In April 2004, the Cuyahoga County Public Library hosted a program with Pulitzer Prize winner Seamus Heaney, the Irish poet. With the success of this program, Writers Center Stage was launched. The 2004-2005 Series began with Calvin Trillin followed by Suzan-Lori Parks and Frances Mayes, closing with the award-winning author E. L. Doctorow.
In 2005, the Foundation received a grant from the Skirball Foundation to help underwrite the Series. The 2005-2006 William N. Skirball Writers Center Stage Program presented authors Pat Conroy, Alexander McCall Smith, Jane Smiley and the Pulitzer Prize winner Anna Quindlen.

The 2006-2007 Series featured Frank McCourt, Amy Tan, Jim Lehrer and playwright Tony Kushner with director and playwright George C. Wolfe. Last season, Writers Center Stage hosted NPR’s Ira Glass and humorist David Rakoff, followed by authors Richard Russo and Russell Banks, Joyce Carol Oates, and Dr. Azar Nafisi.

Each season the Series strives to present an outstanding and diverse representation of the contemporary literary world as it adds to the area’s great cultural offerings.

The Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation exists to raise funds for the Endowment, ensuring that the Library’s mission will be supported far into the future and benefit generations to come.

The Foundation Board’s primary fund raiser is the William N. Skirball Writers Center Stage Program. The Foundation’s assets have recently passed the million dollar mark.

The Executive Director, with the participation of the Support of the Board of Trustees, has set priorities for the Library to help in the efforts to revitalize Cuyahoga County as it faces the serious issues of a high poverty rate, declining population, the mortgage crisis, low graduation rates and a work force that lacks the skills for today’s jobs. These priorities are:

RECONNECT EVERYONE WITH READING to help build the intellectual capacity of Cuyahoga County.

ENSURE EVERY CHILD ENTERS SCHOOL READY TO LEARN by providing families, caregivers and educators with the resources and services needed to develop language, critical skills and the enthusiasm needed to succeed in school.

EMPOWER YOUTH TO REACH THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL by offering homework centers to help develop decision-making skills, critical thinking, and develop career search opportunities. Collaborative with existing agencies, i.e.
Cleveland Scholarship Program, etc.

Help put Cuyahoga County back to work
by providing workforce development, computer training, career counseling while assisting small businesses in using the Library’s resources.

Keep seniors healthy, happy and at home or in a safe setting. through learning programs, a place to socialize, and health literacy programs.

Connect with new Americans by providing translation services, foreign newspapers, and other library resources. Collaborate with English as a Second Language programs.