LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS / Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board of NOVEMBER 16, 2015 [Online 11-16-2015]

NOVEMBER 16, 2015

  • Five Star Public Service Award
  • Balanced scorecard review
  • CLEVNET libraries experience decreased circulation
  • Friends report
  • Book a Room software goes public
  • October public service report highlights


Board Member Rob Fischer was absent.

Five Star Public Service Award

For the sixth time in seven years, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library System has received this award from Library Journal. The State Librarian of Ohio sent a congratulatory letter.

Balanced scorecard review

Kim DeNero-Ackroyd, deputy director, presented highlights including: a collaboration between youth services and Monarch Kindergarten; a partnership to provide early literacy materials between the Coventry Village Library and transitional housing for the homeless; and the Local History Task Force visit to the Cleveland Public Library to gain insight into the Heights Libraries’ efforts in that area.

CLEVNET libraries experience decreased circulation

The average decrease is seven percent, while the Heights Libraries’ rate of decrease is six percent. For example, circulation at Lee Road Library was 106,584 in October 2014 and 96,137 in October 2015, a decrease of more than 10,000 items. Visitor numbers at the Lee Road Library fell from 53,560 in October 2014 to 47,716 in October 2015, a decrease of more than 5,800 visitors.

Friends report

Louisa Oliver, the group’s outgoing president, introduced Linda Lopez, incoming president, who reported on the recent mega sale. That sale brought the highest total ever, just over $7,000. The remaining books from the sale were donated to the Lorain County Correctional Center in Grafton.

Book a Room software goes public

The web calendar and meeting room software created by library staff has been placed on the WordPress depository for public use. So far, 10 libraries have downloaded and installed the meeting room component, while 31 libraries have downloaded the web calendar component.

October public service report highlights

  • Coventry Village Library staffers Maggie Kinney and Lauren Franzinger made the first quarterly outreach to the Kinsman Transitional Housing Program in collaboration with Forest Hills Presbyterian Church. Children received a backpack filled with crayons, a book, and early literacy activities.
  • The Cedar-Coventry author series continued with performance poet Ray McNiece and photographer Tim Lachina presenting their new book, Love Song to Cleveland.
  • Three caged, pet mice have been added to Coventry Village Library’s Shire Children’s Room. Bessie, Calpurnia, and Frieda not only spin in their wheel, but also introduce children to the characteristics and care of mice.
  • Noble Neighborhood Library staff visited Noble Elementary School’s first and second grade classrooms, sharing stories and offering squares to color and take to the library in exchange for a book. The squares are displayed on a bulletin board.
  • At Noble Neighborhood Library, Welcome Hub attendees celebrated community and culture on Oct. 13 for Dashain, a Nepali holiday celebrating the triumph of good over evil with a focus on family and culture. Family dinners and parades are a part of this celebration in Nepal.
  • Noble Neighborhood Library’s teen series, “I’m the Boss” featured an artist/illustrator, a baker, and a blogger. This series focuses on future career possibilities and includes tips for success in employment.
  • Colin Marshall, youth services associate at University Heights Library, led a “Create Your Own Comic Book” night for children in grades three to five.
  • Youth services department staff hosted family games and activities in an “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” program in a life-sized “Alice” environment.


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.

 

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Volume 9, Issue 1, Posted 1:19 PM, 12.16.2015