New Cuyahoga County Public Library South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch Opens

By Janet Dodrill

In line to receive limited edition commemorative library card. (Photo: Karen Sandstrom)

The long-awaited new South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 1876 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio, 44121, had its grand opening on Sunday, October 18, 2015.

Prior to construction of the new building, there was much controversy surrounding the sale of the former building, the charming and historic William E. Telling mansion. It is claimed that the a private sale was made by library officials without the consensus of tax payers. The library claimed that the building was too expensive to maintain and did not lend itself for newer technology and accessibility. The Telling mansion was purchased by an individual who will convert the former library building into the American Porcelain Museum, due to open in spring of 2016.

The new 30,000+ square foot library is very impressive and offers state-of-the-art technology not available at the old library.

An expansive and interactive activity children’s area modeled after the book, Journey by author and illustrator Aaron Becker, has over-sized constructions, movable magnets, and hanging displays, all modeled after its book illustrations.

The youth area houses comic books which can be checked-out, a homework assistance center, and has an attached sound studio for audio recording.

South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library.

3-D printers will travel from library to library within the Cuyahoga County Public Libraries.

A much improved larger DVD browsing area with plenty of room to walk through multiple movie racks.

Skylights and a sense of openness in the large main room, which houses the main information desk, books racks and public computer terminals. All computers have been upgraded.

I was personally impressed with the new technology training room which will offer free technology classes, and the computers are open to the public in-between classes.

Two double-sided fireplaces and all new contemporary furniture, coupled with tasteful fixtures from the previous building, like table lamps, add style and atmosphere, with designated quiet areas. A writer’s center, and individual meeting rooms with sizes for small business meetings to larger capacity conference rooms are available for reserve in at least 2-hour increments.

The natural light is wonderful, and there is a real sense of unique spaces there.

Limited edition library card, artwork by Janet Dodrill.

I was honored to provide the artwork for the limited edition library card, available through October 25th.

Despite missing the much-loved and unique former location and historic Telling mansion, I am very impressed with the accommodations, technological updates, and comfort the new library brings. Below are a few recent photos.

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Resource Links:

Cuyahoga County Public Library

Cuyahoga County Public Library, South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch

3,600 celebrate opening of new South Euclid-Lyndhurst library, Cleveland Jewish News, October 20, 2015

South Euclid-Lyndhurst Library branch opening Sunday draws hundreds, Sun News, October 18, 2015

(Text and photos copyright Janet Dodrill. Not to be used without prior permission.)

 

South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, grand opening.

 

New Cuyahoga County Public Library South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch.

 

Library grand opening crowd.

 

Main library lounge area with fireplace.

 

Main library quiet area with fireplace.

 

Kiosk at new library.

 

Library staff Dianne Rose on left. (Photo: Stuart Smith)

 

Library grand opening dedication plaque.

 

Main library area and information desk.

 

Main library area.

 

Reserved parking for fuel efficient vehicles.

 

Writer’s center area.

 

Magnet poem activity in writer’s center.

 

Technology learning center.

 

Sound studio for audio recording.

 

Youth area.

 

Children’s area.

 

“Journey” by Aaron Becker.

 

Children’s area, decorated with inspiration from the book “Journey” by Aaron Becker.

 

Children’s area castle display, based on the book “Journey” by Aaron Becker.

 

Children’s area magnet board activity.

 

Children’s area lounge.

 

Motion sensor activity, children’s area.

 

Free donuts for the grand opening from DonutLab.

 

Free donuts for the grand opening from DonutLab.

Schmitz-Horning Co. Catalogs, Lithos Digitized at Cleveland Public Library and CleDPL

By Janet Dodrill

CleDPL library assistant Ray Rozman scans an original Schmitz-Horning Co. wall mural design.

In going through the family house a few years ago, I discovered catalogs and samples from my great-grandfather’s former Cleveland-based business, the Schmitz-Horning Company. Since then, I have been researching and learning about the company, and our family’s role in the company.

The Schmitz-Horning Company, which specialized in high quality washable color wallpaper, artistic murals and scenic panoramic wall coverings, was founded around 1905 by Hugo M. Schmitz I, an artist and my great-grandfather, and William (Bill) Horning, a lithographer. Mr. Horning left the partnership around 1920. My grandfather (Hugo’s son), Warren R. Schmitz, acted as vice president of the company starting in the late 1920s. After the tragic automobile-related death of Hugo Schmitz in 1938, Warren Schmitz served as president of the company.

Through Google, Cleveland’s newspaper The Plain Dealer archives through the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s website, and family materials, I have started my journey of piecing together a historical footprint of the company and some of the people that worked at the company.

CPL Map/GIS librarian Tom Edwards scans a Schmitz-Horning scenic wallpaper design.

Recently, I discovered the public resources available at Cleveland Public Library in downtown Cleveland. Over several trips there, I visited the Cleveland Digital Public Library (CleDPL) (under the direction of Chatham Ewing, Digital Library Strategist), at 325 Superior Avenue, 3rd floor, the map department and the history department at 525 Superior Avenue, 6th floor, the business department on the 2nd floor, and the photograph collection on the 4th floor, and as a patron received assistance in researching and in documentation of our family’s materials.

Additionally, I was made aware of the Cleveland Public Library Digital Gallery, the library’s public online digital gallery.

Panoramic Friezes catalog, 1909-1910, the Schmitz-Horning Company, Cleveland, Ohio.

A dedicated library staff assisted and enabled me to do extensive high resolution and large-scale scanning of our deteriorating Schmitz-Horning original wallpaper designs and mural lithographs, and multiple company catalogs, with an early one dating back to 1909, and most being the only known catalogs in existence. The Cleveland Digital Public Library, a new department since spring of this year, accommodated me for many hours spread over several weeks by assisting me with scans on an i2s SupraScan Quartz overhead scanner, synced to a pc, with size capabilities up to 33″ x 46″. They suggested methods regarding the preservation and storing of the materials. Other equipment available included an Epson Expression 10000 XL for photographs, and several book scanners, one high-speed ATIZ scanner, and one a versatile and user-friendly Knowledge Imaging Center (KIC) scanner. The map department had a large-scale feed-through type scanner (plus printer), a Hewlett Packer Designjet T1200 HD MFP, which scans up to 41″ wide by any length, which enabled me to scan one-of-a-kind lithographic wallpaper rolls, some over 100 inches long.

A selection of the materials scanned will be available on the Cleveland Public Library Digital Gallery, making documentation on this historic Cleveland business available to the public. Individuals researching companies in the wallpaper industry may also find it useful.

Other Schmitz-Horning blog posts by Janet Dodrill:

Schmitz-Horning Co. Artists Created Impressive Lithographic Murals and Scenic Wallpaper

Google Cultural Institute

Schmitz-Horning Co. Ming Floral Scenic Wallpaper Pattern

Schmitz-Horning Company Created Wallpaper Murals and Art

Articles about Cleveland Digital Public Library:

Cleveland Digital Public Library Will Offer High-Tech Scanning For The Masses

Ohio: Grand Opening of Cleveland Digital Public Library (ClevDPL) Taking Place Today

Ohio Public Libraries Receive Grant Funding To Create Network Of Coordinated Digitization Hubs

Curtis Flowers scans a Schmitz-Horning Co. lithograph on CleDPL’s large overhead scanner.

The Cleveland Digital Public Library (CleDPL) department of Cleveland Public Library.

Book Scanner at Cleveland Digital Public Library.

Copyright article and images. All rights reserved. Not to be used without permission.

Experience Fremont Street

By Janet Dodrill

Vegas Vik, the famous Vegas neon cowboy, is seen in this Fremont Street Experience image.

The famous Fremont Street sits in Old Las Vegas (Glitter Gulch), and is home to some of Vegas’s first casinos and hotels (like the Golden Nugget). In the early 1990s Fremont Street was closed for construction of the Fremont Street Experience — a 90-foot high barrel LED vault canopy, spanning four blocks in length. The canopy covers the outdoor streets of the existing hotels and casinos.

While I was there I saw two (light) shows, Bon Jovi at 9:00 p.m. and The Who at 10:00 p.m. The street was alive with people enjoying the Vegas night life, including two free concerts at different locations under the canopy.

As a show begins, the outdoor casino building lights shut off, and the canopy comes alive in an animated light show, choreographed to music.

Below are some photos from my experience on Fremont Street!

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV.

Resources:

Wikipedia, Fremont Street

Wikipedia, Fremont Street Experience

Photos © Janet Dodrill

iPad Art by Janet Dodrill

by Janet Dodrill

Recently, I picked up the iPad and started drawing, using primarily two art apps, ArtStudio ($4.99) by Lucky Clan (raster-based), and Inkpad (FREE) by Taptricks, Inc. (vector-based). I created together a series of images and presented them at a meeting about art apps titled A Quick Tour of Art Apps for iPad, at Cleveland Digital Publishing Users Group (CDPUG) on March 27, 2014.

Here are some of my iPad images.

Using Inkpad app:

Carousel Horse iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rare Books iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Cat Ever iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using ArtStudio app:

Two Cats iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleveland Euclid Beach Carousel Society iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peace Lily iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleveland iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carousel iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleveland Ship iPad Art by Janet Dodrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Dorsey Was Here

By Janet Dodrill

Jack Dorsey at Cleveland Clinic’s Ideas for Tomorrow Speaker Series.

Last week I was honored to hear Jack Dorsey speak in an interview with Toby Cosgrove, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Cleveland Clinic, at the Clinic’s Ideas for Tomorrow Speaker Series. Jack is creator, co-founder, and executive chairman of Twitter, Inc. social networking feed and the co-founder and CEO of Square, Inc., a device which enables mobile credit card payments via iPhone or iPad.

The one-hour informal talk gave us insight on Jack’s ideas that lead to Twitter, like an interest in mass transit and developing a means for emergency workers, taxis and couriers to communicate in real time. Jack’s early creativity included some formal training in art and design. He initially sketched ideas for Twitter’s process and Square’s user interface, and currently works at both companies, Twitter headquartered in San Francisco, and Square in New York City.

The Twitter name went through some early word-smithing, starting as Jitter and then Twitch. Did you know that Twitter is still banned in Syria, Iran and China? I believe in the usefulness of Twitter and have been tweeting nearly five years now!

According to Jack, only 8 million small businesses today can accept credit cards, and 26 million small businesses can’t. Square charges a flat 2.75% fee, which is less than most online merchant banks charge, and has created a huge opportunities for small businesses to use this product for their customers to make payments. I was at a holiday art bazaar a couple months ago and one vendor was using the Square on an iPad for customers purchasing their lama socks and hats.

Square currently holds a lot of potential for money-less and hands-free purchasing, and he gave an example, using Square Wallet app linked to a credit card and GPS, of walking into a Starbucks and our face and favorite coffee comes up on the register and is ordered before we have even reached the counter! A push feature could ask us about a tip. We could just give the cashier our name, and leave our mobile phone in our pocket or our purse.

He is active in community organizations, has about 1000 followers including his mom and her dog, as well as some authors, and tweets his breakfast most days to show his mom that he’s eating (she checks this)! I was inspired by Jack Dorsey and his brilliance. He was asked if he was more artist or entrepreneur, and he hesitantly answered, “Artist, but you can never really call yourself one, people have to look at your work!”

Jack Dorsey: Ideas for Tomorrow Speaker Series (Full Program) video

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Recent tweets by Jack Dorsey about a Cleveland Clinic video he was touched by:

@jack RT @ClevelandClinic: “Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?” – Thoreau | http://t.co/b8Sudtcqsv
Mar 4

@jack A brilliant video from @ClevelandClinic about empathy and putting the patient (or customer) first. https://t.co/T0C9jIYvs0
Mar 1

Gallery One Offers Art & Technology Interactivity at Cleveland Museum of Art

By Janet Dodrill

Gallery One’s Image Touch Screen Wall, at the Cleveland Museum of Art

Like art and technology? The recently opened Gallery One at Cleveland Museum of Art offers something for the whole family.

A room with a giant wall touch screen allows you to hand-pan through over 3,500

Gallery One’s Make a Face kiosk, matches art up to your facial expression.

images from the museum’s world-renowned permanent collection. The experience is enriching, and categories and themes of art are visually presented and refreshed often. I was informed by a tour guide that each touch tile cost $8,000 and it is the only one of its kind in the country. One of the tiles was pulled off the wall for us to see the light source and electronics behind it. We were ensured that the wall screen is wiped down twice daily for cleanliness!

Gallery One’s application matches your gesture to art.

Draw any shape in the Studio Play exploring room on a kiosk called ‘Line and Shape’, and it visually pairs-up and displays a museum object using that shape, whether it’s an edge of a ceramic vase, or a design in a tapestry.

‘Make a Face’ lets you make a face in front of a kiosk which is shot by a web cam, and

Gallery One’s clay vessel creation simulation.

is matched to a face in the museum’s collection and displays them side by side. The same idea is used in making a body gesture by standing in front of the screen. A sculpture with a similar pose appears next to your image.

On the same kiosk, use the touch screen and take a slab of clay and roll it, cut it and create a vessel.

Gallery One’s image touch technology wall.

Bring your iPad or rent one there for $5 (the rentals use a great iPad case called GripCase, available at the museum gift shop or online), and run the ArtLens free app (iOS only). You can download it at the app store prior to your visit, and enjoy information and videos about the Gallery One collection even if off-site. Utilize it there and get assigned a special plastic disc with a micro-chip to pair your tablet up with the touch wall. Scroll through images with your hand on the wall and find your favorites. Press a heart shape under that image and it will save it to your iPad in a favorites list. Then your iPad allows you to share those images by email or social media, or create a custom tour which can be saved and viewed later, which includes detailed information about those particular works of art.

Gallery One’s near you now app feature.

Gallery One’s ArtLens app gives information on art.

Travel around the room in the Gallery One exhibit (I was told photo-taking works on your iPad is allowed here), use ArtLens to let your device show you where you are in the exhibit using the ‘Near You Now’ feature. Hold up your tablet lens to a work of art, and your app will bring up a detailed description of that work of art which may include audio or video. Don’t want to use an iPad? There is a floor kiosk in each area of the Gallery One exhibit floor to allow you to call-up more information on the art you are standing near, or interact by taking polls. Works in this exhibit include works by Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, Viktor Schreckengost, Giovanni Panini, and Chuck Close.

A Gallery One interactive kiosk.

See all this and even more attractions at this wonderful art and technology-based interactive gallery. Also on your trip there, enjoy the space in the new atrium, visit the restaurant, and explore the fabulous new museum store.

Related Links:

The Cleveland Museum of Art/ learn/in the galleries

ArtLens | Cleveland Museum of Art

Applause (video) ArtLens at the Cleveland Museum of Art

ArtLens app at the Cleveland Museum of Art is impressive, but it has a few glitches, The Plain Dealer

Vine App, Brings 6-Second Video to Twitter

By Janet Dodrill

Three days ago Vine was launched, a six-second video creator social media app, acquired by Twitter.

The Vine App’s Twitter Page.

This will open up creative ways for Twitter users to tell a short story visually, in addition to the brief 140-character micro-logging allotment they currently have.

Currently only available for iPhone and iPod Touch, Vine (@vineapp) hopes to have an Android version, in addition to bug fixes and enhancements shortly. It is currently available free at the App Store.

Jack Dorsey (@jack), Twitter creator and Square founder recently endorsed Vine by posting tweets utilizing Vine videos and stated on January 24, 2013 about Vine, “…This one’s going to be big.”

Jack’s tweet on January 24, 2013.

The user-generated looping videos are anticipated to only improve in time, after the initial novelty has worn off and learning curve overcome.

Below are some recent articles and links of interest, which review the app and explain how to use it, with several showing examples of the videos created with Vine.

Introducing Vine (Vine Blog)

Vine: A new way to share (Twitter Blog)

Seconds of pleasure: A few cool Vine videos (CNN Tech)

Twitter’s Vine App: How to Use It (PC Magazine)

6 ways Vine’s six seconds may change Twitter (CNN Tech)

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Recent Vine News, April 2013:

Vine Is the Top Free iPhone App (Mashable)

‘Vine Resume’ Woman Gets a Job (Mashable)

Away at College Then and Now

By Janet Dodrill

Then: call home collect only in emergencies – – Now: unlimited calling

Then: say goodbye to your old friends for the quarter or semester and try to contact them when you get home  – – Now: Skype or text them or post to their wall on Facebook or follow them on Twitter

Then: carpool with strangers to get home for the holidays and split the gas – – Now: take a Megabus home for $5-$30

Then: buy a bunch of maps and learn your way around the college town – – Now: Use a navigator or GPS system to find your location or destination

Then: run out of gas, walk to a gas station, rent a gas can, walk back to the car, return the gas can to the station – – Now: call AAA from your car on your cell phone and let them do the rest

Then: go to the library to research every subject, idea or question; interview people – – Now: Google everything from your computer, smartphone or tablet

Anything else? There’s probably an app for it!

Do you get the idea?

Discover the Resources at your Local Library

By Janet Dodrill

If there’s something you would like to learn but don’t have the time or money to go to school, try taking a free online course at the Library. Cleveland Public Library offers Ohio residents the opportunity to sign-up for any number of classes in the areas of Accounting and Finance, Business, College Readiness, Computer Applications, Design and Composition, Health Care and Medical, Language and Arts, Law and Legal, Personal Development, Teaching and Education, Technology, Writing and Publishing. Because of my interests, I am drawn to Technology, where there is a category called Graphic and Multimedia Design which includes things like Creating Web Pages, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Flash, and more, at varying levels. The courses run over a 6-weeks period in 2-4 hour increments per week, and are lead by an instructor. An award of completion is given with a passing score.

Obtain a Cleveland Public Library card and have it activated at any CLEVNET library to qualify and enroll at Ed2go.com. See Who May Obtain A Cleveland Public Library Card and How to Apply for a Library Card on CPL’s site. Start dates for this Fall’s classes are Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 14, and Dec. 12, 2012. Beyond that, check back at the Ed2go.com page. If you’re not in Ohio check with your local library.

Pinterest Virtual Pinboards

By Janet Dodrill

Create online pinboards (visual scrapbooks) using found images on the web, follow others and be followed by other Pinterest users. Your pinboard will look like a bulletin board of image swatches.

‘Like’ an image on an existing pinboard and leave comments on other people’s pins. Understand the ‘Pin Etiquette’ of this new social media platform, amazingly popular in a short time [Be Nice; Credit Your Sources; Avoid Self Promotion; Report Objectionable Content; Tell Us How to Make Pinterest Better].

Pinterest pin boards

Start a Pinterest account, create custom Boards or use the default ones to start. Install a ‘Pin It’ button in your Firefox browser and start pinning images, linking to its original source. Read the terms to avoid copyright infringement.

Source: Logo property of Pinterest, www.pinterest.com