The Cleveland Public Library Foundation is a nonprofit that supports the work of the library. As strong libraries build strong communities, our work is an investment in Cleveland.
The Cleveland Public Library Foundation is a nonprofit organization that engages and inspires individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to advocate, fundraise, and provide critical support for the Cleveland Public Library and its programs.
We believe that libraries strengthen communities by providing free and equal access to information and technology and that they are vitally important to maintaining thriving neighborhoods. Therefore, we provide the community with opportunities to participate in the success of the Library through membership, volunteer opportunities, community partnerships, the recycling and sale of books, special events, and literary programs.
Mission & Vision
The Cleveland Public Library Foundation is a nonprofit organization that engages and inspires individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to advocate, fundraise, and provide critical support for the Cleveland Public Library and its programs.
We believe that libraries strengthen communities by providing free and equal access to information and technology and that they are vitally important to maintaining thriving neighborhoods. Therefore, we provide the community with opportunities to participate in the success of the Library through membership, volunteer opportunities, community partnerships, the recycling and sale of books, special events, and literary programs.
Our mission is to strengthen, steward, and advocate for the resources necessary to sustain the collections and programs of the Cleveland Public Library.
Our vision is that the Greater Cleveland community will always have the finest free public system – one that serves as the core of strong neighborhoods and is valued as a fundamental and necessary driver of economic vitality and quality of life in our region.
Staff
- Gretchen Faro
Executive Director
- Tracy Moavero
Program Manager
- Mary Scelsi
Operations Manager
Board of Directors
- Aaron O’Brien, President
Baker Hostetler Law
- Samantha Joseph, Vice President
- New York Community Bank
- Thomas Corrigan
- CPL Board of Trustees
- Paul Cox
- Cuyahoga Community College
- Thomas Dewey
- Medical Mutual
- Linda Feagler
- Ohio Magazine
- Robyn Gordon
- NASA Glenn Research Center
- Tracey McGurk
- Mansour Gavin LPA
- Kevin Poor
- Dix & Eaton, Inc.
- John Rowland
- All Covered, Division of Konica Minolta
- Felton Thomas
- CPL, Executive Director & CEO
- Teleange’ Thomas
- Foundation Center
- Margaret Wong
- Margaret Wong & Associates
- Robert Pincus Director Emeritus
- Fifth Third Bank
- Nicole O’Sullivan Honorary Director
- Willis Towers Watson
Investing In Cleveland
Cleveland has had exciting successes to celebrate lately — from downtown development to sports championships, but some of the best successes are less splashy yet crucial to a strong community. These winners are children falling in love with reading, jobseekers using the internet to find work, and budding entrepreneurs, leaders, and DIY technology “makers” doing research to hatch big plans.
When you support the Friends of the Cleveland Public Library, you invest in Cleveland’s success through these patrons. That investment pays off in multiple ways.
Cleveland has had exciting successes to celebrate lately — from downtown development to sports championships, but some of the best successes are less splashy yet crucial to a strong community. These winners are children falling in love with reading, jobseekers using the internet to find work, and budding entrepreneurs, leaders, and DIY technology “makers” doing research to hatch big plans.
When you support the Friends of the Cleveland Public Library, you invest in Cleveland’s success through these patrons. That investment pays off in multiple ways.
- You prepare children for school success.
You help little ones in daycare centers, WIC programs and pediatric offices get ready for kindergarten. You keep kids reading over the summer so they’re on track for school in the fall. You support children and teens writing authors about how a work has changed their life. - You make a culturally rich city even richer.
You make possible programs as diverse as an exhibition of Shakespeare’s First Folio of plays from 1623 and a seminar on comic book heroine Wonder Woman. You fund programs in the branches, including hiring local artists and instructors for arts, music and dance programs. - You provide access to crucial information, technology and services.
You help provide free legal services for low income patrons through the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. You give children the chance to experience technology hands-on through events like the Mini-Maker Faire where kids use 3-D printers and fly drones.
Please join us as a supporter. Your contribution will help the library continue to provide a rich learning environment and a place for civil discourse, accessible to everyone in the community.