Cleveland Public Library has partnered with Cuyahoga County Public Library, CLEVNET Library Consortium, and NOLA (Northeast Ohio Library Association) to launch a free statewide virtual reference service. This new Ohio library service wilI feature Cleveland Public Library's groundbreaking KnowltNow 24x7 online virtual reference tool for every Ohio resident.

Launched in June 2001, KnowltNow 24x7 is the first online reference service in the nation to combine the information expertise of librarians, the comprehensive resources of the CLEVNET libraries, which began in 1982, and state-of-the-art technology to meet the information needs of patrons.

Building upon the success of the historic project between Cleveland Public Library, the third largest public research library in America, and Cuyahoga County Public Library with the introduction of the Greater Access Card in 2000 and the expansion of CLEVNET membership to 30 library systems in 2003, the introduction of the new statewide virtual reference service showcases the continued cooperation and partnerships of Ohio's premier library systems. For more information, call (216) 623-2869.

April News  - Cleveland Public Library, the nation's third largest public research library, is installing a new integrated library management system, called Sirsi Unicorn, which will provide the library with a powerful technology infrastructure. Users will enjoy the end-result of months of hard-work and dedication to the integrity of the library. This automated system allows Cleveland Public Library to provide an evolving system to the library’s users' ever-changing needs. The Sirsi Unicorn System GO LIVE date for use by the public is Wednesday, April 7, 9:00 a.m.

Cleveland Public Library is poised to shape the future by utilizing the new Unicorn system to its fullest potential. It can incorporate new technologies into the system as new innovations occur. Staff will enjoy increased productivity with acquisitions, cataloging, and circulation. Users will get what they need, when they need it, how they need it more efficiently than ever before. Unicorn is the most functionally mature and technologically advanced library system available. It is backed by outstanding customer service. This system represents a long-term investment in the community’s future.

The Unicorn® Library Management System is part of the Sirsi Corporation family of products. In 2004, Sirsi Corporation www.sirsi.com  celebrates 25 years as the strategic technology partner to more than 10,000 libraries around the world. It is dedicated to providing the library community with forward-thinking information technology solutions, including Sirsi Unicorn® Library Management System, the first client/server-based and UNIX-based integrated library system; Sirsi iBistro and iLink, the first e-Library solutions with streaming enriched content; Sirsi Rooms, the first suite of context management solutions; and Sirsi Director’s Station, the first information analysis tool for library executives. For more information, call (216) 623-2854.

Cleveland Public Library will present Rita Moreno, one of America's most celebrated performers, at an Afternoon for Writers and Readers on Sunday, October 19, at 2:00 p.m. The free program will take place at the Main Library, Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, E. 6th Street and Superior Avenue. The public is invited.

Moreno's appearance launches the Afternoon for Writers and Readers fall series and CPL's Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. She enjoys a fine reputation as the narrator of audiobooks by writers such as Oscar Hijuelos and Carson McCullers. Moreno has won all four of show business' most prestigious awards, the Emmy, the Tony, the Grammy, and the Oscar. In 1998 she won a CableAce Award for best actress for her portrayal of a streetwise nun in the HBO series, Oz.

Moreno has experienced theatrical success on both sides of the Atlantic, starring on Broadway in The Ritz, and recently as Norma Desmond in the London production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard. In addition to her film, stage, lecture, and television careers, Rita Moreno is involved with civic and charitable organizations and events, having served on the National Foundation for the Arts and currently as a member of the President's Committee on the Arts & Humanities. For more information, call (216) 623-2869.