Ritter Library holds tour for Murray Ridge Center folks

Lorain Opportunity and Vocational Center, a Murray Ridge Center facility, took a community-based service tour Jan. 10 of The Ritter Public Library, 5680 Liberty Ave., to get a good understanding of what the library offers.

“We have a lot of different programs and opportunities here at the library,” said Patty Kishman, communications manager for Ritter. “We have a ton of different books and magazines for people to look at and enjoy.”

Kishman said the library also has plenty of additional spaces.

“We have different meeting rooms you can call ahead and reserve,” she said. “Right now, we have groups in these rooms playing bridge and another group knitting, so it can be for a bunch of different reasons.”

The tour then veered toward the additional media department.

“We also have a collection of different movies people

can rent from us,” Kishman said. “We have computers for people to come and use when they need to.

“We also have people that can help in research or anything you might need to do for school or work.”

The group then moved to the children’s department.

“We are next to the lake here in Vermilion, so we like to celebrate that,” Kishman said. “We have a play area modeled after a sailboat. It has ropes for the sail and a steering wheel.

“We also have a fish tank. There are a handful of different fish for people to look at and enjoy.”

Jill Camp, habilitation manager at the Lorain Opportunity and Vocational Center, said the agency has a huge focus on its consumers being part of the community.

“They have plans as to what things they want to do in the community, and going to the library was one of those things,” Camp said. “Their interests might have

“They have plans as to what things they want to do in the community, and going to the library was one of those things. Their interests might have them going to different museums in the area and locations of that nature.”

— Jill Camp, habilitation manager at the Lorain Opportunity and Vocational Center,

them going to different museums in the area and locations of that nature.

“It’s something we emphasize. We want all of our folks to be involved in their community, and going out to places like the library is one of the ways we do that.”

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Patty Kishman shows Wally, of Sheffield Village, right, and B.J., left, from Lorain, the ship in the children’s department.