A Publication of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Spring 2019 • Volume 27 • Issue 2
Introducing the Library Foundation’s new Writer-in-Residence
Hurricane-hit school receives books from Cincinnati
Vintage Creole recipes from a historic Library cookbook
Jessica Strawser’s novels are a favorite among book clubs. Now she’s sharing her writing and editing expertise with you!
An Anderson Township woman answers the call for help thanks to the generosity of Library volunteers.
Dig into the archives for tasty concoctions to celebrate Mardi Gras.
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Director’s Message PAULA BREHM-HEEGER Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director
2018 was another amazingly successful year for our Library! For the sixth consecutive year we were recognized as a Five-Star Library by Library Journal. We were one of only five libraries nationwide in the $30+ million expenditure category to receive this rating. Meanwhile, the Public Library Service (PLDS) Statistical Report shows our Library was third in total circulation in the United States, behind only New York Public and King County (Seattle) library systems. We expanded weekly open hours at the Avondale, Price Hill, and Walnut Hills branch libraries. And last spring, our community voted to approve a new 1-mill levy to pay for improvements to our buildings. Looking ahead, we intend to build on our long tradition of success. A major focus for 2019 will be our facilities. While we will not see additional funding from our newly approved levy until April, we are currently moving forward with two major initiatives around facilities improvements. We have three locations which are not currently handicapped accessible: Madisonville, Price Hill, and Walnut Hills. During our levy campaign, we told you that accessibility was our No. 1 priority and that remains true. Planning for accessibility is underway with local architectural design firm FTC&H doing initial work on the Price Hill Branch Library. A portion of the ceiling fell in this past summer and that building remains closed in the interest of safety. We are offering Library service out of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission site in Price Hill while gathering community input to plan for improved Library space, services, and resources in Price Hill.
Likewise, in Walnut Hills and Madisonville, we will begin focused outreach and feedback efforts for Library facility planning purposes. In 2019 we will also start the important, strategic work of a Facilities Master Plan. The planning principles confirmed by our Board of Trustees in August 2018 will guide the development of the Facilities Master Plan. Those principles are: transparency, maximized access, customer focus, operational sustainability, inclusion, diversity, excellence, and industry-leading service. We have engaged the services of a design firm with experience in public library planning to lead the development of this plan. This will be a road map the Library can follow when re-envisioning how best to serve the county through our 41 locations. The Library Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning. Their approach is open and collaborative–they’re experts at asking the right questions to make sure the community’s needs and wants are met. It is anticipated that the Facilities Master Plan will be completed in approximately 12-18 months. After that, improvement work at branches will happen in phases. A timeline will be developed and shared with you. In the meantime smaller improvements such as new furniture and technology will be purchased as needed and as funding is available. I look forward to talking with our staff, community, and stakeholders throughout this process to make the best decisions possible for our community today and in the future.
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Library News “Early childhood learning has always been a passion of mine,” said Fender, who served as the Library’s director from January of 1999 until her retirement in June of 2018. “We know that children who engage in early learning activities early in life are more likely to succeed in school. And we know that children love to have fun. I see these backpacks as a way to ensure the future success of a new generation of Hamilton County students.”
Sprout Backpacks at the Library make early learning portable and fun There is a new way to get kids excited about learning available at the Library. Families can use their Library cards to check out take-home backpacks full of early learning activities. Sprout Learning Backpacks are designed to set kids up for success in school in a fun, engaging way. The backpacks were purchased thanks to a generous donation from the former Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director Kimber L. Fender.
The backpacks help kids develop problem-solving, math, science, and social and emotional skills. Each backpack has a theme, like Colors All Around and Going to the Market. There are also tips for parents and caregivers to making learning at home easy and fun. Best of all: kids can take the backpacks everywhere, meaning they can learn something new anywhere at any time. Sprout Backpacks are physically located in the Children’s Library at the Main Library and at our Avondale, Forest Park, Groesbeck, and Walnut Hills branch libraries. The backpacks can also be put on hold and sent to any branch location. Just search the words “Sprout Backpack” in our online catalog at CincinnatiLibrary.org.
Public Library named as prestigious Five-Star Library by Library Journal for sixth consecutive year “I love the library because it’s so easy and convenient to get all the things I want to read, watch, and listen to in the format in which I want them,” raves Nanette Bentley in a recent email to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Bentley and other Library cardholders know they’ll receive top-rated service at their branch. The library field’s leading professional publication, the Library Journal, recognized the Library —for the sixth year in a row — by designating it as a Five-Star Library. The Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service is a national ranking system comparing U.S. public libraries on the quantities of services they deliver based on per capita statistics for library visits, circulation, program attendance, and public Internet use. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is among the top two libraries in the country in the $30+ million expenditure category. The Library is one of only five libraries nationwide in its category to receive a Five-Star Library rating.
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New services now at the Main Library
Library hires company to put together Facilities Master Plan A design firm with experience in public library planning will lead the development of a Facilities Master Plan. The Facilities Master Plan will serve as a guide for using funds from a 1-mill levy approved by Hamilton County voters in May 2018. The Library Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Group 4 Architecture, Research +Planning (Group 4) at a meeting Dec. 11, 2018. Group 4 is based in San Francisco. They’ve done extensive work with the Dayton Metro (OH) Library, Multnomah County (OR) Library, Johnson County (KS) Library, Jefferson County (CO) Public Library as well as libraries in Carlsbad, Calif., and San Francisco. The Library and Group 4 will work with local groups Design Impact and FTC&H to gather ideas from the community. For more information about the facilities project, please visit CincinnatiLibrary.org and click on “About Us” or call 513-369-6900.
Cardholders who visit our Main Library will notice many new features in the Atrium of the South building. We’ve installed a 24-bay remote book locker near the Vine Street entrance. You can have your holds put into the locker. You just need your Library card and PIN to open your locker. When you do that, your books will automatically be checked out to you—no waiting! You can also return books to the locker and have them checked back in automatically. Right now, the lockers are available for use when the Main Library is open but in the future, we hope you can use them even when the Library is closed. We’ve also installed a new laptop kiosk in the Main Library Atrium so you can check out a laptop to use anywhere in the building. And we’ll soon have pop-up activities in the Atrium including a business center and homework help! You’ll also find more featured sections of the collection in the Atrium. You can always see what we’re up to and ask about new features by visiting us on social media. You’ll find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn @CincyLibrary.
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Author Spotlight New Writer-in-Residence named for 2019; program celebrates its fifth year Jessica Strawser has spent the entirety of her career writing and editing the work of other authors. So her new role as the Library Foundation’s Writer-in-Residence for 2019 is a natural fit for her. Strawser is a graduate of Ohio University’s prestigious E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. She’s the editor-at-large of Writer’s Digest and the author of two novels, Almost Missed You and Not That I Could Tell. Her new novel, Forget You Know Me, was released in February. She lives in Loveland with her husband and two children.
Strawser made her first public appearance as the Writer-in-Residence Jan. 30 at the Main Library. In this role, Strawser will conduct a series of writers’ workshops, speak at community events, host a podcast, write a blog, and participate in Library promotions. The Writer-in-Residence program is made possible through the generous support of Naomi Tucker Gerwin and the Library Foundation. You can follow Strawser’s blog, podcasts, and scheduled events by visiting CincinnatiLibrary.org/WriterinResidence.
Why did you want to be the Library Foundation’s Writer-in-Residence? This role combines so many of the passions that have fueled my literary career: outreach to fellow writers, real-life interactions with readers, and a chance to give back to the library community, which has enriched my mind and spirit since childhood. It’s an honor as well as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m humbled and thrilled to have been selected. What advice would you give a writer who is just starting out, or one that is feeling discouraged? In starting out, give yourself permission to take your writing seriously—even if no one around you seems to. Carve out the time and the space in your life; it isn’t easy, but it is worth it. And when
the doubts and frustrations creep in, hold tight to what you loved about the craft in the first place. That is what will help you persevere. What do you love most about being an author? What’s the most challenging thing about it? There’s not much that beats the high of a good writing day, when the words are flowing and the pieces of the story you’ve been puzzling together start to fall at last into place. The biggest challenge, I think, is how lonely the work can sometimes be, particularly when it isn’t going quite so well. Why do you think the Cincinnati writing community is unique? Having been a staff writer and editor for various locally-based publishing venues in addition to my authorial
work, I know how few degrees of separation there seem to be between virtually anyone with a similar job title in town. Beyond those close-knit circles, we’re fortunate to have thriving independent bookstores, first-class libraries, and the annual Books by the Banks festival bringing a steady stream of visiting authors; those literary experiences are here and accessible for most anyone who wants them. What makes a good piece of writing? In the simplest terms, a good piece of writing pulls you in with a unique voice or hook, and compels you to keep reading until the end. Whenever something reads effortlessly, I can appreciate that it very likely required a great deal of effort and skill to get it there.
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International award-winning novelist Nnedi Okorafor Okorafor is best known for her stories of African-based science fiction, fantasy, and magical realism. She’s the author of ten books including The Book of Phoneix, Chicken in the Kitchen, the Akata series, and Who Fears Death, as well as Marvel’s Black Panther comic series. The New York Times calls Okorafor’s imagination “stunning.” Watch CincinnatiLibrary.org for more information.
Hyde Park woman visits all 41 Library locations Diane Wright is one of only a handful of people in Hamilton County who can say they’ve visited every single one of our 41 Library locations at least twice! Wright just completed her second tour of all the Library locations and, although it took her eight months, she says she made some wonderful memories. “During the summer months, I was especially impressed by the way the staff provided a safe, welcoming environment to so many children in our community,” said Wright. “Several branches were completely full of children. Symmes Township is just such a powerhouse of a library. The day I visited, almost every quiet study space was full, and as I walked through the building, there were people tutoring, reading poetry, coaching chess, and making fantastic use of all the space.”
Wright began her tour in March and ended in August. She took photos of every branch and spoke to staff at each stop. “At a number of the branches, my breath was taken away by the beautiful details,” recalled Wright. Wright’s first complete tour of the Library system was in 2005. “I was a mom and a social worker, so I was looking for things I could do for free with my young son,” said Wright. “We loved going to our local library, so I started wondering about the other branches. Just for fun I gave myself a target of seeing them all over the course of a year. It was an amazing way to see our larger community, and to get to know parts of the city I had never visited.” “Libraries have always been a place of peace and quiet and safety for me,” said Wright. “The older I get the more I appreciate their importance. It’s the only place you can go and spend time without money or documentation.” To see Wright’s favorite photos from her tour of the Library locations, visit Cinlib.org/DianeWright.
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Happening at the Library
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Friday, March 15 at 11:45 a.m. at the Main Library
Celebrate Irish heritage with exciting performances! This traditional holiday event features music by Dark Moll and a performance by the famous McGing Irish Dancers. Reserved seating is available for Friends of the Public Library members by calling 513-369-6035.
Women’s Health Fair Saturday, March 16, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Main Library March is International Women’s Month, and the Library wants to provide the women of Hamilton County with information and vital health resources during this free event. We’re partnering with the YWCA, Women Helping Women, Planned Parenthood, La Leche League, Caracole, the Homeless Coalition, and more. Take free classes during this event including a beginner’s yoga class, a breastfeeding class, and a women’s self-defense class. Visit CincinnatiLibrary.org for more information.
Cincinnati’s Historic Architecture On display through April 28 in the Main Library’s Joseph S. Stern, Jr. Cincinnati Room
Since Cincinnati’s founding in 1788, buildings have played a major role in the story of the city’s growth. While iconic structures such as Music Hall, City Hall, and Union Terminal are fine examples of widely known historic buildings in the region, countless other structures quietly continue on as vital reminders of our collective past. Explore Cincinnati’s architectural heritage through this exhibit and see images online at Cinlib.org/HistoricCincy.
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Back row from left: Dr. Gary Zola, Director of the American Jewish Archives; Cassaundra Hooks; Nina Jackson; Dr. Martha Viehmann; Dr. Ericka King-Betts, Vice President; Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director of the Library Paula Brehm-Heeger; Desiré Bennett; Christina Brown; Robin Lee; Louise Lawarre Front row from left: Lois Shegog; Frances Canty; Barbara Gomes; Vivian Rodgers; Dr. Nancy Savage
Thank you to Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition The Library Board of Trustees and the Library administration would like to thank the Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition for their donation to purchase books, audiobooks, and DVDs for the Library’s collection relative to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the people who were part of the movement for freedom in the 1950s and 1960s.
Demand is high for online coding course at the Library The Library offers a free online coding course and demand is high. Treehouse offers “tracks” on a variety of advanced technology related topics including coding, web design, and app creation. Tracks are self-paced and progress can be tracked and saved over time.
Right now the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is the only library in the state of Ohio to offer Treehouse. We have 150 seats available for six-week sessions. Since the Library debuted the service in April of 2017, more than 1,100 cardholders have taken Treehouse courses. Treehouse licenses are supported, in part, from a generous contribution from The Johnson Foundation. To register for Treehouse, visit Cinlib.org/Treehouse.
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Library Foundation welcomes new board members The Library Foundation welcomed six new board members. Jeanette Altenau currently serves as the Director of Community Relations for TriHealth. Jeanette currently serves on the Board of Directors for Cincinnati Arts Association, Cincinnati Ballet, Interact for Health, Marvin Lewis Community Fund, and Spirit of Cincinnatus. Jeanette has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Dedication Award by the Northern Kentucky Branch of NAACP; the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau Spirit of Cincinnati Champion Award; the Cincinnatus Award, and The Friars Award. She is also a two-time Emmy nominee and in 2012, and was recognized as one of the “100 Minds – Thought Leaders in the Greater Cincinnati Region”. Laura Mitchell is the superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools and has extensive experience with fundraising, partnerships, facilities planning, and grants. She was featured in the Learners and Leaders video series produced by the National Association for Elementary School Principals and served on the Governor’s Commission on Leadership Collaboration.
Kate Rippe is a Cincinnati native and the founder of Rippe Financial Group, specializing in planning for businesses and business owners. She has previously served as the committee chair of DM2030 for Association for Corporate Growth and is currently serving on the Community Advisory Committee for UC Health. Casey Ruschman is a products and services manager for Duke Energy. Ruschman was part of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s Forty Under 40 Class of 2018, a YWCA Rising Star 2017, and was named in the “Next Generation of Community Leaders” by Venue Magazines in 2017. Noah Stern is a partner at the law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP. He specializes in healthcare law and tax law, with additional expertise in corporate governance. Noah often consults nonprofits on matters ranging from unrelated business taxable income issues and excess benefits transactions to mergers and acquisitions. He has been named one of the Best Lawyers of America for tax law eight years in a row.
Diane Cunningham Redden is currently head of CBRN & uniform sales for the LION Group Inc. She’s served on numerous boards and committees including the Ohio Governor’s Council on Aging Advisory Board. She is also the Honorary Chairwoman of the Hamilton County Republican Party and is serving as a member of the Library Board of Trustees.
Libraries are so much more. More information on the Library Foundation and its board can be found: Foundation.cincinnatilibrary.org/WhoWeAre/FoundationDirectors.
Thank you...
The Library is deeply grateful for the generosity of our community and welcomes gifts of all sizes. Your donations are essential to ensuring delivery of excellent Library services and the availability of the widest possible range of informational resources for all ages. For inquiries regarding contributions, please contact Staci Dennison, Thomas W. Jones Executive Director, at (513) 369-4595.
The following gifts were received between Jan. 1, 2018 and Dec. 31, 2018. For more information about donating to the Library Foundation and to see Pet Memorials and Memorial Tributes, visit our website at CincinnatiLibraryFoundation.org.
GIFTS TO THE LIBRARY AND FOUNDATION $100,000+ The Estate of Patricia M. Allen
Borcherding Heck Family Fund Jeremy Briggs
The Estate of Patricia C. Winans
Champlin Architecture
$25,000+
Joseph Dehner and Noel Julnes-Dehner
Duke Energy Foundation
$10,000+ Kimber L. Fender William Hueneke Foundation, Huntington Bank Trustee
Cord Foundation
Ellen T. and Dr. Stewart B. Dunsker Designated Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation GE Foundation Jennifer Holt-Harris
$500+ Anonymous John Bambrick Battoclette Family Foundation of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Thomas J. Breed and Annette DiGirolamo James H. Brun Ruth Brunsman John Byczkowski
The Johnson Foundation
Kenneth A. Horne
Mr. and Mrs. John LaMacchia
Cincinnati Inc. Charitable Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Huenefeld
Margaret and Joseph Conway
Hamilton County Genealogical Society
Tom Cottrell
$5,000+ The Kroger Company Community Rewards
Richard H. Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Pichler
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Kiefhaber
Western & Southern Financial Fund
Monica Donath Kohnen and Ralph W. Kohnen
$2,000+
Daniel Luther
Anonymous Bruce Family Charitable Foundation
Martin Luther King, Jr. Coalition
Doug W. Cutshall Louis Dauner Downtown Residents’ Council Friends of the Public Library Don Hild Douglas Packer
Mr. and Mrs. William J. Moran
Jennifer Pinson
Energy Alliance, Inc.
H.C. Buck and Patricia Niehoff
Sylvia S. Johnson
Scott M. Richards and Holly Varley
OrangeBoy, Inc.
The Kroger Company
Barbara R. Seiver
Sara Pearce
Preston Cates Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Doug and Kathy Spitler
Ellen Rieveschl
St. Cecilia Church
Justine Sacco
David Smolin
Dr. J. Tracy and Mrs. Sally Schreiber
Lisa Staggenborg and Fred Yaeger
Dynegy
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Trauth
$1,000+ Anonymous Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Skidmore Dr. and Mrs. Peter J. Stern
Ann C. Regan
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Staubach Margaret L. Straub The Samuel and Susan Varghese Charitable Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis B. Worthen, Ph.D.
$250+
Lakeshore Women’s Club Karen E. Larsen Mrs. Patricia Leikhim
Carl Allison
Phillip and Whitney Long
Yolanda M. Alvarez Anonymous (3)
Dr. and Mrs. Fred V. Lucas
Kathy Bach
Dan McKenna
Ausma Balinkin
Catherine L. Mitchell
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin A. Bedree
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan M. Moir
Patricia Beresford
Monfort Heights White Oak Community Association
Paula C. Brehm-Heeger Thomas, Jr. and Mary Clare Brennan Jacklyn and Gary Bryson Dr. John and Ms. Erin Campbell Amy and Ranjit Chima Mary Carol Clark Elizabeth H. and James R.Cornwell Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Susan and Jay Cranley
John Muhlhauser Nicholas Otto Dr. Manisha A. Patel and Dr. Michael G. Curran Prince Telecom, LLC Laura S. Randall Ann C. Regan Alesha Sanders Mr. and Mrs. Paul G. Sittenfeld
Wanda Crawford
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas S. Skidmore
Caitlin Crusham
Patricia W. Slavey
Matt and Melinda Davis
Martha A. Stimson
Tom Gardner
Dr. and Mrs. Theodore W. Striker
Jeff Gerrein Julia Hawgood
Dr. Alan and Shelley Tarshis
Ms. and Mr. Linda Heineman
Marjorie Ullman
Keith Hock Christopher C. Holt Kevin and Pamela Hubert Dr. Robert Keith and Ms. Kathleen Thornton James Keith Kiwanis Harvest Home Fair Association
Nathaniel Washatka Mark A. Watkins Tim Whalen Thomas Pohl
$100+ 3B Book Club AmazonSmile Howard Ammons
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Dolores Angel Anonymous (14) Applied Imagination Ltd Andrew and Renee Arken Keith Armour Anthony Auston Antone Baioni Ellen Harte Baker
Jeff Davis and Rina L. Saperstein Kate Denier Staci and Jason Dennison Kim and Rosemarie Dietrich Anthony and Tracey Dow Nancy Doyle
Ashley Barnhill
William Dreyer and Sue Wettstein
Ron Beathard
Janet and Richard Dubroff
Maria C. Blake, Ph.D.
Donald and Mary Dufek
Mary Blagdon
James P. Edmiston
Harry B. Blaine
Melanie Elkin
Sandra C. Bolek
Michelle L. Elliott
Donna Booker
Ervin Cable Construction, LLC
Aaron J. Borden and Family Dr. and Mrs. Gregory G. Boren Robert Brackenbury and Linda Parysek Stephanie and Reed Breneman Mr. and Mrs. Lee Brewster Diane Breyer Matthew Brown Rachelle Bruno Carol Burnett Ervin Cable Dr. Dustin Calhoun Kathleen and Chris Carr Cincinnati Master Plumbers Association Ray Clarke James W. Clasper and Cheryl C. Albrecht Communications Construction Group, LLC Susan Conway Nancy Cooley Beth Cooper Kassy and Jeff Corken Dr. Cynthia Crown and Dr. David C. Flaspohler Diane Cunningham Redden Janet Davenport
Jennifer J. Faber Robert C. Faelten Mark and Elaine Fay
Bertha Hertz Lynn Himburg Reverend Patricia S. Hobson Sue W. Hoel Larry Holt Kathy Holzderber Sarah Howison
Madisonville Roundtable Book Club Mr. and Mrs. Charles Margolis David Mason John McHugh and Janet Self Jeff and Lori Miller
Kathy Huebner
Miniature Society of Cincinnati
Mary Elizabeth Huey
Philip Moore
Walter C. Hulon
John Morton
Angela Hursh
Navaro Family Charitable Fund
Lucinda Hurst
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry W. Schoen George Schober Rebecca Seeman and David Wood Nathaniel Sempsrott Maria A. Sferra Ann Shinkle David B. Siders
Caroline IdinopulosVigran
Tracey Nowlin
Betty Ann Smiddy
Mickey O’Brien
Tara Smith
Greg Ionna
Rhonda and James O’Reilly
Sogetsu Cincinnati Branch
Jason Palmeri
Gerri S. Strauss
Mr. and Mrs. Howard E. Jackson
David and Patricia Pedersen
David K. Johnson
Megan Pfaltzgraff
Carla Kampschmidt
April Piatt
Marjorie Fox
Dr. Marcia Kaplan and Dr. Michael Privitera
Eileen Pieczona
Elyse French
Mary Kartal
Craig Froehle
Jill Keller
Jonathan Garrison
Marie Ketterman
Mrs. Suzanne E. Geier
Roberta Kittell
Alana Gerson
Linda Klump
H. Drew Gores Dr. and Mrs. Steven Gores
Forest Park Women’s Club
Jenna Schmitz
Patricia Simmons
John F. Jaeger and Faye A. Jaeger
Floyd-Scott, CPA & Associates, Inc.
Kenneth Scheffel
Mary T. Naylor
Mark Patterson
Jeanne Fischer
Krystie Salyers
Janice Huy
Mary Jacqmin
Daniel Findley
Leslie Salka
Mary Ann Rack Sue and Jerry Ransohoff Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Bret and Tonja Specht Robert Strub Lenore O. Stulbarg Kathy Taylor Susan Taylor Carolyn Thielen Florence E. Thompson Janet Todd Esperanza Tovar
Ken Reeder
TCS Communications, LLC
Anthony J. Rein
Nadja Turek
Sharon Koenig
John R. Reusing
Ann Turner
Lisa Krain and Michael Goldberg
Christopher Rice
Brittany Ulrich
Sarah Rice
Rosalie van Nuis
Janet L. Kramer
Susan Ridgway
Karl Gussow
J K Krupp
Tina M. Riehle
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vaughan
Carolyn Gutjahr
Ms. Shirley Kruse
Priscilla G. Haffner
Judi Anton Lapp
Steve and Helen Rindsberg
Albert Hallenberg
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Lapresto
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ripp
William J. Walls
Rene Robers
Jeffrey P. Waltz
Bea Larsen
Wolf Roder
Paul and Jo Ann Ward
Richard and Tracie Laughlin
John and Cheryl Rogers
Herman J. Weber
Lynn Rogers
Jennifer Weikert
Deborah Roney
Sharon Welte
Monique Rothschild
Thurman B. Wenzl
Jennifer Rusche
James Wesner
V’Ann Ryther and Linda Norwell
Dr. and Mrs. David Wiltse
Judith Green and Tom McDonough
Lisa Hamrick Dr. and Mrs. William D. Hardie Kyla Hardin Harriett W. Hart Ned Heeger-Brehm Trisha Herbers Andrew and Neeru Hershey
Kate Lawrence Dr. Duane Lewis Leigh E. Lies Judith W. Lindner Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lower
William W. Victor Jennie Vose
Dan and Carol Young
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Under $100
Michael E. Broyles
James Dell
Mary L. Ginn, Ph.D.
Deborah M. Hull
Chandra M. Abrams
John Bruggen Jennifer Burden
Mrs. and Mr. Enid T. Ginsburg
Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
Sharon Adair
Delta Kappa Gamma Society
Dianne Miller Adamore
Emily Burkot
Holly and Todd DeRosa
Karen Glink
Rick C. Addison
Michael Cahir
James DeWitt
Becca Gober
John Ahlrichs
Annie Calico
Patricia A. Dissett
Brett Goodson
Jeff’s Drive Thru & Carry Out
Teresa Ahrenholz
Hillary R. Canan Copsey
Shirley Duff
Madeleine Gordon
Robbie Jennings Michels
Tasneem Aijaz
Linda S. Cardamone
Helen S. Dupree
Becca Grober
Eva S. Johnson
Louise Allen
Lindsay Cavagnaro
Justin Dutro
Lynn Groh
Stacey Johnson
Adriana Alvarez
Katie Chao
Carolyn Dwyer
Mr. and Ms. Ricky D. Johnson
Jennifer Alvis
Amy Charley
Phylllis and Mark Gronauer
Heidi Cheek
C. Richard Groth
Joanne Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Phil Amato
Anne Chimenti
Jeffrey T. Grothaus and Stephanie M. Kovalcik
Adeline Johnson
Anonymous (36) Lisa Arnett
Michael R. Christian-Budd
Cathleen Arnold
Cincinnati Marathon, Inc.
Susan P. Atherton
Dr. Louis E. Clayborn and Kathy Friedman Clayborn
Rosa Eakins Joanne Earls Janice M. Easterling Erica Eastman Tara Eaton
Kristen Gruber-Greene and Chris Greene
Shannon Eck
Marilyn Gunn
Kathy Edelen
Gabrielle Hallenbeck
Inez Clayton
Ted Ellington
Michael Haller
Karen A. Clumpner
Edith Elmore
Jennifer Hammonds
Janet Banks
Dr. Terence Cody
Tricia and Ben Erickson
Elizabeth K. Hardy
Kimberly Baranowski
Susan Cohen and Rob Schmuelling
Sheridan Easterling
John Harward
Mike Fair
Lucy Hattemer
Shawn Farrell
Dr. Thomas Hayes and Margaret Ann Gajus
Gabriel Baker Charlene BandurragaHole
Jonathan Barber Steve Barlage Elizabeth Batie Corey Beilstein
Mark and Sue Cohen Carolyn Coldiron Mary Coleman
Daniel Bellomo
Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Connelly
Cynthia Benesch
Andrew Cook
Alice Beresford
Stephanie Cooper
The Berlings
Mary V. Cormier
Carrie Bernard
Valerie Costello
Mrs. and Mr. John L. Biederman
Julie Courtney
Gregory Fasig Janet Fatika Joan Fatika FC Cincinnati Community Partnership Program Nancy Feller Raymond Fellinger
Eugene and Nancy Jacob Stephanie Janssen
Angie Jones Ann Jordan Mary Ellen Kelley Donald Kelm Kathy A. Kennedy-Brunner Linda Ketchum Sue M. Kircher Judy M. Kirzner Aimee Kirzner Richard Kissing Mr. and Mrs. Gary Kline
Herbert Hayes
Kolar Design
Pamela A. Healy
Nicole Koschmeder
Fredrick M. Heath
Kate Kraus
The Honorable Sylvia and Robert G. Hendon
Ashok Krishnamurthy
Gene J. Hessler
Cynthia Kuhr
Randolph Krumm
Corey Ferguson
Kelwin Hester Stephanie Hicks
Covedale Branch Library
Michael J. Fischer and Suzanne G. Fischer
Linda Hilgeman
Ann Cox
Joe Flanders
Mary Hilvert
Lakota Retired Teachers Book Club
Ronald and Betty Bollinger
Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius X. Coyle
Rhea D. Floyd
Quoc Hoang
Billy Lane
Kelly Boudreaux
Mary Coyne
Eric Franke
Caitlin Hoffer
Janet Langhorst
Martha L. Bourgeois
Joan and Ralph Crawford
Anita L Freeman
Florette B. Hoffheimer
Pamela A. Lape
Jessica Bowman
Cathi Dahl
Ron and Elaine Friday
Mr. and Mrs. Jon Hoffheimer
Richard Lautenslager
Teresa Boykin
Betty Dandrea
Andrea Hoffmeister
Adrienne Brandicourt
Kathleen Dannemiller
Ms. and Mr. Heidi Leugers
Colette Brehm
Teryk Darks
Loretta Brenkert
Shaun Davidson
Kerry F. and Couper G. Gardiner
Stephanie Bricking
Karen Davis
Garibay Family
Marisue Briede
Kristin Davis
Melanie Garner
Michelle Brockmeyer
Kimberly Dechert
Brenda Gatti
Ms. and Mr. Vicki Brown
Joan Deener
Patricia Gayle
Hudson Family Fund
Joanna Brown
Barbara Deering
Chuck Brown and Linda Seiter
The DeFosse Family
Sally Giannella and Danielle Minson
Isabelle F. Hugo
Birthroots, Inc Ms. Kelly Blair
Sara Friedrichsmeyer Bill Frietsch Virginia S. Gandy
Shirley Gibson
Patricia and Michael Hollstegge Sheila R. Homan Edwin Hopping Anna Horton Steven Horwatt Joanne Huelsman
Stacey Kutish Catherine Labmeier
Harry Leigh Edward Levy Patti and John Lewis Barbara Lewis Angie Lewis Mort and Barbara Libby Laura Lindenschmidt Robin Lippelman Catherine Lippert Derek Longmire, Sr.
LIBRARY LINKS // SPRING 2019 // 013 Rose Mary Lower
Lindsay Nichols
Joshua Roth
Bethany Spencer
Louise Watts
Oliver H. Loyd
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Norton
Mary Jo Rottmueller
Judith Spillner
Mary Anne Wehrend
Marlene Ryan
Angela Stapleton
Lacey Wehrle
Marcia Sachs
Patricia Stavovy
Sarah Wiechert
Ms. Donna J. Salmon
Beth Stone
Jenny Weikert
Holbrook Sample
Mr. Thomas Storey
Delana Sanders
Barbara Stough
Nancy and Howard Weinberg
Dr. Richard S. Sarason
Carol Strathman
Kristyn Saroff
Sharon B. Stuard
Nancy D. Sauer
Alice Suckow
Claire Pancero
Mrs. and Mr. Robert W. Saul, Jr.
Mary Sunderhaus and Jen Holthause
Leslie Pavelka
Kathleen Sauer
The John Sutter Family
Barry Whitton
Julie Payne
John Savage
Andy Sutthoff
Tom Wilkinson
PayPal Giving Fund
Mary Scheper
Kaylie Suttles
Madelyn Williams
Kayla Peak
Frances F. Schloss Anita Schmidt
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Swank
Nancy Windes
Alvin and Josephine Peck Gwendolyn C. Peerless
John H. Schmitz
Jean McFaddin
Mr. and Mrs. Bruno Perfetti
Kathleen Schneider
Molly McGraw
Glenn Perry
Bevin McLaughlin
Valerie Perry
Casandra L. McLin
Julie Peterson
Scott and Annie McManis
Kathleen L. and Nancy Phelan
Elaine Luchi and Darin Ladd Mr. and Mrs. David Lundgren Brittney N. Malmgren Karen L. Mandel Terrance Mangan Kenedy Manuel Raymond Martell Sara Mathews Dave and Linda Mathews Elissa May Cathy and Mark Mayer Sarah McClelland Carolyn McCune Renee McCutcheon Jill McDavid
LeeAnn McNabb Redmond and Leslie McNeill
Jim Nunn Gretchen Nye Nancy O’Connor Saundra Oprea Kelly Otting Whyte Destini Pace Thomas Paff Jerry Palermo
Lorenzo Pollard Clint Powers
Ruth Schneider William Schorr Claire Schroeder Paul Schultz Ray Schumacher Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Schwartz
Kaitlyn Weiss Jennifer Wenger Mary Wernke Paul West George and Dorothy White
Symmes Spanish Club
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Winrow
Nancy Tanner
Anne M. Wolfer
Laura Temming
Jennifer Woods
Bill and Marilyn Thiemann
Diane Wright
Bethany Thomas
Todd Wright
William M. Thomas
Megan Wurth
Ellen Thomas-Arnold
Joan Wyler
Jenna Thorn
Anthony and Wanda Yachnis
Judi Tipton
Donna Schweikert
Casey Titschinger
Libby Scott
Tri-State Plan Administration, Inc.
Donna Yeager
Donna H. Meakin
Jacob Purcell
Ba Medougou
Jerry Rehage
Vicki Meehan
Justyn Rampa
Marie and Louis Meiners
Linda Ranz
Elizabeth Meiners
Mark Reid
Nancy Melucci
Joyce Reitz
Victoria Mendoza
Bryce Rhude
Hope Metzger
Maria Richards
Barbara and Gerald Shively
Katherine Meyer
Diane Richardson
Lea Shull
Emily Vieux
Virginia Meyer
Hydee Richardson
Marilyn Simpson
Janice Vogeler
Busken Bakery
Jenifer Meyer
Debbie and Ken Richter
Mark Skelton
John Voller
Cincinnati Reds
Steven Middlemas
Glenn Riley
Blanche Voss
Chuck E. Cheese
Angela Mitchell
Jason Rinsky
Joseph Bagby and Barbara Sliter
Kennard M. Waddell
Cincinnati Museum Center
Pama A. Mitchell
Idra Risma
Mr. John Wagner
Sally Moffitt
Mac Risma
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Wahle
Cincinnati Parks - Carol Ann’s Carousel
Mandi Moning
Katelyn Ritchie
Angie Monk
Jan Robinson
Sharolyn Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Waldvogel
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Tom Moosbrugger
Lois Ross
Linda K. Smith
Barbara Wallace
FC Cincinnati
Matthew Morgan
Joseph Ross
Krista E. Smith
Geri Walsh
Gold Star Chili
Rob and Sara Mulhauser
Betsy Ross
Hemmi Song
John Walsh
Vicki Newell
Jewel Rossman
Lisa Soper
Lauren Ngo
Gwen and Joshua Roth
Ms. Elaine Ward and Mr. Craig W. Dietsch
Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park
Abi Seguin Steven L. Selss Stephanie Sepate Chad Shepherd Ed Shernoff
Barbara Smith Robert A. Smith Dania Smith and Kent Lyle
Soukup Family
Ashley Tubb Debra A. Tullius Christine Uhlenbrock DeAnne Vallo Wendi Van Buren Christine M. Van Der Bent
Virginia Warner
Eileen Yeoh Beth Yoke Yohannes Zegeye and Sophia Tsegaye Donna and Charles Zimmer Andrea Ziser and Sharon Zumwalde
In-Kind Gifts American Sign Museum
Taft Museum of Art United Dairy Farmers
LIBRARY LINKS // SPRING 2019 // 014
Friends & ATLA You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. This meeting will happen Friday, May 3, at 11:30 am in the Tower Room of the Main Library, 800 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH. RSVP by April 29 to 513-369-6035 or info@cincylibraryfriends.org.
The Library Friends’ Shop at Main Save the Date for the 47th Annual Friends’ Membership Appreciation Sale June Book Sale | June 1–8 April 15–27 at the Main Library
at the Friends’ Used Bookstore at the Warehouse in Hartwell For details and updates on both of these sales, visit cincylibraryfriends.org.
Hurricane-hit school receives care packages of books from ATLA The journey of a thousand books started with one Facebook post. and Hurricane Florence displaced many of our students. Some of them are living in hotels, campers, and multiple families per home as our community rebuilds. Our school has also grown from 600 students to 1,100 students for the remainder of the school year as we are housing another elementary school that lost their building to the hurricane. They could not bring their library collection so my 12,000 books are being checked out by 1,100 students.”
“The students are gravitating towards these funny, laugh-out-loud titles for obvious reasons. They just need to laugh and be kids.”
Carmen Eldridge, who had recently moved to Anderson Township from North Carolina, heard from her daughter that the librarian at Castle Hayne Elementary in North Carolina, Lori Winner, had put out a call on social media for books for her students.
Winner went on to write that they had to cancel the fall book fair and they don’t have the funds right now to purchase books. She put out a request for books such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dork Diaries, Baby-Sitter’s Club, Pete the Cat, Fancy Nancy, Pinkalicious, and humorous graphic novels.
Winner wrote, “Our school was hit hard by Hurricane Florence. We are a 100 percent free breakfast and lunch school during normal circumstances
“I like to think of the library and reading as an escape from reality for my students,” Winner said.
“I am a retired educator and my husband was transferred here with Duke Energy,” said Eldridge. “We have a home in Wilmington near Castle Hayne (on the coast of North Carolina) that wasn’t affected by the flood,” said Eldridge. “I transported nine boxes of discards to Castle Hayne when we went for Thanksgiving. I will take more at Christmas. They were ECSTATIC!!!!”
Lori Winner, left, and Carmen Eldridge with the “Thank You” poster made by students at Castle Hayne Elementary.
Enter Eldridge, who is a new Anderson Township Library Association volunteer. She shared the request with the ATLA group and they gathered books that were discards (frayed, written or colored in or just too many copies of a specific title) but were still readable if not sellable.
LIBRARY LINKS // SPRING 2019 // 015
Thank You, Friends of the Public Library Friends’ members play a critical role in our ability to support The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Members are ambassadors, advocates, volunteers and much, much more. All 2,267 Friends’ members are important—their gifts allow us to fund Library programming and promote literacy. Space prohibits us from listing all of you, but we recognize your generosity and salute your community-mindedness. Thank you especially for those Friends at the below membership levels. Learn more by visiting cincylibraryfriends.org.
Benefactor
Patron
Margaret Straub
Mr. and Mrs. Duane V. Keller
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Aft
Mary Ellen Addison
Carlos Teran
Victor T. LeGrand
Mr. and Mrs. John Betagole
Thomas P. Atkins
Janet Todd
Lorraine Lukens
Mr. and Mrs. James DeWitt
Ellen Harte Baker
Paula Troup
Kristen McCartney
Kim and Bob Fender
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Bedree
Ted Twyman
Gretchen B. McCormick
Nancy Gilman
Allen W. Bernard
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Vaske
Dan McKenna
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Gold
Mary R. Burger
Robert C. Vitz
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McNally
Mr. and Mrs. Gene Hawkins
Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Connelly
Jeffrey Waltz
Victoria A. Montavon
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Joyce, III
Marjorie E. Davis
Dr. and Mrs. Donald R. Welti
Christine S. Moran
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Kuhnen
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Eagen
Sponsor
Julie Nettleton
Mr. and Mrs. John P.LaMacchia
David Edmundson
Dr. and Mrs. Marc A. Alexander
Mr. and Mrs. John T. LaMacchia
Sandra Faith Hall
Mr. and Mrs. John A. Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lauf
Hamilton Co. Genealogy Society
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick J. Bazeley
Dr. G. Franklin Lowe
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory L. Hand
Elizabeth Bazell
Don Nerswick
Consuelo Harris
A. Eugene Bertke
Mr. and Mrs. Buck Niehoff
Mr. and Mrs. William Hawkins
Carol Brandt
Douglas Packer
Barbara Heldman
Dr. and Mrs. George Callard
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Paulsen
Patricia Henley
Debbie Campbell
Dan Reigle
Rosemary M. Huhn
James Cheng
Ronda A. Rose
Mr. and Mrs. James R. Kalla
Civic Garden Center
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Rouse
Cheryl A. Keller
Dr. and Mrs. Carey Costantini
Society of the Transfiguration
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Keslosky
Mrs. Lee S. Cowan
Dr. and Mrs. Peter J. Stern
Mr. and Mrs. Lionel King
Louis Mark Dauner
Philip Stuebbe
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Kohrman
Dr. and Mrs. Stewart Dunsker
Mark Watkins
Luke T. Lavin
Sylvie Falk
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wayne
Mrs. Redmond McNeill
Barbara Feldmann
Don Weiss
Thomas Moorman
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Geren
Susan Wendel
Mr. and Mrs. Randall D. Olson
Jason T. Hampton
Samuel S. Wilson
Ann C. Regan
Mr. and Mrs. Ken Horne
Mariam A. Zabel
John R. Reusing
Kim Juran
Kenneth P. Scheffel
Janice Kagermeier
Janet K. Schenk
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kappes
Janet Neumann Alice T. Palmer Deborah Palmisano Claire Pancero Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Petersen Daniel R. Pfahl Jane Pohlman Mary C. Pulliam Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Raterman Marilyn E. Rebholz Debbie Ridenour Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Rindsberg Mr. and Mrs. Ed Shernoff JoEllen Spitz Mr. and Mrs. Richard Stevie Greg Swartz Florence E. Thompson Kathy Toner Mr. and Mrs. A. Shannon Womer Mr. and Mrs. Jim Yunker Mary Rose Zink
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TALES FROM THE ARCHIVES
Let the good food roll with Creole recipes from Lafcadio Hearn Mention Mardi Gras and people automatically think all things Cajun in New Orleans. However, the Creole people of the city also contribute to the holiday’s culture. This fact was highlighted back in the 1800s by a one-time Cincinnati writer. Greek-born Patrick Lafcadio Hearn immigrated to Cincinnati at the age of 19. He worked as a reporter for the Cincinnati Daily Enquirer and The Cincinnati Commercial, and briefly as private secretary to the Cincinnati Public Library’s Director at the time, Thomas Vickers. Upon leaving Cincinnati, Hearn moved to New Orleans, then Martinique, and finally settled in Japan in 1890. He died in Tokyo in 1904. Hearn always wrote about the diverse cultures and lifestyles he witnessed. While living in New Orleans he penned the first cookbook documenting the Creole
cuisine. La Cuisine Créole was published in 1885 and is a collection of recipes from leading chefs and noted Creole housewives who helped make New Orleans famous. Here are some recipes from the book:
Louisiana orange flower macaroons Take a coffee cup of the freshly gathered petals of the orange, cut them with a pair of scissors into two pounds of dry, sifted white sugar; this keeps their color fresh. Beat the whites of seven eggs to a stiff froth, and add to the orange flowers and sugar. Drop this mixture on white paper in small cakes, and bake in a slow oven; do not let them brown.
Eggs, au gratin, for Lent Boil the eggs hard, peel and cut them in slices, and lay them in a deep dish in close circular rows. Make a sauce of a tablespoonful of butter, the yolks of four eggs, a little grated cheese and half a cup of sweet milk. Stir this over the fire until it thickens, pour it over the eggs, strew some bread crumbs on the top, and bake for about ten minutes; then send to table hot. To read Lafcadio Hearn’s Creole cookbook online, visit Cinlib.org/Creole. You can also search the Digital Library for Hearn’s book Gombo Zhèbes: A Little Dictionary of Creole Proverbs, as well as his other books and writings.
ALL LIBRARY LOCATIONS WILL BE CLOSED Sunday, April 21, for the Easter holiday and Monday, May 27, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.