All Ages

Donations Keep Local History Room Thriving

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Preserving local history has been a goal of the Peters Township Public Library since its founding over 60 years ago. To go beyond clipping newspapers, in early 2003 the library staff began an Oral History Project with funding from Taste of the Township. The goal was to record and preserve the history of the township through audio interviews with past and present residents.

Community Day promotional materialsThe library worked with the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center Oral History Service Department to conduct the interviews. By April 2004, the collaboration had produced twenty-two interviews. They reflected various facets of the history of Peters Township – farm life, education, government, recreation, transportation, churches, and industry. Next, the interviews were transcribed, edited, printed, bound, and added to the library’s Local History collection. You can search the library catalog for “Life in Peters Township: an oral history project” and request any of the bound volumes to check out and enjoy.

Peters-Township NewsIn the spring of 2008, a two-story addition expanded the building with space for a Local History Room on the second floor. Over the past 12 years, the room has acquired copies of the bound oral history interviews and many photographs and documents received from various donors. Along with several volunteers, Head Reference Librarian Margaret Deitzer and Information Technology Librarian Ed Wolf continue preserving the donations that tell the story of the township from the late 1700s to present.

Carolyn Friedrich and Ed WOld with historical donationsLast year The Peters Township Library Foundation committed to channeling contributions received from the Washington County Community Foundation’s Day of Giving toward the library’s local history efforts. This donation supported the ongoing work of library staff and archivist Carolyn Friedrich to make the collection searchable from anywhere in the world.

Mr and Mrs Ed LybargerA recent donation from Edward and Janis Lybarger added extraordinary resources to the collections. The Lybarger family connection to the library began in the 1950s with his mother, Alberta Myers Lybarger. As president of the Women’s Club of Peters Township, her efforts helped to make the dream of a community library for the township become a reality. Their new donations cover topics like local schools, churches, civic organizations, businesses, and the development of the library through blueprints, photographs, newspapers, and artifacts. The library welcomes items like these to continue to document the past and present growth of Peters Township. Please call the library at 724.941.9430 for more information.

Line drawing of the Peters Township Public LibraryThe Lybargers have also financially supported The Peters Township Library Foundation, which continues to support this archival work, covering the costs of making this collection accessible to the public. Is preserving Peters Township history important to you? The WCCF Day of Giving is Thursday, September 10, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Your online donation that day to The Peters Township Library Foundation continues to support our efforts to preserve, arrange, scan, digitize, and store our growing collection of Peters Township Local History. Your tax-deductible gift will also benefit programming and resources not covered by the library’s operating budget. AND you will help us become eligible for added support from the WCCF’s $100,000 bonus pool. For more information, visit the WCCF Day of Giving web site.

NEW – Museum Experience Kits

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The Peters Township Public Library offers WAGGIN library cardholders access to a variety of local historical sites and museums through a “Museum Experience Kit.”

The sites in the kits include:

 

You can check out a kit for one week. Each offers complimentary admission for up to four people to each site. Kits include educational support materials and itinerary suggestions tailored to each site. Check availability at the Information Services Desk.

Budd Baer Subaru in Washington, Pa. is sponsoring the kits through a partnership with the History Center Affiliates Program (HCAP). The program includes more than 125 regional historical societies and organizations dedicated to preserving local history.

Myra R. Oleynik announces retirement plans

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Dear PT Library Community,

 

I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as the Director of the Peters Township Public Library for the past five years. Last month, I announced my plan to retire to the Peters Township Council, PTPL Staff, PT Library Board, and The Peters Township Library Foundation. I intended to share this decision earlier in the spring. When the pandemic hit in early March, I put those plans on the back burner and chose to focus my attention on working through the PA Red, Yellow and Green Phases. I am pleased to report that we have successfully re-opened the library doors to the public, keeping the health and safety of the staff and community as our priority. The Township is in the process of receiving applications for my position. We are currently working together on a transition plan as my last official day will be July 20, 2020.

 

I began working at the library in July 2015. One month before, I had retired from 36 years of service in the Peters Township School District as an elementary classroom teacher and school librarian. It has been an honor to act as your library director for the past five years. I learned something new every day! Now the time has come to retire (for the second time) so that I can spend more time on the needs of my family. I want to thank the entire community for their support. My staff and I ventured to open books, doors, and minds with extraordinary programming, several renovations, a new website, and many fresh initiatives. I will miss my dedicated staff, our volunteers, and the hundreds of library visitors I met. It has been a joy to work in the delightful community where I was born and raised, bought a home, settled down with my husband to raise our family, and now to retire.

 

As I leave my position as library director, my wish for you is in these words from Ralph Waldo Emerson – “Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.”

 

Warmest regards,
Myra R. Oleynik
Library Director

Library opens to the public for limited services

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UPDATED TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020

Library Director Myra R. Oleynik shared the following message on Friday, June 26, 2020.

Great news! The Peters Township Public Library will open its doors to the public with limitations on Monday, June 29 at 10:00 a.m.  As we work to provide you with safe, in-person services, we ask for your patience and support. Please understand that all services are not available yet.  Programs and library clubs are on pause and will not be meeting for now. Library volunteers have not been contacted to help. Visit our events calendar for the dates and times of virtual programming. And there is still time to register for our Virtual Summer Reading Program for all ages with Reader Zone.

Other changes for you to be aware of:

•   Our summer hours through September 8 will be Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will be closed Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4.

•   For your safety, our staff will be wearing masks. By order of the Pennsylvania Department of Health under the Disease Prevention and Control Act, masks are mandatory in all public spaces. A library staff member can provide you with a mask if you have forgotten yours.

•   Staff will disinfect high-touch areas regularly. Scheduled evening cleanings will continue. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the library. No food or drink permitted.

•   In the Green Phase, we are under a limited capacity order. During your visit, you will see occupancy limit signs posted throughout the building.  Please select your items for check out quickly so we may serve as many people as possible throughout the day.

•   We have moved furniture maintaining social distancing practices, and no tutoring will be permitted at this time.

•   Study rooms on the 2nd floor are temporarily closed and for staff use only.

•   We will quarantine all returned materials for at least 72 hours before check-in by staff. Items will remain on your account during the quarantine time frame. Materials on shelves and displays are “out of quarantine.” A person browsing may have touched them. Keep your hands clean by using the hand sanitizer provided and avoid touching your face.

•   Our book drop will remain closed but you can drop off materials in a plastic bag in our RETURN BINS during library hours.  We are not able to accept book donations.

•   Four computers on the 2nd floor have been socially distanced and will be available for public use. Schedule an appointment with your WAGGIN card 24 hours in advance. One 45-minute session per day depending upon availability. Call the Reference Desk during library hours at 724.941.9430 #2. Please bring your own headset and WAGGIN barcode to log in. Staff members will disinfect keyboards and mice between each use. We are unable to offer any personal help while using library computers.

•   The Youth Services Department will be open for browsing. The Family Activity Center and Teen Room are unavailable. We have removed all toys, puppets, and puzzles.  Book Bundles will be available for your convenience. Youth Services computers will not be available.

•   The Meeting Room, Reading Room, Conference Room, and Café Lee remain closed. We are currently not accepting room reservation requests.

•   No fines charged for overdue items through September 8. You can make a payment for lost or damaged items by credit card in person or by calling 724.941.9430 #5771.

•   You can place a hold/request on items from our library catalog here. We will continue to offer our curbside pickup service by calling 724.941.9430 #1 to schedule. We are unable to request materials from other libraries at this time.

•   For further updates please sign up for our e-newsletter or follow us on social media.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Lobby opens for hold pickup only

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Updated Monday, June 22, 2020, at 8:00 a.m.

The Peters Township Public Library lobby is open for hold pickup ONLY. If you received an email, text, or phone call from the library to notify you that your items are “READY”, you may visit our lobby during these designated times to pick up your items:

Monday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

If you prefer Curbside Pickup Service, call 724.941.9430 #5 and leave us a message. We will call you back to schedule an appointment during library hours.

Place holds/requests anytime for your desired materials through the WAGGIN online catalog. Have your library card number and PIN ready to place a request online.  Your PIN is usually the last 4 digits of your phone number.  If you need help accessing your library account, please email ptlib@ptlibrary.org to streamline this process.

Bins for RETURNS will be available during the library hours outlined above. Please bring your items to return in a plastic bag and place them inside the bin. All returned items are quarantined for 72 hours before being checked in.

All other areas in the library will remain closed to the public at this time. We are not able to accept book donations until further notice. Please do not put book donations in the RETURNS bins.

We will be wearing masks for you. Please wear your mask for us and practice social distancing during your visit to the library.

Questions? Email ptlib@ptlibrary.org.

The library enters the “Green Phase”

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Library Director Myra R. Oleynik sent out the following message on Thursday, June 4, 2020:

Dear PT Library Community,
As Washington County moves to the “green phase” on Friday, June 5, this is what you need to know right now about the Peters Township Public Library:

  • The library WILL NOT reopen to the public on Friday, June 5. We are awaiting further guidance from the Office of Commonwealth Libraries to adopt a phased-in approach for in-person library services. Staff will be returning and preparing the building and their workspace to abide by federal, state, and local health guidelines. We will be processing new library materials and offering help by phone at 724.941.9430 and email at ptlib@ptlibrary.org. 

  • Curbside Pickup Service will continue by appointment Monday through Saturday with an extended 3-week loan period. Review our Curbside Pickup details here.

  • We will be accepting returns. The outdoor book drop will remain closed, but returns may be dropped off in our RETURNS bins located at the library front entrance. We can accept returns on Mondays/Tuesdays/Thursdays/Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All returned materials will be quarantined for 72 hours.

  • Tax appointments are not being rescheduled. A limited supply of tax forms and instruction booklets are available on a table at our front entrance during RETURN hours.

  • We are not accepting book donations, meeting room applications, program proposals, or scheduling any library volunteers at this time.

  • All WAGGIN library cards have been renewed to December 31, 2020. 

  • At the moment, we are offering only virtual programs. We will announce these programs through our library newsletter (subscribe here), on the library Events Calendar, and the Peters Township Public Library Facebook page. Visit the library’s YouTube Channel for playlists which include all of our virtual programs. Virtual classes and programs will also be available via Zoom.

  • If you haven’t already done so, be sure to register for our virtual Summer Reading Program for ALL ages using Reader Zone. Learn more about the program here.

Please check your email for further updates about the official date for our phased reopening of the building and in-person library services. We appreciate your patience and look forward to safely serving you soon.

Myra R. Oleynik
Library Director