Teens

Library Launches Mythic Fiction Contest for Tweens and Teens

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Beginning April 1 and running through 15, the library will accept submissions for a unique writing contest for tweens and teens. Entrants can submit a short story or an excerpt of a longer work for consideration. A celebrity panel of judges will review all submissions. A reception will be held at the library on Thursday, May 4 at 5:30 p.m. to announce a winner and an honorable mention in both the tween and teen categories.

Contest Details

The contest’s theme, in conjunction with the library’s NEA Big Read Grant featuring the novel Circe by Madeline Miller, is “Mythic Fiction.” Writers’ submissions should relate to the theme directly (using elements or narratives from world mythology) or indirectly (employing a mythic storyline, i.e., heroic, in scope).

Our judges will consider three main criteria: 

~ Creativity/Originality

~ Technique

~ Theme

Our top two writers in the tween and teen category will read their winning entries at the May 4 reception and receive prizes. We invite friends and family members of all entrants to join us. Immediately following the writing contest reception, attendees can participate in a live virtual discussion with NY Times bestselling author Madeline Miller.

The contest rules are:

~ Tween writers must be in grades 4 to 6; teen writers must be in grades 7 to 12.

~ Only one entry per tween or teen will be accepted.

~ We will accept only single-author stories (no joint projects).

~ Submission must be your original work.

~ Tween entries can be up to 1,000 words but must be a minimum of 500 words.

~ Teen entries can be up to 3,000 words long (but must be a minimum of 1,000 words).

~ Entries must be submitted via a COMPLETE Google entry form between April 1 to 15 only. 

~ Entries must relate in some way to the theme of “Mythic Fiction.” Authors can explain the connection to the theme on the entry form.

Mythic Writing Workshop for Students

The library will host a Mythic Writing Workshop on Tuesday, March 21, from 4 to 5 p.m. for students planning to enter the writing contest. This workshop will provide inspiration and instruction for writing engaging mythology-inspired stories. Register at https://events.ptlibrary.org/event/tween-and-teen-mythic-fiction-workshop

Teen and tween writers interested in regularly meeting with peers in a supportive, encouraging environment may be interested in the library’s Writer’s Club, which meets twice a month year-round. Tweens meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 4 to 5 p.m., and teens follow from 6:30-7:30 p.m. 

Contact Beth May at emay@ptlibrary.org with questions about the contest or the writing groups.

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

Read Local/Eat Local returns to PT Library

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The Peters Township Public Library will host 22 local authors at its 3rd Read Local/Eat Local in a new format for 2022. On Saturday, August 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the public is invited to visit the library for an entirely outdoor event in the library parking lot. The library encourages the community to read books by Pennsylvania authors representing all genres for all age groups. No registration is required to attend.

The twenty-two authors featured will include writers of several formats, including short stories, fiction, nonfiction, and children’s picture books. Authors participating include:

Robin Acton
Sarah Addis
Barbara Brutt
Rossilynne Culgan
Annette Dashofy
Abigail Drake
Fifth Avenue Writers
Kit Frick
Lisa Grazan
Anna Harsh
J.V. Hilliard Author Cancelled
Annette Hostoffer
Carole Lynn Jones
Thomas Mainwaring
Nancy McCabe 
Liz Milliron
Chris Posti
Linda Rettstatt
Chris Rodell
Nellie Steele
Cori Wamsley
Thomas White

J.D. Barker

Kicking off the event at 10:00 a.m. will be a talk by J.D. Barker. He is the New York Times and international best-selling author of numerous novels, including Dracul and The Fourth Monkey. His latest with James Patterson, Death of the Black Widow, was released earlier this spring. His books have been translated into two dozen languages, sold in more than 150 countries, and optioned for film and television. Barker will sign books after his talk, with select titles available for purchase through Riverstone Books. No registration is required to attend.

Plan to Eat Local while at this free event or passing through the area. Three food trucks – Johnny’s Seafood Shack, Wooden Peel Pizza, and Millie’s Homemade – will be in the library parking lot with refreshments for sale from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Concluding the event at 1:15 p.m., a representative from Riverstone Books will offer tips to current and aspiring authors. Hear ideas on how to market your books and work with an independent bookseller. You must register to attend this presentation. Register at ptlib.org/riverstone.

For more information about Read Local/Eat Local, call the library at 724.941.9430 ext. 3260 or email ptlib@pt-library.org.

 

Are you interested in being a future Read Local/Eat Local author? Complete this short form to share your interest with the event organizers for next time!

New On-Demand Streaming Service – hoopla!

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The popular on-demand streaming service hoopla digital is now available for free for Peters Township Public Library cardholders. Members can access over 1,000,000 titles in various formats – audiobooks, eBooks, comics, music, movies, and TV. PT Library cardholders can stream content from any computer or mobile device by downloading the hoopla digital app for IOS and Android.

With hoopla, Peters Township Public Library now offers a vast digital collection to borrow immediately from anywhere. Hoopla is available on your desktop, phone, tablet, Alexa devices, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Android TV. You may borrow 8 Instant Borrows each month. Books are available for 21 days, videos are available for 72 hours, and music titles for 7 days after you borrow. Titles are automatically returned and removed from your device at the end of the lending period.

“Our patrons have given us great feedback over the past year about how our library services can help meet their needs,” said Illyanna Logan, Assistant Library Director. “One thing that we heard over and over again was that the Peters Township Public Library community wanted more digital content available with their library card. When we saw that, we immediately thought of hoopla. It gives us a great way to instantly increase our digital offerings with a vast library of content in diverse formats that’s always available. We think this resource will be a great addition to our digital collections and hope our patrons enjoy exploring all that hoopla has to offer!”

The hoopla digital collection includes popular entertainment and educational content, such as hit TV series, newly released music, bestselling audiobooks and eBooks, and much more. All items in the collection are always available, so no holds are necessary. This new service is not replacing OverDrive or Libby for downloading eBooks and audiobooks. The library is providing more digital content at the request of its members.

To get started, visit hoopladigital.com on your desktop or visit the App Store or Google Play to download the mobile app. In late March and April, the library has scheduled Intro to Hoopla classes via Zoom. Visit ptlib.org/classes to register to join the Zoom session.

Additional resources:
How to hoopla on IOS, Android, or Kindle
5 easy steps to get started with hoopla

What is Kids Mode?
hoopla Kids Mode is a multi-format, digital media experience designed especially for kids (up to age 12). All of the content – movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks, eBooks, and comics – has been curated and brought together in this one family-friendly place. Kids Mode is a feature that should be used with parental guidance. There are different age ranges using this feature and the titles available range from G-General Audiences to PG – Parental Guidance Suggested. Parents or guardians are expected to decide whether a specific title is appropriate for their child.

How do I activate Kids Mode?
hoopla Kids Mode is very simple to activate. Once you are logged into your account, just go into your settings in the upper right. Then click/tap on the Kids Mode toggle switch, and you’re all set. Click here for a guide on how to activate Kids Mode. We also offer a Kids Mode option on the home page in the top right corner! Logging out and back into your account switches Kids Mode off by default.

 

Remembering 9/11 – Twenty years later

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In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Peters Township Public Library will feature a program with author Tom McMillan and an education exhibition from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Tom McMillan, author of Flight 93: The Story, the Aftermath, and the Legacy of American Courage on 9/11, will share a virtual presentation on Tuesday, September 7 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. From the plane’s delayed takeoff in Newark to the moment it plunged upside-down into an open field in nearby Somerset County, Pennsylvania, McMillan will guide participants through the events, aftermath, and legacy of Flight 93. Register at http://tiny.cc/Flight93program to receive the Zoom meeting invitation.

McMillan serves on the board of trustees of Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center and previously served on the board of directors of the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial. He resides in Pittsburgh and recently retired after a 43-year career in sports media and communications. A lifelong student of the history and the Civil war, he has had two other books published: Armistead and Hancock: Beyond the Legend of Two Friends at the Turning Point of the Civil War and Gettysburg Rebels: Five Native Sons Who Came Home to Fight as Confederate Soldiers, which won the Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award.

From September 1 through 12, the library will participate in September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World, an educational exhibition that presents the history of 9/11, its origins, and its ongoing implications through the personal stories of those who witnessed and survived the attacks. Told across 14 posters, this exhibition includes archival photographs and images of artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection. It explores the consequences of terrorism on individual lives and communities at the local, national, and international levels, and encourages critical thinking about the legacies of 9/11. Visitors can view the exhibit in the Multi-Purpose Room on the first floor during library open hours.

“During this 20th anniversary year, it is our privilege to share these lessons with a new generation, teach them about the ongoing repercussions of the 9/11 attacks and inspire them with the idea that, even in the darkest of times, we can come together, support one another, and find the strength to renew and rebuild,” said 9/11 Memorial & Museum President and CEO Alice M. Greenwald.

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!

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.