Library

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 12-7-2020

DECEMBER 7, 2020

 

  • Recognition of board member
  • 2020 amended permanent appropriation
  • Tax advances
  • Furniture purchase
  • Property, liability and cyber insurance 
  • Personnel policies
  • Vision and life insurance
  • Five-star library
  • Curbside service resumes

 

Present were President James Roosa, Vice President Dana Fluellen, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto, and Vikas Turakhia.

Read Full Story
Volume 14, Issue 2, Posted 9:36 AM, 01.05.2021

Heights Libraries again among top rated

Heights Libraries has once again received the highest possible rating—five stars—in Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service.

The just-released Star Library report is based on 2018 statistics, so does not reflect the impact COVID-19 has had on public libraries since spring 2020.

Heights Libraries has earned the five-star designation in 10 out of the 13 years that Library Journal has published the ratings; it received a four-star rating the other two years.

Read Full Story
Volume 14, Issue 1, Posted 10:17 AM, 12.29.2020

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 11-16-2020

NOVEMBER 16, 2020

 

  • 2021 permanent appropriation
  • Materials evaluation and selection policy
  • 2021 wage increase
  • Co-learning spaces 
  • Meeting rooms
  • Mobile pantry
  • Executive session

 

Present were President James Roosa, Vice President Dana Fluellen, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto and Vikas Turakhia.

Read Full Story
Volume 14, Issue 1, Posted 12:11 PM, 11.30.2020

Library's computer classes to resume online

After months on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Heights Libraries’ computer classes will return in January in an online format.

The library’s technology trainers will teach a variety of Microsoft Office classes using Screenleap, a screensharing platform currently in use at the Cuyahoga County Public Library and the New York Public Library.

The library had to suspend in-person computer classes in March when the library shut down.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 11:32 AM, 12.02.2020

Library reaches teens online through Discord platform

Before Heights Libraries shut down its branches in March, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, local teens could spend time at the library during after-school hours and on weekends, socializing with friends, doing homework, playing games, or relaxing with a book or comic. 

While the buildings opened again for browsing and some limited services, library administrators closed all branches to the public on Nov. 19 in response to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health's stay-at-home advisory. Youth Services staff have found another tool for reaching teens—the online chat program Discord, which is similar to Zoom. 

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 11:32 AM, 12.02.2020

What’s going on at your library?

Tuesday, Dec. 1 through Sunday, Jan. 10, all day on Beanstack

Read Woke! Challenge. Read Woke means arming yourself with the knowledge to better protect your rights. Learning about others, so you treat people with respect and dignity, no matter their religion, race, creed, or color. Join Heights Libraries' winter Read Woke challenge on Beanstack, and earn prizes by reading books by diverse voices. For those in grades 6–12.

Friday, Dec. 4, 10:30 a.m., on Zoom

Sing and Swing Music Together. Music Together is the perfect way to get young children to imagine, improvise and express themselves through music and movement. A Sing and Swing instructor will lead babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and the adults that love them through songs, dances, rhythms and rhymes, virtually with Zoom. After you register, you will receive an e-mail with the Zoom meeting room and password. (Please do not share the room information with others.) We will not be recording the programs, and you may turn your video off if you prefer. Registration begins Friday, Nov. 20.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 11:42 AM, 12.02.2020

Library creates safe co-learning spaces

In response to the community’s need for study and tutoring spaces for students in grades K–12, Heights Libraries has created four co-learning spaces in the teen room of the Lee Road Branch.

Each space is surrounded by acrylic glass barriers and can accommodate one student and either a parent, sibling, tutor or another student, who can work together on schoolwork in a safe, socially distanced space. Two of the four spaces have computers with internet access. 

Co-learning space reservations last 45 minutes, must be reserved in advance and are limited to one per day, per customer.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 10:20 AM, 11.17.2020

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 10-19-2020

OCTOBER 19, 2020

 

  • Financial report
  • Job vacancies
  • Covid response
  • Dementia friendly library training 
  • Black Excellence mural
  • Activity packs
  • PEACE Campus Inc. lease

 

Present were President James Roosa, Vice President Dana Fluellen, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto, and Vikas Turakhia.

 

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 12:02 PM, 11.30.2020

Heights Libraries seeks new board member

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is seeking a new board member. Applications, which are due on Tuesday, Nov. 10, by 5 p.m., can be requested by sending an e-mail to switchboard@heightslibrary.org.

Completed applications can be returned to the same e-mail address, or, applicants can drop them in a designated box outside of the Lee Road branch’s administrative office.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 6:50 PM, 10.29.2020

'Black Excellence' mural transforms Coventry parking lot

On Sept. 26, artists Jimmy Hayden and Wayne Pollard, and a Heights Libraries board member, Gabe Crenshaw, transformed the parking lot by Heights Libraries Coventry branch and Coventry PEACE Park with a mural celebrating the achievements of Black Northeast Ohioans, both past and present.

Embedded in the words “Black Excellence” are images of authors Langston Hughes and Toni Morrison; Oscar-winning actor Halle Berry; athletes LeBron James, Jesse Owens, and Rich Paul; scientist Garrett Morgan; and elected officials Carl Stokes, Louis Stokes, and Stephanie Tubbs-Jones. The mural also gives a nod to the community with the inclusion of the words “Tiger Nation,” and the logos of the city of Cleveland Heights and of the community group Safer Heights.

Crenshaw said the mural’s creation was inspired by recent events. “The most recent killings of Black people, both by law enforcement and civilians who deemed it their duty to police Black people, is what inspired me to take on this project,” she said.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 5:56 PM, 10.12.2020

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 9-20-20

SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

  • Public comments
  • Financial report
  • Change in public service hours November 3
  • 2020 payroll
  • CARES act
  • Lee Road carpet
  • Washington Blvd. appropriations
  • Service & administration policy
  • Restoration of staff pay and hours
  • COVID-19 code of conduct

Present were President James Roosa, Vice President Dana Fluellen, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto, and Vikas Turakhia.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 12:43 PM, 10.13.2020

Library offers at-home Internet access and online tutoring

In an effort to support Heights families whose children are learning remotely, Heights Libraries is offering tools to make online learning easier: the online tutoring service Tutor.com, and additional WiFi hotspots to help families who don’t have home Internet service.

Tutor.com is available for free through the library’s website, www.heightslibrary.org, and offers both one-on-one virtual tutoring services and independent, self-directed learning tools, such as webinars, study guides, essay feedback and practice quizzes.

“Since the pandemic has limited our ability to hold in-person programs, like our popular Homework Help series, we knew that we needed to find another way to help students, especially those who may be struggling with remote schooling,” said Interim Youth Services Manager Sarah Rosenberger. “Tutor.com gives kids access to live tutors in most school subject areas, as well as writing help and webinars on all kinds of topics.”

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 10, Posted 11:17 AM, 09.29.2020

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees special meeting highlights [8-17-20]

AUGUST 17, 2020

Board members present were President James Roosa, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto, and Vikas Turakhia. Vice President Dana Fluellen and Patti Carlyle were absent.

Coventry PEACE Campus

Leases with the individual tenants of the Coventry PEACE Campus building expired as of June 30, 2020. Negotiations have been held this month between the library director and the tenants. The library director had hoped to ask the board to approve a letter of intent at this special meeting. However, the PEACE campus tenants and its board are not in agreement with the library. Areas of disagreement include the base rent and tenant responsibility for utilities, operational expenses, and maintenance.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 10, Posted 10:45 AM, 10.01.2020

Libraries re-open for browsing and computer use

Heights Libraries has re-opened its buildings for computer use and browsing. Due to COVID-19, these services look different, and follow new safeguards to keep customers and staff as safe as possible.

Computer use now requires a reservation, and reservations may be made by phone only—walk-ups and online reservations are not available at this time. Computer use will also now require a library card—guest passes will not be available. Customers can make a reservation by calling 216-932-3600, ext. 1221. Use is limited to one computer session per day, and each session lasts for 45 minutes.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 10, Posted 11:01 AM, 09.30.2020

Library adapts to pandemic

When libraries and schools across Northeast Ohio started closing on March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Heights Libraries made the difficult decision to close its four branches. Over the weeks that followed, staff worked together remotely to figure out how to serve the Cleveland Heights-University Heights community safely.

“It was a strange and frustrating time,” said Nancy Levin, Heights Libraries director. “Our mission, our entire purpose, is to help people, to provide them with free services and materials to improve their lives. How do you do that from a distance, with closed buildings? Well, never underestimate determined library staff.”

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 9, Posted 8:11 AM, 09.01.2020

Cleveland Heights - University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 7-20-20

JULY 20, 2020

 

  • Public comments
  • Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus financials
  • Advance return
  • Amend 2020 Appropriations
  • Automated book sorter
  • Bi-polar ionization units 
  • Library closure September 5
  • Coventry Peace Park
  • One Community reads
  • DEI focus groups

 

Present were President James Roosa, Vice President Dana Fluellen, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto and Vikas Turakhia.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 9, Posted 5:51 AM, 08.25.2020

Library seeks focus group participants

Heights Libraries Anti-Racism Task Force has engaged Compass Consulting Services, LLC, to conduct confidential, virtual focus groups as part of a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) audit. Due to Covid-19, the focus groups will be held via Zoom, not in person as had originally been planned.

The library’s goal is to gather information from current library customers, as well as those who don’t use the library.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 8, Posted 10:36 AM, 07.30.2020

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 6-15-2020

JUNE 15, 2020

 

  • Public comments 
  • Non-salary budget cuts
  • Janitorial contract
  • Installation of safety equipment
  • Reduction in force
  • Automated materials handling system
  • Lobby services at all libraries
  • Antiracist statement from the board
  • Black Lives Matter (BLM) mural

 

Present were President James Roosa, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto and Vikas Turakhia. Vice President Dana Fluellen was absent.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 8, Posted 8:40 AM, 07.13.2020

New zine features pandemic art

In April, it became clear that the annual Pekar Park Comics and Art Festival, a summer tradition in Coventry Village, would have to be canceled or rescheduled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. While disappointing, the cancelation gave Adult Services Librarian John Piche and Adult Services Associate Kate Atherton an idea.

“We thought it would be really interesting to see how the shutdown would be interpreted by our artist friends and colleagues,” said Piche, who draws a comic strip, “Magnesium Sisters.” “Let’s see how our local artists are handling this pandemic, and ask them to tell their quarantine stories in comics form.”

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 10:38 AM, 07.03.2020

Library foundation seeks literacy award nominees

The Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries (FFHL) is currently seeking nominations for its 2020 Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries Honor Roll. Winners will be chosen by the FFHL board, and celebrated at a virtual event this fall.

The honor is a lifetime achievement award, recognizing those who have made a sustained, outstanding contribution to the Cleveland Heights-University Heights community by promoting literacy or by educating through literacy.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 10:34 AM, 07.03.2020

Library’s summer reading program moves online

Due to service restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Heights Libraries has moved its 2020 summer reading program, Spark Your Creativity, online.

“We know how important summer reading is to our community, especially the school-age kids, so after we closed our buildings in March, we began looking for alternatives to our in-person program,” said Youth Services Manager Sam Lapides. “Luckily we found an online program called Beanstack that is easy to use, is fun, and allows kids to track their reading time and participate in prize raffles, just like they’ve always been able to in the past.”

Prizes include LEGO sets, headphones, and gift cards to local businesses.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 3:02 PM, 06.22.2020

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 5-18-2020

MAY 18, 2020

 

  • Library patrons to wear face coverings
  • Procedures with infectious individuals 
  • Reductions in general fund appropriations
  • Staff reductions
  • Public service report
  • Summer reading program

 

Present were President James Roosa, Vice President Dana Fluellen, Patti Carlyle, Gabe Crenshaw, Annette Iwamoto and Vikas Turakhia. Max Gerboc was absent.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 9:17 AM, 06.08.2020

Libray cuts budget by $2 million

At its May 18 meeting, the Heights Libraries Board of Trustees approved a cost-reduction plan designed to trim the library’s budget by $2 million in the second half of fiscal year 2020. The library’s 2020 budget is $11,585,412, and will hit the half-way point on June 1.

“The library is anticipating severe funding cuts in the near future,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. “Ohio’s Public Library Fund has been reduced by roughly 35 percent, and we are expecting property tax collection to fall sharply. The majority of our funding, over 80 percent, comes from these two sources.”

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 6, Posted 10:01 AM, 06.02.2020

Library launches '1619 Project' Web page

In May, Heights Libraries launched a new online resource featuring news, resources, and upcoming events related to the library’s ongoing 1619 Project discussion group. 

The group formed in September 2019 in response to high public interest in reading and discussing the "1619 Project" essays published by The New York Times Magazine, which reflect on the history of race and slavery, and its impact on American life over the last 400 years. 

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 6, Posted 9:57 AM, 06.02.2020

Library prepares for partial reopening

Heights Libraries is preparing its four branches for a partial reopening, scheduled for June 2 at the Lee Road branch, and June 9 for the Coventry Village, Noble Neighborhood, and University Heights branches.

On Monday, May 18, the Lee Road branch began to offer three services: curbside holds pick-ups, phone reference, and homebound delivery.

The curbside holds pick-up service is initially only for (1) customers who had holds ready at the time of the library’s closure on March 13, and (2) customers who wish to order by phone and pick up items currently available in the Lee Road building.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 6, Posted 9:30 AM, 05.26.2020

Library expands digital resources

With the closing of libraries, schools, shops, and more, Heights residents are now relying on resources they can access from their homes for education and entertainment. While the Heights Libraries system is temporarily closed, it has greatly expanded access to many of its online services. 

“Most of our digital collection is available to anyone with a Heights Libraries card in good standing,” said Communications Manager Sheryl Banks. “But this leaves out anyone whose card is blocked, or who didn't get a chance sign up before we closed our buildings.” 

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 5, Posted 11:42 AM, 04.30.2020

Library collecting virus-related stories and photos

Like most businesses and organizations in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights community, Heights Libraries had to close its buildings and figure out how to continue to serve its customers in the drastically different landscape of a pandemic. Online resources are its best option, and Heights Libraries has worked to increase its online presence through eblasts and online programs such as storytime videos and live yoga classes posted to social media.

Nancy Levin, Heights Libraries director, also recognized that part of a public library’s mission is to offer a place in which communities can tell their stories and feel heard, especially during times of turmoil. That’s why the library has launched a new project, Coping at Home, and is hoping community members will share their experiences by submitting them on Heights Libraries’ website.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 5, Posted 11:48 AM, 04.30.2020

Heights Libraries closes all branches during COVID-19 outbreak

Heights Libraries wants the community to know that the health and safety of customers and staff is its top priority. It therefore decided to close all of its buildings as of Friday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m. 

"This was not an easy decision, and not one that library leadership made lightly," said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. "We decided to close our buildings at the recommendation of the Ohio Department of Health. Research indicates that early social distancing can help slow the spread of the disease."

To help customers understand the closing and its repercussions, it put the following FAQ list on its website and Facebook page, and also sent it to customers in an eblast:

Are all four Heights Libraries buildings closed? Yes. The Coventry Village, Lee Road, Noble Neighborhood, and University Heights branches are closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 4, Posted 11:04 AM, 03.17.2020

Heights Libraries’ spring series embraces the arts

This spring, Heights Libraries invites people of all ages to engage with the arts through its new program series, "Create and Connect: Heights Has HeART." Inspired by art and artists in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights community, the library will host a wide range of programs where participants can come together to experience visual art, drama, film, literature, music and dance.

“Our community is very arts-oriented. We have our own art galleries, arts organizations and theater companies, and we're located close to some of the greatest cultural institutions in the country, like Cain Park, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Cleveland Institute of Art and MOCA,” said Maggie Kinney, special projects manager.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 3, Posted 9:43 AM, 02.28.2020

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursday, March 19, 7 p.m.

An Evening with Lisa Koops. Join Koops in a discussion of her book Parenting Musically, which portrays the musicking of eight diverse local families and how they use music in their everyday lives.  A book signing will follow the talk.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 3, Posted 9:44 AM, 02.28.2020

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.

Step Out of Time: Yoga for Neck & Shoulders with Laura Santoro. Learn simple yoga moves to relieve pain and stress in your neck and shoulders. This class is appropriate for all abilities and can be done from a chair.

Lee Road Library
2345 Lee Road, 216-932-3600

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.

Sherlock Holmes Meets the Bully of Baker Street. Join the world's greatest detective as he uses his remarkable observation and deduction skills to confront his most sensational mystery. Who is the Bully of Baker Street? An intrepid band of actors from Great Lakes Theater will use humor, logic and song to perform this original tale. For children in grades one through six.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 5:07 PM, 01.31.2020

Library wants to ensure everyone is counted in the 2020 Census

Along with voting, being counted in the U.S. Census is one of the most patriotic activities an individual can perform.

Beginning in mid-March, every home in the United States will receive a postcard in the mail that serves as an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Residents can respond for their household in one of three ways: online, by phone or by mail.

To ensure the community is ready to participate, Heights Libraries will be encouraging community members to learn about the 2020 Census with informational programs and fliers; comprehensive answers to common questions about the census process, including issues of security and privacy; and a special Web page of census-related resources.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 5:07 PM, 01.31.2020

Library presents Black History Month cooking series for teens

There’s a good reason that most ethnic and cultural festivals include cuisine. Food and cooking are inextricably woven into cultural identity, and food is a language that can be readily, and universally, understood.

“To sample the food of a particular culture is to immediately experience that culture,” said Shamekia Chandler, Heights Libraries youth services associate. “That’s why I decided to focus on food to celebrate Black History Month this year.”

Chandler will be facilitating the Black History Month Cooking Series for kids ages 10 to 18, on Tuesdays in February at 3:30 p.m. at Heights Libraries' Lee Road branch. Each week, a different local chef will demonstrate how to make simple meals that are rich in flavor and history. “This series will not only teach kids culinary skills, but will give them a cohesive understanding of the African Diaspora and its place in our country’s history, through food,” Chandler said.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 11:41 AM, 01.28.2020

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 12-16-2019

DECEMBER 16, 2019

 

  • Financial report
  • Strategic plan FY 2020-2022
  • Consultation services
  • The 1619 project
  • Circulation milestone
  • New electronic newsletter

 

Present were President Chris Mentrek, Vice President James Roosa, Dana Fluellen, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto and Vikas Turakhia. Suzann Moskowitz was absent.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 3:47 PM, 01.31.2020

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.

Step Out of Time: Metta Meditation With Erica Steinweg. Metta meditation is a wonderful (and practical) way to acknowledge one's fears and meet them with kindness. The presentation includes gentle yoga to help open the body and heart-center, as well as a guided practice.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 1, Posted 10:52 AM, 01.03.2020

Library board welcomes new members

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is pleased to announce the appointment of its newest board members, Patti Carlyle and Gabe Crenshaw, whose terms begin in January 2020.

Carlyle will serve a full seven-year term, replacing Chris Mentrek, whose term ends December 2019. Crenshaw will serve a two-year term, replacing outgoing board member Suzann Moskovitz, who is leaving after serving five years.

Carlyle, a University Heights resident for 14 years, is the director of content marketing at Brand Muscle, a Cleveland-based Internet marketing company. She also serves on the Fair Housing Board of University Heights, and has volunteered for a variety of CH-UH nonprofits over the years, including Canterbury Elementary School PTA, the Heights Music Hop, Lake Erie Ink, and FutureHeights, where she also served on the board.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 1, Posted 10:10 AM, 01.03.2020

Library launches new resource for child caregivers

This winter, Heights Libraries will launch Heights Little Learners, a new e-newsletter called to provide early literacy resources for caregivers of children up to 6 years old.

“The library’s marketing team noticed that the audience engagement with our more generalized e-newsletter, What’s Going on @ Heights Libraries, was shrinking, while our targeted newsletters—covering topics like technology and reader’s advisory—were growing,” said Sheryl Banks, communications manager. “We want our patrons to feel excited about what we have to offer, so we decided it was time for a redesign.”

In October, the library sent out a survey to its e-newsletter subscribers to gauge which topics they want to learn more about. The survey results revealed an interest in receiving more information about resources the library can provide for young children.

Read Full Story
Volume 13, Issue 1, Posted 10:31 AM, 12.17.2019

Heights Libraries cooking up 'Culinary Comforts' this season

“Cast off the winter doldrums and dig into our savory menu of programs this quarter,” invites Heights Libraries’ winter program guide, Check Us Out, introducing this season’s Culinary Comforts theme.

From December through February, the library will offer a feast of culinary-themed literature, film and tasting experiences for all ages as a way to celebrate the multifaceted role that food plays in our lives.

“Our adult programming team was throwing around ideas for the library’s upcoming quarterly themes, and food and food-related topics seem to be perennially popular,” said L.P. Coladangelo, adult services associate. “We agreed that winter is a great time to highlight the fact that, in the darkest time of year, we often come together as families and communities to connect through shared meals.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 12, Posted 12:04 PM, 12.03.2019

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m.

Exploring the Heart of Dying Through Courageous Conversation. This program, the first in a series, will consider "Ritual, Ceremony and Sacred Intention: The Balm in Compassionate End of Life Care." Journey deep within, opening to one another while exploring ritual, ceremony and ancient practices in preparation for conscious dying.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 12, Posted 11:59 AM, 12.03.2019

Library waterproofing will require tree removal

Built in 1926, Heights Libraries Coventry Village Branch is the first and oldest Heights Libraries building. Committed to maintaining and improving the building, Heights Libraries, over the past three years, has invested in both the exterior and interior, undertaking an extensive tuck-pointing project, and a redesign and expansion of the children’s area.

The latest improvement project for the building will be a full waterproofing of the foundation on all sides. In order to complete this project, two large oak trees and a number of smaller trees will have to be removed.

“It is very hard to part with these beautiful oaks,” said Nancy Levin, Heights Libraries director.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 12, Posted 12:03 PM, 11.19.2019

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 10-21-2019

OCTOBER 21, 2019

 

  • SPARK (Supporting Partnership to Assure Ready Kids)
  • Incident reports
  • Financial report
  • Policy amendments
  • Library cleaning services
  • Coventry waterproofing project
  • Racial equity training
  • The 1619 Project
  • Greater Cleveland Food Bank mobile pantry
  • Ohio Library Council Convention
  • Strategic plan community survey
  • Youth Services new programs
  • Circulation report

 

Present were President Chris Mentrek, Vice President James Roosa, Dana Fluellen, Annette Iwamoto, Susan Moskowitz and Vikas Turakhia. Max Gerboc was absent.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 12, Posted 11:25 AM, 11.18.2019

Popular '1619 Project' discussion prompts further conversations

On Sept. 30, Heights Libraries hosted a “1619 Project” discussion group. It was so popular that the library system is planning additional discussions, in November and January.

The 1619 Project is an initiative by The New York Times that re-examines the history, and lasting influence, of American slavery on our society. The New York Times published a special edition of its Sunday magazine devoted to essays that re-frame economics, medical care, popular culture, and the legacy of racism. The essays served as a launching point for the discussion.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 11, Posted 2:21 PM, 11.01.2019

Library display gives kids a voice

Talia Linina, a youth services associate at Heights Libraries, wants to know what kids are thinking, and she has a fun, creative way of finding out.

Every Monday, she creates a display by the Lee Road branch children’s reference desk called Question of the Week. She sets out a sign with a question, slips of paper for writing down the answers, colorful pens, and something she calls “the rainbow box of mystery,” a multi-colored box with a hole in the top where kids submit their answers.

“I wanted to create an interactive display that would get kids to practice reading and writing,” said Linina. “And I also wanted to get to know the kids that come to our library and see what was on their minds.”

Linina plans questions months ahead of time and alternates simpler questions, like "What's your favorite color?" with ones that require a little more thinking, such as "How do you show your family members that you love them?" Then, at the end of the week, she collects the answers and displays as many as she can fit on the Question of the Week board. “The wider variety of questions I ask, the more kids I can engage,” she said. “And the kids like seeing if their answer from the previous week made it on the board.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 11, Posted 2:25 PM, 11.01.2019

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.

Step Out of Time: Develop Your Spiritual Intuition. Spiritual intuitive Kathy Pickett will help participants identify their sensitivity to spiritual experiences, discover their intuitive abilities, and inspire a belief in one's own spiritual power.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 11, Posted 10:16 AM, 11.03.2019

Ghanaian artist finds success in library gallery

From Sept. 3 through Sept. 13, Ghanaian artist Nana Kwesi Agyare Ansah shook up the art scene with his Cleveland Heights debut at Heights Libraries’ Lee Road art gallery, selling 10 of his vibrant acrylic paintings, ranging from the figurative to the abstract, along with three handmade African masks.

Ansah’s display was just one of dozens of exhibits the library’s gallery has hosted over the past six years. Being an accessible community gathering place, it is an ideal public venue for displaying art, and artists of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to apply for the opportunity to exhibit their work.

Stopping in Cleveland for part of his United States tour, Ansah discovered Heights Libraries’ Lee Road branch and happened upon the library gallery, which is located on the first floor of the library's HKIC building.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 11, Posted 2:29 PM, 11.01.2019

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Monday, Oct. 21, 5 p.m.

Escape the Room: The Haunted Mansion. Can you solve the puzzles and escape the haunted mansion before time is up? Test your skills as you work with a team to try to beat the clock. Registration required.

Lee Road Library
2345 Lee Road, 216-932-3600

Sunday, Oct. 13, 2 p.m.

Indigenous Peoples Read-In. Celebrate the voices of indigenous peoples. You're encouraged to bring a short selection from a Native American or other indigenous writer to share, or simply be part of the audience. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Heights Libraries. Registration recommended for those who want to read at the event.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 10, Posted 12:00 PM, 10.14.2019

Library embraces fandom with fall programs

This fall, Heights Libraries will host a series of programs that celebrate the books, movies and cultural phenomena that have drawn people in and inspired followers to transcend the original piece and make it their own.

“Few among us are new to the experience of seeing a favorite TV show get cancelled, or reading an enthralling series to its finale and longing to stay in touch with that world,” said Greg Osborn, adult services librarian. “Whether it’s sports, music, art, film, or a thrilling read, die-hard fans have expanded on the stories they love through the development of discussion groups, fan fiction and even cosplay.”

While fan culture might seem a product of the Internet age, wherein online forums teem with theories dissecting every plot twist, fandom dates back to the turn of the century, with Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation of his iconic character Sherlock Holmes. Early fans of the deductive detective were not satisfied just reading the books; they took matters into their own hands, immersing themselves in his world by designing their own mysteries in homage to Holmes himself. And with that, the fan was born.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 10, Posted 12:27 PM, 10.01.2019

Library reaches out to non-users for Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, a campaign established in 1987 by the American Library Association and the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. The campaign was designed to encourage parents and their children to sign up for library cards at the start of the school year.

In keeping with this original mission, Heights Libraries will be reaching out to kids this month, sending library card sign-up flyers home with school-aged children, and offering prizes to kids who check out a book with their new cards. The cover of the library’s fall program guide, Check Us Out, also encourages kids to get cards, proclaiming that “a library card is the most important school supply of all.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 9, Posted 2:13 PM, 09.02.2019

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m.

Cedar-Coventry Author Series: Mary Doria Russell. Best-selling author Mary Doria Russell reads from her newest book, The Women of Copper Country, a historical novel about America's Joan of Arc—Annie Clements—the courageous woman who started a rebellion by leading a strike against the largest copper-mining company in the world.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 9, Posted 10:24 AM, 09.03.2019

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 8-5-2019

AUGUST 5, 2019

 

  • Library board bylaws
  • Materials evaluation and selection policy
  • Washington Boulevard compressor replacement
  • Coventry waterproofing project
  • Community survey on library website
  • Book Bike
  • Voter registration

 

Present were President Chris Mentrek, Vice President James Roosa, Dana Fluellen, Max Gerboc, Susan Moskowitz and Vikas Turakhia.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 9, Posted 9:23 AM, 08.27.2019

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 7-15-2019

JULY 15, 2019

 

  • Financial report 
  • Service and Administrative Policies
  • Lee Road chiller rental
  • Parking lot improvements
  • Summer reading 
  • Sports equipment for Coventry PEACE Park
  • New monthly podcast
  • Summer lunch program

 

Present were President Chris Mentrek, Vice President James Roosa, Annette Iwamoto, Susan Moskowitz and Vikas Turakhia. Dana Fluellen and Max Gerboc were absent.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 9, Posted 1:38 PM, 08.02.2019

Library launches new learning resources for kids

On Aug. 19, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District students will begin a new school year. With this year’s summer reading program winding down, Heights Libraries is gearing up its programs and services to support children and families with what can be a challenging back-to-school transition.

The first few weeks of school can be difficult for kids as they adjust to new classmates, teachers and expectations in the classroom.

“One challenge that schools face is seeing children return from summer break with weaker academic skills,” said Sam Lapides, Heights Libraries youth services manager. This widely documented phenomenon is called “summer learning loss” or “summer slide.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 1:08 PM, 08.01.2019

Library staffers are matchmakers

Is there anything more satisfying than finding a book, movie, or piece of music that speaks to the soul? One you find yourself begging your friends and family to read, watch, or listen to? The Heights Libraries Matchmakers love that feeling, too, and they want to help library customers experience it as often as possible.

Matchmakers is a group of library staffers whose mission is to help customers find materials that reflect their interests, passions and needs, that they just can’t seem to locate on their own.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 1:13 PM, 08.01.2019

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Tuesday, Aug. 13, 4:30 p.m.

Garden Pizza Party. The party will start off with a tour of the library's garden, identifying herbs and vegetables that we can eat. We'll make pizza sauce and pesto, then add cheese and other vegetables (hopefully some from the garden!)

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 1:24 PM, 08.01.2019

Fifth annual Pekar Comic Book day is July 20

On July 20, the Pekar Park Comic Book Fest will return to Coventry Village for its fifth year. Since 2015, this free festival has honored the legacy of late Cleveland Heights resident and graphic novelist Harvey Pekar by offering a wide range of arts- and comics-themed activities for visitors of all ages.

“Harvey continues to be the most renowned comic writer from the area. He was a regular patron of Heights Libraries’ Lee Road branch, and wrote notable, relatable and internationally recognized comics,” said Kate Atherton, Heights Libraries’ adult services associate, ‘zine collection curator and lartist. “He set the standard that other Cleveland writers and artists could also be recognized, and that their stories could be shared through this unique format.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 7, Posted 9:58 AM, 06.28.2019