Cuyahoga County Public Library 2018
November 6, 2018
Cuyahoga County Public Library 2018
Library visits in Cuyahoga County
In July, State Library Board President Krista Taracuk, Bill Morris, and I visited the Cuyahoga County Public Library. We were able to see the Parma-Snow Branch, Middleburg Heights Branch, and the Maple Heights Branch on this visit.
We began at the Parma-Snow Branch, which underwent a $15.2 million renovation and expansion in 2013 as part of the library system’s facilities masterplan. The project doubled the size of the library to about 41,000 square feet. The branch is joined to the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s Administration Building via a single story expansion.
The Parma-Snow Branch Library features a 400-seat auditorium with state-of-the-art equipment and flexible seating. The auditorium can be used for special events and programs such as the library’s popular Beyond the Book Jacket Author Series, which in 2017 included 70 events that were attended by almost 8,000 people.
Other features of the library include an Innovation Center, which provides access to software, cutting-edge technology, and production equipment. This Innovation Center and others in the Cuyahoga County Public Library system are helping local entrepreneurs and small business owners bring their ideas and designs to life in addition to developing promotional materials to help their ventures grow and thrive.
The Parma-Snow Branch also offers 55 public computing stations, several community meeting rooms, study rooms, a teen space, and an expanded children’s area that includes an interactive play and learn area.
Our next stop was the new Middleburg Heights Branch, which was officially opened in June 2018. The new 16,500 square foot library was built on land donated by the city of Middleburg Heights and replaced an existing branch, which had been built in 1969. A nice surprise for me was seeing Branch Manager Holly Camino, who was a page at the Medina County District Library when I worked there early in my career. I am very proud of her career progression and the great work she is doing!
This beautiful new library includes sensory features in soothing colors, a story/craft room, community meeting rooms, public computer stations, and a café. The Middleburg Heights Branch, like all Cuyahoga County Public Library branches, is an official Passport Acceptance Facility for the U.S. Department of State.
Our final stop on this visit was the Maple Heights Branch, which was under construction at that time. The branch library’s new meeting rooms have now been completed and are available for public use. The library boasts a Debra Ann November Early Learning Center, which helps young children acquire the language and literacy skills they need to be successful in school. The center is funded by Early Head Start, Head Start, and Universal Pre-Kindergarten. It is the first learning center in the state to be located in a public library.
The Maple Heights Branch is also home to Cuyahoga Works: Job & Career Services, an award-winning adult career planning and resource center. Adults can make appointments with a Career Counselor, attend workshops, and access thousands of print and online career resources.
The Maple Heights Branch is also the central hub for ASPIRE Greater Cleveland, which is a partnership of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland Public Library, and Cuyahoga County Job & Family Services that offers adult education and social services through the Library, including GED and ESOL classes.