Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board meeting highlights [7-18-11]

JULY 18, 2011

• Personnel changes
• Library hosts youth issues discussion
• Ohio public library funding
• Human Resources Policy Manual
• Public service report June highlights

Board President Audrey Cole was absent.

Personnel changes

Jennifer L. Mihalik, currently an adult services associate, was selected to fill the full time adult services librarian position at the Lee Road Library. Pam Spangler, currently a part time children’s librarian at the University Heights Library, will assume that position on a full time basis. Amy L. Marshalek, a former part time adult services associate will become an adult services librarian at the Lee Road Library.

Library hosts youth issues discussion

Nancy Levin, director of the Heights Libraries, and Kasey Greer, director of Heights Community Congress, led a community meeting at the library on July 13. All three meeting rooms were used, but there was still an overflow in the hall. Every media outlet in the city was there to hear the discussion of community issues arising from the large number of youths that have appeared at community events, including the Coventry street fair. City council enacted an emergency curfew of 6 pm to 6 am on unaccompanied minors in both the Coventry and Cedar-Lee commercial areas. Attendance at both the Coventry Village and Lee Road libraries is an exception to the curfew, and there has not been a change in attendance.

Ohio public library funding

The statewide Public Library Fund (PLF) distribution of $38,400,446 for July 2011 is 19.66 percent higher than that of July 2010. The 2011 year-to-date distribution is 12.45 percent higher than last year’s.

Human Resources Policy Manual

The board approved amendments to the manual, which will be posted to the library’s web site. One change is the deletion of the requirement that eligibility for hiring a librarian is certification by the Ohio Library Council’s Public Librarian Certification program. The library will continue to support this certification but recognizes that it is an informal certification, not state licensure.

June public service report highlights

• Clayworks artist Elizabeth Emery presented a program for children at the Coventry Library. The project was making heroes, and the children created super-heroes, a mom, and some friends
• Adult services staff began a class on using CLEVNET’s new BiblioCommons online catalog. In addition to covering searches and reserves, the class looks at the social media aspects that allow users to create lists and write their own reviews.
• A welcome booklet is being designed to be handout out with new library cards.
• The University Heights Library, in conjunction with Whole Foods, continued the “Healthy in the Heights” school-age story time. Green Tara Yoga of Cleveland Heights presented a yoga mini-session.
• The University Heights Library manager, Aurora Martinez, received help with the preparation and planting of the front flowerbeds from two members of the City Beautiful Commission.
• Walter Stinson, senior services coordinator for University Heights, holds weekly Senior Network lectures at the University Heights Library.

LWV observer: Anne S. McFarland.

These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse, and Maryann Barnes. To receive e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.

These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.