LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS / Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights [online 3-21-2016]

MARCH 21, 2016

  • City [of Cleveland Heights] recognizes library’s 100th anniversary
  • Library board and school board share strategic plans
  • Family Connections update
  • Lynda Library subscription extension
  • Public Library Association Award for Colin Tomele
  • Lee Road Library circulation desk improvements
  • ALA opposes unlocking smart phones
  • February public service report highlights


All board members were present.

City [of Cleveland Heights] recognizes library’s 100th anniversary

Cleveland Heights Mayor Cheryl Stephens presented the board with a proclamation from the city, staff and community on the library’s 100th anniversary. The proclamation expresses appreciation for the library staff and board members.

Library board and CH-UH school board share strategic plans

Along with key staff, the two boards met to share information. Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District Superintendent Talisa Dixon talked about welcoming the community into the schools. The library asked that summer reading be made mandatory for students, and that the schools support Library Card Sign-up Month. In addition, the library would like the schools to be active in the community read, On the Same Page, to begin next fall.

Family Connections update

Joanne Federman, executive director of Family Connections, gave a summary of 2015 activities, including 3,605 visits to Little Heights, which is housed at the Lee Road Library. A survey of participants is planned, with the understanding that it will be difficult to assess the outcomes of young children. Family Connections serves children from birth through kindergarten, featuring literacy and school readiness activities.

Lynda Library subscription extension

The library has had a single-user subscription to Lynda Library and has increased that to 35 users at an annual cost of $13,125. This source is a leading online learning company with self-paced video tutorials in the areas of business, software, technology and creative skills. The Toledo and Cincinnati public libraries have used this service with success.

Public Library Association Award for Colin Tomele

Web developer Colin Tomele received the Public Library Association’s John Iliff Award for technological innovation, for the creation of the Book-a-Room meeting room software created for Heights Libraries. This software has been made available to the [global] library community, and is now used by many libraries.

Lee Road Library circulation desk improvements

The circulation desk will have increased visibility and space for two lines of customers, with wheelchair accessibility from both sides. The return bins will have two compartments: one for books and one for movies and music.

ALA opposes unlocking smart phones

Sari Feldman, president of the American Library Association (ALA) and director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, issued a statement including the language, “Library patrons have a right to privacy, as many access library catalogs and databases via their mobile devices. Previously, confidential information including patrons’ e-book downloads, database use and other library records [would] be open to those within our government who might not follow correct procedures.”

February public service report highlights

  • Heights Libraries and the Friends of Heights Libraries sponsored the annual African-American Read In, with participants reading short selections from their favorite authors.
  • New user registrations in February were 370.
  • The Coventry Village Seed Library will reopen this spring in collaboration with the Cleveland Seed Bank. Participants can “borrow” heirloom organic seeds and will be given information about their use, as well as information about area seed-swapping events.
  • The Girl Power Powwow Program, led by Monica Wilson, youth services associate, enabled teen girls to talk candidly about concerns with body image, harassment and safety. As a positive spin on talking behind one’s back, each participant turned away from a dry-erase board while others wrote compliments about her.
  • The popularity of adult coloring books led to the Colorpalooza program. Participants asked for this to be a monthly activity.
  • The training department experimented with putting on an e-media program in the Lee Road Library lobby: Digital Magazines and Movies from the Library. This location was successful in attracting customers and giving information about the class.
  • Cassandra Anselmi, youth services associate, held a “Pop-Up Makerspace” for the afterschool crowd in the children’s room. Seven children learned how to construct circuit boards.

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.

League of Women Voters

Observer Corps editor for the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland

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Volume 9, Issue 5, Posted 9:11 AM, 04.22.2016