Parma Heights Library Relocation Still Open To Debate
The Cuyahoga County Library Relocation Meeting was held at Parma Heights City Hall on Thursday, October 7, 2010, and I want to acknowledge and thank the residents of the City of Parma Heights, Congressman Dennis Kucinich and all concerned citizens who came, to show their passion, commitment and support of our Parma Heights Library Branch and to voice their concerns about the planned downsizing and/or relocation of our branch.
I know by the overwhelming number of phone calls to City Hall that many more would have attended if they were able or if our newsletter containing meeting information had reached every home in a timely fashion. However, there is still time to voice opposition to the current plans and I strongly encourage you to phone Cuyahoga County Public Library Executive Director Sari Feldman at 216-398-1800 or go online to www.cuyahogalibrary.org to state your concerns.
It is common knowledge that our Parma Heights Library Branch was conceived and funded by the citizens of our town. So great was the determination of residents to have a full-service library in our community that the building and establishment of the Parma Height Branch required historic procedural precedent to be set in the State of Ohio to enable public libraries to operate in publicly-owned buildings. Other communities throughout the state have used our city’s plan as a template for the establishment of libraries in their neighborhoods by constructing library buildings on public land and leasing the buildings to the libraries for nominal sums. The Parma Heights branch leases the building from the city for $1 a year.
With your continuing support, and the support of City Council, Congressman Kucinich, State Representative Mike Foley and State Representative Mike Skindell, I make a pledge to do everything in my power to convince the Cuyahoga County Public Library administration and board members to keep our historically significant, full-service Parma Heights Library Branch at its current location in the Greenbrier Commons.