Come by the Library on Monday, April 28th from 4pm to 7pm for some shared study time — bring any projects, assignments, or course material you want to focus on! There will be group study spaces, quiet study spaces, and snacks. The Writing + Learning Center and Library staff will be around to give feedback, help with research, and more. No registration required.
Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
Location: CIA Library
Policy decisions being made Columbus affect our everyday lives as well as life at CIA. Consider the impact of Ohio’s “Bathroom Bill” or the perpetually doomed “Ohio Fairness Act.”
These matters are important, but how do you know whether you're receiving accurate, trustworthy information about your elected officials’ actions?
Learn more by attending Media Literacy is So Gay!, an IDEA Council TRI Conversation led by Ken Schneck, editor of Ohio’s LGBTQ+ newsroom The Buckeye Flame. Media Literacy is So Gay! will take place from 11am to noon Thursday, April 17 in the Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library. Light snacks will be provided.
Schneck will discuss media literacy and legislative impacts through the lens of the LGBTQ community’s past, present and future in Ohio. Through learning about LGBTQ community’s experiences, attendees will gain a better understanding of consuming news, identifying reliable sources and distinguishing between different types of media.
Following Schneck’s presentation, there will be time for questions and conversations. In addition, attendees can learn what news-related tools and resources are available at the Gund Library.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Ken Schneck is editor of The Buckeye Flame, Ohio’s LGBTQ+ newsroom. For this work, he was honored as the national LGBTQ+ journalist of the year. He is the author of Seriously, What Am I Doing Here? The Adventures of a Wondering and Wandering Gay Jew and several LGBTQ+ Ohio history books. In his spare time, he is a tenured professor of education at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.
In honor of National Library Week 2025, we are getting to know the library staff. Last up is Laura! Laura is the library director. Her office is 100C in the library. Laura has been working at the CIA library in a variety of roles since August 1998.
Laura started at CIA as the Slide and Reference Librarian in 1998. Eventually slides became digital images and she moved from reference to serving as the coordinator of the library's instruction program, so her title shifted to Instruction and Image Librarian. In August of 2016, she became the Library Director. She has a BA in English and Art History from James Madison University and an MA in history & art history from Cleveland State. She earned her MLS from Kent State.
She lives with her family in Olmsted Falls. She loves listening to music loudly, reading, knitting, and playing golf very (very!) poorly.
What’s your favorite thing about working at the CIA Library?
I really love the people at CIA and love helping them with their research. A lot of people don't understand the breadth and depth of research and inquiry conducted by artists and designers. It's always something new and surprising!
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
I’m learning to play golf, so if the weather is nice I would choose that. Otherwise, I’ll be reading, knitting, playing games, and listening to music. If it’s summer, I enjoy going to the pool for a long swim.
What three fictional characters do you identify with most?
Henry, the penguin from Oswald, is the only one that comes to mind, but it’s really the best answer.
What’s your favorite book/movie genre or your all-time favorite title?
The Beartown trilogy by Fredrik Backman is currently my favorite. I read a lot and I read almost every genre. Right now, I’m reading a lot of women’s fiction (which is a terrible term).
What’s your favorite board or video game and why?
I’ve been playing Animal Crossing games for years because they are very relaxing to me and I like to have the ability to make the world around me exactly as I’d like it to be.
What is the last song you sang along to?
Out of Time (Bea Miller & Zedd)
Where have you lived and what brought you to your current city?
I grew up in a small town in southern New Jersey, went to college in Virginia, and then came to Cleveland for what I promised everyone would be only two years. I have been here for way longer than two years.
What is your favorite hobby, activity, or creative outlet?
Knitting, reading, listening to music, playing on my phone, learning to play golf, and spending time with my family.
What’s your favorite line from a movie?
"They bump you, and when you stop, they mutilate you and take your car." That whole movie is so funny and weird.
If you were to write a self-help book, what would the topic be?
Tips and tricks to help you remember where you left your phone, keys, and cup of coffee.
In honor of National Library Week 2025, we are getting to know the library staff. Next up is Jackie L.! Jackie L. is the library's Access & Circulation Coordinator. Her office in the library is in Student Success + Access Services (100A). Jackie joined the library staff in September 2016.
I’ve worked at CIA’s Gund Library since 2016. Before working at CIA, I worked as a Branch Services Clerk at the South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library and before that, as a cake decorator at Giant Eagle. I graduated from Baldwin Wallace College with a Bachelor’s of Arts in English with a Creative Writing concentration and a minor in Studio Arts.
What’s your favorite thing about working at the CIA library?
I love helping people, working with students, learning about new methods and technologies for sharing information with others, and helping support a community space for all types of people and interactions.
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
My favorite day would be if I could cram all of the following into one day which is very difficult so I guess these are variations of my "favorite day off": staying in to take care of my house or do nothing/read/watch something on the couch with my dog, going out and spending time with my family and friends, taking a day trip somewhere, or just spending time outside.
What’s your favorite book/movie genre or your all-time favorite title?
I don’t know if I have a favorite genre. I like so many. I enjoy comedy, horror, and more serious content. Something that makes me laugh and/or something that makes me question my existence.
What’s your favorite board or video game and why?
I don’t play many video games, but when I can, I enjoy playing multiplayer games with other people. My boyfriend and I have clocked many hours on Terraria, but I also like playing Mario Kart with my siblings. Growing up, I really liked playing the Game of Life board game my grandparents had from the 1960s.
What TV show are you absolutely obsessed with right now?
I don’t know if this counts, but I’m trying to finish a YouTube series from 2017 called “Petscop” so I can watch all the 3-hour-long videos dissecting the series.
Where have you lived and what brought you to your current city?
I’ve lived in and around Cleveland my entire life.
What is your favorite hobby, activity, or creative outlet?
I like to journal and get ideas out of my head, mostly so I don’t forget things. But then I often forget to journal, and it’s a terrible thing. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, either watching movies, having a meal, or just sitting around talking. I’m also getting more into tending to my house, cleaning and organizing and making it a comfortable space. Trying to recreate the “Grandma’s house” experience in my home.
National Poem in Your Pocket Day is Thursday, April 10th. Stop by the CIA Library on April 10th to grab a poem or two that speaks to you. Enjoy your poem and then share it with others!
In honor of National Library Week 2025, we are getting to know the library staff. Next up is Jackie M.! Jackie M. is the library's Student Success Librarian. Her office in the library is in Student Success + Access Services (100A). Jackie joined the library staff in August 2022.
Jackie has worked in libraries since 2012. At CIA, you're most likely to see her during a class visit or running a fun program in the library! Before CIA she worked as a Technology Instruction Librarian at the Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library. She earned her MLIS from Kent State University and her BA in Psychology and Sociology from Case Western Reserve University. When she is not at work she enjoys traveling, exploring Cleveland and the Metroparks, cooking, and has recently been figuring out sourdough bread baking.
What’s your favorite thing about working at the CIA Library?
I really like working with students in different capacities. Whether it's during my class visits, in the library, I enjoy working with students to help them succeed.
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
I most enjoy a day off that is very chill and relaxed. I like to grab brunch out, take a walk or just hang out at home.
What’s your favorite book/movie genre or your all-time favorite title?
The genre I read the most are mysteries though I have been trying to branch out more. Recently, I read the book God of the Woods and really enjoyed it!
What’s your favorite board or video game and why?
I like a variety of board games, but what I've really gotten into recently are puzzles! I find working on a puzzle to be relaxing and a nice way to spend time with family.
Where have you lived and what brought you to your current city?
Growing up, I lived in many different places because my family moved often for my Mom's job. I grew up visiting family in NE Ohio every summer of my childhood, but I moved here in 2003 when I started college. I went to college here and never left. Cleveland has been a great city to me and it's now home (honestly, NE Ohio always has been).
What is your favorite hobby, activity, or creative outlet?
I listen to audiobooks and podcasts during my commute, and I love how those formats allow me time for reading! A recent new hobby of mine is figuring out sourdough bread. So far it has been fun, and I've made some good things.
What’s your favorite line from a movie?
Outside of work, I often quote silly quotes from Mel Brooks movies or The Princess Bride. "Inconceivable!"
In honor of National Library Week 2025, we are getting to know the library staff. Next up is Starr! Starr is the library's Assistant Director and Technical Services Librarian. Starr's office in the library is in Technical Services (100D). Starr joined the library staff in August 2023.
Starr came to Cleveland from Tennessee by way of Alaska. She loves to catalog (even if it is her personal library) and she appreciates a beautifully illustrated book. She believes the greatest perk of working in Technical Services is getting to see library materials before anyone else. When she isn’t being a library geek, Starr loves to travel to places she’s never been with her spouse, check out new restaurants, and spend a huge amount of time pondering questions that have no answers.
What’s your favorite thing about working at the CIA Library?
Getting to interact with the students is my favorite thing about working at CIA. I love to see what they are working on and the ideas they have for future assignments and projects.
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
I love to read, hike, travel, and spend time with my family.
What three fictional characters do you identify with most?
The fictional characters I identify the most with are Leslie Knope (my daughter brought this to my attention), Luna from the Harry Potter series, and Juniper from Monica Furlong's Wise Child trilogy.
What’s your favorite book/movie genre or your all-time favorite title?
My favorite book is Circe by Madeline Miller.
What’s your favorite board or video game and why?
I'm more of a puzzle lover then a game player.
What is the last song you sang along to?
Peace Tonight by Elephant Revival is the last song I sung along to.
Where have you lived and what brought you to your current city?
I have lived in Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alaska, and Ohio. My job here at CIA is what brought me to Ohio.
What is your favorite hobby, activity, or creative outlet?
When I have access to a pottery wheel, I love ceramics. I also write.
What’s your favorite line from a movie?
"My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage!"
If you were to write a self-help book, what would the topic be?
If I were to write a self-help book the topic would be categorized under personal development.
In honor of National Library Week 2025, we are getting to know the library staff. First up is Nat! Nat L. is our new Library Assistant in Technical Services. Nat's office in the library is in Technical Services (100D) and they work in the library in the evenings during the semester. Nat joined the library staff in January of 2025.
Nat is from Cleveland Heights and is a recent Sculpture + Expanded Media alum. While they were at CIA, they had a student worker position in Gund Library. In their brief time outside of CIA, Nat had been interning at Praxis Fiber Workshop as well as working as a circulation assistant at the Shaker Heights Public Library. Nat is interested in all fiber processes, especially weaving and quilting. They also enjoy spending time with their cats and frolicking with their niece and friends. Nat is excited to be back at CIA and to continue learning new library skills before pursuing their Masters in Library and Information Science.
What’s your favorite thing about working at the CIA Library?
Being surrounded by creative and curious people (and getting to flip through books all day!)
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
Going for a long walk and working on one of my 5000 projects
What’s your favorite book/movie genre?
Magical realism
What’s your favorite video game and why?
Stardew Valley— I would love to live on a farm that is within walking distance to everything I need
What is the last song you sang along to?
Dancing on My Own-Robyn
What tv show are you absolutely obsessed with right now?
The Boulet Brothers' Dragula
If the library staff had a theme song, what would it be?
The Reading Rainbow theme
What is your favorite hobby, activity, or creative outlet?
Baking sweet treats
What’s your favorite line from a movie?
“I’m tired of this grandpa…” “That’s too damn bad!”- Holes (2003)
If you were to write a self-help book, what would the topic be?
How to connect to your inner child
The library will be celebrating National Library Week this year by handing out bookmarks with artwork by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud as well as giving you the opportunity to draw what you love about the CIA Library. We'll also be celebrating the staff at CIA's Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library with a series of “getting to know the library staff” blog posts. Check back each day, Monday through Friday, to meet the library staff.
Visit the library April 1-11 to write an ode to your zip code to celebrate National Poetry Month!
The Zip Ode was invented in 2015 by O'Miami in Miami, FL, and is a five-line poem about where you live, written in the form of your zip code. O, Miami, and WLRN host an annual initiative to collect Zip Odes every Spring, but the form has also traveled all around the United States, including Orlando, Toledo, and Boston.
Join us at the library for some fun and relaxed crafting! This week we will have supplies to create your own spring flower. Make it in the library or take a craft kit with you! More information at: https://cia.libcal.com/event/14181953
Tuesday, Feb 18, 5-7 pm
Enjoy a cozy winter night playing games from CIA Library's game collection, socialize with friends, meet some new people, and have some snacks!
February 3-7, 2025
Find your next great read or art inspiration at the CIA Library Book Sale! The library will also be selling our new CIA Library tote bags. Be one of the first people to get one and show your love for the library.
Sale begins at 11am on Monday, Feb. 3rd
Starting Wednesday, Feb. 5th all items will be 50% off (excludes tote bags)
$1 fill a bag sale on Friday, Feb 7th (excludes tote bags)
All proceeds from the sale directly benefit the library's services and resources. Thank you for supporting the library!
Thurs, Jan 30, 11am
Are you a new student at CIA? Stop by the New Student Welcome Event tomorrow to explore the library, learn about our services, and meet your librarians. Drop-in anytime during the event, meet other new students, and eat your lunch (yes, you can eat in the library!). Snacks will be provided!
Tuesday, Jan 28, 5-7 pm
Come to the library tomorrow to play games from CIA Library's game collection, socialize with friends, meet some new people, and have some snacks!
Stop by the library on December 10th from 11am to 1pm to get a cup of hot chocolate or tea. A puzzle, coloring sheets and other de-stress activities will also be available for anyone looking to take a break. No registration required.
Come by the Library on December 9th from 4pm to 7pm for some shared study time — bring any projects, assignments, or course material you want to focus on! There will be group study spaces, quiet study spaces, and snacks. The Writing + Learning Center and Library staff will be around to give feedback, help with research, and more. No registration required.
Stop by the library during finals week (December 9-13) to relax and take a break from exams & crits. A puzzle, coloring sheets and other calm activities will be available for anyone looking to take a break. No registration required.
Join the fun at the CIA Library! Create giant origami, socialize with friends, meet new people, and (of course) have some snacks!
Come to the library to play games from the CIA Library's game collection, socialize with friends, meet some new people, and (of course) have some snacks!
BYONAB (bring your own non-alcoholic beverage).
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 5-7 pm
Come to the library's Group Study Room at lunch to watch an informative video about the Constitution's creation, test your knowledge of the Constitution, and grab some swag. No registration required. More information at https://cia.libcal.com/event/13134790
The library has a tradition of participating in National Voter Registration Day activities, including registering students to vote. But did you know that in the November 2023 election, less than half of registered voters in Ohio actually voted? This year, we want to do more than just register voters. We want to help you make your voting plan! We have a printable worksheet to help make your voting plan and we will help you make your plan.
Voting is crucial for artists, designers, and students as it ensures your voice is heard and helps to shape the future policies that directly impact your education, your career, your overall quality of life, as well as the lives of your family, friends, colleagues, and community. The Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library is committed to ensuring that everyone at CIA who is eligible to vote is not only registered to vote, but also makes voting a habit for life!
Come to the library before November 5, 2024 for assistance with registering to vote, checking voter registrations, requesting absentee ballots, answering questions about voting, envelopes and postage for election related mail addressed to students' boards of elections.
Our Voting Information Guide has been updated for the November General Election and has a ton of new information. Voting is easy, but if you haven't voted before, you may be nervous or unsure of how it works. The guide aims to answer as many questions as possible, while also linking you to all the information you need to be a voter this November.
Please come by the library to register to vote, get help requesting absentee ballots, completing a voting plan that works for YOU and SO MUCH MORE. We have pre-printed absentee ballot applications, envelopes, stamps (for election related mail), and people who know how to answer your voting questions.
Explore the library, learn about our services, and meet your librarians. Drop-in anytime during the event, meet other transfer students, and eat your lunch (yes, you can eat in the library!). Snacks will be provided but feel free to bring your lunch!
Pop by the library for a popsicle on your first day of classes! Popsicles will be available starting at 11am until we run out.
Beginning today (March 18, 2024), the Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library will be handing out FREE solar eclipse glasses to CIA students and employees so you can safely experience the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024!
The library has a limited number of glasses, so we will be giving out one pair per CIA ID on a first come, first served basis. We want everyone at CIA to have the chance to get glasses if they need them.
You must show your CIA ID to get a pair of glasses - no exceptions!
Get ready for Trivia Night to return to the library! This time around the theme is 2023, so there will be no questions about things from before you were born... Come with your friends (or make some new ones) and compete to be the boss of trivia, win prizes and have lots of fun. This event is open to the whole CIA community!
Learn how to make a hedgehog using old books, paper folding techniques and craft items. Hedgehog materials will be provided. Feel free to bring your own snack or lunch.
Join us in the library on February 9th from 5-8pm for a writing share event. Bring one piece of original writing of any genre to share with other writers.
There is a lot going on this week in the library! For more information, please visit the library's calendar at https://cia.libcal.com/calendar for more details, links, and registration details.
Save the Date! Library calendar of events.
Stop by the library tomorrow from 11-12 for a cup of hot chocolate or tea! Good luck on exams and crits this week!
Friday, Nov. 10, 5-8 pm! Join us for games, bring your own or use games from the library's collection of board games.
Things are getting spooooooooky in the library!
Come join us for Friday the 13th Halloween trivia tonight from 5-8. Have some fun, win prizes, eat some snacks, and earn College 101 credit.
Come and buy some amazing books (and other odds and ends) at amazing prices.
And look out for these deals throughout the week:
Affordable Learning Initiatives look to reduce costs for students by substituting low-cost or no-cost resources in place of high-price commercial textbooks. Examples include:
This CIA faculty only workshop will review the options for faculty and help find ebooks, streaming videos, articles, and OERs (including grant funding!) that you can use to help reduce the cost of learning for your students, while increasing success and equity.
Banned Books Week is October 1-7. The week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. Between January 1 - August 31, 2023, The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) documented challenges to 1,915 unique titles - a 20% increase from the same reporting period in 2022, which saw the highest number of book challenges since ALA began compiling the data more than 20 years ago. The theme for Banned Books Week 2023 is "Let Freedom Read. When we ban books, we're closing off readers to people, places, and perspectives. But when we stand up for stories, we unleash the power that lies inside every book. We liberate the array of voices that need to be heard and the scenes that need to be seen. Let freedom read! (Source: ALA.org)
To commemorate, CIA Gund Library will display banned and challenged books from our collection throughout the month of October. See our Library Displays Guide for more info. Please stop by to learn more about banned books!
Faculty Workshop - Introduction to EBSCO Discovery Service ONLINE (Tuesday - 11am-11:45am)
EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS), a.k.a. Quick Search, is the library's one stop shop for articles, books, newspapers, multimedia, and more. EDS is a lot like Google Scholar but there is more control over the results and there are more features to help you with your research.Even if you are familiar with EDS, the new interface for 2023 has so many new features that you’ll want to learn about!
This online, CIA faculty only workshop will review basic and advanced searching, filters, understanding the results list, what is and isn't in EDS, and how to save your items to folders. Register for the Zoom link here.
Can't make it? Make an appointment with a librarian and we'll show you everything you need to know about EDS.
Name our new book carts contest (all week - VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NAMES!)
The Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library got some pretty new book carts this summer and we want your help naming them. The best names win prizes! Vote for your favorite names before the end of the month by visiting this page.
New Artists' Books and Ready Player One continued from last week.
Are You #VoteReady? Make sure you are by getting registered on National Voter Registration Day on 9/19! Join the library for our annual voter registration drive.
Take a few minutes out of your day to register to vote or check your voter registration status. Already registered? Bring your friends who aren't!
Stop by the library and grab some voter swag!
Want to register online? Or check your voter registration? Curious about the new Ohio voting laws for 2023? Visit our LibGuide for more information.
Want to register using a paper form? Stop by the library TODAY for Ohio voter registration and information change forms.
National Voter Registration Day (Tuesday - 9am-5pm)
Are You #VoteReady? Make sure you are by getting registered on National Voter Registration Day on 9/19! Join the library for our annual voter registration drive. Take a few minutes out of your day to register to vote or check your voter registration status. Already registered? Bring your friends who aren't!
Transfer Student Welcome Workshop ONLINE (Thursday 11am-12pm)
New transfer students are invited to a virtual Transfer Student Welcome Workshop! Join us to explore the library virtually, learn about services, and meet your librarians. Register for the Zoom link here.
Name our new book carts contest (all week - VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NAMES!)
The Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library got some pretty new book carts this summer and we want your help naming them. The best names win prizes! Vote for your favorite names before the end of the month by visiting this page.
New Artists' Books and Ready Player One continued from last week.
Are you #VoteReady? Make sure you are by getting registered on National Voter Registration Day on 9/19! Join the library for our annual voter registration drive. Take a few minutes out of your day to register to vote or check your voter registration status. Already registered? Bring your friends who aren't! Visit our events page for more information.
Learn more about how voting affects the arts during CIA's Constitution Day program from noon to 1:30pm, Friday, September 15 in the Peter B. Lewis Theater. Robin Turner, civic engagement strategist for Cleveland Votes, will lead the discussion. Attendees can learn how to become more civically engaged, and information on voter registration will be available. Attendees are invited to bring their lunch. Go learn why it's so important to vote in every election and then register to vote and/or double triple check your own registration to make sure you are all ready to go this November!
Come to the library after we close this Friday, September 15 at 5pm to play games from the CIA Library's game collection, socialize with friends, meet some new people, and (of course) have some snacks!
Online Faculty Workshop - Getting Started at Gund Library (Tuesday - 11am-11:45am)
This CIA faculty only workshop will introduce you to the ways the library can be your partner in teaching and research. We will talk about our services and resources, how to access them on and off campus, how to schedule an instruction session, all about course reserves, and so much more. Please register here to receive the Zoom link.
Game Night at the Library (Friday - 5pm-8pm)
Game Nights Return! Come to the library after we close on Friday to play games from the CIA Library's game collection, socialize with friends, meet some new people, and (of course) have some snacks! Registration is not required. Visit this link for more information!
Name our new book carts contest (all week - LAST WEEK TO SUGGEST NAMES!)
The Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library got some pretty new book carts this summer and we want your help naming them. The best names win prizes! Suggest names before Friday, September 15 by visiting this page.
Mostly Miniature Artists' Books and Ready Player One continued from last week.
New Transfer Student Welcome Party! (Thursday)
New transfer students are invited to the Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library for the transfer student welcome party! Join us to explore the library, learn about services and meet your librarians. Drop in anytime during the event—from 11am to noon Thursday, September 7—to meet other transfer students and mix and mingle with library staff. Pizza and snacks will be provided. Please register here.
Name our new book carts contest (all week)
The Jessica R. Gund Memorial Library got some pretty new book carts this summer and we want your help naming them. The best names win prizes! Suggest names before Friday, September 15 by visiting this page.
New Displays
(Mostly) Miniature Artists' Books is in front of the library's circulation desk and a display in support of the summer reading book is in the hallway display. Keep an eye on the blog for more information about these displays!
The library added three beautiful new carts this summer and we'd love to have some names for them. Help us out by suggesting a name for each of the carts.
In this round, we will accept name ideas. You can fill out the form multiple times if you have lots of names to suggest.
The deadline to suggest names is 9/15/2023.
Click here to suggest names (or visit https://cia.libwizard.com/f/carts)
For the second round, we will put the names to a vote. The top name for each cart wins! That's three chances to win!
Rules
It's finals week! Relax with puzzles, playdough, sticker art, and other calm activities, and spaces at the library! Take a break and recharge your mind, your studies will thank you!
Commenting on blog posts requires an account.
Login is required to interact with this comment. Please and try again.
If you do not have an account, Register Now.