Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board meeting highlights

NOVEMBER 28, 2016

• Library again receives five-star rating
• New janitorial contract
• Girl engineer program
• Bookmobile video
• Friends Mega Sale a success
• October public service report highlights
• Next meeting
  
  

Board members present were Rick Ortmeyer, president; Vice Ron Holland, vice president; Abby Botnick, secretary; Susan Beatty, Chris Mentrek and Suzann Moskowitz. Jim Roosa was absent.

Library again receives five-star rating

This is the eighth year in a row that the Heights Library system has received this highest possible rating in Library Journal’s 2016 Index of Public Library Service. Library Journal is a trade journal for library news and has a circulation of 100,000. Ratings are based on circulation, visits, program attendance, public computer use and eCirculation. The latter criterion is new this year and reflects electronic media usage. The library’s circulation rating of 30.75 per capita indicates that roughly 31 items were circulated for every resident in the Heights service area.

New janitorial contract

After receiving numerous complaints about the cleanliness of its branches, the library joined other governmental agencies in the Sourcing Alliance, which bids and contracts for various services. The alliance worked with the Cuyahoga County Public Library to develop a contract for janitorial services. The company chosen out of 20 interviewed was Scioto Services. Other agencies in the alliance can use the identical contract and terms.

The library has chosen Scioto Services for a seven-day contract; the prior contract was for five days only. The annual cost for 2017 is estimated at $117,773.28, which will include the University Heights Library when its renovation is complete.

Girl engineer program

The library’s internal innovative idea contest was won by Angelica George and will focus on STEM activities for girls, to create more interest in the science and engineering fields. The group will partner with the Women in Science and Engineering Round Table at Case Western Reserve University. George and her team (Cassandra Anselmi and Michele Graham) will attend a day-long retreat on Jan. 31 covering topics such as leadership, project evaluation and management, and data visualization.

Bookmobile video

Marketing Manager Sheryl Banks interviewed bookmobile users at the Huntington Green Apartments and will include comments in a video about the bookmobile. Attendance is growing at each of the bookmobile’s stops. The University Heights mayor’s newsletter will advertise the stops.

Friends Mega Sale a success

Friends of Heights Libraries President Linda Lopez reported $8,461 in sales total and $345 in new memberships from the latest Friends Mega Sale. Proceeds will enable the continuation of the group’s $750 library science scholarships.

October Public Service Report highlights:

• Collaboration with The Music Settlement brought [about] a program by the Cleveland Cello Quartet for children and adults. The children were able to handle the instruments and ask questions of the musicians.
• At Coventry Village Library, “Dr. Who” writer Lance Parkin discussed his career writing books as well as television episodes. “Whovians” in attendance participated in a lively post-talk discussion.
• At Noble Neighborhood Library, children were able to choose a presidential candidate from a display by Angelica George, featuring book character candidates such as Baby Mouse and Squid.
• New library card sign-ups in October totaled 285 for adults and 65 for children.
• The youth services division, in partnership with the Cleveland Orchestra, presented a symphony storytime to families. Youth Services Associate Shamekia Chandler and an orchestra violinist combined music and storytelling in the program, which 92 children and caregivers attended.
• The Homework Helpers and Reading Buddies program returned in October. With several dedicated volunteers, on average, eight children per week are helped with homework and reading.
• In a parallel to Picture Book Madness, Youth Services Associate Chris Fries instituted Movie Madness, a contest where customers can vote in person or online for their favorite movies. In September, there were 651 votes. In October, 862 votes were cast at the reference desk or on the library’s Facebook page.
  
  

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 Mors, 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 of Greater Cleveland. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.