Library

Almost a year to the date after their former leasing arrangement with Heights Libraries expired in December 2021, the tenants of the former Coventry School building have signed new leases to stay in the building, effective Jan. 1, 2023. The library owns the building and the adjacent Coventry PEACE Park.

All of the tenants that were in the building at the end of 2021 will be staying for at least another 18 months, with an option to renew for an additional term: Lake Erie Ink, Reaching Heights, Artful, Grace Communion Church, Building Bridges, Coventry PEACE Inc., the Singers Club, the CH Teachers Union, and FutureHeights.

JANUARY 23, 2023

• Swearing in
• Financial report
• Board resolutions
• Planning & external relations committee
• Personnel report
• Director’s report
• Public service report

Present were President Max Gerboc, Vice President Vikas Turakhia, Secretary Annette Iwamoto, Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, Tyler McTigue and Melissa Soto-Schwartz. The meeting lasted 80 minutes.

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.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library System is pleased to announce the appointment of its newest board member, Melissa M. Soto-Schwartz. Her term began in January.

Soto-Schwartz, a professor of history and women’s and gender studies at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), has lived in Cleveland Heights for 27 years.

Her seven-year term on the library board will end in 2029. Soto-Schwartz replaces outgoing board president Gabe Crenshaw, whose service ended in December 2022.

DECEMBER 19, 2022

• Board resolutions
• Personnel report
• Director’s report
• Public service report

Present were President Gabe Crenshaw, Vice President Max Gerboc, Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, Annette Iwamota and Tyler McTigue. Not present was Secretary Vika Turaklia.

It's 2023, and some might be wondering, where are all the robots promised by our favorite sci-fi films and novels? While artificial intelligence (AI) exists, it often runs behind the scenes. It is rare to see the social robots we once imagined would be integrated into our everyday lives.

In December, Heights Libraries welcomed its first social robot to the library family. Misty, as she is called, is equipped with a unique set of physical and social skills, designed, according to producer Misty Robotics, for the purpose of “opening access to social robots and taking down today’s barriers.”

“Machine learning and robots are going to continue to be integrated into society,” said Technology Trainer Nia Turner. “As a social robot, Misty is a great ambassador to help people get acquainted with these ideas in a way that doesn’t feel intimidating.”

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Monday, Jan. 30, 3 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m.

Escape the Room. You were having an ordinary day at the library until you got sucked into a magical book . . . literally! Can your team solve the book's puzzles and escape in 30 minutes or less? For ages 12–18. Registration is required, and begins Jan. 3.

Lee Road Branch

Thanks to a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), awarded by the State Library of Ohio, Heights Libraries will offer skilled-trades job training with Interplay Learning virtual-reality software and SkillMill’s training platform.  

"As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services, and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities." 

The Interplay Learning pilot program will begin in January. Interplay Learning’s 3D simulations and immersive training modules include expert-led video courses, and learning paths to help customers advance their technical skills.

NOVEMBER 21, 2022

• Board resolutions
• Personnel report
• Director’s report
• Public service report

Present were President Gabe Crenshaw, Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, and Tyler McTigue. Not present were Vice President Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto, and Secretary Vika Turaklia. The meeting ran for 40 minutes.

NOVEMBER 7, 2022, special meeting

• Coventry PEACE dispute

Present were President Gabe Crenshaw, Vice President Max Gerboc, Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, Annette Iwamoto, Tyler McTigue, and Secretary Vikas Turakhia.

Friends of the Heights Libraries (FOHL) celebrated its 60th anniversary by presenting Heights Libraries’ Director Nancy Levin with a check for $100,000 on Oct. 23, at its 60th annual meeting.

The donation will be used to help redesign and redevelop Coventry PEACE Park and its playground (part of Coventry PEACE Campus, owned by Heights Libraries).Details about the plan can be found on the Heights Libraries website, heightslibrary.org.

Ketti Finneran, FOHL board president, said, “I am proud that our mighty group of volunteers has successfully raised significant funds through our used-book sales and members’ contributions. The libraries in Cleveland Heights and University Heights act as gathering places for the community. Helping to fund the refurbishment of the Coventry PEACE Park at the corner of Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard represents a huge opportunity to add to, and improve upon, a huge community asset.”

Heights Libraries Board President Gabe Crenshaw will complete her term on the library board at the end of December. Crenshaw served a three-year term, replacing outgoing board member Suzann Moskovitz, who left after serving four years of a seven-year term.

Crenshaw’s three years on the board have been marked by considerable changes and challenges for the four-building library system, ranging from COVID-19 shutdowns to preparation for a major renovation of the Noble Neighborhood branch.

“Gabe has been with us through a very challenging and exciting period of time,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. “And during this past year serving as board president, she guided the board with confidence and grace.”

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursday, Dec. 8, 7 p.m.

Let's Head to Coventry! A Journey Back in Time with David Budin. Local writer/journalist David Budin will speak on the unique and colorful history of the Coventry Road business district. He'll detail the history of some of the businesses and people who have made Coventry a dynamic cultural hub.

OCTOBER 17, 2022

• Board resolutions
• Personnel report
• Director’s report
• Public service report highlights

Present were President Gabe Crenshaw, Vice President Max Gerboc, Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, Annette Iwamoto, Tyler McTigue, and Secretary Vika Turakhia.

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

Monday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m.

Wikipedia Edit-a-thon. Have you ever wanted to contribute to the world’s largest free source of information? We will help you create a Wikipedia account and show you how to make edits. No experience is necessary. Soon you will be adding your research skills to this amazing resource. For ages 6 to 18.

After a competitive RFP (request for proposal) process, Heights Libraries has hired the Independence Construction-DeGeronimo Companies as the construction manager at risk (CMAR) for the Noble Neighborhood branch renovation project. The decision was announced at the library’s Oct. 17 board of trustees meeting.

The Independence-based company has extensive experience with both for-profit and nonprofit projects. They include Pinecrest in Orange Village, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s new distribution center in Cleveland, and several libraries—most recently the new Bay Village Library.

On the afternoon of Oct. 6, at Heights Libraries' Lee Road branch, a young teen "under eviction" from the library tried to enter the building with what appeared to be a handgun protruding from the waistband of his pants. It was later determined to be a toy “splatter gun.”

The security guard in the lobby, Roosevelt James, was alerted to the teen’s presence by several children as they entered the building. James took swift action to secure the safety of customers in the building by immediately calling 911, then calmly confronting the teen and preventing him from entering the building.

Cleveland Heights police arrived quickly and took the teen into custody. According to police, the weapon was not a handgun, but a realistic-looking toy gun—an Orbeez, or water pellet gun.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

• Public comments
• Board resolutions
• Director’s report
• Public service report highlights

Present were President Gabe Crenshaw, Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, Annette Iwamoto, Tyler McTigue, and Vikas Turakhia. Vice President Max Gerboc was not present.

Fall is the season for homecoming celebrations. High schools, colleges and universities invite alumni to reunite with old classmates, visit campuses, and see how their schools—and classmates—have changed. Former students stroll through their old dorms and student centers, then visit the new stadium or the new computer science building. It’s a comforting combination of old and new.

Heights Libraries will have its own homecoming celebration on Sunday, Oct. 16, 1:30–4 p.m., at every branch. Community members are invited to visit their neighborhood library to meet new staff, reconnect with existing staff, and learn about what’s new since they last visited.

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Saturday, Oct. 8, 11 a.m.

Cleveland Heights Eco Fair. Join Heights Libraries, the Cleveland Heights Green Team, and FutureHeights for the second annual Eco Fair. Learn more about sustainable living from local organizations, and participate in fun activities for all ages in Coventry PEACE Park.

Beginning Aug. 27, the lower level of the University Heights branch of the Heights Libraries experienced flooding that lasted, off and on, for roughly two weeks. The lower level is home to the branch’s children and teen areas, including the collections for both age groups.

While flooring, walls, and built-in furniture were severely damaged, none of the collection was damaged, thanks to the work of the University Heights staff.

“Our staff was truly heroic," said Sara Phillips, University Heights branch manager. “They worked nonstop over the course of eight hours to move about 14,000 items up to the first floor. I don’t know how we did it—I guess it’s because we had to.”

AUGUST 1, 2022

• Public comments
• Operations committee

Present were Gabe Crenshaw, Dana Fluellen, Annette Iwamoto, and Tyler McTigue. Patti Carlyle, Max Gerboc , and Vikas Turakhia were not present.

JULY 18, 2022

In August, the public library in Jamestown, Mich., lost funding due to residents’ objection to the library’s inclusion of LGBTQ materials in its collection. In July, 200 residents attended the board meeting of the Ashland (Ohio) Public Library to demand that children’s books related to health be removed for being “pornographic.” In January, a school board in Tennessee voted to remove Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus from the school’s eighth-grade curriculum, in part due to “curse words” and a depiction of a naked Holocaust victim. Public libraries in Iowa and Alaska have had to shut down temporarily due to the resignation of directors who could no longer tolerate the pressure to censor materials found objectionable by residents.

While book challenges are nothing new, they have been increasing at an alarming rate. The American Library Association (ALA) reported in April that “ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services in 2021, resulting in more than 1,597 individual book challenges or removals. Most targeted books were by or about Black or LGBTQIA+ persons.” That number, 729, is the highest recorded by the ALA since it began tracking challenges in 2000.

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.

Coventry Village Author Series - An Evening with W. Dennis Keating. Emeritus Professor Keating will present his newest book, Cleveland and the Civil War, a detailed account of the active role the city played in national events before, during and after the Civil War. Keating is the past president of the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable. A book signing will follow the presentation. Registration is required.

A relatively new source of interns for the library is Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU). A Northeast Ohio-based workforce development nonprofit, YOU seeks to help young residents, including teens, become economically self-sufficient through paid internships in workplaces throughout the region.

The library began its relationship with YOU in 2020 with an intern at its administration office.

“I was so impressed by the support YOU gave to her as a student, and to me as a mentor, that I knew the library could benefit from hosting other students in a variety of capacities,” said Nancy Levin, Heights Libraries director. “We welcomed another student at the Coventry branch in 2021, and this year we have two students: one at Noble and one in adult services at Lee Road.”

Kaela Sweeney has joined Heights Libraries' management team as the new strategic projects manager. She replaces Maggie Kinney, who moved to the Coventry Village branch manager position in 2021.

Sweeney, who grew up in Georgia and attended college in Ohio, has a background in public education and curriculum development. She taught English, journalism, creative writing and public speaking at both the middle- and high-school level, and said that experience is a big part of what attracted her to Heights Libraries.

“As an educator, I saw firsthand what libraries mean to communities,” said Sweeney.

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Saturday, Aug. 20, noon to 10 p.m.

Annual Pekar Park Comic Book Fest. The Pekar Park Comic Book Fest is back, with fun for all ages. It will feature crafts, vendors, panel discussions, art, refreshments, and so many comics—plus, a family-friendly movie in Coventry PEACE Park at 8 p.m.

JUNE 21, 2022

• Public comments
• Directors report highlights
• Personnel report highlights
• Public service report highlights

Present were President Gabe Crenshaw, Patti Carlyle, and Dana Fluellen. Annette Iwamoto, Tyler McTigue, and Vikas Turakhia and Vice President Max Gerboc were not present. Since there was no quorum, no board action could be taken.

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

Friday, July 22, 7 p.m.

Cleveland Shakespeare Festival. Now in its 25th season of producing free outdoor productions, Cleveland Shakespeare Festival returns to Coventry PEACE Park with its production of Molière’s The Learned Ladies. Admission is free. Arrive early to secure a spot, and bring a chair or blanket. For more information, visit www.cleveshakes.org.

MAY 16, 2022

• Public comments
• Board resolutions highlights
• Personnel report
• Public service report highlights

Present were President Gabe Crenshaw, Patti Carlyle, Dana Fluellen, Annette Iwamoto, Tyler McTigue, and Vikas Turakhia. Vice President Max Gerboc was not present.

In collaboration with the Cleveland Seed Bank, Heights Libraries is hosting seed libraries at all four branches throughout the summer.

After filling out a short participation form, customers can check out up to five packets of heirloom seeds each month, then grow vegetables and flowers at home.

The Cleveland Seed Bank acts as an independent and accessible source of open-pollinated, non-GMO seeds, and aims to develop a regional alliance of seed savers dedicated to the creation of a locally adapted seed supply. This helps to preserve biodiversity and promote local, heirloom varieties of plants.

Supplies and varieties will vary from branch to branch, so customers are encouraged to stop by each, to explore the available seeds.

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

Saturday, June 4, 2 p.m.

Coventry Village Author Series: An Afternoon in the Park with Dan Chaon. Acclaimed novelist Chaon will present his newest thriller, SleepWalk, a high-speed, darkly comic road trip through a near-future America with a big-hearted mercenary. The event, presented in partnership with Mac's Backs - Books on Coventry, will take place outdoors in Coventry PEACE Park, weather permitting. A book signing will be part of the event.

APRIL 18, 2022

• Public comments
• Summer reading programs
• Financial and investment report
• Board resolutions highlights
• President’s report
• Director’s report highlights
• Public service report highlights

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

In April, Heights Libraries launched the first episode of “Unpacking 1619,” a bi-weekly podcast that explores themes raised by The New York Times’ “The 1619 Project” (published in 2019).

The podcast emerged from the library’s monthly 1619 Project discussion group, in which community members meet to discuss issues of race in America, using articles from “The 1619 Project” as a jumping off point.

As the discussion group grew in popularity since it began in 2019, the program’s facilitator, Adult Services Librarian John Piche, saw an opportunity to bring more voices to the table.

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursday, May 12, 7 p.m.

Cedar Coventry Author Series presents Scott Longert. Celebrating our wealth of outstanding local authors, this series is presented in partnership with Mac's Backs bookstore. Author Scott Longert will discuss and read from his newly published book, Victory on Two Fronts: The Cleveland Indians and Baseball through the World War II Era. A book signing will follow the discussion. Registration required.

Parents with children in public and private schools alike have spent the past two years worried about the same thing: What is COVID and all its restrictions doing to my child’s education? Parents, teachers and school personnel struggled with two seemingly oppositional, yet undeniable, realities: Most kids learn better in school, and schools need to keep kids and personnel safe from COVID by switching to online learning, masking and social distancing.

Despite heroic efforts by parents, teachers and schools, the isolation and chaos of COVID took a toll. According to a study by the Brookings Institution, published in March, reading test scores for children in grades 3–8 dropped significantly between fall 2019, before the pandemic, and fall 2021, one year into the pandemic. Additionally, reading test-score gaps between low- and high-poverty elementary schools widened during the pandemic.

MARCH 21, 2022

• Public comments
• Financial and investment report
• Board resolutions highlights
• Personnel report
• Director’s report highlights
• Public service report highlights

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

The Heights Knowledge and Innovation Center (HKIC) at Heights Libraries’ Lee Road branch is undergoing changes as the library prepares to launch a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Lab.

The joint makerspace and flexible-learning center will replace rows of desktop computers that inhabited HKIC’s semi-enclosed computer lab, which has been closed to the public since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We wanted to take a space that wasn’t ideal for use as a traditional computer lab and make it more flexible,” said Heather Howiler, continuing education manager.

FEBRUARY 21, 2022

• Comments from the audience
• Financial and investment report
• Board resolutions highlights
• Director’s report highlights
• Public service report highlights

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

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Wednesday, March 30, 6 p.m.

Backyard Composting 101. Do you want to compost, but are unsure where to start? Join Cuyahoga Recycles Educator Carin Miller for this beginner-friendly workshop that will cover the science and the basics of setting up and maintaining a compost bin. Composting equipment will be available for purchase at the workshop. To ensure that the items you want to purchase are available, we recommend completing a pre-order form. Pay for and pick up your equipment during the workshop' instructions and an order form will be sent to you when you register. Registration required.

Heights Libraries welcomes the newest member of its management team, Tiffani Carter. As the new Adult Services Department manager, Carter oversees the adult services staff of the four-branch Heights Libraries system. While her primary focus will be on the staff at the Lee Road branch, she will oversee the programs, services, and overall vision for the department at all library branches.

“I am looking forward to connecting with the adult services team and supporting their professional development,” said Carter, who joined the library in late November. “That’s the best way to provide great customer service to the Heights community—when we support our staff, and provide them with the resources they need to thrive, everybody benefits.”

JANUARY 18, 2022

• Board resolutions
• Director’s report
• Public service report highlights

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

On Wednesday, Jan. 5, Heights Libraries, the Albert M. Higley Company, and Robert P. Madison International Inc., broke ground on a $1.7 million renovation project at Heights Libraries' Coventry branch. The renovation will cover interior renovations to the basement and the staff office, and installation of a new HVAC system in the nearly 100-year-old building.

Higley, a Cleveland-based construction company, was awarded the design build contract for the renovations by the library board last July. Since then, Higley has been working with Robert P. Madison International Inc., a minority-owned, Cleveland-based architecture firm, to design the building’s renovations. Higley has already completed some asbestos abatement, and replaced some plumbing to avoid flooding during heavy rains.

“These updates will expand the services we can provide in the Coventry neighborhood,” said Nancy Levin, Heights Libraries director. “Our basement will be turned into a large, multipurpose meeting room with AV technology and a new makerspace.”

During December and January, Heights Libraries had to return to curbside-only service due to staff shortages caused by rising COVID infections. Staff members from every department took shifts at each branch, delivering materials to waiting cars, even in freezing temperatures.

Heights Libraries has again received the highest possible rating in Library Journal’s (LJ) Index of Public Library Service. The five-star rating is given to the top U.S. libraries each year. LJ's Star Library report, released in December 2021, is based on 2019 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 11 out of the 14 years that LJ has published the rating (the library received a four-star rating in two of the years, and was not rated one year). LJ is a trade journal that reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and has a nationwide circulation of 100,000.

The Heights Libraries Matchmakers, a group of librarians who specialize in helping customers find materials, will mark its 10th anniversary in 2022, and is celebrating by launching Match Me Up, a new service for customers.

Match Me Up is an online form that elicits pertinent information from customers that can help staff find materials to their liking, and put them on the holds shelf at the library branch of the customer’s choosing.

Previously, customers could e-mail or talk to the Matchmakers, but the new form streamlines and simplifies the process.

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

• Financial and investment report
• Board resolutions
• Director’s report
• Public service report

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

Heights Libraries is pleased to announce the opening of its new Local History Room at the Lee Road branch.

Located on the building’s second floor, the room is the culmination of years of planning that began in 2016 with the library’s centennial celebration. That year, staff began pulling together photos and documents to create an online historical timeline for the Heights Libraries system.

“Once we had the library’s history documented, we decided to start looking at ways we could help community members learn more about the history of the area, and do their own research,” said Jessica Robinson, local history librarian. “First, we added local history resources to our website. Then we began figuring out where we could put a local history room.”

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Dec. 1 through Dec. 15

Take and Make Chili in a Jar. Stop by the Coventry Village branch for a take-and-make soup kit containing the dry ingredients for a tasty chili. Just add water and tomatoes. Available until Dec. 15. Kids can make chili at home with adult supervision. Registration is required at www.heightslibrary.org. For ages 6 through 18.

OCTOBER 18, 2021

• Family Connections presentation
• Financial and investment report
• Director’s report
• Board resolutions
• Public service report

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

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is accepting applications for an open board position, with applications due Friday, Nov. 19, by 5 p.m. The new board member will replace Dana Fluellen, who is rolling off the board after serving her term.                                                                                                  

“Our library is such an integral part of our community,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. “Serving on the library board is one of the best ways a citizen can serve the Heights community, by helping guide the vision of the public library.”

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend an in-person informational meeting about library board service on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. To RSVP, send an e-mail to nlevin@heightslibrary.org.

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Friday, Nov. 5, 2 p.m.

Kids Craft Day. Feeling cooped up because of COVID? Meet us outside of the Coventry Village Library, at the tent and table where we will have an array of children's craft supplies, including beads, friendship bracelet string, pipe cleaners, and more. For kids ages 5 to 18.

When COVID-19 hit Ohio in March 2020, Heights Libraries shut down and canceled most of its programs. With the help of the now ubiquitous video platform Zoom, the library was able to hold some programs online: storytimes, book discussions, and knitting groups all made the switch. None were more successful than the 1619 Project discussion series.

Over the course of 2020, a total of 337 people attended ten 1619 Project-inspired discussions via Zoom, and so far in 2021, 155 have attended eight online programs.

“The 1619 Project” itself, the original New York Times publication, is almost two years old. Librarian John Piche, who runs the Heights Libraries’ 1619 Project discussion series, has used it as a foundation to continue holding popular programs that address the issue of racial equity. Piche and other staff now do their own research and create reading packets that serve as discussion starters and reference texts for the ongoing program series.

On Wednesday, Sept. 8, Heights Libraries held an open house at its Noble Neighborhood Branch to present rough renovation ideas for the 84-year-old location. A crowd of approximately 30 residents watched a presentation by Rick Ortmeyer from Bostick Design Partnership, the firm hired by the library to create preliminary designs and conduct public meetings to gather feedback on those ideas. 

“Rick’s firm has lots of experience designing libraries, and a great track record on effectively gathering and using public feedback in building designs," said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. "So we knew they’d do a great job with these first, broad steps.” 

Ortmeyer’s presentation included several options for increasing space for library users of all ages by building an expansion where the Noble Road Presbyterian Church building and surrounding 1.3 acres of property currently stand.

Heights Libraries University Heights branch is encouraging kids to share their creativity—with the library and with one another—by way of a new traveling sketchbook collection.

Throughout the months of October and November, young people can come in and draw in a sketchbook at one of the library's tables, or sign out a sketchbook and take it home to draw in, and then return.

At the end of the project, the library hopes it will have a collection of local young artists’ work that it can share with the community.

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Thursdays, Oct. 7, 14 and 21, 4 p.m.

Chemistry of Clean. Why do ordinary household products have extraordinary cleaning powers? It's all about the chemistry! Learn how to make safe and environmentally friendly bath bombs and cleaning products with cleaning expert Brandi Smith. Help make the environment safe by using basic home materials and the power of STEAM. For ages 12 to 18; younger children allowed, with supervision.

Coventry Village Branch

1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Saturday, Sept. 18, noon through the evening.

Pekar Park Comic Book Fest. This free festival honors Harvey Pekar, the late graphic novelist and Cleveland Heights resident, and offers an array of activities for children and adults. The festival will spotlight local, independent comic book and graphic novel writers, illustrators, artists, and comic book retailers. Activities, including vendor tables, a panel discussion, and crafts for kids, will run from noon to 5 p.m. at the Coventry Branch Library, Pekar Park, Coventry businesses, and Coventry PEACE Park. A family-friendly movie will be shown at 8 p.m. in the PEACE Park.

Heights Libraries is partnering with the nonprofit PCs for People to distribute free or low-cost computers, laptops and hot spots to qualifying customers.

PCs for People is a national 501(c)3 organization that recycles business electronics and provides refurbished tech to low-income households at a reduced cost or at no cost, helping them access technology previously out of their reach.

In August, the HKIC computer lab at the Lee Road Branch became a pick-up location for PCs for People’s clients. This means people who live in the Heights and other nearby communities, who qualify for the program, can select the HKIC/Lee Road Branch as a location to pick up their equipment. Previously, clients had to travel outside the Heights to libraries in other Cuyahoga County cities, such as Cleveland or Parma.

AUGUST 2, 2021

• Board resolutions
• Noble renovations, PEACE Park

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