For more than 140 years, The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County (PLYMC) has made our Valley stronger by serving all who pass through our doors—literal and now virtual—as we unite our communities around access to knowledge and information.
Throughout 2022, the Library expanded to meet the needs of our communities recovering from the challenges of the last few years. We adapted our services to better serve all Valley residents and invite new audiences to learn about everything we have to offer. From partnering with the Mobile Market to offer fresh produce and groceries in communities without convenient access to grocery stores to providing every classroom in Mahoning County with Back to School bags to showcase how the Library can serve as a resource for educators to finally unveiling our nearly two-year-long Main Library renovation project and welcoming more than 1,300 people to our historic downtown branch—and so muchmore—the Library is proud of the work we did in 2022 on behalf of our communities.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to your visit to our library locations.
AIMEE FIFAREK Director and CEO, PLYMC
CAROLE WEIMER President, Library Trustees
IMAGINING THE POSSIBILITIES...
PLYMC is an integral part of the communities we serve. In 2022, we reconnected with our patrons and doubled down on our efforts to imagine the possibilities that can take shape when utilizing Library services. We dedicated every day to reminding our patrons that no matter how you engage with us, the Library is here for you.
MAIN LIBRARY’S RENOVATION COMPLETED
In June, we celebrated the completion of Main Library’s nearly 2-year-long renovation project with a Grand Reopening Celebration. More than 1,300 people visited the Library to see the brand-new, 125-person Event Space, state-of-the-art Culinary Literacy Center, and the renovated and restored Grand Reading Room with historical skylight.
SUMMER DISCOVERY SUCCESS
In its first full year back after the pandemic, PLYMC’s 2022 Summer Discovery program was a smashing success: 767 finishers with a 36 percent completion rate, up from 25 percent in 2021. We concluded the program with a beach party and a visit from popular children’s author, Jerry Pallotta.
AN EVENT TO REMEMBER
In PLYMC’s first major event in the restored Grand Reading Room, we pulled out all the stops with our annual author event. The Literary Society hosted an evening with New York Times best-selling author Elin Hilderbrand. Hilderbrand mingled with the nearly 300 guests, toasted the beautiful renovation with champagne, and discussed her novel, The Hotel Nantucket.
"I finally got to meet one of my favorite authors, the queen of beach reads, Elin Hilderbrand at the PLYMC. We talked about books, beaches, cities (including Youngstown and Nantucket), libraries and how HER books inspired me to travel to the Caribbean and Virgin Islands." - Krystle K.
“My online experience with this iPad was very extraordinary. It was beneficial to be able to learn how to search from music to knowing about history at the palm of my hands.” - Carmen M.
POP-UP VISITS
The Pop-Up Library is always on the go, visiting communities and organizations to expand our outreach. In 2022, the Pop-Up made 351 stops around the community and engaged with 19,427 people! That means everything from saying, “Hi, we’re the Pop-Up Library!” to helping folks register for a Library card and check out materials.
SPECIAL DELIVERY
For over 50 years, the Library has provided qualifying residents with special services to meet their needs. In 2022, our Special Delivery team sent out 8,566 books and other Library materials, visited 14 senior care facilities and adult day cares and gained 201 new patrons—ensuring that there is nothing standing in the way of PLYMC providing services to every resident of Mahoning County.
CRACKING CRIME
Thanks to an LSTA Summer Library Program (SLP) grant, we kicked off a True Crime Series. The series included a deep dive into the Valley’s mob ties with a standing-room-only discussion featuring Crooked City’s producer Johnny Chechitelli, as well as local crime experts like former Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains, former Vindicator columnist Bertram de Souza, and YSU Professor Emeritus of History Fred Viehe.
IMAGINATION LIBRARY
PLYMC is doing its part to ensure every child in Mahoning County enters school with a love of reading. In partnership with the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides every child one book a month until the age of five—at no cost.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL BAGS
As part of our commitment to our community and our educators, we created Back-to-School Bags for every classroom in Mahoning County—that’s 2,300 bags—to showcase the Library and how teachers can utilize our resources during the school year and beyond.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH (SPRINGFIELD, SEBRING)
Our locations continue to do an excellent job of getting more involved in their communities. Our Springfield branch worked with local law enforcement and secured a visit from K9 officer, Officer Havoc, and his handler, Officer Glenn Corey to help the community learn more about the duties of a K9 officer. In Sebring, staff partnered with a local senior center to create “Take and Make” craft kits, which have quickly become a popular item in the community.
BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS PARTNERSHIP
In an effort to promote civic engagement, PLYMC hosted a series of programs in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown (LWVGY) to help residents learn how elections work in Mahoning County. The Mahoning County Board of Elections (BOE) shared information on how votes are collected, counted, and secured through the entire voting process and answered questions from participants.
NURTURING POSSIBILITIES...
Main Library’s brand-new Culinary Literacy Center is the crown jewel of its renovation. With 14 cooking stations, and the ability to offer interactive virtual classes, our culinary literacy specialist leads the development of food literacy programming in this one-of-a-kind space in the Mahoning Valley.
YSU FOOD SCIENCE CLASS
PLYMC teamed up with YSU, inviting Dr. Jeanine Mincher’s Food Science Class into our new Culinary Literacy Center to explore the space as well as learn their lessons for the day.
OHIO STATE EXTENSION OFFICE NUTRITION CLASSES
In an effort to promote healthy eating and the importance of family mealtimes, PLYMC partnered with EFNEP, CFAES, and the Ohio State University Extension office to provide Interactive Nutrition Education Classes for families and young adults. Participants learned about preparing healthy meals on a budget and received an electric skillet when they completed the class requirements.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
In 2022, PLYMC welcomed three new members to our Board of Trustees: The Chief Financial Officer for The Muransky Companies Angela Duskey, the retired Executive Director of Organizacion Civica y Cultural Hispana Americana, Inc. (OCCHA) Mary Lou Reyes, and Account Executive for Cardonex Sales Mariel Sallee. The new trustees filled spots left vacant by the passing of Dr. David Ritchie, the Library’s Board President, who passed away in July of 2021, the retirement of longtime member, Richard Atkinson, and the resignation of T. Sharon Woodberry, who moved out of state.
THE J. CRANDALL FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE CHILDREN'S AREA AND PLAYHOUSE AT MAIN LIBRARY
The J. Ford Crandall Foundation provided $50,000 for the Children’s Area and Playhouse in the Family Engagement Area at Main Library.
“The J. Ford Crandall Trustees feel that having a vibrant library is vital in promoting culture, literacy and education... Today, PLYMC advances all of those things and more. We are fortunate to have such an outstanding library system here. It's truly an investment in our community and in our future.” - Andrew Bresko
THE BLASKO FAMILY SPONSORS THE CHILDREN'S AREA AT THE SPRINGFIELD LIBRARY
The family of the late Diane M. Blasko donated $10,000 for the Children’s Area at the Springfield Library.
"My mother, Diane Blasko, supported the Library in many ways over the years: Working at book sales, attending Library-sponsored teas, and various events. Her connection with the Library started when she arrived from France in 1947 and did not speak English, only French and Italian. The Library on the square of downtown Youngstown, gone for many years now, is where she got help with dictionaries and easy readers... As I grew up on the south side of Youngstown, she would often accompany us to the Southside Library, on the corner of Market and Willis. Mom loved children, and it seemed natural that we would choose the children's area as the place to honor her." - Michele DeRhodes
THE YOUNGSTOWN FOUNDATION DONATES $100,00 FOR THE NEW ENTRYWAY AT THE MAIN LIBRARY
The Youngstown Foundation donated $100,000 for Main Library’s entryway renovation.
"We are proud to contribute to Main Library’s renovation project and support its next chapter of providing accessible services to residents across the Mahoning Valley." -Lynnette Forde
THE SCHMUTZ FAMILY FOUNDATION
Reid and Judy Schmutz, who is also a PLYMC Board of Trustee member, donated $100,000 from The Schmutz Family Foundation for the restoration of Main Library’s Grand Reading Room as part of Main Library’s Capital Campaign project.
"PLYMC has a long history of serving the Valley as a community hub for connection, learning, and discovery, and it is our hope that with the restoration of this beautiful space, generations of readers, learners, and innovators will enjoy the historic Grand Reading Room for years to come." -Judy Schmutz