AVON, Ohio — Happy anniversary, Avon Library!
The Avon Branch Library opened the doors at its current location, 37485 Harvest Drive, 25 years ago. The community is invited to celebrate from 6 to 8 p.m. June 13 at the library. The family fun-filled party will include music by the Cleveland Winds Trio, history displays, activities and cake.
The Avon Branch Library opened the doors at its current location, 37485 Harvest Drive, 25 years ago. (Julie A. Short, special to cleveland.com)
The library had come a long way even before opening the current location. The Avon community’s first library service was a bookmobile stop provided by the Lorain Public Library System (LPLS). The Friends of the Avon Library worked with LPLS administration to help raise money to renovate the Old Town Hall building (corner of Stoney Ridge and Detroit roads) to provide the community with a more permanent location.
The Avon Branch opened in the Old Town Hall building in 1956. During that time, the library was open three days a week — Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday — for a total of 20 hours a week. The branch closed each day for an hour lunch or dinner break.
It didn’t take long for space in the Old Town Hall location to become too small to house the library’s materials and host the library’s activities. In 1962, the Avon Branch opened an extra day each week, on Mondays, to be open 26 hours a week.
Once again, The Friends of the Avon Library and LPLS administration began to search for a new location. The Old Town Hall building still stands today and houses the Avon Historical Society.
A new location was eventually found in the plaza behind the former Pappo’s Pizza on Detroit Road and, three years later, the new library was ready. The location served Avon for the next 10 years until it also became too small for the growing community.
In 1983, the LPLS rented a larger space from Vasu Communication on Ridgeland Drive. The location had 3,800 square feet and was remodeled to function as a library.
On June 13, 1994, the staff opened the current 10,400-square-foot Avon Branch Library on Harvest Drive.
Currently, there are 63,551 registered library card holders at the Avon Branch. In 2018, the Avon Branch Library circulated 211,820 items, had 81,663 library visits and offered 2,789 programs.
“The library continues to change in response to a changing world and our growing community,” said Donna Kelly Sprinkle, Avon Branch Library manager, in an email. “What was once a primary place of borrowing books is now access to literature and information in many different formats, from books to eBooks to online courses. But more than that, it is the perfect place for community members of all ages to learn and interact and share.”
The Avon community has been very supportive of the library’s services. Voters have passed operating levies in 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. The money supplements library support received through the state’s general tax revenue. The local levies also help the library to provide the staff, materials and technology that support the Avon Branch.
“We have special adapted story times and music therapy programs, as well as a great partnership with senior living facilities for outreach intergenerational literacy programs,” said Kelly Sprinkle. “We have daytime as well as evening story times, a monthly Tech Club for tweens and teens, Family Engineering Night and more.
“We have been involved with the Every Child’s Playground and offer a Story Trail and Story Time in the Woods. Book clubs are no longer just at the library, but at Avon Brewing Company, as well. We also offer Swim Break Story Times at the Avon Pool. We have an active Teen Volunteer group of students grades 6-12 that help out at book sales and as helpers at various programs.”
The library is also the only Passport Acceptance agency in Avon. More than 400 passport applications were processed last year.
The Avon Branch employs three full-time and 10 part-time staff members. Six of the current staff are Avon residents, including three student aides, often Avon High School students starting their first job.
“After changing locations multiple times as the population of Avon increased, the current location opened 25 years ago to serve a population of 10,000,” said Kelly Sprinkle. “With the population more than doubling since then, community members are now discussing options for the library to have more meeting, programming, technology and family space with which to serve the community.”
AVON
Summer reading program: Libraries throughout the Lorain County system, including Avon and North Ridgeville, will be kicking off summer reading programs celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first manned moon landing.
All summer, there will be programs and presentations focused on the anniversary. For the first time, all participants in the library system, regardless of age group, will engage in the same summer reading program.
“We learned last year that families really liked being given the option to participate together, so all patrons will be given a tracking sheet with numerous stars on (it) that represent various activities focused on reading and space,” Elaine Betting, director of community engagement for the library system, said in a press release.
“Once they complete four activities, they can draw a line to connect them to create their own constellation. Each patron is able to complete up to four constellations and become eligible for small prizes, in addition to grand prizes at each branch.”
The summer programming also includes a StarLab Portable Planetarium program at each library, provided by Starry Trails, which will involve a fan-powered dome for children and families to enter.
Eagle Scouts: Avon High School’s Class of 2019 boasts six Eagle Scouts. The rank is the highest honor a Boy Scout can receive. Congratulations, Kollin Erskine, Noah Kitchen, Clay Lieb, Zach Rimko, Eric Scott and Andrew Zetts.
Military academy appointments: Two recent Avon High School Class of 2019 graduates recently received military appointments to attend United States service academies. Congratulations to Luke Masisak, United States Military Academy (West Point), and Jack Roesch, Air Force Academy (Colorado). Thank you both for your service.
New playground equipment: A group of Avon students were invited to try out the new ride at the Every Child’s Playground near the Aquatic Facility on Detroit Road this past week. Thanks to the generosity of Joe Firment Chevrolet in Avon, a new Gravity Rail ride is sure to thrill children. The nearly 90-foot-long circular track features a downward slope to help kids get some speed while they sit in a swing.
Robotics signing: Avon High School and the FIRST Robotics Team 4119 recently participated in the FIRST Robotics Signing Day highlighting academic scholars and robotics students who have committed to attend college next fall or pursue other avenues of merit. Avon High School senior and Robotics Team member Ryan Pocos signed a letter of intent to enroll at the University of Akron (honors program).
College graduate: Kayla Kawiecki graduated with a Master of Physician Assistant Science from Saint Francis University.
AVON LAKE
St. Joe’s Carnival: The 70th annual St. Joseph Parish Carnival will take place June 12-15 on the church grounds, 32929 Lake Road. The family-friendly event includes entertainment, food, games, rides and music. For more information, go to stjosephavonlake.org/carnival.
Erieview Elementary kindness rocks: Erieview Kids in the Community are spreading kindness one rock at a time. The students painted rocks with the intent that students will be hiding them throughout Avon Lake to bring a little joy to people who might find them. If you are lucky enough to find one, post a picture and use the #ErieviewRocks and #ErieviewKIC hashtags to share them on social media.
Lubrizol chemists visit high school: Three chemical engineers from the Avon Lake Lubrizol facility recently worked side by side with the Avon Lake High School chemists. Nearly 400 students were treated to a presentation of how many products in our everyday life, such as shampoos, medicines and clothing, are impacted by the polymers made at Lubrizol.
Engineers John Dietrich, Quinn Shuster and Alex Muir allowed students to work with Carbopol, a chemical that sets up as a gel and is found in many everyday products. Students were able to see how all their hard work of learning about solubility, colloids, viscosity, polymers, ions and more were being applied in the real world.
NORTH RIDGEVILLE
Garden Club curb appeal: Members of the Garden Club of North Ridgeville are looking for front yards with the most eye appeal for this year’s Curb Appeal Recognition Event (CARE). Winners, selected by the CARE committee, will be invited to the club’s Aug. 13 dinner meeting at South Central Park, where Mayor David Gillock will present their awards.
Each winner will receive a garden center gift certificate, as well as other prizes.
The purpose of CARE is to inspire a passion for gardening, involving the community and promoting civic beautification. The contest runs June 15 through July 15. Residents are encouraged to nominate their neighbors’ or even submit their own front yards to the committee by contacting Jean at 440-281-9911 or by email gcnrinfo@gmail.com.
Movies in the park: It’s time to get out and enjoy a movie under the stars. Free movies in South Central Park will begin June 21 (weather permitting). Movies begin at dusk. Bring your chair, have a picnic dinner and hang out with your neighbors. Food will be available for purchase.
The first movie will be “The Little Mermaid” on June 21. Additional dates and movies include: July 5, “Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse;” July 19, “Incredibles 2;” and Aug. 2, “Aquaman.”
Summer concerts in the park: Enjoy a night out with family and friends listening to music at South Central Park throughout the summer (weather permitting). Concerts take place at the gazebo from 7 to 9 p.m. Food will be available for purchase.
The first concert is June 14 and features The Agenda (classic and modern rock, country). Additional dates and performers include: June 28, Jam Machine (hits); July 12, Scott & Obie (pop, reggae, classic rock and hits); July 26, Queen Bees (blues & classic rock); and Aug. 16, Latin Fusion music.
Senior walking: Every Tuesday from now through July 9, seniors are invited to join local fitness experts for a morning of outdoor walking to get active. The activity starts with check-in and vitals at 9 a.m., followed by warm-ups on the fitness station and continuing with a scenic walk along the South Central Trail until 10 a.m.
To register, call 440- 353-0828. Participants must be able to walk confidently without any assistance.
Lake Ridge top scholars: Lake Ridge Academy’s valedictorian is Jodie Xiaojing Deng and salutatorian is Laila Haidar for the Class of 2019.
Jodie, a native of Shenyang, China, is the first international student to achieve the honor at the academy. She will be attending Johns Hopkins University to study chemistry and biomolecular engineering.
Laila, of Strongsville, and will be attending Oberlin College to pursue a degree in art history.
The Class of 2019 included 39 students and graduated June 1 in the Bettcher Convocation Center on the school’s campus.
Dean’s lists: Slippery Rock University recently announced dean’s list (3.5 grade point average or higher) students for the spring semester. Students include: Taylor Baiers (Avon Lake), Alexis Firment (Avon), Natalie Goforth (Avon), Stephanie Matis (North Ridgeville), McKayla Miller (North Ridgeville) and Andrew Sumser (Avon).
If you have news to share regarding an event, award or other interesting tidbit happening in Avon or Avon Lake, and North Ridgeville send me an email at jshortavon@aol.com. The column’s online version is at Cleveland.com/Avon, which offers direct links for many of the news items listed.
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