@ Shaker Library
welcome back!
Welcome to the Library’s New Home
Begin the New Year with a visit to your newly renovated Main Library
The Library’s renovation preserves
its historic past while providing for an
exciting future. Visitors climbing the
stairs will get their first taste of an
entirely redesigned space.
Starting outside the main doors, the
expansive patio creates a more accessible
and inviting entrance to the Library,
complete with public art exclaiming
“Shaker Reads” in metal lettering. It sets
just the right mood for what is inside.
The interior reflects the thoughtful
urban planning and design that have
been the hallmark of the Shaker Heights
community for over 100 years. The
designer was Bialosky Cleveland, the
same firm that worked with the City on
the Van Aken District.
On the first floor, the atrium is
organized around a town-square theme,
and has clear sightlines to the Library’s
different areas. Window treatments allow
for more light in the building, making it
warmer and more welcoming; new kiosks
offer thematic displays designed to pique
readers’ interests.
The Information Desk is located in
a prominent place where knowledgeable
staff is ready to answer reference
questions and give directions to the
different areas.
20 WINTER 2022 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
A passport application office provides a private place for families to submit
their applications and have passport pictures taken. New first-floor study rooms
are light-filled and welcoming. Tables and chairs throughout the building allow for
collaboration and quiet study.
The former Local History Room is now a café, providing a space where friends can
meet and colleagues work together on projects. The area is covered by a mural depicting
the Library through the years. The Friends of the Library’s Never-ending Book Sale
bookshelves are nearby. Visitors can buy gently read books or get information about
Friends’ activities.
A Tech Hub offers technology-intensive spaces. Computers fill the area and provide
visitors a place where they can print out a boarding pass, complete a job application,
finish a term paper, or compose the next bestseller. The Tech Studio and The Workshop
are two new spaces that provide the community free access to creative tools to bring
their ideas to life.
The children’s “neighborhood” is filled with age-appropriate books, and is divided
into areas to appeal to specific age groups. “The Littles,” designed for preschoolers, has
comfortable seating and a large touch screen with toddler-oriented games. Child-sized
tables and chairs fill the area. Graphics in a chalkboard design evoke a sense of security
and home. A family restroom makes it easier for parents and caregivers to attend to
their little ones’ needs.
/WWW.SHAKER.LIFE