The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation has approved a $3.25 million grant to Cleveland Public Library for capacity building and the creation of a Digital Innovation Center for adults and seniors at the Library’s Glenville Branch, the neighborhood the Mandel brothers once called home. The Mandel Foundation gift is the largest contribution Cleveland Public Library has received in its 153-year history.
“We are pleased to partner with the Cleveland Public Library to provide this important asset to the residents of Glenville,” said Dr. Jehuda Reinharz, President & CEO of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation. “The Glenville branch is in the heart of the community. Neighborhood residents will benefit from access to the latest technology and opportunities to develop skills for the jobs of the future.”
Glenville Branch of Cleveland Public Library
Three million dollars of the grant will support the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Workforce and Senior Digital Innovation Center and $250,000 will build capacity at the Cleveland Public Library Foundation (CPL Foundation) by allowing the organization to add a fundraising position. The Mandel Foundation’s gift is part of a larger $7 million commitment the Cleveland Public Library is making to the Glenville Branch. The grant marks the first leadership gift to the CPL Foundation’s capital enhancement fundraising initiative.
Developed in tandem with the Library’s 10-year facilities plan to transform its branch system, the initiative seeks to create distinct environments through site amenities that respond to the unique generational needs, culture, and spirit of the diverse communities each branch serves and extend the Library’s programming and services directly into the neighborhoods.
The Glenville Branch is scheduled to receive significant updates in technology, accessibility and extended services. This includes a digital lab for students and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Workforce and Senior Digital Innovation Center, a creative, collaborative, and educational space that provides access to advanced software, emerging technologies, STEM education, and workforce and career development opportunities for Glenville residents.
“We want to make it easier for all Cleveland residents to connect and learn the skills they need,” states Felton Thomas, Jr., Executive Director and CEO of Cleveland Public Library. “The generous gift from the Mandel Foundation expands our capacity and the scope of our plans for our Glenville campus. It is a unique opportunity to make real progress towards both digital literacy and digital equity in our community.”
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Rendering of the Digital Innovation Center at Glenville
The first site for Cleveland Public Library’s Glenville Branch opened in 1909 as a sub-branch in the Village of Glenville’s old town hall. Today’s Glenville Branch was planned in 1978 as a new building that combined the Glenville and Arlington branch libraries. Architect T.K. Zung, a native of Shanghai, China, designed the branch. Mr. Zung also designed the Intramural Sports Center for Cleveland State University. Construction on the Glenville Branch is expected to begin in late 2023 following community input on the design plans.
Cleveland Public Library offers free high-speed Wi-Fi at all of its branch locations, hotspots and Chromebooks for check out, and classes that cover basic computer skills to the latest apps. With a Cleveland Public Library card, patrons can access online learning platforms and over 100 research databases. The Mandel Workforce and Senior Digital Innovation Center will enhance the Library’s Glenville Branch building, creating a cutting-edge space for digital access to advanced software and emerging technologies, the first of its kind for Cleveland Public Library on the city’s east side.
Established in 2019, the CPL Foundation is the Library’s philanthropic partner, creating and funding programs that support the Library’s mission and demonstrate community impact within its branches and neighborhoods.
Texas A&M football’s 2024 fall training camp is set to begin on Wednesday, July 31, as new head coach Mike Elko’s inaugural season is just 34 days away, as the Aggies will kick off the season against Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31.
On the recruiting trail, it was another busy weekend amid the annual recruiting pool party. In contrast, several high-priority prospects in the 2025 and 2026 recruiting cycles visited later in the week, including 2025 5-star safety Trey McNutt.
While the list of visitors is long, 2026 4-star linebacker, Cincere Johnson was one of the rising defensive prospects to make his way to College Station this weekend. The Cleveland, Ohio, product received an offer from Elko in May.
Currently standing at 6’3″ and nearly 230 pounds, Johnson’s size, speed, athleticism, and position versatility provide every collegiate program recruiting him a chance to figure out his best position at the next level.
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During his 2023 sophomore season at Glenville HS, Johnson recorded an impressive 121 tackles, 24(!) tackles for loss, seven sacks, and three forced fumbles.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.
In the run-up to the Paris Olympics, the media was saturated with contentious arguments about Caitlin Clark’s omission from the U.S. women’s basketball team. The debate devolved into a pointless back-and-forth, exploited for cultural warfare.
The debate centered on the paradox of Clark being both highly qualified and overlooked. While arguments were rooted in both basketball performance and external factors, the discussion spiraled into a full-blown media frenzy. That saw the likes of Stephen A. Smith, Colin Cowherd, and Tony Kornheiser vehemently criticize Team USA for passing on such a significant marketing opportunity, let alone talent.
As other sports media figures suggested, NBC could have capitalized on Clark’s popularity by hiring her as an analyst if ratings/marketing were a primary concern. However, other considerations likely influenced the decision, and it might have proved challenging to justify overlooking established WNBA players who have already cut their teeth in professional basketball and with Team USA.
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In any event, the discourse ultimately reached its plateau, as Clark’s going to Paris wasn’t in the cards. But that discourse has come back to life, thanks in part to NBC’s Mike Tirico, who asked South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, a member of the USWNT selection committee, about her read on Clark being left off the team.
“As a committee member, you’re charged with putting together the best team of players — the best talent,” she said. “Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA; she wasn’t playing bad, but wasn’t playing like she’s playing now. If we had to do it all over again, the way that she’s playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people.
“Shooting the ball extremely well; I mean, she is an elite passer. She’s just got a great basketball IQ. And she’s a little more seasoned in the pro game in a couple of months than she was two months ago.”
Dawn Staley, a member of the USWNT selection committee, asked about Caitlin Clark.
“If we had to do it all over again, the way that she’s playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she is playing head and shoulders above a lot of people.” pic.twitter.com/hMYqTsPWzc
It shouldn’t be surprising that Staley handled this situation with grace and offered insightful perspective on Clark’s significant growth since the initial snub. Whether her development is directly linked to the Olympic omission is irrelevant, but Staley’s acknowledgment highlights why she has such a high standing in women’s basketball.
