Library

Lakewood Public Library Director, Kenneth Warren, a civic fixture in the City since his arrival in 1984 has advised the Board of Trustees of his plans to retire effective July 1, 2009.

Mr. Warren, who oversaw a period of dynamic growth for the Library in both its services and facilities, will be sorely missed. Having worked hand in hand with Ken during an extensive construction and renovation project, I can attest to his devotion to the community. His love of his adopted community goes far beyond his efforts on behalf of the library. While certainly the multiple number one rankings in Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings (HALPR) during his tenure speak volumes as to his efforts as Director, such recognition merely scratches the surface of Lakewood’s true Renaissance man. The civic activities, in which he has been a part, included such diverse interests as being a founding member of the Lakewood Observer and LEAF, past president of the Lakewood Christian Service Center, past president of the Lakewood Kiwanis Club, the Lakewood Scholarship Foundation, as well as past president of the Ohioana Library Association...

Join the Lakewood Public Library Foundation and celebrate the "First Signs of Spring" at the Lakewood High School natatorium on Saturday March 31 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m." First Signs of Spring" is specially designed with a fun family open swim and tasty indoor picnic to help the Lakewood Public Library Foundation raise funds for public art. "We hope the families of Lakewood will take this opportunity to enjoy the facilities of the Lakewood High School pool while helping the library raise funds for public art" said Mike Callahan, Aquatics Manager for the Lakewood Community Recreation and Education Department.

Join us as Jack Mizenko and Gary Rice lead their audience in songs from the “hippie” era and beyond on Sunday, October 19th, at 2:00 p.m. in the main library’s auditorium. The “Hippie Hootenanny” is an extension of the Monday evening acoustic jam sessions that have taken place since 2002 at the Lakewood Phoenix coffeehouse. The Lakewood Public Library is happy to give a new forum to these talented musicians. Since it is a hootenanny, the audience is encouraged to sing right along, so please come and participate! This event is free to the public...

The Lakewood Public Library will be hosting another series of science fiction and fantasy book clubs meetings under the name In Other Worlds. Last year’s club was mediated by the Library’s own Nick Kelley. This time Nick will be joined by his Technology Center colleague Ben Burdick. Ben will be handling the science fiction aspect of the book club this time while Nick digs into fantasy.

Empty Your Pockets at Lakewood Public Library

The Lakewood Public Library Foundation is pleased to invite you to a reception honoring the winners of the Lakewood Public Library Photography Contest...

What are you reading? Part of our job at Lakewood Public Library is recommending books to our patrons. Based on the patron’s likes, dislikes, and past reading habits our staff will try to pick materials we think that particular patron will enjoy.

Library Events April 2 through April 16

Lakewood Lego® League
For youth in kindergarten through fifth grade (caregivers welcome)

Use LPL’s collection of Lego®Bricks and your own imagination to create fabulous new structures and designs each month. No registration, but numbered tickets will be given out first-come, first-served. One ticket per child. For more information, stop in or call (216) 226-8275, ext. 140.

Sunday, May 19, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the Main Library Activity Room.

Cleveland native Oliver Buck will bring his sound, a mixture of Country, Blues, and Folk, to the Lakewood Public Library Auditorium at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, March 9th. Buck, a talented singer, songwriter, guitarist mixes in covers and standards with his own original songs to reflect life in the “heart of the great American Rust Belt.”..

Make the library a part of your family weekend time with programs featuring stories, activities, music and crafts for children. Our staff will provide materials and ideas for families wishing to continue reading and storytelling at home. The programs are free and there is no need to register in advance. Choose the day and time most convenient for you.

Friends of Library Must Sell All Books, Big Changes Ahead for Computer Center, and the Weekly Lakewood Public Library Events Calendar

At a critical time and place in Lakewood's history, the nationally renowned designer of cutting-edge pre-literacy learning tools, Burgeon Group, has delivered big on a promise to advance early childhood cognitive, social and linguistic development with the recent unveiling of the Lakewood Public Library’s Librainium for reading readiness...

The Lakewood Historical Society presents Hank Mallery as he leads his audience through a collection of toe-tapping songs and stories in the Main Library Auditorium on Thursday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m. A historical interpreter for the Cleveland Metroparks, Mallery evokes the history of Ohio's Canal Era through songs and stories passed down over the years and through his original creations inspired by canal life...

Employment opportunities at the Lakewood Public Library

Events at the Library, March 6 - 19

Jugglers from the St. Ignatius Circus Company recently treated an enthusiastic audience at the Lakewood Public Library to a fun-filled program. The entertainers, students at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, delighted the crowd with a professional juggling show and some magic tricks. There seemed to be a special “connection” between the performers and the boys and girls in the audience because the children could see that the jugglers are not that much older than they are. Following the performance children were invited to come up and “meet the props” and enjoy a quick “learn to juggle” event with tennis balls.

In S. Joseph Krause’s new novel, Falling Out and Belonging: A Foot-Soldier’s Life, readers are taken on a vivid, gritty, and historically accurate journey into the life of a young infantryman during World War II. Thanks to the sponsorship of the Columbia University Club of Cleveland and the Friends of Lakewood Public Library, Lakewoodites will have a chance to meet the author in person and listen to him discuss his experiences writing the book and surviving World War II on Saturday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. in the New Main Library Auditorium...

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is designed to help reduce the federal tax burden for low-wage workers. Depending on family size and total income, it can boost a worker's annual income by as much as 40%. With the outreach efforts begun in 2003 to increase awareness of EITC combined with free tax preparation clinics for eligible income Lakewood residents, the LIFE (Lakewood Initiative for Financial Education) program helps make the credit available to all taxpayers who are entitled to the EITC.

The challenge of maintaining an accessible technology platform during the final phase renovation at Main Library, where the Technology Center will double in size, is a formidable one. During its years of operation, the Technology Center at Main Library was an increasingly busy room, serving over 250,000 individuals last year. Patrons would often line at the door at 9 a.m., and on Sundays during the school year, lines that trailed past the Reference Desk down to the stairs was a common sight.

If it rhymed it would be a sonnet, if it had a tune it would be a romantic ballad, and although it’s considered a travel guide, "My Sicily: Life in the Cusp of the Mediterranean Sea" remains a love story. That big beautiful island with a thousand scents and colors is the sole object of author Francesca V. Mignosa’s affection in her new book. And good news, this is no tragic romance; Sicily loves her too. To prove it, Mignosa has been named Ambassador of Sicily in the World and has won the Italian Literary Award “Sicilia Mondo 2013.”

Now that the award-winning author is closer to our moody Lake Erie shores than the sun-drenched Mediterranean, Lakewood Public Library is happy to announce she will be the guest speaker at our Meet the Author Series on Friday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium. We hope you can join us for this enjoyable discussion with Francesca V. Mignosa. Copies of her book will be available for sale and signing at the event.

Christopher J. Dawson is Lakewood’s man of steel. His grandfather was a steel worker in the Ohio Valley. His fascination with factories began when he was a child. A formally credentialed historian with degrees from Bowling Green State University and Cleveland State University, he is now the Development Officer at University Hospitals. Having once served as curator of Urban and Industrial History at the Western Reserve Historical Society, he was the essential steward who cultivated relationships with people and institutions to ensure the acquisition and preservation of the LTV Steel Collection...

If you have not yet been initiated as a fan of the graphic novel genre, there is no reason to wait another second. No matter what styles, themes or character types you enjoy, you are guaranteed find something you’ll love in our collection...

Japanese Anime Continues Local, National Craze

The 2013 spring session of Strokes of Genius at the Lakewood Public Library recently came to a close as participating second, third, and fourth graders proudly showcased their talent at an art show for family and friends.

Each week students learned about the life and work of a different artist and then completed an art project in the style of that artist. Artwork created by Paul Cezanne, Georgia O’Keeffe, Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Michelangelo, Georges Seurat, and Andy Warhol provided the inspiration for the students’ creative efforts. Oil pastels, watercolor paints, clay, tempera, and markers were some of the art mediums used. Each participant took home their creative work, a certificate, and a purple ribbon.

The Lakewood Public Library has just launched a new webpage to aid and inspire current and prospective book club organizers, as well as avid readers who would like to join with others to talk about notable and recommended titles. Just log on to the website http://www.lkwdpl.org/bookclubs and take a look around...

Join us for a different kind of summer fun at the Lakewood Public Library on Sunday, July 13 at 2:00 p.m. in the Main Library auditorium. Becky Boyd will offer an hour of outstanding vocals, singing everything from folk and country to blues and jazz. Guitarist Mike Dixon will accompany her...

Irish vocalist and Celtic harpist Elise McKnight will begin her Monday St. Patrick’s Day celebration with a Sunday concert at the Lakewood Public Library. Everyone is invited to sing along when they know the words. Lesser-known ballads will also be sprinkled in to give celebrants a chance to sit back and enjoy the depth of the beauty of Irish culture. And because it’s a party, light refreshments like Irish soda bread baked by the performer herself will be provided. “Irish Songs to Melt the Heart” takes place at 2:00 p.m. in the New Main Library Auditorium on Sunday, March 16...

As someone who grew up during the 1960s I can attest to the fact that the music of that era was incredible. Hearing both Bob Dylan and the Beatles for the first time before the age of 13 was a huge influence on my life. Musically the 1960s were filled with groundbreaking, innovative sound, starting with the folk revival in Greenwich Village in 1960 to the British invasion in 1963-64 and the emergence of rock music...

Lakewood Public Library is an important participant in the Lakewood community. The library contributes to the economic vitality of the city, provides a hub for community activity and involvement, and promotes life-long learning for residents young and old.

BookFlix is a children’s reading resource available in-library or at home via the Internet. Intended for children ranging from Pre-K to third grade, the site provides access to audiovisual adaptations of classic storybooks from Weston Woods and new nonfiction eBooks from Scholastic. Classic stories available include: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Curious George Rides a Bike by H.A. Rey, Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham, and The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds...

On Sunday, July 20 at 2:00 p.m., actress Christy Igo will transform herself into Mae West for Lakewood Public Library’s “Sunday with the Friends” series. She will entertain us with stories and jokes during her 40 minute program which will be followed by a short Q & A session. This program is geared to adults although Christy uses no crude jokes or language. Mae West was the master of innuendo and Christy’s interpretation is a testament to this...

Being in a theatre just as the movie begins is like stepping onto a magic carpet. In mere seconds, the audience is whisked into the realm of someone else’s imagination, artistry and creativity...

Noted songwriter, guitarist and lead singer Susan Weber and her band Monet’s Orbit will perform her award-winning original music on the Lakewood Public Library stage Sunday, February 24 at 2 p.m. The “2006 winner of the Cleveland Free Times Music Award for Best Singer Songwriter” will be accompanied by bassist Walt Campbell and Trees Mausser on drums and percussion...

Lakewood Public Library needs coins from around the globe to create a unique map of the world in the new Children’s & Youth Services Department...

Lakewood welcomes highly respected author, playwright and professor Dr. Paul Kuritz to its midst. Dr. Kuritz had taught at Bates College located in Lewiston, Maine since 1978. There he taught acting and directing for the stage and screen. He has directed over one hundred plays throughout the United States, and in 1990 was invited to teach and direct at the National Theater School in Bratislava, Slovakia. He has also directed films, “A New Life” (2008) and “Amy’s Wish” (2012). These films were selected to be shown in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, and the Gideon’s Flame Christian Film Festival, in Manila, Philippines.

His dramatization of the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was included in The Best American Short Plays 2001-2002 (Applause, 2006). His most recent work is "The Fiery Serpent: a Christian Theory of Film and Theater." (Pleasant Word, 2007) 

If you’ve never had a chance to catch the jazz duo Sugarcoat, consider dropping by the Lakewood Public Library Sunday, December 7, for an hour of great music to ease you into the hectic holiday season.

Sugarcoat is made up of keyboard player Chris Hanna and vocalist Kelly Wright. They cover such classics as “Route 66,” “Fly me to the Moon,” “Don’t get Around Much Anymore,” and “Cry Me a River,” as well as some favorites like “Moondance” and “Fever.”

Cleveland native Oliver Buck will bring his sound, a mixture of Country, Blues, and Folk, to the Lakewood Public Library Auditorium at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, September 7th. Buck, a talented singer, songwriter, guitarist mixes in covers and standards with his own original songs to reflect life in the “heart of the great American Rust Belt...”

First Federal of Lakewood and the Lakewood Public Library Foundation are pleased to announce “An Evening with Garrison Keillor,” on Wednesday, October 1 at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium, 14100 Franklin Blvd.

 

Keillor, author of the Lake Wobegon books and creator of the Prairie Home Companion radio program on American Public Radio, will share his thoughts on Lake Wobegon and his latest novel, Liberty, to be published in September...

On Wednesday, April 16th Lakewood Public Library employee Dan Slife joined attorney Thomas Corrigan and former world traveler turned substitute teacher Paul Dalalau to judge this year's student poetry contest at St. Cyril & Methodius School...

Because of the generous work of the Friends of the Lakewood Public Library, the library is able to offer Lakewood residents a home delivery service. The Friends of the Lakewood Public Library have provided a van to the library that is used to deliver library materials to patrons who live in Lakewood and are unable to leave their home on a temporary or permanent basis...

Have you ever had your sleep interrupted because in the middle of the night you remembered something you forgot to do? Well, rest assured if one of those things is renewing your library materials, you still have time even after the library is closed...

All events are free and open to the public.

FRIENDS OF LAKEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY
FALL BOOK SALE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
(Members-only preview sale on Thursday, October 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)

Wednesday, October 21
MEET THE AUTHOR: A Body at Rest by Susan Petrone
Martha and Nina are just two more of Cleveland’s over-educated, under-employed slackers, stuck in dead-end jobs. What makes them different is a series of strange events that change them (literally?) into the fictional characters with whom they most identify: Emma Woodhouse and Don Quixote. Author Susan Petrone will not only read from her book, but will also discuss the process by which she turned her initial idea into a finished, published book. Books will be available for sale and signing at the event.
7:00 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium

It is tax season again, and here at the Lakewood Public Library we offer a variety of tax services to help keep you stress free.  Many federal forms and instructions are available, including the 1040 and 1040ez, as well as state and local forms. As always, these are available to the public free of charge. If you need a federal tax form that we do not carry, our technology or reference desks can download and print any document up to 20 pages. All federal tax forms and instructions are also available at www.irs.gov.

Lakewood Public Library also facilitates two free tax assistance programs. These programs are run by VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) and are staffed with certified volunteers who offer help to those who cannot prepare their own tax returns. VITA runs their program from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays in the Main Library’s Learning Lab.  The AARP sessions run from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays at Grace Lutheran Church at 13303 Madison Avenue. Both programs are open to anyone, as long as you register in advance. Appointments can be made at our technology or reference desk or by calling 216-226-8275 ext. 127.

It’s funny. It will break your heart--and it’s free. Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid (1921) will return to the big screen on Saturday, September 13 in the Lakewood Public Library Main Auditorium. Not only is admission free, but film lovers are encouraged to bring their own light snacks from home. (Try that in your favorite art house or multiplex!) The feature presentation will begin at 6:00 p.m. after a short subject chosen by the staff...

The Singing Seniors Plus One will be bringing their keen sense humor and joy as well as their voices to Lakewood Public Library’s “Sunday with the Friends” series on Sunday, June 22 at 2 p.m. in the Main Auditorium. The group, led by Ione Smith, will be performing a variety of oldies but goodies, hymns, patriotic songs and show tunes...

Friday, May 16 will mark a highly anticipated day at Lakewood Public Library’s Main Library with the return of Family Weekend Wonders. Library construction forced the popular drop-in story time to go on hiatus last spring, although the program continued as usual at the Madison Branch...

Living in Ohio, it’s hard to overlook our state’s strong connection to the Underground Railroad. Placards abound in hundreds of towns, dedicated to folks who broke the law and opened up their homes to runaway slaves. And yet, for all the trees in this forest, it’s difficult for us to appreciate the breadth and depth of this secret social network...

Make the library a part of your family weekend time with programs featuring stories, activities, music and crafts for children. Our staff will provide materials and ideas for families wishing to continue reading and storytelling at home. The programs are free and there is no need to register in advance. Choose the day and time most convenient for you.

Once again, Lakewood Public Library and Lakewood City Schools are teaming up to provide middle school students a quick and fun way to complete their summer reading assignments—participate in a book discussion group at the library. After selecting one of eight titles from the middle school list for which the library is offering discussions, students simply must read the book in its entirety and participate in the hour-long book discussion to fulfill their assignment for the summer. There are other options for students, but this is the quickest. (It’s also very educational, as it requires literary analysis, critical thinking, fact recall and public speaking, but don’t tell that to the kids.)

The Lakewood Public Library has provided outreach services to the Project 1-2-3 pre-kindergarten program since 1997. The library has also provided services to the Special Needs programs at Hayes, Grant, and Emerson since 2003. One of the reasons that the library is so thrilled to reach out to these programs is because students and their families are exposed not only to literature, but to the wide array of services the library offers. Beginning with the 2007-8 school year, the Project 1-2-3 program and the current Special Education Preschool Program will be merging into a new preschool program, referred to as the Lakewood Early Childhood Program.