Politics & Government

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Tops List of America's Best Libraries

The CH-UH Public Library has been named one of America's Star Libraries, earning a five-star rating in Library Journal's 2012 Index of Public Library Service.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is one of the best library systems in the country, according to Library Journal.

Heights Libraries has earned five stars, the highest rating possible, in four out of the five years that Library Journal has published the ratings. Library Journal is the oldest and most respected publication covering the field of library service, with more than 100,000 readers.

“This just shows us what we’ve known all along: more and more people in our community are using the library,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin in an announcement about the rating. “We are always busy, and I don’t see that trend reversing anytime soon. Our community depends on us more than ever for everything from free entertainment with books and DVDs and fun programs, to more crucial things like access to the internet and free computer classes.”

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The 2012 LJ Index rated 7,570 American public libraries using 2010 data provided by the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Rating scores are based on four per capita output measures: circulation, visits, program attendance and public computer use.

"Heights Libraries circulation rated a 32.6 per capita in our service area, meaning that 32.6 items were circulated for every resident in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights service. Visits are up since 2011, 19.8 in 2012 vs. 19.4 in 2011; and library program attendance is also up: 0.91 in 2012 up from 0.8 in 2011," the CH-UH library wrote in the announcement.

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The CH-UH Public Library was among a handful of other Cleveland-area libraries honored — the Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, East Cleveland and Rocky River Public Library systems also received star awards. 

In its budget category, CCPL received the publication’s highest overall score (1,654) and lead the nation in three of the index’s four per capita measures: circulation, visits and program attendance. CCPL ranked second in the nation in per capita public computer use in its category.

For more information about the LJ Index, visit www.libraryjournal.com.

Solon Patch Editor Chris Mazzolini contributed to this article.


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