News

Looking Back at 2021

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As we wrap up another year at PTPL, we want to share some highlights and a few of our favorite moments of 2021.

 

Peters Township Public Library was closed to the public for the first two months of 2021 and offered curbside pickup of materials and virtual programs during that time. The PTPL Foundation continues to fund a Zoom subscription for the library, allowing many patrons to access and participate in programs from home. The Foundation also funds the use of the Beanstack platform, which has allowed over 400 patrons to log reading with us this year. In August, PTPL Sponsored Clubs came back to meet in person at the library. Throughout the fall and winter, we continued to expand our offerings of in-person programs.

 

LIBRARY USE

PTPL has had over 59,000 visitors in the building this year. These visitors checked out study rooms 775 times, used computers over 2,000 times, and asked over 7,000 reference questions. Some of these visitors were also our beloved volunteers who could come back this fall. These dedicated helpers logged 275 hours at the library.


MOST CIRCULATED

Below are the top circulating DVDs, Magazines, Fiction, and Nonfiction for this year. Did you check out any of these popular items?

Top Circulating DVDs
Little Women – 49 checkouts
News of the World – 46 checkouts
Greenland – 39 checkouts

Top Circulating Magazines
People Weekly – 125 checkouts
Taste of Home – 41 checkouts
Real Simple – 37 checkouts

Top Circulating Nonfiction Books
Last Train to Paradise by Les Standiford – 32 checkouts
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson – 24 checkouts
Columbine by Dave Cullen – 24 checkouts

Top Circulating Fiction Books
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 107 checkouts
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 79 checkouts
The Guest List by Lucy Foley – 74 checkouts

PROGRAM ATTENDANCE

PTPL continued to offer virtual (live and pre-recorded) programs throughout the year, in addition to some in-person programs beginning in the fall. Over 700 programs were held, with more than 20,000 persons attending, watching, or participating. Our Harry Potter Digital Escape continued to receive visitors from all over the world and was played over 1 million times this year.

 

STAFF HIGHLIGHTS

Here are some of our favorite moments from 2021. 

It was really fun making our tie-dye t-shirts as a staff, and Paws for Reading is always fun to see. Mini Golf was great! — Jamie

It might sound cheesy.. but one of my best moments of 2021 was getting hired at the PT Library! I love coming to work every day. — Anne-Marie

I really enjoyed utilizing our new outdoor space for programming. — Shannon

Mini Golf is always a great time for the staff to get a little creative (and competitive). I love using Zoom to bring in presenters and participants from all over to share and learn together. — Syd

My favorite moment of the year was being offered the opportunity to join the team here at the Peters Township Public Library. Everyone has been so welcoming, and it’s great to be here. I also really enjoyed getting to plan several maker programs involving my favorite holiday: Halloween. — Brandon

Some of my favorite memories were doing curbside last winter in the freezing temperatures and seeing how grateful some of our readers were, staff tye-dye day and how awesome everyone’s shirts turned out, and dressing up in a dino suit and visiting the kids out under the tent. — Dianne

My most favorite moment was the PTPL staff adopting a family of 6 for Christmas. This is the true meaning of Christmas. The enthusiasm of the staff as we discussed who was getting what was magical. I envisioned every member of the family waking up to a wonderful gift-packed tree. Santa was there! — Linda

The PTPL Archives enjoyed a great year. We reached out to the community through programs, an exhibit, and sharing historical photographs and other items on PA Photos and Documents. Thanks to The Peters Township Library Foundation and to all those who contributed to support the PTPL Archives. We were pleased to receive word in December 2021, that the PTPL Archives was awarded a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Historical and Archival Records Care Grant. — Margaret & Carolyn

 

LOOKING FORWARD

We are excited for so many things to come in 2022 and look forward to another great year at PT Library!

 

Adult Programs Survey Results

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In October 2021, we emailed our newsletter subscribers four questions to help us plan programs for adults in 2022.

Our survey identified four essential points that help us address the needs and wants of the community:
● Who is interested in adult programs?
● How do people want to participate in programs?
● When are people available for programs?
● What kind of programs are of interest?

We received 215 responses and are excited to share what we learned.

Graphic of survey responses from 2021 program survey showing age, preferred time, format, and types of programs.

 

Your responses will help us plan and react to the needs and interests of the community. Furthermore, we can continue to provide programs that align with the PA Forward Literacies: Basic Literacy, Information Literacy, Civic & Social Literacy, Health Literacy, and Financial Literacy. For example, the survey responses revealed that you are interested in Physical Health. Knowing this, we can leverage our community partners and continue to have programs like Medicare 101 (11.17.21), upcoming Nutrition Myths (12.9.21), and add new classes and events to the mix.

If you responded to the survey, you may receive follow-up emails from our staff as we continue to explore your responses and share programs that may interest you.

Didn’t see the survey? You can sign up for our e-newsletter and select the kind of updates you would like to receive.

Do you want to present a program at PTPL? Read our program policies and fill out a program proposal to share your ideas.

If you have any questions or want to know more about programs at PTPL, please get in touch with Sydney Krawiec, Program & Outreach Coordinator. You can reach her via email at  skrawiec@pt-library.org or call 724-941-9430 ext. 3260.

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

Revisit the Past with Resources from PT Library

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Peters Township Public Library is in the process of formalizing the library’s local history resources into the Peters Township Public Library Historical Archives (PTPL Historical Archives). Through funding from The Peters Township Library Foundation, Carolyn Friedrich, Consulting Archivist, is leading the work to preserve and increase access to these historical materials assisted by Margaret Deitzer, Reference Librarian.

PTPL Historical Archives
The archives will document the evolution of Peters Township from a sparsely populated rural farming and mining community into a regional treasure – recognized for its outstanding quality of life and excellent school district. In the Local History Room at the library, Friedrich and Deitzer are recording the development of the township through the identification, collection, and preservation of materials with historical significance to the community. Each collection in the PTPL Historical Archives is first organized and described according to archival best practices. Once this meticulous work is completed, the public will be able to access the archival collections. Finding aids are under development to help anyone learn more about the content of each individual collection. When this work is complete later in 2021, visitors will be able to view the collection by appointment only.

Train traveling on the railroad line through McMurray. This rail line later became Arrowhead Trail. PTPL Historical Archives Hutchison family papers.

Pa Photos & Documents
Beginning in December 2020, the library launched an impressive collection of digitized archival materials on the statewide resource PA Power Library called Pa Photos and Documents. Pennsylvania Libraries have contributed treasured historic and cultural materials digitally to this remarkable collection. Friedrich and Deitzer will continue to digitize and add photographs and documents representing highlights from the history of the Township to the library’s new online collection.

The late John Opeka being interviewed in 2004 for “Life in Peters Township.”

Oral History Recordings
In addition to the photographs and documents available in this online resource, the library has added oral history recordings and transcripts from the project “Life in Peters Township” to the collection. The library worked with the Senator John Heinz History Center Oral History Service on this project beginning in 2003. Interviewees shared stories about their life, memories, and experiences about growing up, working, and living in Peters Township. While the transcripts have been publicly available in the library for years, this addition to library’s materials in Pa Photos and Documents will increase access to this rich resource on Peters Township History.

Peters Township High School Class of 1940. PTPL Historical Archives Lansdown-McMurray family papers.

To Donate Original Materials
We are extremely grateful to the many individuals and families who donated their original historical items to form the collections that now comprise the PTPL Historical Archives. These collections consist primarily of photographs, programs, business and legal records, deeds, maps, scrapbooks, and other ephemera. For those interested in donating original materials to these archives, please email MDeitzer@PT-Library.org to learn more.

To visit the Peters Township Public Library’s collections in PA Photos and Documents, visit ptlibrary.org and select the drop-down menu under “Resources”. Go to “All Resources – A to Z” and scroll down and select PA Photos and Documents. Enter “Peters Township Public Library” in quotations to review the collections.

The library will reopen March 1, 2021 for limited in-person services

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The Peters Township Public Library is reopening for limited in-person services at this time. Masks are required for everyone over age 2 in the building. All areas in the library are open for browsing for books. You may check out materials inside the library at the main desk on the 1st floor. There are no fines for overdue materials. The public computers are not available at this time. Other areas unavailable include the Family Activity Center, Cafe Lee, and Conference/Meeting/Reading Rooms. Tutoring and individual study are not permitted. The daily book sale is suspended, and we are unable to accept book donations. No in-person programming at this time. Library volunteers have not been contacted to help.

Curbside Pickup Service will still be available Monday through Saturday during library hours. Please place your requests online for all items in the WAGGIN catalog. When you receive an email/text/phone call that your items are available, drive to the library, and park in any designated Curbside Pickup space in front of the building. Call 724.941.9430 #1 when you arrive. Library staff will deliver your items in a plastic bag to the trunk of your car.