A full day of Alice in Wonderland-themed events, including a garden party with cupcakes, will be served up this Saturday, May 10, at Cleveland Public Library’s main branch to celebrate its 100th birthday. The festivities also include two grand openings and the placement of a historical marker recognizing the library’s century of community service and innovation.
The main branch of the Cleveland Public Library, 325 Superior Ave., was built in 1925. It was one of the first libraries to have reading rooms and to allow patrons to select their books directly from the shelves.
Remember what the dormouse said…
Feed your head at the many Alice In Wonderland-themed activities the library is hosting at its anniversary party, including a screening of the 1933 film version of the book, make-your-own teas and mocktails demos, and a garden party with cake, entertainment and other giveaways.
Melanie Gloerfelt Townsend, board and executive operations manager for the Cleveland Public Library, explained why they chose the Alice In Wonderland theme: “When our library opened in 1925, our children’s department was called the Lewis Carroll Room. And then, when they were celebrating 100 years of Lewis Carroll’s birth, Cleveland Public Library planned a huge event to celebrate his legacy and his stories. So it just seems kind of fitting that in 2025 for our 100th birthday, we would close that loop and celebrate with a Lewis Carroll-themed party.”
Carroll wrote “Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland”, first published in 1865.
“Our library holds the largest collection of chess materials anywhere in the world,” she added. “‘Through The Looking Glass’ is based on the story of chess. In our Special Collections, we have a very large Alice in Wonderland collection. We have the second edition of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,’ and we have a first edition of ‘Through The Looking Glass’ in our Rare Books collection.”
Don’t be late for this very important date!
The first featured event Saturday will be the 10:15 a.m. opening of the newly reimagined Tech Central in the basement of the library’s Louis C. Stokes Wing.
“We want it to be open as long as possible that day for people to come in and discover all of the new features,” Townsend said.
“Libraries have gone from being about books to being about computers,” explained Townsend. “It’s become this hub where people can come and use laser engravers, t-shirt printers…. We have large format printers, vinyl printers.… But what’s new about TechCentral 2.0 is they are adding a recording studio, so we can have our patrons come in and record a podcast or do other kinds of voiceover work.”
Cleveland Documenter Maria Zajac has more from the April 15 Cleveland Public Library Board of Trustees meeting, including:
- The board passed a resolution to allow for virtual board meetings
- Stefan Johnson, a local food reviewer and influencer, filmed a promotional video for the library
TechCentral will even have sewing machines. “A lot of people, they want to make one thing, or they just need to repair a hem on something, but they don’t want to go out and spend $500 for a sewing machine to do it, they’re able to come to the library and fix that hole,” Townsend said.
Also newly reimagined and having its grand opening Saturday is the new Library Shop at 424 W. Superior Ave. The shop will feature used books as well as local vendors selling Cleveland- and library-themed art and goods.
Curiouser and curiouser…
“We really wanted to set apart one moment where we would all get together in the garden and celebrate the library. So that is the Curious Garden Party.”
Library staff will serve cupcakes at the garden party, starting at 12:15 p.m. When pressed for an answer about whether the cakes will make you larger or smaller, Townsend said, “that depends entirely on how curious you are and how brave you feel after the second bite.”
The Cleveland Public Library hosts its 100th anniversary celebration of the main branch this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All events and activities are free to attend.
