The Observation Deck

Front page of the Metro Section in today's(Wednesday) Plain Dealer

Lakewood's No.1-ranked Library
led by director with first-rate ideas
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindeal ... xml&coll=2

A quick look at Ken Warren, the man, and the award winning library he has put together with a great crew of people.

Also mentioned, Jeff Endress who proudly proclaims what most of us think, "He's got be the greatest library director in the world." and Grodon Brumm, "I think he is our Pericles*, he's putting intellect into action."

A very nice little peek into the man with "wild ideas," and my very good friend and friend to Lakewood.

Talk about defining a brand!

Thanks for everything Mr. Warren. It was Lakewood's luckiest day when Jim Shaw found you and brought you to your home, Lakewood, Ohio.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pericles

.

I'll have to second everything that Jim just wrote.

Ken is a beacon of light, shining in the heart of Lakewood! Words like "visionary", and "renaissance man" do not even BEGIN to describe his hard-working, friendly, compassionate, and engaging personality.

Between Ken's, and Jim's, good ink with their PD articles this week, people are really starting to talk about Lakewood!

What's happening here?

Well, come and see for yourself!

When I hear people say "Lakewood's going downhill" (which I've been hearing since I was five), I point to the Lakewood Public Library and say "How many decining, first ring suburbs are expanding the intellectual center of their community?" It just doesn't add up.

Ken, you are a difference-maker in the town. Congratulations to you and the library for the great coverage today!

It's true, Lakewood benefits by excellence and recognition for excellence (which as Jim says "builds Lakewood's brand") at the Library. Congrats to Ken and the entire institution.

That recognition for excellence puts the cherry on the sundae, as it were, for all the good things that are there. I've got the feeling many other things in Lakewood are on the verge of breaking out--or already truly are excellent, but we need to step back or get outside validation to appreciate them.

What if Lakewood were to be acknowledged as the City of Unique Restaurants, for example? Or the City of Classic Home Architecture? Both are already true, but perhaps not quite focused and properly presented to us and the outside public.

Why does all this matter? Because I think we can do better than just hover where we are in this town. Doesn't it make you hungry to be the best in the region? By working just a bit harder and smarter, we can break out. Let's adopt a plan, an actual plan with benchmarks and dates, to surpass Westlake, then Shaker Heights--then Minneapolis, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Doesn't it make you hungry to be the best in the region? By working just a bit harder and smarter, we can break out. Let's adopt a plan, an actual plan with benchmarks and dates, to surpass Westlake, then Shaker Heights--then Minneapolis, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Sorry but not a chance Im with you here.

Thats like an apple telling another appple in the orchard "Gee, we are getting so ripe and plump and juicy that we could try to be an orange... not only that we can be the BEST orange"

Forgive me my pet peeves, but the idea that we are in some sort of competition with Westlake, Shaker, Toronto, or San Francisco drives me about as crazy as the idea that there is something wrong with being the best LAKEWOOD we can be.

I dont... for so much as a split second.... think that we should work smarter or harder to rub elbows with ANY other city. I dont want a goal of having our houses cost as much, or median income that is equivalent, or giant pools of retail that draw from surrounding communities like they have. If that is what I wanted I would have moved THERE.


I do think we should always strive for a a policy that would be the civic equivalent of business Kaizen. A constant effort to change for the better in all that we think, say, or do.

I believe that we should work harder and smarter...


... but not to complete with City X.

We should work harder and smarter to be the best Lakewood that we can be.

If I have one wish for Lakewood it would be that we spend far less time thinking about that City X is like and more time understanding, enjoying and developing what WE are and want to be.

Back to my lurkers corner....
Charyn

well, back to the point--Ken - congratulations on some well deserved recognition. You have done an outstanding job with the library and you are still the top three smartest persons I have ever met.

I'm proud to know you.

Well, as usual, I'm behind on my reading as well as life but please accept my heartfelt congratulations for your, once again, outstanding representation of the Lakewood brand.
I remain your biggest fan.
Heidi