A Bookworm's Paradise
Cool Books and architecture at South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library

There's something incredibly welcoming about a library. The rows of books waiting to be plucked from shelves, the daily newspapers strewn atop tables, the warm smiles of librarians talking in hushed voices all create a familiar and safe feeling for children and adults. And then there's the fact that it’s all free, as long as you return your materials on time.

When it comes to local libraries with charm and personality, it's hard to beat the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. With its lead-glass windows, cozy nooks and sunny atrium, the library possesses a homey feeling. That's probably because it was a home until the early 1950s.

Local businessman William E. Telling operated the Telling Brothers Company and Belle Vernon Farms Dairy Company. In the 1920s, Telling built a $700,000, 26-room mansion in South Euclid. He lived there alone until his death in 1938. Then the mansion went through a number of transitions, serving as apartment housing during World War II.

In 1952, the library was able to buy the Telling mansion for $82,000. Although some changes have been made over the years, such as the enclosure of a solarium on the first floor, the library still has the feeling of a private residence.

To fully appreciate the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library, you must meander through the building on your first visit. Just off the entrance stands a beautiful small fountain featuring metal frogs and turtles. If you have children, you’ll want to make sure you have at least a few pennies on hand for your child to throw after making a wish. Often, paintings or drawings by local artists ring the area surrounding the fountain.

Opposite the entrance is a tiny reading nook, where you can pick up a travel book on the shelf or sit down with today’s paper. If you’re the kind who likes to read without intrusions, this is the spot for you.

Sunlight streams into the atrium area just past the checkout desk. This spot can be used for reading or studying. The library staff also conducts children’s craft classes here.

Teens have their own room in the library; you start to hear the noise as you exit the atrium. What’s especially nice about the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library is that the young children and teen areas are on opposite ends of the first floor. This gives little ones lots of space without being intimidated by older kids.

The children’s area contains three rooms focusing on different age groups. The far end of the children’s area is devoted to toddlers. This space is framed by large windows and is teeming with picture books. There are also puzzles, cars and trucks, stuffed animals and benches and chairs for tired parents to plop down on while their children are occupied.

The South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library has had to make a few concessions because of the economy. It was one of the county branches that now closed on Sundays as a cost-cutting measure. However, it still offers a host of free programs.

The branch isn’t hurting for visitors. From January through October of this year, the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library has had 320,172 visitors pass through its doors and has had 413,004 items borrowed. Both numbers an increase over the previous year. Perhaps it’s just the books that are responsible for the growth, but there’s a strong likelihood the building itself keeps patrons coming back.

Check out http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/SouthEuclidLyndhurstBranch.aspx for more information about the branch, including a video on its history.

Diane DiPiero is always on the lookout for interesting people and organizations that make Cleveland great. Her work has appeared in the Plain Dealer, Cleveland Magazine, Cleveland Business Connects, Crain's Cleveland Business and other local and national publications. Diane recently started Brand It Write, a company that creates web content, newsletters, press releases and other written communications materials for small businesses. A native of Youngstown, she blogs about the Cleveland and Youngstown areas at http://www.asiwaswriting.blogspot.com. Diane is a mother of three and is writing a novel in her precious spare time.