Sterling


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Branch History

When it opened in 1913, the Cleveland Public Library Annual Report described Sterling Branch’s architecture as a modification of the Dutch style. The building is red brick with stone trimmings. Sterling Branch has a flat front with decorative brickwork that gives the 6,500-square-foot building a contrast of light and shade. The front entrance has decorative door surround. The windows are outlined and paneled in brick. The diaperwork pattern is repeated in panels of brick on all sides.

The building was designed to be as fireproof as possible with concrete walls, floors and stairways. Two club rooms were located on the second floor. A large club room that seated 150 people was designated for committee or neighborhood meetings and for the children’s story hour. This branch received updates in 1985.

 

Special Features

Our Sterling branch is known as the “convenient walking spot” for the medical center and many Asia Plaza users. Many patrons who work near this area pick up their reserves at this location. Sterling Branch serves a diverse population of business professionals, local artists, Asian immigrants, and lots of children. Its collection reflects this mix of patrons.

The collection contains many materials on best business practices, art techniques and history, adult and children’s books, many books and audiovisual materials for children of all ages, and a large Black World section of both fiction and non-fiction.

Learn more about the Sterling Branch >

 

Community Vision Plan

In 2014, CPL initiated the Community Vision Plan to gather the necessary input from library patrons to ensure that Sterling and all branches will offer appropriate services by 2019.

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Engagement Process

The Sterling Branch visioning process includes three levels of engagement:

  1. Advisory Committee
  2. Stakeholder Focus Groups
  3. The Community At-Large

Advisory Committee
The Sterling Branch Advisory Committee includes the following members, representing local residents, neighborhood organizations, CPL staff, and library patrons:

Stakeholder Focus Groups
The focus group sessions will serve to complement the larger public meetings and online survey. By directly targeting key stakeholders underrepresented during public meetings, the focus group sessions can ensure a diversity of voices are heard and documented.

The Community At-Large
In order to engage a broad spectrum of the Sterling Branch community, the project includes public meetings and an online survey.