Who We Are
In 1921, the State Legislature of Ohio passed a law which enabled the establishment of a county district library for any area not served by a free public library, subject to a vote of the people. As residents began moving into outlying areas of Cuyahoga County and the need for library services to these residents became more evident, a referendum was placed on the November 7, 1922, general election ballot authorizing a county library district. The issue passed by more than two to one, making Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) the first county library in Ohio to be organized under the new law.
CCPL is a separate political subdivision governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees authorized by the State of Ohio to establish policies and an annual budget. Board members represent the citizens’ interests while promoting the highest level of library service to the community, in accordance with state law. Trustees are appointed for seven-year terms by Cuyahoga County government and the Court of Common Pleas, and they serve without remuneration. The CCPL Board of Trustees has no taxing authority and must have Cuyahoga County government place ballot issues before voters in the 47 communities served by CCPL.
Board of Trustees
William J. Leonard
President
Dean E. DePiero
Vice President
Allyn A. Davies
Secretary
Edward H. Blakemore
Trustee
Patricia A. Shlonsky
Trustee
Maria L. Spangler
Trustee
Robert W. Varley
Trustee
Leadership Team
Tracy Strobel
Executive Director
Pamela Jankowski
Deputy Director - Public Services
Scott Morgan
Deputy Director - Support Services
Monique Good
Human Resources Director
Hallie Rich
Communications & External Relations Director
Daniel Barden
Technical Services Director
Enda Bracken
Branch Services Director - East
James Haprian
Information Technology Director
Jeff Mori
Facilities Director
Rebecca Ranallo
Literacy & Learning Division Director
Caroline Vicchiarelli
Branch Services Director - West
America's Top-Rated Library System
For the 11th consecutive year (2010-2020), Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) has received the highest overall score among its peers in Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service (Index). CCPL has also received the Index’s prestigious five-star rating for 12 consecutive years (2009-2020).
Published annually, the Index compares U.S. libraries with their peers based on per capita output measures. Ratings of five, four and three stars are awarded to libraries that generate the highest combined per capita outputs among their spending peers.
Within its peer group – which includes America’s largest library systems – CCPL earned the Index’s highest overall rating, scoring 2,006 total points, 180 points more than the next closest library system. The 2020 Index was derived from data released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for FY18. A total of 5,608 U.S. public libraries were scored in groupings based on total operating expenditures.