LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS/Cleveland Heights University Heights Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights

NOVEMBER 18, 2024, regular meeting

• Literacy grants
• Coventry PEACE park
• Friends of the Heights Libraries
• Human resources report 
• Board action
• Director’s report
• Public service report
  
  

Present were President Vikas Turakhia, Vice President Annette Iwamoto, Secretary Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, Melissa Soto-Schwartz, Tyler McTigue, and Halle Turnberrez. The meeting lasted one and a half hours.

Literacy grants

Kaela Sweeney, special projects manager, reported activities of two completed literacy grants; Whole Community Read, a community read of a nature focused children’s book; and Cuyahoga Reads, a countywide reading challenge. The grants partnered with multiple organizations for outreach, provided programming, and distributed books and literacy kits.

Coventry PEACE Park

Jack Valancy, of the Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries, shared progress on the park construction and announced the latest “make a million” fundraising campaign. A community development block grant has contributed $100,000 for park construction. The grand opening of the park is set for Feb. 16, 2025.

Friends of the Heights Libraries

Constance Dickerson reported on the activities of the 114 volunteers with the Friends of the Heights Libraries.

Human resources report 

Since the last board meeting, there have been two promotions. Seven positions are open.

Managers are reviewing revisions to the 2024 evaluation timeline. Changes are based on staff feedback to avoid overlapping with the holiday season. Pay increases resulting from evaluations will be reflected in the June 2025 payroll period.

The diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee has submitted suggestions and revisions for the human resources manual. Library leadership is currently reviewing these proposed changes.

The board will consider if the DEI committee should be renamed the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEAI) committee.

The employee assistance program provided staff resources for handling election stress. 

Board action

The board:

• Approved an agreement with Compass Consulting to work with the library to create a new diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) plan, beginning in 2025.
• Allocated $40,000 to be spent on the Family Connections’ Cleveland Heights Family Playroom and staff for this playroom for the year 2025, with the restriction that it be spent on children in Cleveland Heights or University Heights.
• Approved funds to pay invoices to the Playhouse Square Foundation (PSF) and the Coventry PEACE Building property manager for repairs and services for the building.
• Approved release of construction contingency funds for the PEACE park improvements.
• Authorized a contract for winter snow and ice removal.
• Approved repairs for the Noble Branch Library boiler.
• Recognized the retirement of Noble Neighborhood Branch Library Manager Constance Dickerson, noting her many accomplishments and contributions to the library.
  
  

Director report

Friends of the Heights Libraries will host their MEGA sale from Dec. 5-8.

All the play equipment for the Coventry playground has been installed. The south side of the Washington Blvd. parking lot reopened Nov. 8. The Coventry Park sledding hill will not be opened this year to allow the grass to re-root. The pavilion, benches, and picnic tables will be installed in mid-December. An RFP (request for proposal) for Wi-Fi services will be issued mid-December. Security cameras will be installed once the light poles are in place.

The Heights Tree People assisted in planting 124 trees in the Coventry park in six sessions. About 30 volunteers helped with each session. Students from the Cleveland Student Conservation Association joined in the planting.

DEI focused holdings in the library have increased from 23, 995 in January 2020 to 34,956 in October 2024.

Ohio voters showed strong support for public libraries in the Nov. 5 election by approving 26 out of 28 library levies on local ballots.

Public service report

Representatives from the Heritage Home Program (HHP) presented a session on maintenance and energy efficiency in an old house.

Maryam Abdul-Hafeez, a student in business technology at Cuyahoga Community College, served as an intern in HKIC (Heights Knowledge and Information Center) for six weeks. She learned about various types of technology and assisted in the instruction of computer basic classes.

The Coventry Branch hosted Steve Traina and David Budin to discuss Traina’s book: LaCave: Cleveland’s Legendary Music Club and the ‘60’s Folk to Rock Revolution.

University Heights Branch Youth Services Associate Catherine Bransky did a weekly Pumpkins in the Park program at Walter Stinson Community Park.

The library hosted Jeff Smith, bestselling author of the Bone series.

Children of all ages at Lee Road practiced voting by voting for their favorite book and movie characters.

LWV observers: Judith Beeler and Elizabeth Tracy 

Information about the board, board meeting minutes and audio recordings of board meetings can be found at https://heightslibrary.org/locations/heights-libraries-board/