - Head of Marketing and Public Relations
Robert T. Carterette, Jr. - Head of Automation Services
Norbert Harnegie - Facilities Manager
Michael Janero - Chief of Security Operations
Friends Of The Cleveland Public Library, Inc.
J. Stefan Holmes - President
Rosalyn Sievila - Vice President
Richard Gildenmeister - Secretary
David S. Lu - Treasurer
Michael Hoffmann - Past President
Nancy Mahoney, Mary Scelsi - Co-Directors
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