We’re witnessing a shift in how we live in the world. We spend lots of time in communication and consuming information. We have to make time to be present, and when we do, it’s really good. Take for example, how the Cleveland Public Library is responding to the shift.
I don’t know about you, but when I enter the original building of the Main Library on Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland, I’m awed by its spaciousness. The three-floor high ceiling, marble staircase, huge windows and solidness thrill me. And that’s before I see the books. If I turn right, I find them, floors of books, old and new, good and not so good, but smelling of paper and ink and leather binding.
Founded in 1869, the library will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2019. It has 27 branches across the city of Cleveland. The 1925 building on Superior maintains beautiful murals, wood reading carrels and early 20th century light fixtures. When it was built, its focus was on books.
Today, the library reaches out to the community by offering lending materials that go way beyond books. You don’t even have to go to the library to load books onto your Kindle and read them when you have more time. The audio-visual collection, digital photo collection and research materials are amazing.
For example, if I want new music to play on my IPhone while teaching a yoga class, I can upload music from MyTunes because the library has teamed up with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to offer MyTunes in partnership with Freegal Music Service. I can stream up to three hours of music each day, from Bob Dylan to Michael Jackson. And when I was working on Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries, I took advantage of the library’s digital library and included photos from the library’s collection in my book.
But here’s the shift — the library is becoming much more about bringing people together as a learning community. The programming reflects this change. Calling itself “the people’s university” reflects the library’s commitment to helping people grow. When I was on a tour of Shakespeare’s first folio, a yoga class was taking place next to a movie screen that showed a video about the bard’s work. I asked Michael Young of the library about that, and he said, “We offer free yoga classes in Main Library’s Digital Public Library every Wednesday and Friday from 1-2pm.” The programming also reflects the way we’re changing.
As a place of learning, computer classes, children’s reading times and adult book discussion groups are only a few of the many options. The Cleveland Public Library isn’t the only library that has changed and continues to transform itself.
Young also told me, “Libraries have become more about transformation than transaction over the recent years. However, the core mission is still there: to be the center of learning for a diverse and inclusive community. As the People’s University, Cleveland Public Library gives Clevelanders the resources needed to enrich their lives through a community of learning. Previously, patrons would come to the library to learn through reading. Now, in addition to reading, patrons can improve various forms of literacy through online classes with Lynda.com or Gale Courses, improve their financial outlook with counseling from Community Financial Centers or receive legal advice from the Legal Aid Society.”
Online classes . . . I had no idea. The possibilities are endless in this age of communication. But some things, like the books and yoga, are pretty tactile. And the library also offers live programming including music by groups like the local reggae group Jah Messengers, which will perform on Sat 2/11.
Like the Cleveland Museum of Art, exhibits and special events make the library a destination. The Shakespeare exhibit is worth a trip, and it won’t be around much longer — the exhibit remains in Cleveland through the end of March. As part of The Wonder of Will, an initiative started by the Folger Shakespeare Library to celebrate 400 years of William Shakespeare, Cleveland Public Library was bestowed the honor of hosting Shakespeare’s First Folio!, a collection of 36 plays published in 1623. The companion exhibit, called The Making and Faking of Shakespeare, demonstrates how his contemporaries tried to pass their work off as that of the Bard. Young also pointed out that you can call 216-623-2813 to schedule a guided tour. Check it out at wonder-of-will.
“Main Library has been used in so many different ways this year alone,” reports Mr. Young. “We welcomed Sunlight Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for open government, to host TransparencyCamp at Main Library’s Learning Commons. TransparencyCamp is a national “un-conference” focused on civic tech and open data. It’s usually held in Washington D.C., but we were chosen as the venue to discuss state and local government.”
The library is obviously trying to interact with the public beyond what can be found within the covers of a book, but books started it all.
When asked about use of library space, Mr. Young said, “Another great example is our partnership with Ingenuity to provide Cleveland Mini Maker Faire (CMMF). CMMF is a campus-wide workshop at Main Library focusing on “do-it-yourselfers,” makers and technology. It allows patrons to get a hands-on experience with robotics, drones, circuitry, and other forms of technology. This year we even launched pumpkins from a trebuchet on Rockwell.”
The library is also good at following what’s going on in arts, culture and the media. For example, the story in the feature film Hidden Figures, now in local theaters, is the backdrop for a program co-sponsored with NASA that celebrates the achievements of women that allowed America to shoot for the moon and beyond. Enjoy video presentations and a discussion panel featuring female leaders in the field: Dr. Christine Darden, Dr. Carolyn Williams, and Dr. Marla Pérez- Davis, Sat 1/14 @ 11:30am-1:30pm in the lower level of the Louis Stokes Auditorium of the Main Library.
Writer and book devotee Claudia J. Taller is the author of Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries (2011) and Ohio Canal Country Wineries (2015). Both books can be found on her Amazon author’s page at amazon.com/Claudia-J.-Taller.