Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 5-18-2015

MAY 18, 2015

• In memoriam: Shony Long
• Volunteers honored at luncheon
• Balanced Scorecard Measures of Success
• Sunday hours in place
• University Heights Library parking enlargement
• April public service report

Board Member James Roosa was absent.

In memoriam: Shony Long

Friends and colleagues of Shony (Sushano) Long, librarian at the Coventry Village Library from 1985–92, gathered to honor her as the board adopted a resolution regarding her service. Long died on April 4, and a memorial service will be in June.

One of her long-lasting projects was the development of deaf services at the library. In this, she was inspired by working with J. R. Doughty, then the custodian of the library, and deaf from childhood. She planned Deaf Expo 1988, an outstanding event featuring actors, performers and educators from around the country.

Doughty was present for the resolution, and sign-language interpreter Pat Cangelosi facilitated communication among the guests, Doughty and the library staff.

Shony was also committed to children’s services and built an outstanding collection of picture books, continuing the excellence of the Coventry Village Library in that area.

Volunteers honored at luncheon

Volunteers were honored at the Second Annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon held on Sunday, April 19. Friends [of Heights Libraries] joined with the Library to arrange the luncheon.

Balanced Scorecard Measures of Success

Deputy Director Kim DeNero-Ackroyd presented highlights of the Balanced Scorecard Measures of Success for 2014–15, focusing on the visit of the Ohio State Library Mobile Tech Lab to the University Heights Library, engagement of staff members in national and local conference programs, growing attendance at teen open mic night at the Noble Neighborhood Library, and an update to the teen room at Lee Road Library, including a Maker Space.

Sunday hours in place

Director Nancy Levin was pleased to announce that Sunday hours are now on the schedule of all branches.

University Heights Library parking enlargement

The acquisition of the house on Fenwick Road, adjacent to the University Heights Library parking lot, will allow the enlargement of the library’s parking lot. The appliances from the house have been removed and donated to the Heights Family to Family Collaborative. The plantings around the house will be transferred to the garden areas of the library.

April public service report highlights:

• Associate Ellen Paulini established two additional book discussion groups at Huntington Greens and Cedar Center apartments. The monthly discussion at the Cleveland Heights Senior Center continues.
• Heights Community Congress partnered with the library to host the program “Connecting the Dots: Fair Housing and our Schools.” A focus was the use by realtors of school ratings in connection with listed homes.
• The Springtime in Paris series continued, with two lectures and a visual presentation.
• Nationally known poet and poetry therapist John Fox joined local poet Linda Tuthill for the program Finding What You Didn’t Lose, which included poetry readings and reflections on the power of poetry to heal and transform.
• On April 19 at Coventry Village Library, the Shire opened with a celebration and a door count of 867.
• Local author Martha Conway spoke about her new book, Thieving Forest, and shared her research process and writing approach. The book was the winner for the best historical fiction in the 2014 North American Book Awards. Its subject is the intersection of Native Americans and settlers in 1806 Ohio.
  
  

LWV Observer: Anne S. McFarland.

These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse and Maryann Barnes. To receive e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.

These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.