Shaker Heights Public Library

The year is 1982. "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John is on the radio. People are having babies and naming them Jennifer and Michael. And this book is on the shelf at Shaker Library (then housed at the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Community Building). You check it out to write a paper about it.

Fast forward 15,916 days.

The year is now 2026. Taylor Swift is on the radio. People are having babies and naming them Olivia and Theo. You're deep cleaning your house, and you realize you still — somehow! — have this book. Talk about a blast from the past.

What do you do? Well, take it back to the library, of course, and share it with the librarians, who in turn share it with the social media person, who in turn shares it with the city. The spirit of Arthur Laurents — god rest his Tony Award-winning soul — smiles down upon you, thankful to be remembered.

The weather was PERFECT for last night's Adult Reader's Challenge Summer Celebration in the Bertram Woods Reading Garden!

Attendees enjoyed refreshments, each other's company, and the beauty of the garden, swapped book suggestions, and painted water color bookmarks.

Are you working on the Adult Reader's Challenge? Here's a taste of the books they recommended (and their categories)!

- The Serviceberry, Robin Wall Kimmerer (A book that challenges you)
- So Long a Letter, Mariama Ba (A book translated from another language)
- The Last N**e, Ellis Avery (A book inspired by a work of art)
- Giving Up is Unforgivable, Joyce Vance (A nonfiction book about democracy)
- Freedom is a Feast, Alejandro Puyana (Book by a debut novelist)

Haven't started yet? Head over here to sign up and win prizes for reading! https://loom.ly/bbCSqNo

It's a scorcher out there this week. 🥵☀️

Luckily, this library's got great timing. 😉 Summer readers, if you've read for 30 days, now's the time to pick up a Shaker Reads water bottle (in your choice of royal blue or lime green) and beat the heat!

Haven't signed up for Summer Reading yet? It's not too late. Visit shakerlibrary.org/summer to get started.