Library

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

Library rolls out new book bike

Heights Libraries unveiled its new book bike at the University Heights Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31, as part of the library’s parade display highlighting summer reading.

 A gift from the Friends of Heights Libraries, the book bike is a sturdy touring-style bike that pulls a custom-made trailer that can hold and display roughly 200 books. 

“It’s a small library on wheels,” said Community Engagement Associate Isabelle Rew, who manages the bike and is its primary rider. “The only difference is that customers don’t have to return these books—they get to keep them.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 7, Posted 10:11 AM, 06.28.2019

Library foundation seeks literacy award nominations

The Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries (FFHL) is currently seeking nominations for its 2019 FFHL Honor Roll. Winners will be chosen by the FFHL board and will be celebrated at the Honor Roll Dinner on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Acacia Clubhouse at Acacia Reservation, 26899 Cedar Road, in Lyndhurst.

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 12, Issue 7, Posted 10:05 AM, 06.28.2019

What’s going on at your library?

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

Saturday, July 20, 12 p.m.

Pekar Comic Book Fest. This free festival honors the late graphic novel writer and Cleveland Heights resident Harvey Pekar with a wide array of activities for children and adults. The festival will spotlight local, independent comic book and graphic novel writers.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 7, Posted 10:17 AM, 06.28.2019

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 5-20-2019

MAY 20, 2019

 

  • Coventry Peace Campus presentation
  • Financial report
  • Budget submission
  • Lee Road basement repairs
  • A 2019-2020 medical benefits
  • Coventry basement waterproofing
  • Advanced ASL classes
  • Coding for Kids program
  • Circulation report

 

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

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 7, Posted 10:41 AM, 06.21.2019

Heights Libraries goes green with yellow receipts

Customers at Heights Libraries may notice that the check-out receipts, computer passes, and hold-item covers look a little sunnier lately.

“It’s the vitamin C,” said Circulation Manager Ty Emerson, pointing out the lemon-yellow tone of the paper.

Vitamin C is a key component of the new BPA- and BPS-free thermal paper that the library started using in March as part of its ongoing efforts to make healthier and more environmentally-friendly decisions part of its every-day operations. Receipts and other paper items created with thermal printers don’t require ink or toner and instead rely on heat and chemicals on the paper to create an image. The new paper at Heights Libraries uses vitamin C as a developer to create the letters on the paper instead of phenol-based chemicals like BPA and BPS that have been linked to health problems, including cancer.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 6, Posted 9:53 AM, 06.03.2019

Coventry library becomes a mobile pantry site

On May 20, Heights Libraries’ Coventry Village branch became one of the newest sites for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry program. 

According to the Food Bank, a mobile pantry is defined as a truck full of food that is brought to a central location where clients can pick items up, just like they would from a regular pantry, with a focus on healthy, fresh produce: “Mobile pantries distribute the healthiest and most nutritious food at the Food Bank. A truck will usually contain 90 percent produce (fruits and vegetables), including apples, cabbage, greens, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, oranges, melons and more. The remaining 10 percent usually consists of bread, yogurt or another donated item.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 6, Posted 12:40 PM, 05.28.2019

Read your way through 'the great outdoors' this summer

Summer is just around the corner, and what goes hand-in-hand with picnics, beaches and parks? A good book, or—for many of Heights Libraries’ summer reading program participants—lots of them.

“With this theme we wanted to design a fun reading program that also encourages participants to get out and explore—whether it’s a local park or just their own backyard and neighborhood,” said Sam Lapides, youth services manager.

Children and teens will be invited to read books, update reading logs, and complete activities to earn raffle tickets to enter to win a wide array of prizes. Thirty days of reading are needed to officially complete the program, but participants are encouraged to fill out additional reading logs after they’ve completed the first.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 5, Posted 12:54 PM, 05.01.2019

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 3-18-2019

MARCH 18, 2019

 

  • Purchase of computers
  • Financial report
  • Suicide prevention training
  • CIFF partnership
  • Lee Road space utilization study
  • Mobile pantry at Coventry
  • Report on elimination of overdue fines
  • UH Branch Library Sunday events
  • Youth services

 

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

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 5, Posted 11:32 AM, 04.15.2019

Library hosts districtwide student art show

For the fourth consecutive year, Heights Libraries is partnering with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District’s Visual Arts Department to host the Creative Heights District-Wide Art Show at the library’s Lee Road branch. The show will run April 15 to May 15, with an opening reception and awards ceremony on Monday, April 29, 6–8 p.m.

The exhibition will feature hundreds of pieces of art created by students in kindergarten through grade 12, working in diverse media, including pencil and chalk drawings, photography, sculpture, pottery, painting, papier-mâché, printmaking, and metals (jewelry).

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 4, Posted 12:52 PM, 04.01.2019

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Wednesday, April 3, 7 p.m.

Cedar-Coventry Author Series: Wild Ohio. Deborah Fleming's new book, The Resurrection of the Wild: Meditations on Ohio's Natural Landscape, explores Ohio's unique and beautiful environment. Fleming has lived in rural Ohio and cared for its land for decades. She blends her own experience with scientific and literary research.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 4, Posted 12:40 PM, 04.01.2019

Library grant will fund staff and community mental health training

This spring, Heights Libraries will offer two new behavioral health programs at its Lee Road branch: Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Gatekeeper QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training for suicide prevention. Thanks to a $6,500 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, awarded by the State Library of Ohio in January, these programs will be open to the public, free of charge.

“We are excited to be able to open training sessions to the public and long-standing community partners, such as city departments and public schools,” said Maggie Kinney, special projects librarian at Heights Libraries. “With this ‘it takes a village’ approach, the library will be able to support community members with mental health issues outside of our four walls and positively impact the community as a whole.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 4, Posted 12:38 PM, 04.01.2019

Coventry P.E.A.C.E. tenants work toward ownership and independence

March 29, 2019, marks the one-year anniversary of Heights Libraries’ acquisition of the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus (CPC) property from the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District for the cost of $1.

The sale came after months of debate over the fate of the property, beginning in May 2017, when the school district announced its plans to sell the campus to the city of Cleveland Heights for redevelopment. At the time, the building, the former Coventry Elementary School, housed several civic and arts-related nonprofits.

Heights Libraries stepped in to preserve the green space, playground, and parking lot, and to provide a supportive bridge for the tenants that will eventually lead to their ownership and independent operation of the building, slated for July 2020.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 4, Posted 10:00 AM, 03.26.2019

Fine elimination at Heights Libraries is paying off

On Jan. 2, 2018, Heights Libraries joined a growing number of public libraries that have eliminated overdue fines for most late materials.

Despite the fact that the benefits have been supported by research, the elimination of fines still strikes many as an almost sacrilegious act. Libraries and fines, in some people’s minds, go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 3, Posted 9:49 AM, 03.02.2019

What’s going on at your library?

Coventry Village Library

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Monday, March 18, 7 p.m.

ASL professor Clara Jean Mosly Hall presents her new book, Paris in America. The hearing daughter of a deaf Nanticoke Indian, Hall describes the intersections of her various identities in her new book, Paris in America: A Deaf Nanticoke Shoemaker and His Daughter. Her memoir is a celebration of her family, faith, journey and heritage. A question and answer period will follow the talk.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 3, Posted 9:51 AM, 03.02.2019

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 1-22-2019

JANUARY 22, 2019

 

  • New trustee and board officers
  • Annual security update
  • Financial report
  • LSTA funding for Mental Health First Aid
  • Coretta Scott King Anniversary

 

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

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 3, Posted 10:32 AM, 02.21.2019

Library to offer culinary programs for teens

This spring, Heights Libraries will launch a new program series for teens about cooking and healthy eating. Teen Cooking 101, a four-part, monthly series, will take place March through June during after-school hours and will cover topics such as food safety and nutrition, and teach skills such as measuring and knife handling.

While these won’t be the first cooking-related programs at the library, they will be the first to focus on culinary education.

“We have offered food and cooking-centered programs for teens in the past, including the Teen Chopped Challenge, the Teen Ramen Bar and the Soups of the World series, all of which have been very popular,” said Youth Services Librarian Sarah Rosenberger, who developed the series. “While these programs have been fun and have introduced teens to new foods and culinary cultures, we feel that there is an opportunity to impart even more knowledge in these areas with a more long-term, in-depth culinary literacy program.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 2, Posted 11:32 AM, 02.01.2019

Library promotes wellness through programs and materials

Many people struggle to keep New Year’s resolutions of maintaining a healthy routine. For those looking for ways to stick to new goals, increase wellness literacy, or simply try something new, Heights Libraries offers programs and resources.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 2, Posted 4:31 PM, 02.01.2019

What’s going on at your library?

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

Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m.

Exploring the Heart of Dying Through Courageous Conversation. Join Atmarshardan Saraswati and Adaire Petrichor for a three-month exploration of Eastern philosophies in contemplative end-of-life practices.

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 2, Posted 11:36 AM, 02.01.2019

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 12-17-2018

DECEMBER 17, 2018

 

  • Annual performance reviews
  • 2019 board meeting calendar
  • Website and e-newsletters - quarterly report
  • Culinary literacy
  • Small Business Saturday
  • Financial report

 

Present were President Abby Botnick, Vice President Chris Mentrek, Dana Fluellen, James Roosa, Vikas Turakhia and Suzanne Moskowitz. Max Gerboc was absent.

 

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 2, Posted 9:54 AM, 01.08.2019

Library board welcomes Iwamoto, honors Botnick

At its Dec. 17 meeting, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board announced the appointment of its newest board member, Annette M. Iwamoto. Her seven-year term begins in January.

At the same meeting, the board honored outgoing Board President Abby Botnick, whose seven-year term ends on Dec. 31.

Chris Mentrek, who joined the board in 2013 and most recently served as vice president and chair of the operations committee, succeeds Botnick as president. 

“I’ve used the library since I first moved here,” said Iwamoto, “and I’ll bring to my board service the perspective of a customer who has used the library’s services during different stages of her life, including as a young adult with few resources and as a parent with a young child. I have a strong commitment to supporting and serving my community, and I’m looking forward to putting that commitment to use on behalf of the library.”

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 1, Posted 12:29 PM, 01.03.2019

Library adds student newspaper to local history collection

Heights Libraries recently expanded its local history collection by creating a new digital archive of the Heights High student newspaper, the Black and Gold
 
Heights High students have published the Black and Gold since the 1920s, and the Cleveland Heights High School Alumni Foundation gave a collection of the paper to the library in hopes that the historic issues could be preserved and shared with the community.  
 
For the past few months, Heights Libraries’ Local History Librarian Jessica Robinson has been scanning and uploading old issues to the library’s page on the Ohio Memory website. The online collection currently includes issues from the 1930s and '40s, and Robinson plans to add to the collection in the future. 

Read Full Story
Volume 12, Issue 1, Posted 12:27 PM, 01.03.2019

Heights Libraries seeks new board of trustees member

Heights Libraries is currently accepting applications for a new trustee to serve a seven-year term.

Applications will be available from the Lee Road Administration Office from Oct. 8 until Nov. 19. Those interested should call 216-932-3600 ext.1200. 

The deadline for receipt of completed application is Monday Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend an informational meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m., at the Lee Road Branch Administration Office Conference Room, 2nd Floor. Please RSVP to Nancy Levin, (216)-932-3600 ext. 1240.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 12, Posted 11:21 AM, 11.13.2018

Library launches new tech podcast

Heights Libraries has launched a podcast aimed at making technology and online living a little less intimidating and a lot more fun. Called “Library Binary,” the monthly, half-hour show features Ann MacNamara and Alyse Giannotti, technology trainers at Heights Libraries, chatting about upcoming computer classes, new services, and technology news and trends.

It also features practical advice on common technology issues. The October show, for instance, offers advice on a common problem faced by smart phone users: how to manage the multitude of photos they take with their phones. The September show features a discussion on the potential dangers of sharing information on Facebook, and how users can safeguard their privacy.

The podcast is the latest way that the library’s continuing education staff is helping customers keep up with, and better understand, trends in technology.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 12, Posted 10:38 AM, 12.03.2018

What's going on at your library?

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

Monday, Dec. 10, 4 p.m.

Tech Talk: Digital Collections from the Library. Your library card gives you access to more than just books! Learn about the eBooks, movies, magazines and more, available free with your library card—wherever you are. (Registration required.)

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 12, Posted 10:40 AM, 12.03.2018

Cleveland Heights - University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 9-17-2018

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

 

  • Staff recognitions and awards
  • Security update
  • Materials Evaluation and Selection Policy
  • Outreach Report 2017
  • Public service highlights
  • Coventry Conversations Series
  • Cleveland Heights Immigration Task Force

 

President Abby Botnick, Vice President Chris Mentrek, Secretary James Roosa, Max Gerboe, Chris Mentrek, Suzann Moskowitz and Vikas Turakhia were present. The meeting began at 6:30 p.m. and adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 11, Posted 12:35 PM, 10.17.2018

Library launches new digital collections

Heights Libraries recently launched four new, free digital collections that customers can access through the library’s website, at any time of the day or night. All that’s needed are a Heights Libraries card and an Internet connection.

“Heights Libraries now offers three new movie and TV streaming services,” said Heights Libraries Deputy Director Kim DeNero-Ackroyd. “Acorn TV, which specializes in British and Australian movies and television shows, like Doc Martin and all kinds of British mysteries. Then there’s Kanopy, which offers items from the Criterion Collection, including classic movies from directors like Ingmar Bergman and Akira Kurasawa, and all kinds of documentaries and art films. And then IndieFlix, which is just what it sounds like—independent films and documentaries that promote social causes.”

 

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 11, Posted 6:33 PM, 10.31.2018

Library foundation honors three

Draupadi Pradhan, Suzanne De Gaetano and Rachel Wayne Nelson are this year’s Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries Honor Roll award recipients.

The awards—recognizing those who have made a sustained, outstanding contribution to the Heights community by promoting literacy or educating through literacy—are inspired by Heights Libraries’ mission of “Opening Doors, Opening Minds.” A Door Opener is someone who provides access to education, literature and opportunity through literacy. A Mind Opener stimulates the minds of community members through literature and thoughtful discussion, or connections with though-provoking ideas or individuals.

Pradhan, a Nepali refugee, works tirelessly to help the refugee community in Cleveland Heights. She has served as an interpreter, advocate and liaison, and has been instrumental in working with Noble Neighborhood Branch staff to offer services for refugees. She will receive a Door Opener award from the library foundation.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 11, Posted 12:40 PM, 10.23.2018

Library outreach embraces homeless families

Youth Services Librarian Katherine Assink recently was reading Go Away, Big Green Monster! to a group of kids, and they were loving it. The colorful, interactive storybook—about a big green monster who gets bigger and scarier with each turn of the page—encourages kids to deal with their fear by facing it. During the second half of the book, the kids make the monster disappear, bit by bit, by telling it to go away.

“Some of the kids got so excited they started running around the room yelling ‘go away!’” said Assink. “It was great to see them have such joy and enthusiasm for the story.”

Most kids need a little help dealing with fears, but this group, perhaps, needs more than most; the children at this story time were all living in temporary housing provided by the homeless-serving agency Family Promise of Greater Cleveland.   

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 10, Posted 2:55 PM, 09.27.2018

Library launches 'In My Day' storytelling project

Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents alike are well aware of the diversity and rich history of this area. From October through May, Heights Libraries is inviting community members to celebrate this history by sharing memories of the Heights through “In My Day,” a unique storytelling project.

“With this program, we’ll be gathering stories from residents in the hopes of sharing and preserving the Heights’ unique history for future generations,” said Jessica Robinson, local history librarian at Heights Libraries. “There are so many important stories waiting to be told here, and we can’t wait to start weaving this tapestry together.”

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 10, Posted 10:50 AM, 10.01.2018

What's going on at your library?

Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park (Ensemble Theatre)
2843 Washington Blvd, 216-321-3400

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 7–9:00 p.m.

All American Boys: Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Join the library at Ensemble Theatre for an evening of side-by-side personal stories and inspiration from the authors of All American Boys, Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.

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

Monday, Oct. 8, 7–8:30 p.m.

Tech Talk: Little Bytes: Get Your Child Coding.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 10, Posted 10:52 AM, 10.01.2018

Heights Libraries' programs will explore refugee experience

This fall, Heights Libraries will explore the experiences of refugees around the world in On The Same Page, a community-wide initiative aimed at fostering conversations through a shared reading experience. On The Same Page will feature a series of community events, book and film discussions, and related programs aimed at raising awareness of the global refugee crisis and celebrating the cultures and contributions of Northeast Ohio’s refugee population.   

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 9, Posted 2:43 PM, 09.03.2018

What's going on at your library?

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

Monday, Sept. 17, 5–6 p.m.

A Taste of Nepal. Learn about our Nepali neighbors by listening to Nepalese music, playing Bagh Chal, and sampling some delicious cuisine. This program is part of Heights Libraries’ On The Same Page initiative.

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

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 7–8:30 p.m.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 9, Posted 1:25 PM, 09.01.2018

Cleveland Heights - University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 8-6-2018

AUGUST 6, 2018

 

  • Financial report
  • New amended bylaws
  • Public service highlights
  • Library meeting rooms and free speech
  • Newly funded grants

 

Present were President Abby Botnick, Vice President Chris Mentrek, Secretary James Roosa, Dana Fluellen, and Vikas Turakhia. The meeting began at 7:30 p.m. and adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 9, Posted 11:42 AM, 09.11.2018

Eliminating fines saves money for Heights Libraries

In January 2018, Heights Libraries stopped charging overdue fees. The move was part of an overall shift in focus from restrictions and chastisement to forgiveness and easier access to materials and services.

“All we really want is for folks to return physical items so they can be recirculated,” said Circulation Manager Ty Emerson. “The elimination of fines makes that the focus of our interaction with customers with overdue items, as opposed to scolding and growing fines and fees, so they are more comfortable bringing the items back.”

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 9, Posted 9:47 AM, 08.14.2018

Artwork 'discovered' at UH branch in donated book

In April, Heights Libraries’ University Heights branch received a piece of art that serves as the final flourish in its extensive renovation: Jerry’s Map, by artist Jerry Gretzinger.

When it reopened in November 2017, the building had a large blank wall over the fireplace mantle in the lobby. Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin knew the spot needed something special. “We were looking for art that would complement the geography theme of the building,” she said. “I didn’t want to simply cover the walls.”

Enter John Jarvey, a member of the FRIENDS of the Heights Libraries who oversees the sorting room at the Lee Road branch, where volunteers sort donated books and get them ready for FRIENDS book sales. Jarvey found a book—The Map as Art: Contemporary Artists Explore Cartography, by Katherine Harmon. Knowing Levin was trying to find geography-related art for the University Heights library, he gave it to her.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 8, Posted 11:51 AM, 07.24.2018

Library seeks public's input on Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus

Heights Libraries is surveying the community to gather public input about the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus. The short survey covers topics that include safety, sustainability, parking, the playground, and possible improvements to the park. It also encourages community members to write in their own ideas with a variety of open-ended questions. Survey results will be published in the fall.

The survey is available online, at www.heightslibrary.org/coventry-peace-campus-project, and on paper at Heights Libraries’ Coventry Village branch, at 1925 Coventry Road.

“The P.E.A.C.E. Campus is a community resource,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin, “so it’s crucial that we hear the community’s opinions and ideas about it before any decisions are made about its future.”

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 8, Posted 10:40 AM, 07.10.2018

Summer lunch program returns to Heights Libraries

Summertime can mean hunger for some young people in our community, who no longer have access to free meals at school. Heights Libraries is ready to serve these children and teens, age 18 and younger, by once again hosting the Greater Cleveland Food Bank-sponsored free summer lunch program at its Lee Road and Noble Neighborhood branches.

The Lee Road branch’s lunch program began June 4 and runs through Aug. 10, and is offered Monday through Friday, 1–2 p.m.

Heights Libraries’ Noble Neighborhood branch will provide lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30–2:30 p.m., through Aug. 9.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 7, Posted 10:14 AM, 06.12.2018

What's going on at your library?

Noble Neighborhood Library
2800 Noble Road, 216-291-5665

Tuesday, July 17, 2–3 p.m.

CMA presents: Ancient Egypt. Mummies, pyramids and King "Tut" have fascinated students of all ages. CMA will reveal the wonders of ancient objects and allow students in grades K–5 to handle and examine works of art that were once covered in the ancient sands of the Egyptian desert. Registration begins July 3.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 7, Posted 2:56 PM, 06.28.2018

FFHL seeks honor roll nominees

The Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries (FFHL) is currently seeking nominations for its Honor Roll.

This lifetime achievement award recognizes those who have made a sustained, outstanding contribution to the Cleveland Heights-University Heights community by promoting literacy or by educating through literacy. Patterned after the Heights Libraries’ mission of “Opening Doors, Opening Minds,”  people will be recognized as "Door Openers" for providing access to education, literature and opportunity through literacy; and "Mind Openers" for stimulating the minds of community members through literature and thoughtful discussion or connections with thought-provoking ideas or individuals.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 7, Posted 2:59 PM, 06.28.2018

Heights Libraries adds passport processing services

Heights Libraries’ summer reading theme is all about travel, encouraging customers of all ages to see the world through books and reading. When the summer reading program kicked off in early June, the library was also quietly launching another travel-related service: passport application processing.

The Lee Road Branch, at 2345 Lee Road, is now an official passport acceptance facility for the U.S. Department of State, and is staffed by the library’s circulation staff members, who underwent extensive training throughout the spring to learn to perform their new duties.

“Passport application services are a perfect fit for our library,” said Circulation Manager Ty Emerson. “Our circulation staff are already well versed in detailed customer service transactions, and we’re open for longer hours than the post office, so this is just another way we can help our community.”

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 7, Posted 12:46 PM, 06.19.2018

Travel far and wide with Heights Libraries

This summer, Heights Libraries invites its customers to travel far and wide, all within the cozy confines of the library or their homes. From June 1 through Aug. 19, Heights Libraries will offer a range of travel-inspired summer reading programs for children, teens and adults.

According to the American Library Association, summer reading programs were first established in order to “encourage school children, particularly those in urban areas and not needed for farm work, to read during their summer vacation, use the library and develop the habit of reading.” These objectives remain at the heart of most summer reading programs today. The main difference is that these programs have been largely expanded to include teens and adults, too.   

Upon signing up for the program, pre-K children will receive a special “Reading Road Trip” map, while older children, teens and adults will receive a special “passport” (which, incidentally, coincides with the introduction of passport services here at Heights Libraries).

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 6, Posted 12:17 PM, 05.29.2018

What's going on at your library?

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

Monday, June 11,  6–7 p.m.

The Cleveland Seed Bank in the Garden. Seed saving is a blossoming movement which encourages the growing of heirloom varieties of plants to preserve their genetic diversity. Learn basic information and the techniques you'll need to start saving your own seeds. All ages welcome.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 6, Posted 9:43 AM, 06.04.2018

What's going on at your library?

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

Wednesday, May 9, 7–8:30 p.m.

Cedar-Coventry Author Series: Terri Libenson. Terri Libenson, cartoonist, author and troublemaker, will read from her new graphic novel, Positively Izzy. Libenson is also the author of Invisibly Emmie and cartoonist of the internationally syndicated comic strip "The Pajama Diaries." A book signing will follow the reading.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 5, Posted 8:50 AM, 05.01.2018

Library showcases student art

For the third consecutive year, Heights Libraries is partnering with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District Visual Arts Department to host the Creative Heights District-Wide Art Show at the library’s Lee Road branch. The show runs April 17 to May 18, with an opening reception and awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 17, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

The exhibit will features hundreds of pieces of art created by children in kindergarten through grade 12, in media ranging from pencil and chalk, photography, sculpture, pottery and painting, to papier-mâché, printmaking and metal.

The show’s pieces were selected by district art teachers and judged by a jury of community artists. Awards for first place, second place and honorable mention will be given for each school, and one award for best in show will be given for elementary, middle and high school level art.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 4, Posted 10:53 AM, 03.29.2018

What's going on at your library?

University Heights Library
13866 Cedar Road, 216-321-4700

Monday, April 2, 1–9 p.m.

Peeps Diorama Contest. Recreate a movie, book, or anything else you can imagine using the classic candy. Deadline for submissions is April 2, and winners will be announced one week later. Prizes will go to the top three creations. All dioramas will be on display at the UH Library. For kids in kindergarten through grade 12.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 4, Posted 10:50 AM, 03.31.2018

Spring library programs celebrate classic movies

This spring, Heights Libraries will celebrate classic American films with film screenings, book talks, live movie music, and film talks by local experts John Ewing, Neal Hodges and Mark Dawidziak.

Original Voices Book Club: Hollywood Edition. [All programs in this series take place on Wednesdays, at 7:30 p.m., at the Lee Road branch, 2345 Lee Road.]

March 14: The Loved One: An Anglo-American Tragedy by Evelyn Waugh. Waugh’s fictionalized account of his time in Hollywood focuses on the strange and surreal practices of the mortuary industry. This biting commentary on American culture and the film community was called a “macabre frolic filled with laughter” and “fiendishly entertaining” by The New York Times.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 3, Posted 12:43 PM, 03.02.2018

Library accepting applications for teen music program

Heights High students who are aspiring musicians can now apply for the second installment of Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library’s Teen Music Makerspace program. The library will accept applications from Heights students between the ages of 13 and 18 through March 18 for the program, which runs April 9 through May 18.

Teen Music Makerspace is a 101-style course covering everything from the history of electronic music to recording instruments, and using computer programs to create and manipulate sounds.

The course, open to 11 students, will take place in the Teen Digital Media Lab, located in the Teen Room of Heights Libraries’ Lee Road branch.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 3, Posted 12:50 PM, 03.02.2018

What's going on at your library?

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

Thursday, March 8, 7–8:30 p.m.

Local Author David Giffels. Celebrating our wealth of outstanding local authors, this monthly series is presented in partnership with Mac’s Backs-Books on Coventry. In March, David Giffels reads from his heartfelt memoir, Furnishing Eternity: A Father, a Son, a Coffin, and a Measure of Life. With wisdom and humor, Giffels confronts mortality, survives loss, finds resilience in his Midwest roots, and seeks a father's wisdom through an unusual woodworking project—constructing his own coffin. A book signing will follow.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 3, Posted 12:52 PM, 03.02.2018

Cleveland Heights - University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 1-22-2018

JANUARY 22, 2018

  • Financial report
  • Communications report
  • Sara Anne Gornick
  • Passport applications
     

Present were President Abby Botnick, Vice President Chris Mentrek, Secretary James Roosa, Max Gerboc, Suzann Moskowitz, Vikas Turakhia and Dana Fluellen.

Financial report

The Library's fiscal officer reviewed the December financial statements. Total cash balance across the operating accounts, Bauer Fund accounts, and investment accounts at the end of December was $11,694,681.20. The board accepted the December financial report. 

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 3, Posted 1:54 PM, 02.20.2018

Heights Libraries votes to accept Coventry property

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library System voted to accept from the school district the transfer of the former Coventry school property, including the school building, playground and greenspace, at a special meeting of its board of trustees on Feb. 5.

James Roosa, library board member, introduced the resolution authorizing the library to execute an agreement to purchase the property and negotiate and sign leases with the tenants. The motion was seconded by Board Member Chris Metrek, and passed unanimously.

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 3, Posted 1:29 PM, 02.06.2018

Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 12-18-2017

DECEMBER 18, 2017

  • Ron Holland
  • New library board members

Present were President Ron Holland, Vice President, Abby Botnick, Secretary Chris Mentrek, Max Gerboc, Suzann Moskowitz, and James Roosa. Susan Beatty absent.

[The League observer was unable to attend this meeting, but was able to write up the following report from the meeting audiotape provided on the Heights Library website: https://heightslibrary.org/board-and-policies/board-audio/.]

 

Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 2, Posted 5:14 PM, 02.14.2018

Library board to hold special meeting about Coventry property

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board will hold a special meeting on Monday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lee Road branch to consider an agreement with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education to acquire the Coventry School property, including the school building and surrounding six acres of land. 


Read Full Story
Volume 11, Issue 2, Posted 10:04 AM, 01.30.2018