Community Connectors – Episode 8 – Felton Thomas Cleveland Public Library

In our latest Community Connectors interview, we sat down with Felton Thomas, Executive Director and CEO of Cleveland Public Library, to talk about what it really takes to run a successful “third place” in 2025. Cleveland Public Library has long been known as the “People’s University”, and Felton’s perspective makes it clear why: the library isn’t just a place to access information. It’s a place where communities rebuild, reconnect, and grow.

Felton shares a personal story many community leaders will recognize: when a neighborhood is struggling, the safest, most consistent institutions are often the community anchors. For him, that anchor was the library. This experience shaped his belief that libraries can be genuinely life changing.

As Cleveland faced major financial pressure during the Great Recession, Felton describes the shift libraries had to make: moving from being a place of transactions to a place of transformation. That meant expanding access to technology, building staff capacity, and partnering with workforce organizations so patrons could do more than “use a computer”, they could apply for jobs, build skills, and take real steps forward.

The conversation also highlights a powerful leadership lesson: relevance. Felton explains that community institutions are constantly being evaluated by the public in simple terms, relevant or not relevant. Staying relevant doesn’t mean chasing trends. It means understanding people where they are, offering programs that meet real needs, and inviting the community to help shape what happens next.

If you lead a library, museum, park, or any community hub, this interview is a reminder: your space can be a bridge to a better future.

Learn More about the Cleveland Public Library:  https://cpl.org/

Watch the Full Interview:  https://youtu.be/yU9mnXm8M5U