EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — The East Cleveland Public Library reopened Tuesday after being closed because of money problems.
Just two hours after opening for the first time in nearly a month, there wasn’t an empty seat in the computer room of the main branch of the East Cleveland Public Library.
Rodney Earl, U.S. Navy, just home from the Middle East was using the library to look for a job in police work. He was going to one of the other two East Cleveland branches, but they remain closed.
“Well, I was going to the Hayden branch until I found out it’s still closed, but this place helps me a lot. I can just jump on the computer,” Earl said.
The East Cleveland library is very popular with kids after school, but hours are reduced and 10 workers have been laid off as the East Cleveland library system struggles with state budget cuts and plummeting property tax revenue. Overall, the budget down 43 percent and more jobs could be lost.
“I think it’s terrible that people are losing their jobs, in fact, I’m here looking for work on the computer. It’s hard on everybody,” Irone Steel said.
Library leaders say there could be more layoffs in the near future. If the East Cleveland Public Library has any chance of staying open, some community leaders believe it must merge with the Cuyahoga County Public Library system.
