The Cleveland Public Library (CPL) will focus on all things William Shakespeare this summer when it opens the Shakespeare’s First Folio! The Book that Gave us Shakespeare exhibit starting today.

The First Folio is a collection of 36 Shakespeare plays collected by actors John Heminge and Henry Condell in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare’s death. Without the First Folio, the world would may never have known words such as Macbeth, Julius Caesar and The Tempest, which are included among the 18 plays that had previously not been published.

“This is a great opportunity to allow Cleveland to see a great cultural heritage treasure,” says CPL digital library strategist Chatham Ewing. “This is the only source of 18 of Shakespeare’s plays so it’s a fantastic opportunity for our region and our city to learn more about Shakespeare.”

It is believed that only 750 copies of the First Folio, originally called Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, were printed and only 233 exist today. The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. owns 82 of the copies and is hosting the tour.

The First Folio is touring all 50 states this year in honor of the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. The CPL is the only Ohio stop on the tour.

“About a year ago the library completed the [application] process to be on the tour,” says Ewing. “We were happy to be chosen.”

The approximately 20-inch First Folio will be open to Hamlet’s “To Be, or Not to Be” soliloquy in the tragedy Hamlet. The book will be enclosed in a special glass case for viewing.

“Folio” refers to the fact that, as paper making expanded to velum and parchment materials, the paper is only folded once, as opposed to a quarto or an octavo, in which the paper is folded over four or eight times.

First Folio will be exhibited through July 30 in the Treasure Room within the Special Collections on the third floor of the main library, 325 Superior Ave., during regular library hours. Because of the anticipated popularity, visitors are encouraged to make reservations for self-guided tours.

"The online reservations are free,” says Ewing, “because we’re going to have some large crowds this summer because of the convention.”

Additionally, every Wednesday from 5 to 6 p.m., librarians and professors will host guided tours through the Shakespeare exhibits. Digital copies of the First Folio are also available for download.

The library has a number of events designed around the First Folio exhibit, says Ewing. They include “Making and Faking Shakespeare,” An exhibit that explores the drama surrounding the early printed editions and Shakespeare forgeries from the last 400 years; “Digital Shakespeare,” in which patrons can learn about CPL’s Shakespeare collections and hear award-winning recitations from the English Speaking Union’s annual Shakespeare competition; and “Wonder of Shakespeare,” an exhibit that combines images, costumes, interactivity, stage, and screen to celebrate Shakespeare. 

"We have stuff happening,” says Ewing.