On Saturday, May 10, the Cleveland Public Library held an event to celebrate a hundred years of the main library being open to the public.
On February 17, 1869, the Public School Library officially became the Cleveland Public Library. The library began as a 1,600 square foot space on West Superior Ave. Over time, the library became more popular and its funding increased. It was decided in 1892 that a branch should be opened. The first branch opened later that year near the West Side market.
In 1923, construction of a new main branch began. This new area was over 150 times larger than the first space. The new library was set to be 267,000 square feet, have five floors, and was located along Superior Ave, East 3rd St, and East 6th St. The construction was slightly delayed by World War I. The main library was finally completed in 1925 and stands as the library we know today.
In 1997, the Louis Stokes Wing was added to the main library.
The 100-year anniversary event on May 10 consisted of a garden party and a scavenger hunt around the main and Louis Stokes branches.
The party was located in the Eastman Reading Garden. The entrance was covered in balloons and Alice in Wonderland-themed decorations. Three food trucks sat outside the entrance, and an ice cream truck was by the exit. Cupcakes and lemonade were being served inside the garden.
Many party-goers dressed up to celebrate the event.
One participant, Madison Carson, adorned a dress with a brown plaid skirt covered in Alice in Wonderland characters around the hem.
“I bought this dress at the thrift stores months ago, and I was just happy to have an opportunity to wear it,” Carson said.
The scavenger hunt included an activity and a sticker to be collected on all floors of both library wings.
In the lobby of the main wing, there was a welcome table and an opportunity to get a library tour with Joe Parnell. On the rest of the first floor were canvas print crafts, a screening of the 1933 Alice film, and opportunities to view the new art piece ‘The BAND’ in Brett Hall and a photo exhibit.
Returning to the second floor, guests could collect a sticker, complete a bookmark craft, or write typewriter love letters.
On the third floor, children could create stamps and play at an art station. A local independent bookstore, Loganberry Books, also had a station on the third floor.
There were balloons, face painting, airbrush tattoos, and another scavenger hunt on the main wing’s final floor.
After completing all activities and collecting all the stickers from the main wing, the participant moved onto the Louis Stokes wing.
On the first floor of the Louis Stokes wing was a welcome table, similar to the one in the main wing. After making their way to the second floor, guests could play board and video games on various consoles.
When entering the third floor, guests of all ages could order a mocktail from a fixed Alice in Wonderland-themed menu.
“We wanted to give the opportunity for both kids and adults to have something fun,” Melissa Cochran, the runner of the mocktail stand, said. “We also had fun ourselves when making the names for the drinks.”
On the fourth floor, visitors had the opportunity to make cards. Nearly reaching the top on the fifth floor, guests could blend their tea and participate in role-playing games. On the final floor of the Louis Stokes wing, patrons could take a genealogy workshop or create bookplate art.
“[The staff] thought that having a party in our garden was a welcoming way to have families as well as friends come to the library,” John Minard, librarian at Cleveland Public Library, said. “They all get to go on almost a tour of the two wings while completing a scavenger hunt.”
A bonus sticker could be collected if hunters crossed the street and entered the library gift shop next to The Arcade. After completing the hunt, winners were offered a cup, pen, card holder, or jar opener.
All activities that day ended at 4 pm, allowing families to go home after a long day of celebration. The Cleveland Public Library has officially stood downtown for a hundred years and is expected to stand for hundreds more.
