Friends of the Euclid Public Library Newsletter

FALL 2025 Volume 9, Issue 3

475 E 185th Street / Euclid, OH 44119 / (216) 261-5300

Message from the President, Roberta Gibbons

Kudos to all who made the 90th Anniversary Celebration of the Euclid Public Library which was such an amazing event. Many people told me how much they enjoyed the different activities. Many thanks, especially, to the current and former Friends of the Euclid Public Library board members and family members, who donated their time and talents.

The Friends are looking forward to our Fall Women in History event at Collision Bend Brewing Company, 1261 Babbitt Road, on Thursday, October 23. An actress portraying Margaret Hamilton of The Wizard of Oz fame will be featured. Lunch will begin at noon. Tickets, at $18 for members and $20 for non-members, are available at the library circulation desk and online (a small service fee will be added for tickets purchased online). Our annual meeting will be held in Shore Landing at Shore Cultural Centre at 6:30 PM on Monday, November 10. The main topics will be a year in review and election of officers and board members. The featured speaker for the program portion of the evening is Dr. Roy Larick who will speak about Euclid history.

We are unable to have book sales until the library renovation is completed. We are trying to increase our membership to help us fund library programs, including the summer and winter reading programs. Please consider asking friends and acquaintances to think about joining us in promoting the library.

If you happen to hear of anyone who did not receive this newsletter, please ask them to contact us by calling the library or using our email address, friendsofeuclidpl@gmail.com. The latest newsletter is also available on the library’s website.

We are still looking for more board members. This includes a commitment to attend the once-monthly board meeting, serve on a variety of committees, and volunteer at library events. If interested, contact Bobbi at friendsofeuclidpl@gmail.com. If you don’t wish to be a part of the board, but have strengths you’d like to share on a committee, feel free to contact me for more information.

Finally, many thanks to Joy Bailey and Betty Rossmann who have left the board since the last newsletter. Joy was invaluable on the PAC committee and volunteering at the book sale and other events. Betty served as an officer and she and her husband were invaluable at book sales and other events. Both will be greatly missed.

I hope to see you at our upcoming events. Happy Fall!

Message from Director, Kacie Armstrong

Euclid Public Library is moving into an exciting fall season filled with opportunities to engage, learn, and celebrate together.

Thank you, Friends, for helping us to successfully conclude the Build a Better World Summer Reading Program. As of this report, we had 1,012 readers in the program. All summer long, we encouraged participants of all ages to help “build a better world,” culminating in a special celebration of the Library’s 90th Anniversary. More than 250 residents joined us at Sims Park to enjoy a variety of activities in honor of this milestone. We are grateful for the support of our long-term partners—the City of Euclid, the Friends of the Library, and the Euclid Public Library Foundation—who helped us highlight that Euclid Public Library is truly the gem of our community. We were also honored to receive resolutions of recognition from Ohio Senator Kent Smith, Representative Eric Synenberg, and Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail, making the celebration even more memorable. After the whirlwind of planning for the 90th Anniversary, staff welcomed the opportunity to take a brief pause. While programs and services continued, the slower pace gave us time to begin preparing for our next major milestone: the Grand Reopening Celebration in 2026.

In August, the Board of Trustees met to discuss reductions to the library’s budget. In response, staff are proactively developing strategies to address these funding challenges while ensuring the preservation of essential services, programs, and resources that our community relies on. Despite these financial challenges, summer was filled with moments of progress and connection.

In September, we will celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month, encouraging new and returning patrons to discover everything their library card has to offer—from books and eBooks to digital resources, programs, and more. In October, we will join the nationwide observance of Banned Books Week by launching the I Aspire to Read series through the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table. This initiative affirms our commitment to access, representation, and the freedom to read. Remember to visit us this fall as we only have about 8 months remaining before we move back to the Main Library.

Thank you for your continued support and please connect with us online at euclidlibrary.org, by phone at 216-261-5300, or through our social media platforms. EPL is on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and Linked-In!

Congratulations to our 2025 Adult Summer Reading prize winners!

Fonda Oprian

Catherine Gibbons

Upcoming Events

Saturday, October 18

Author Visit: Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz by Don Billie

2:00 PM / New Life At Calvary Church

This event will take place at New Life At Calvary Church located at 2020 E 79th Street, Cleveland OH 44103.

Thursday, October 23

The Friends of the Euclid Public Library Presents:

Women in History featuring Ruth Pangrace as Margaret Hamilton

12:00 PM / Collision Bend Brewing Company

Click here to purchase tickets.

Join us for a live re-enactment of Margaret Hamilton, the iconic actress best known for her unforgettable role as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.

This event will take place at Collision Bend Brewing Company located at 1261 Babbitt Road, Euclid.

Saturday, October 25

Author Visit: Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz by Don Billie

1:00 PM / Cleveland Public Library Rockport Campus

This event will take place at Cleveland Public Library Rockport Campus located at 14000 Puritas Ave., Cleveland, OH 44135.

Monday, November 10

Friends of the Euclid Public Library Annual Meeting

6:30 PM / Shore Cultural Centre, Shore's Landing Room 152

Election of officers and board members for the Friends of the Euclid Public Library will begin at 6:30 PM.

Our featured speaker, Dr. Roy Larick, begins his presentation on humans and the natural world at 7:00 PM.

Reversing History in Euclid

Humans transform the natural world to meet our own ends, often to nature's detriment. Dr. Larick will show how Euclidians have transformed local nature during two centuries, and how we and nature are the poorer for it. To have a livable future, we must live better with our place--live more equitably with nature. Dr. Larick will present elemental ways to help reverse the more unsustainable transformations, to benefit nature and ourselves. It can be done!

This event will take place at Shore Cultural Centre located at 291 East 222 St, Euclid, Room 152.

Election of Officers and Board Members

Nominations are now open for officers and five board seats. According to the Bylaws, “Any five (5) members may, in writing to the Corresponding Secretary not less than five (5) days immediately preceding the annual meeting, nominate additional candidates, with their prior consent in writing, to the Board of Trustees.”

Contact Betty Bilicic at friendsofeuclidpl@gmail.com if you wish to nominate someone.

The nominating committee has submitted the following:

Elected Officers

1-year term, 2026

President: Roberta (Bobbi) Gibbons

Vice President/Program Chair: Kali Harris

Treasurer: Donna Sudar

Recording Secretary: Gay Marie Goden

Corresponding Secretary: Betty Bilicic

Board Seats

3-year term, 2026-2029

Betty Bilicic

Roberta Gibbons

Gay Marie Goden

Desiree Korpowski

June Taylor

These nominations will be presented at the Friends Annual Meeting on November 10, 2025, 6:30 PM at Shore Cultural Centre located at 291 East 222 St, Euclid, Room 152.

Friends Board

President

Roberta "Bobbi" Gibbons

Vice President & Program Chair

Kali Harris

Treasurer

Donna Sudar

Corresponding Secretary

Betty Bilicic

Recording Secretary

Gay Marie Goden

Membership Chair

Simone Gatewood

Book Sale Chair

Del Serre

Members at Large

Charlene Davis

Desiree Korpowski

Marcia Pymn

June Taylor

The Friends of the Library Board usually meets the first Monday of every month at 7:00 PM. Friends are welcome to attend.

Due to the library's renovation, meetings will be held at Shore Cultural Centre, Room 41.

Enter door #3 from the front lot or door #7 from the back lot and go to the lower level.

Upcoming Meetings

Monday, October 6

Monday, November 3

Monday, December 1

Friends Membership

Individual/Family -- $5.00

Book Collector -- $10.00

Special Friend -- $25.00

Book Lover -- $50.00

Book Conservator -- $75.00

Book Connoisseur -- $100

euclidlibrary.org | (216) 261-5300 | Contact Us

475 E 185th Street, Euclid, OH 44119

Euclid Public Library

Friends of Euclid Public Library Newsletter

Between Friends - FALL 2025