RAVENNA − Reed Memorial Library has dedicated its long-awaited landscaping project , which includes an outdoor plaza area, pavilion and space for playing games.
The work also will help people enjoy the outdoors.
Amy Young, executive director of the library, said the project was designed to highlight the historic structure, which marked its 100th birthday in June.
"We just wanted to uncover this beautiful building," she said. "She's 100 years old. We wanted to see her."
A long-awaited improvement
Young said the $1.18 million project had been in the discussion stages since 2018, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the work. Landscape architect Jason Kentner, a Ravenna native, launched the effort in 2022.
At one time, the library considered removing the 10 on-street parking spaces in front of the building, which would have required approval from City Council. However, the original plan was amended after conversations with library employees and the public.
Most of the improvements are focused on the rear entrance to the building, where a large outdoor plaza was created. The space will host up to 150 people when seated at tables and chairs, with more room for people who stand.
The plaza includes a large outdoor swing and two tables with built-in boards for chess and checkers. Young said the library made game pieces with a 3D printer, and those who want to play can stop at the library's desk to borrow a set whenever they want to play.
A children's "meditation garden" includes musical instruments, such as chimes and drums, thanks to a grant from Portage DD.
The space also includes a large outdoor pavilion, which will be used for library events, but also can be reserved for public use, just like the library's indoor meeting rooms. The pavilion, Young said, was meant to mimic the design of the original building, a tribute to the library's 100th anniversary.
As part of the project, the parking area was reconfigured. An island in the old parking lot was removed, and five parking spaces were added.
All the lights used in the project are LED. The lights are color-changing, Young said, allowing special displays for holidays.
Front improvements
The project also included some improvements to the front of the building.
Young said the front steps to the library were touched up last year. The staircase, she said, leads to an entrance to the library that has been closed for decades − but many people enjoy sitting on the steps for events such as parades.
A wall was built in front of the staircase, adding another seating option for parades, she said.
The area also includes a wheelchair-accessible walkway, with benches added for seating.
Library history
The history of Ravenna's library goes back more than 150 years, going from a subscription-based library to a free public library.
The library began in 1854 as the Library Association of Ravenna, open only to members who paid the large annual fee. That model persisted for 61 years.
It became a free library in 1915. It didn't have a permanent home until 1921, when Judge Cornelius Reed offered $25,000 for a new building. The heirs of H.W. Riddle sold the present site to the library, which was dedicated June 2, 1924.
In 1954, Mae Reed Waller, Judge Reed's daughter, gave $100,000 toward building a structure twice as large. It was renamed Reed Memorial Library when it was dedicated in 1956.
When Waller died in 1961, she named the library as a beneficiary of her estate. The proceeds, coupled with gifts from the community to raise more than $80,000, and several small endowments, allowed the library to begin building for the third time, in October 1978. The new construction added to the north and east sides of the building and featured an outdoor amphitheater. The addition was dedicated Nov. 18, 1979. Another addition took place in 2004.
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Ravenna library unveils landscaping project
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