It appears that social justice was left out of the mix when the Cuyahoga County Public Library Board decided to move the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library from Mayfield Road to Green Road.
The attached maps compare the location of the current South Euclid-Lyndhurst Public Library in Telling Mansion to its proposed location on Green Rd. across from Notre Dame College.
The maps indicate that the proposed move means that the library will:
1.Move farther away from the area with the most children in the cities of South Euclid and Lyndhurst.
2.Move toward the area with a higher median income in South Euclid and Lyndhurst
3.Be farther away from area with greater numbers of poor people in South Euclid and Lyndhurst
4.Be farther away from area with greater numbers of black people in South Euclid and Lyndhurst.
To look at the Library’s own maps that support keeping the library in Telling Mansion, click here.
The library board’s decisions regarding high schools may also say something about their disinterest in social justice.
•The Mayfield library was next door to Mayfield High School. It is moving to SOM Center Road, almost into Lake County.
•The current South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library is an easy walk from Brush High School. The board’s site for a new $12.6 million library on Green Rd will be about 2 miles from the high school.
•In Orange, the board is building the new library closer to Orange High School, on school grounds.
Additionally, there are NO BUSES that run down Green Road past the proposed site of the library on Saturday or Sunday. (#34 bus schedule)
The Library Board knew citizens would object if they found out that the board wanted to move the library out of Telling Mansion to a site on Green Rd.
That’s why they never told us.
That’s why they never surveyed the community or held community meetings to ask citizens what they wanted.
Is this government transparency?
Is this good governance?
We deserve better.
Please sign our online petition.
Please contact County Executive Ed FitzGerald (216)443-7178. His email address is: ContactEd@cuyahogacounty.us.
Please contact Administrative Judge of the Common Pleas Court, Judge Nancy Fuerst, (216)443-8687; her email address is: cp1nf@cuyahogacounty.us.
The County Executive and Common Pleas Court appoint board members so they can bring them to the table. Please tell Ed FitzGerald and Judge Fuerst that you want the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library to stay in Telling Mansion and ASK THEM TO ASK THE LIBRARY BOARD TO TAKE TELLING MANSION OFF THE MARKET IMMEDIATELY.
It is for sale and someone could buy it at any time. Read the listing here.
If you call Ed FitzGerald or Judge Fuerst after hours or on weekends you can leave a message.
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The maps in this post were created by staff from Neo Cando at Case Western Reserve University. The maps are based on U.S. Census data.
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