Sometimes you just need a quiet place to sit and think. This spot was cool, quiet and calming and exactly what I needed to get a few things done.
People tend to undervalue libraries. In addition to all the amazing reading materials, classes, and items for free use, a library is one of few places in this world where you can simply exist.
There’s no admission to be paid and no expectation that you buy or do anything in exchange for use of computers or other resources.
When planning a trip, I always look up libraries around my destination. If there’s a Carnegie library or some other interesting building, it automatically makes the list of must sees. Sometimes I stop in anyway because libraries say a lot about the place. In these four walls, it is possible to simply exist. There’s no admission, there’s interesting stuff to see, and the library staff is typically knowledgeable about their community. Plus, there’s a free and clean public restroom!
The main library in downtown Cleveland has been on my list for a while and there just hasn’t been a good opportunity to go in. That is, until last week! Adam and I revisited the gorgeous Arcade where an important scene was filmed for the new Superman movie. From there, the library was just across the street.
Park once, visit two things. This is helpful when parking garages cost $15 a pop.
This library did not disappoint. My friends, the security guard may have momentarily thought us crazy until he realized we’re just nerds. He handed us a guided walking tour and sent us on our way. But first, I had to admire this light!!
Look! The shade is a globe! Where can I get one of these for my house?
The downtown library consists of the original building and the Louis Stokes Wing which is accessible via an underground tunnel. We explored the new building some but thought the real show stopper was the main library which opened just over a century ago in May 1925.
The building features a number of architectural styles. Inside, Italian marble, vaulted ceilings and grand staircases are only upstaged by the paintings of historical and mythological figures.. It’s five stories and cost about $5 million to build in those glorious years of prosperity we call the Roaring Twenties.
I read somewhere that times were tough for the library during the Depression just as they were for everyone else. President Roosevelt’s Public Works programs sent employees to clean, paint, make building repairs and perform other chores for a while. During that time, some federally funded art was given to the library via paintings and murals that remain today. Can we pause for a moment and recognize the value of funding art for public buildings? Putting to work starving artists while preserving art of the period and improving public spaces is a real gift.
We visited the Arcade last year and strolled through the beautiful reading garden but didn’t make it inside. Incidentally, the reading garden is named for Linda Anne Eastman who was the first woman to head a major U.S. city library system and she was a pioneer in modern libraries who was once President of the American Library Association. When did she do that? She was the head librarian of the Cleveland library system from 1918 to 1938. She raised money to build this library and oversaw its construction.
What. A. Rock. Star.
And honestly, I could write an entire story about her accomplishments. But I digress.
The library has an enormous collection of books as well as all manner of electronic items, programs for all ages, gallery space, a place for technology education and an impressive makerspace complete with 3D printers, laser fabrication and music and video production tools.
They have done a magnificent job keeping up with the times. Plus, the library system has 27 branches as well as the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled.
Sit tight and come back. I still have to tell you about their collection of Superman memorabilia and artifacts. He’s from Cleveland, you know!
The whole point of our Cleveland trip last week was to see a writer I have read and admired for years. She was speaking at the Parma-Snow Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library system and I just had to go.
Adriana Trigiani is a writer first and foremost but her bio talks about the many hats she wears because she wants women to be inspired to pursue their own career aspirations. She’s billed as a women’s writer (although a lot of men like her books too) who has also worked as a television writer/ producer and a film director/screenwriter/producer. She also has a terrific podcast where she talks to authors about their books. I know her primarily as a fiction writer whose colorful books are true works of art that I look forward to with each and every release.
When I learned she was coming to Ohio, Adam and I planned an adventure around this event.
We were part of a lively audience packed into the Sari Feldman Auditorium at the library. Out of the 400 seats available that day, they all seemed full and they were mostly occupied by women. Adam was one of maybe two dozen men that I saw filter into the theater so the energy in this room just hit a little different.
She’s an Italian American who grew up in the Appalachian community of Big Stone Gap, Virginia. My gateway into her world was a series based in Big Stone Gap that features a fictional character named Ave Maria, the 35-year-old self-proclaimed spinster of her mountain town. I actually listened to the series on CD in the car several years ago when I was driving more than I do now. I vividly recall many driveway moments when I simply did not want to stop listening and go inside.
Since then, I have read everything she’s written except two of her older books (on my shelf and waiting to be read) and her newest book which I just acquired last week. It’s signed so it will eventually be moved to my signed book collection. All of her books pay homage to someone from her past and the contributions Italian Americans made to industries like dress making, music, shoemaking and more. They all are respectful and celebratory of these people and how they maintained pride in heritage while embracing a new life in America. These are immigration stories at their finest.
They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes and I didn’t. However, I do feel like I met her. In fact, I bet most people in that room left feeling like they know her, at least a little. She sat down with Ron Block, an employee of the library system and co-host of the Friends With Fiction podcast (if you read fiction, you’ll love it and the hosts who are New York Times bestselling authors). They’re old friends and he had a list of questions to try to guide the conversation. Truth is, there’s no guiding this woman in a conversation. She tells fantastic stories with side stories and side treks off of those.
I’m pretty sure she hasn’t met a rabbit hole she didn’t like and I appreciate that!
Adriana is relatable and funny and knows how to pull at your heartstrings too. She’s quick on her feet, fast with a joke and can paint a mental picture like no one’s business. It was like sitting in the living room of an old friend.
I loved every minute.
When we left, I was grateful that the event ticket came with a signed book and that I didn’t have to stand in line for it. We would have been there all night.
Three ladies in front of us knew her from college. A woman they didn’t know who was sitting next to them gushed about what these books mean to her and was excited to finally see her in person. One man stood up to say his family ran the apartment building where she lived years ago. Another brought a pair of earrings Adriana had given her twenty years ago. Adriana took them off and handed them to her during a Q&A, the woman said.
If you are a reader or just enjoy some good storytelling, I recommend you go listen to writers talk any time you have a chance. It’s always an enriching and fun learning opportunity! This one was filled with laughter and lots of wonderful stories!
Before traveling, I research local libraries at or near my destination. If there’s a Carnegie Library or if there’s something interesting to see, I’m nearly always willing to travel out of my way to visit.
A couple of months ago I found myself in Piqua, Ohio with a few hours for exploration. I had read about their spectacular library so we went for a look-see.
It is described as a Richardson Romanesque building that was constructed as the Piqua Plaza Hotel. At five stories, the 1891 building is a massive and imposing presence in the city’s downtown. I had to look up Richardson Romanesque because I wasn’t familiar with the name. It uses stone walls, round arches and contrasting colors to create a heavy appearance. This style was popular for public buildings between 1880 and 1900. While I recognized the style, I had no idea what it was called.
The hotel was built in 1891 with 100 rooms. Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Houdini, Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft are said to have visited here. Tragically, the hotel began to fail in the 1950s and was boarded up in the eighties. It was renovated in the early 2000’s.
We talked to a nice librarian who shared some interesting facts and stories about the place. He also shared some of the more recent history when the building was preserved to give three floors of space to library patrons, storage and a ballroom operated by the city. Each floor is accessible by an elevator that uses the hotel’s original elevator shaft.
Friends, this building is magnificent. I couldn’t believe the magnitude of the building from the outside and could only say “wow” when we went inside. A black and white tile floor, gorgeous woodwork, high ceilings, artwork everywhere, a backing, a restored skylight and so much more make this space feel special.
And when I say special, I mean truly special. If I lived closer, I would be there all the time. What a magnificent place to write, to discover new books and to explore unexpected ideas. It’s sad to think how close this building came to the brink when it was boarded up in the eighties.
It has the feel of an art museum with busts, reliefs, paintings and other pieces all throughout the building. You’ll find something interesting to study and enjoy in every nook and cranny of the public space. What a delightful place to explore on a rainy day! And all I could think is what a fun, exciting, intriguing place to be a little kid in search of adventure through books!
The Piqua Library is located at 116 West High Street in downtown Piqua. If you’re in town, swing by and have a look around!
I will write more about some of the artwork and historic pieces on display here so check back another day!
Built of Indiana limestone, it has occupied a full acre of a busy downtown street since 1902. It’s the Muncie Carnegie Library, a gorgeous old place that smells like history.
Today, the library system uses it as their history and genealogy library.
This neoclassical building features a large dome that’s an absolute showstopper.
The dome’s purple floral motif provided inspiration for the interior wall colors – ivory and lavender. While I wouldn’t have chosen this particular shade of lavender, it does reflect the tastes of the late Victorian era when the building was designed and built.
In addition to the research resources, this building houses some art and artifacts sure to catch your eye. Plus, there’s a small display about Garfield the cat illustrator Jim Davis. The Marion, Indiana native attended Ball State here in Muncie.
Want to go? Since they’re a research library, the hours more limited than you would find at a regular library. Be sure to check their website for updated information.
