Brewed Fresh Daily

CrainTech's Chris Thompson quips "Perhaps the Cleveland Public Library should be put in charge of efforts to reinvigorate the region's entrepreneurial spirit." Not a bad idea if you ask me. There are a few interesting points in the story that bear discussion. Serendipity, baby. "The new venture is proof that risk taking - when combined with a little serendipity - can lead to exciting opportunities." Two qualities that seem to be lacking around here. People willing to take risks and the element of serendipity. It ain't happenin' here. "The serendipity came last summer when Cindy Orr, collection management manager for the library, met Claudia Weissman and others from OverDrive at a library convention in Atlanta." Atlanta. This happened in Atlanta. As a matter of fact, things seem to happen all over the place. Surely things happen here too. Are we that myopic? She ain't from around these parts. "Ms. Lowrey was lured here from Dallas last year because the Cleveland system has 'shown a tremendous amount of innovation. They seem to be willing to try things,' she said. 'They're willing to take risks.'" Hello. The library systems have to take risk because the State of Ohio is going to cut off all their funding. You've(We've) given them no choice. When you're back's against a wall, you suddenly become a risk taker. When does a Librarian from Dallas notice whats going on up north? Don't get me wrong. I'm glad she did. But more and more, the people that make things happen aren't originally from Cleveland, or Northeast Ohio, or Ohio from that matter. They're transplants who love this area more than you. Chris needs to get out of town more often. The week preceding his vacation, he seems to crank out some pithy articles.