BACK TO THE RACKS
You Won’t Believe What You’ll Find at the Library
By Mike Olszewski
Every now and then, I’ll mention something in my column that gets a rise out of readers. Libraries are a good example.
I had an uncle who was part of the Greatest Generation, a true war hero. One day, he casually mentioned, “I’ve never been to a library… but I still have to pay for them.”I’m pretty sure he was joking. But we’ve noticed, in Florida, most library patrons are there for the public restrooms. Not so in Northeast Ohio, where the Cleveland Public and Akron/Summit County libraries continue to change with the times.
Adaptable & Accessible
The greatest challenge to libraries would seem to be the internet. In theory, we have the sum total of human knowledge accessible by cell phone, but Dana Setting at the Akron/Summit County system tells us the brick-and-mortar locations are still vital. She says, “The system is renovating branches, modernizing infrastructure and creating more welcoming environments designed to continue to draw people to the buildings.”
The Akron system is on top of digital and technological advances, even offering podcast studios and green screens for video. Plus, Setting notes, “Borrowers can check out cake pans, kitchen tools, wall art, instruments, games, toys, Memory Kits, and various accessibility tools, making it possible to try new activities or complete one‑time tasks without purchasing specialized equipment.”
Folks up north have some unique opportunities, as well.
Cleveland Public Library’s Brian Meggitt is part of a crew that oversees a photograph collection with more than 1.4 million images. He says, “About 450,000 of the photographs in our collection show Northeast Ohio people, places and events,” and they all trace local history in unique and fascinating ways.
Meggitt also stresses accessibility. “Resources are freely available to our patrons.” Have a relative who appeared in the “Cleveland Press,” “The Plain Dealer” or “Call and Post?” Chances are you’ll find the image there, and Meggitt and his co-workers are happy to help in the search. Trust me: Make one visit to the Photograph Collection and you’ll be back every chance you get. You’ll be on a first-name basis with Brian before you know it. And yeah… they are also accessible online.
THE VINYL WORD: I was contacted about new musical releases on vinyl records, and found some renowned acts are following suit. Back when live music could be found in nights spots just about every day of the week, Bedford’s The East Wind had a large and loyal following. More than 50 years after they played their first note, the band has released a collector’s LP and it’s well worth dusting off your turntable to enjoy it. These are all original tunes, and you can sample “The East Wind — Studio Tracks 1972-1974” at the Bandcamp website/app and order the actual album there. Or, here’s a crazy idea: Go to a record store, if you can find one.
THRIVE TRIVIA: Last issue, I mentioned a churchgoing former teacher who drew the wrath of Northeast Ohioans. His name was Chuck Noll, who gained fame (and Super Bowl rings) as the coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next time, Jimmy McCulloch played guitar for Paul McCartney, but he left Wings to join which Cleveland band?
