Adults

Taylor Jenkins Reid featured for Novel November

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UPDATED: September 23, 2021

New York Times-bestselling novelist and screenwriter Taylor Jenkins Reid will be the featured author for The Peters Township Library Foundation’s Novel November. The literary event will be held on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. at the Peters Township High School Auditorium at 121 Rolling Hills Drive in McMurray. This will be the fourth program in the Novel November series. Previous featured speakers include Yaa Gyasi in 2017, Tim O’ Brien in 2018, and Anna Quindlen in 2019.

Tickets are now on sale at https://ptlib.org/TJRtickets. You can also purchase tickets at the library’s circulation desk. Out of an abundance of caution, masks will now be required at this event.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter of several novels that explore love in all its complexity. She writes and speaks candidly about women’s issues, relationships, marriage, and the writing process.

Reid’s newest novel, Malibu Rising, is a New York Times bestseller that follows the four famous Riva siblings who throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. The events of the night in 1983 reveal the many secrets that shaped this family’s generations, and the Rivas lives change forever. With her beloved, signature style, Reid writes a powerful story of historical fiction that explores fame, family, identity, and the impact of secrets unraveled. Malibu Rising is a #ReadWithJenna book club pick and is set to be adapted as a Hulu television series.

Her previous novel, Daisy Jones & The Six (another New York Times bestseller), details the history of a fictional rock band from the 1970s and what led to their rise to and fall from fame. In addition to writing the novel, Reid also wrote the lyrics for each song featured in the book. Before its publication, the novel was picked up by Reese Witherspoon for her monthly book club, and by Hello Sunshine, Witherspoon’s production company, for an Amazon limited television series starring Riley Keough. Daisy Jones was named one of the best books of 2019 by several media outlets, including NPR, The Washington Post, Esquire, Glamour, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, and more. The audiobook has also received critical acclaim and was named one of Apple Books’s Best Audiobooks of 2019.

Reid is also the author of the acclaimed novel, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (also a New York Times bestseller), which follows the story of a fictional Hollywood icon and her glamorous life and marriages. A television adaptation of Evelyn Hugo is in the works, with Reid writing the series adaption. Her other books include One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever Interrupted. Reid’s novels have been Indie Next picks and have been featured in People, US Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, Goodreads, and more. She lives in Los Angeles.

Update for June 1, 2021 Library Operations

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From Peters Township Public Library Director Lacey Love:

As you are aware, Governor Wolf, in coordination with the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force, announced that mitigation orders except masking will be lifted on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31. In line with these new orders, I wanted to give you an update on our library operations. We will be providing more information about in-person, outdoor programming soon, but here are the changes effective June 1, 2021:

*Masks are still mandatory for all unvaccinated persons in all public spaces.

*Library hours will remain the same: Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and closed Sunday.

*Six computers will be available for public use on the 2nd floor, up from four computers.

*Three study rooms on the 2nd floor for individual use only, one person per room.

*Two chairs per table on the 2nd floor and the booths in the non-fiction area will be fully open.

*No fines for overdue library materials and the first 10 prints from our computers are free.

*Tables and chairs will be available in the Youth Services Department, including the Teen Room.

*Café Lee, Conference Room, Multi-Purpose Room, and Reading Room are still unavailable.

*Teen gaming booths, video games, toys, AWE computers, and children’s computers are not available.

*HVAC renovations are still underway in the building. Please be aware that this may cause a temporary disruption in services, as well as issues with the building temperature.

If you have any questions about these changes, please email me. We hope to see you soon in our library building!

Access The Wall Street Journal anytime, anywhere!

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We are happy to announce that the Peters Township Public Library is able to provide PT Library cardholders with digital access to The Wall Street Journal from anywhere! The Wall Street Journal is one of the largest newspapers in the United States, providing coverage of breaking news and current headlines from the US and around the world and is published 6 days a week.

Simply click here to create your account, and you can start using wsj.com immediately. Your access will be available for the next 3 days.  After 3 days, simply come back and click the above link again, and log in as an existing user with the same username and password you originally created. Please note, your sign-on credentials are for your personal use ONLY and cannot be shared with other individuals. Any violation of this clause will result in Dow Jones terminating access.

Any questions please email us at ptlib@ptlibrary.org or call 724.941.9430 #4.

Auto renewals for eligible items

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The WAGGIN Network would like to save you time and to help you avoid overdue fines. Beginning Monday, May 3, 2021, we will automatically renew your eligible items two days before the due date. Our policy is two renewals for books and one renewal for DVDs if no one has placed the item on hold.

The items will not renew automatically in the following cases:

  • You have reached the maximum renewal limit.
  • Another cardholder has placed the item on hold.
  • Your library account has accrued fines or fees.
  • Your library card registration has expired. (Accounts expire after three years.)
  • It is an Interlibrary loan from a library outside our consortium.
  • Items that do not renew: Digital items, hotspots, kits, special loan items; museum passes; or other specialty loans classified as not renewable.

How can you confirm the WAGGIN network renewed your items?

  • You will receive a text or email notification of the renewal.
  • You can check your account online.
  • You can email ptlib@ptlibrary.org to confirm.

You can still renew items early yourself. And you can always return items before they are due, so we can share them with others.

If you do not receive email or text notifications but would like to, send an email containing your library barcode number to ptlib@ptlibrary.org.

If you have any questions, please email us at ptlib@ptlibrary.org or call 724.941.9430 #1.

Spring Into Reading with Beanstack

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An exciting change is coming to our library! Our reading challenges will be hosted through Beanstack by ZooBean. Beanstack is an online program and app designed for public libraries to host reading challenges year-round. Through Beanstack, our library will offer reading challenges that will allow you to track your reading and complete activities to earn badges and rewards. Beanstack does have an app component, and you can create an account through their website or on the app. Like ReaderZone, Beanstack allows you to make multiple readers under one account, making it easier for families to keep their reading in one place.

Register at ptlibrary.beanstack.org or via the beanstack App or use the Paper Tracker and return to the library.

Starting immediately, our Birth-Preschoolers will be able to join the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge. Already participating with our paper and pencil forms? You can continue to log your reading this way or switch to this online format.

Readers from Kindergarten to Adult will be able to participate in our Spring Into Reading Challenge. Readers can log up to 10 hours of reading and explore 10 different kinds of books to complete the challenge. Book categories include ideas and options to help you broaden and expand your reading. Participants who log 3 hours and complete the 10 different categories will be entered for a chance to win prizes from the library. The Spring Into Reading Challenge will end on June 4. Paper Trackers will also be available for pickup at the library.

Teachers can also participate with their classrooms – group and class signups are available online or through the app.

Beanstack will also host our Summer Reading Challenge which will kick off in June. Pre-registration will be available soon in Beanstack so make an account and get ready for a wild summer in our Tales & Tails Summer Reading Challenge from birth to adult! Email Sydney Krawiec if you have any questions.

April is Citizen Science Month

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April is Citizen Science Month! Peters Township Public Library is participating in a special citizen science project that is viewing clouds from above and below.

Help NASA by observing clouds and logging your observations using a free and easy-to-use app on a smartphone or tablet – photograph clouds, record sky observations, and compare them with NASA satellite images. Watch this short video that shows you how to get started!

Come to the library the week of April 12 to 17 to pick up your free Citizen Science Cloud Kit from the display upstairs near the Reference Desk. These kits have materials and information for citizen scientists of all ages.

Meet Sydney at the picnic tables outside the library at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 12 to learn how you can help NASA track clouds. Bring your phone or tablet and download the GLOBE Observer App to get started. Participants will also receive our Citizen Science Cloud Kit with more information about clouds. If it rains, we will plan for Tuesday, April 13, 10 to 10:30 a.m.

Citizen science engages volunteers in the collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists. Through the GLOBE Observer app, citizen scientists of all ages can learn more about clouds and participate in NASA science. Formal training in science is not required to participate and citizen scientists of all ages are welcome.

Want to learn more about GLOBE Observer and Clouds?
For more information about this project, visit The Globe Program.

More resources:

Cloud Activities for younger learners

Cloud-related books and videos