Home Cleveland for Good "History"

History

As we look to the future to consider how to best revitalize our neighborhood branches and continue serving the Cleveland community, we can’t forget our past. In this space, we’ll share some stories and photographs from the Library’s nearly 150-year history. From our beginnings in a single room with fewer than 6,000 books in 1869 to today’s Main Library campus and 27 branches (and beyond) with millions of books and other resources, Cleveland Public Library has come a long way. Join us as we take a look back at our history through photographs, research, memories, and more—all of which are provided by the Cleveland Public Library Archives.

Learning at Cleveland Public Library: Then and Now

Learning knows no limit at Cleveland Public Library. From computer classes to robotics camps, creative writing workshops, GED prep, ESOL instruction, book clubs, craft classes, story hours, comic-making workshops, papermaking and bookbinding classes, knitting circles, and eSports forums—not to mention online resources like Rosetta Stone, Gale Courses, and Lynda.com—adults and children alike have access to a wide variety of educational…

Live Long and Like It

Cleveland Public Library’s Live Long and Like It Library Club, a free educational club for people age 60 and older, held its first meeting on November 12, 1946. At the time, Cleveland Public Library was considered the first public library in the nation to offer a club specifically for older adults. Members attended talks on a wide range of subjects,…

Remembering William H. Brett on the 100th Anniversary of His Death

August 24, 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of William Howard Brett, the renowned librarian who served as Director of Cleveland Public Library from 1884 to 1918. As a widely celebrated and respected leader in the library field, Brett’s legacy is enduring. He advocated for the “open shelf” system to bolster public access to library materials, vastly increased…

Cataloging Our Card Catalog History

A female librarian on a phone with men standing behind her in suits looking at the card catalog. Black and white photo.

If you ever find yourself feeling nostalgic for the card catalog system, you’re not alone. Patrons who come across one of our old card catalogs (such as in Special Collections or in the Literature Department) love to reminisce about the old days when one had to physically flip through cards to find a book. (Patrons sometimes ask if they can…

We Believe in the Power of Good Books!

Leave it to librarians to celebrate the holidays by promoting the power of books. Here, we have the earliest example of the Christmas cards send to Cleveland Public Library staff and library students. This card is dated 1903, measures 3 1/8 by 5 7/8 inches, and is printed on heavy card stock. The inscription reads: “We believe in the power…

Finding Your Long-Lost Aunt at the Library

Black and white photos of Five female librarians: training class 1903-04

The Library is many times a place of serendipitous discovery. When three sisters visited Cleveland Public Library recently, they had no idea they’d come face to face with their own ancestor. As the women browsed in Special Collections, they came across a photograph display illustrating the Library’s history and recognized their aunt, Mary Thompson Donlan, in a photo of five…