Library earns solid rating for pandemic year 2020
Despite the challenges of COVID lockdowns throughout 2020, the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library System qualified for a three-star rating from the Index of Public Library Service’s publication Library Journal.
Heights Libraries was one of only three in Ohio to receive a star designation for 2020—in comparison, Ohio had 27 star libraries in Library Journal’s rankings for 2019.
Heights Libraries has earned the highest designation, five stars, in 11 out of the 15 years that Library Journal has published the ratings. (The library received a four-star rating in two of the years, and was not rated one year.)
Library Journal reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and has a nationwide circulation of 100,000.
While customer visits, circulation of physical items, and programming numbers dropped in 2020, the circulation of electronic items, accessible through Heights Libraries' website, rose, including eBooks, audiobooks and streaming services.
“We served our community online,” said Nancy Levin, Heights Libraries director. “And while physical circulation went down, we still managed to get items in hands through curbside services.”
“We’re very proud that we qualified for a solid rating in such a challenging year,” Levin continued. “It truly astonished me, considering we were closed for part of 2020 due to COVID, and had to limit programming and other services even when we were open, for staff and public safety.”
Sheryl Banks
Sheryl Banks is the communications manager for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library System.