850 Jefferson Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone: 216-623-7004
Email: Jefferson.Branch@cpl.org
Manager: Steve Capuozzo
Hours
Monday – Friday: 10am – 6pm
Saturday & Sunday: CLOSED
About
The Jefferson Branch is located in the heart of the Tremont neighborhood. Jefferson offers free wifi, public computers with Internet access, and a cell phone charging station. Printing, copying, scanning, and faxing services are available for a fee. Free parking is available in the lot next to the library, and a meeting room can seat up to 50 people in classroom style. Jefferson’s book drop is open 24 hours.
History & Architecture
Throughout its earlier history, Cleveland Public Library constructed some branch libraries in buildings that could be adapted into a store or business. These branches were located in neighborhoods where the population and library service needs fluctuated. Jefferson is an example of a convertible-type building as evidenced by the plain brick, its factory-type skylights, and the fact that it is semi-fireproof.
Renowned Cleveland architect and artist Ora Coltman worked for Cleveland Public Library as a supervising architect and building inspector who oversaw the construction of three branch libraries, including Jefferson. In 1918, Jefferson opened its doors in the neighborhood of Tremont. The 6,900-square-foot branch was updated in 1981.
Special Features
- On the branch grounds, patrons may enjoy Jefferson’s bioswale and reading area.
- Community outreach for adults and children, as well as partnerships with schools, are top priorities at Jefferson.
- Two noteworthy pieces of art may be found at the Jefferson Branch. Ambrozi Paliwoda’s mural Out of the Past, the Present; Out of the Material, the Spiritual, oil on canvas, 1933-1934, depicts the movement of immigrants from their native lands into the industrial workforce of America. Paliwoda lived in the Tremont neighborhood and, as a student, worked as a page at the Jefferson Branch. The mural was reinstalled at Jefferson in 2000 following conservation. Finally, the painting Little Russia, Cleveland (View of Tremont From the Clark Ave. Bridge), oil on canvas, 1920, was gifted to Jefferson Branch by its architect, the celebrated Cleveland artist Ora Coltman.