19301940 19501960 1970 19801990200020102020 AVON LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY HISTORY Avon Lake Public The Library The Library has The Early Settlers The Library adds A minicomputer The Library offers Boo by the Woods Curbside service Library opens in 1931. In 1958, the Library expands, including a collection of Reading Program 8mm films to the automates the Internet classes; comes to the Library begins in May The first librarian was moves into a new the addition of 5,292 titles for 928 celebrates Avon collection. Library’s catalog. Jungle Terry makes in 2014. 2020. The Library Mrs. Anna Heider. building, which is the DiscoveryWorks. cardholders. Lake’s 150th birthday. his first visit. celebrates its 90th current location on Friends of Avon Lake Anniversary in 2021! Electric Blvd. Public Library was formed.

The First Book... In January 1931, the first book welcomed into the ALPL Collection was Penrod by Newton Booth Tarkington, published in 1914 with delightful illustrations by Gordon Grant. It tells of the escapades of Penrod Schofield, an 11-year- old boy growing up in Indianapolis at the turn of the 20th century. A likable rapscallion, Penrod is always getting into trouble as he navigates childhood with his loyal dog Duke – causing Young readers enjoying the Friends members Librarians using the stand beside the new uproar at the school pageant due to his hideous The 1st alpl building! card catalog. storybook trail located in costume, eating himself sick at the county fair, We ve moved to the current Constructing the the kopf family reservation ALPL book bike fabricating wild rumors about family members as location on electric blvd.! DiscoveryWorks loft. an excuse to teachers, driving his big sister Launch of the borrow a and her beau crazy, sparking the Great bike program Tar Fight, concocting a cure for Small Pox, and trying to win the affections of ’ his childhood crush.

FROM CARD CATALOG WHAT’S IN A NAME? Riggle StoryTime Room Mary’s Children’s Garden The History of DiscoveryWorks Judith Riggles was a former children’s In 2016, the Library’s summer reading Talk about a Have you ever wondered the participants to experience the night TO COMPUTER librarian and retired director of the Avon theme was “ALPL Had a Farm.” This center in the Library parking lot until the hand cramp story behind these names? while sharing ideas sky in the comfort of an indoor setting. Lake Public Library. Judy had a vision sparked the idea that the “farm” needed In 1991, completion of DiscoveryWorks in early Prior to 1990, when the Library’s for the expansion of the Avon Lake Stuffee, a 9ft. giant doll containing soft Waugaman Gallery that the Library would be a central spot a vegetable garden, and so the seed was 1995. cataloger received materials they entered for learning, information, resources, planted. The Children’s services manager, Public Library, a gathering of community sculpture replicas of the internal organs, The Waugaman Gallery was named after DiscoveryWorks opened to the public on each item by hand in an acquisitions entertainment, and social interaction. Sybil Wendling, along with the director focus groups suggested the addition of helps teach children about body systems Marcia Waugaman, assistant director Saturday, January 21, 1995. In the first ledger. The cataloger then hand recorded Judy was named Ohio’s Outstanding of the Library, Mary Crehore, were part a hands-on discovery center. The idea and nutrition. Visitors can take a stroll on and head of the Reference department. 14 months, 40,000 patrons visited during the information about each item, which Librarian in her year of retirement, and is of the driving force behind the children’s was to create an interactive learning the giant walking piano, a replica of the Among her many accomplishments, a limited 14-hour-per-week schedule. was then written or typed on a card for the co-author of previous editions of the garden, and they enlisted the help of local s Garden in full bloom. center for science and the arts, offering one made famous in the movie “Big”. For Marcia was responsible for establishing ary’ In 1997, DiscoveryWorks was one of 10 the card catalog. The head of Circulation book Beyond Picture Books. Due to her Boy Scout Evan Huang of Troop 334 to M programs and exhibits for all ages. Local aviation enthusiasts, a full-sized hang the monthly art shows in the gallery. So many tasty vegetables! wrote or typed the cards. passion for storytelling, the StoryTime design and build the garden beds as an resident Doris Forror was hired as the glider and experimental airplane “soar” It was after her passing that it was “Over the past 25 years, room was named in her honor. She died Eagle Scout Project. The purpose of the center’s director in 1993 and began amid the rafters. suggested to rename the Gallery in In the early 1990’s, the Library started on November 25, 2020, after a long garden was to teach children the important putting the plans into motion. her memory. DiscoveryWorks has Over the past 25 years, DiscoveryWorks using a computer system called ‘Gaylord’ illness. steps to plant, care for, maintain, and that allowed the cataloger to enter Grants were obtained expanded its schedule to has expanded its schedule to 37.5 hours harvest food from a garden. This journey information about the materials so staff from the Nord Family per week, and annually hosts 30,000 McMahan and Parke Room Marybelle Arnold was made possible by Mary’s dedication 37.5 hours per week, and members in other departments of the Foundation, The to 35,000 visitors. Public programming These rooms were named after two North Coast History Room to getting a grant proposal from the federal attracts over 750 children, ages 3-13, Library could view the Library’s holdings. Institute of Museum and Library Services, Avon Lake Women’s annually hosts 30,000 to former library trustees, Jean Parke and This room was part of the renovation and each year. More than 150 science The card catalog system was still used, which is awarded by the State Library of Club, and the Betty McMahan. Jean Parke held a updating of the Library’s interior during 35,000 visitors.” classes are presented for local school however. Ohio. This was quite an achievement, and Library Foundation Bachelor of Arts in Education and Master 2014-2015. To help with the completion for the purchase of groups between September and May, of Arts from The University of Toledo. so a plaque for “Mary’s Children’s Garden” In 1999, the Library moved forward with of the room, the Library held a small Unveiling ceremony for the exhibits and materials. reaching more than 3,000 Her library interests encompassed was gifted to Mary at her retirement party national museum sites chosen to be a a new computer system named ‘Sirsi’, campaign to solicit funds in exchange Marybelle Local residents and students in grades K-5. trusteeship on the Friends of Avon Lake in 2017. “ZOOM Room”. These sites would serve which led to the computerized catalog of for the naming rights. It was by chance Arnold history room businesses donated additional talent, Public Library (past president) and Avon that an anthropology professor from as pilot locations for children to perform DiscoveryWorks was Library materials. materials, and funds. Displays were built Lake Public Library Foundation, Inc. UCLA contacted the Library looking and evaluate math and science activities imagined as a place with the help of community volunteers, (founder and secretary). The Conference for a way for their family to honor their to be featured on the PBS series, for visitors to learn such as The Reading Room play loft, Room in the Avon Lake Public Library is mother Marybelle Arnold, who was an “ZOOM”. and grow through designed and constructed by the Avon named in her honor. Mary E. McMahan, avid reader and book borrower at Avon Lake High School Industrial Arts class. hands-on experiences, also known as “Betty”, served on the Several unique exhibits, acquired within Lake Public Library. She also facilitated a Do you know An old school bus, purchased and and will continue to serve Avon Lake Public Library Board for 37 the first few years of operation, continue DID YOU KNOW... Great Books discussion at the Library for transformed into a “Magic School the community as a place to share years and was a library treasurer for 11 the answer? to delight visitors, young and old. Starlab, several decades. Bus”, served as a temporary learning discoveries while learning about the years. She also enjoyed tutoring and an inflatable, portable planetarium, allows world around them. The Library shares building space reading to students. with ALCTV and the Metroparks? TRIVIA QUESTION ALCTV set up shop in March of 1995 and currently has a studio set up downstairs. The Metroparks Hello In 2017, A1 Steak bottles were mysteriously Miss Kim reading in the came around in November 2008 and has a found in the Library. How many bottles in storytime room Have you read any dedicated space next to DiscoveryWorks. neighbors!

Of these titles? total were found? 55 Answer: POPULAR BOOKS EACH DECADE 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor The Cardinal by Henry Morton Robinson The Source by James A. Michener Love Story by Erich Segal The Covenant by James A. Michener The Plains of Passage by Jean M. Auel The Summons by John Grisham The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin From Here to Eternity by James Jones The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone Wheels by Arthur Hailey Noble House by James Clavell Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer The Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter Chesapeake by James A. Michener E.T. by William Kotzwinkle Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King Absurdistan By Gary Shteyngart Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas Exodus by Leon Uris Airport by Arthur Hailey The Matarese Circle by Robert Ludlum Return of the Jedi by James Kahn Hannibal by Thomas Harris The Broker by John Grisham The Fault in Our Stars by John Green The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka Strange Fruit by Lillian Smith Not as a Stranger by Morton Thompson Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth Centennial by James A. Michener It by Stephen King The Chamber by John Grisham The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee