Cuyahoga County Public Libraries Keep Up with the Times

Libraries turn the page to keep up with changing times. (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 9/25/2011)

Excerpt:  Public libraries -- long known as the hushed temples of the printed word -- are evolving into town centers, where residents can meet for coffee, discuss current events and browse through books in large, comfortable chairs.

They've become key destinations in a city's landscape, offering a much greater role than simply the place to grab free music or a book for a child's reading project. Libraries, now more than ever, are places that bring communities together at a time when so many distractions pull them apart.

Across the country, cities and counties are constructing libraries of the future in the image of cultural gathering places -- buildings that combine community involvement, technology, vast collections and a healthy dose of an upbeat atmosphere.

The trend is underscored in Northeast Ohio, where the Cuyahoga County Public Library is spending $100 million to replace or renovate 15 of its 28 branches. (See related story)

County library officials want their buildings to become focal points, places for residents to talk about community life, learn about issues affecting their lives and hear their favorite local authors discuss books.