Teens

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.

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

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.