Thinking about joining one of the library's book clubs?

We'd love to have you join us at either our Evening Book Club (meets the second Wednesday each month from 7 - 8:30 p.m.) or our Afternoon Book Club (meets the third Wednesday each month from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.) The evening club will meet tomorrow night, May 14 and the afternoon club will meet next week, May 21. If you are curious about either group, this is the perfect month to stop in and visit as both will be holding their planning sessions to discuss books selections for July-December 2008.

The book selection for the evening club for June 11 is "Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel" by Arthur Golden. From Library Journal: "I wasn't born and raised to be a Kyoto geisha....I'm a fisherman's daughter from a little town called Yoroido on the Sea of Japan." How nine-year-old Chiyo, sold with her sister into slavery by their father after their mother's death, becomes Sayuri, the beautiful geisha accomplished in the art of entertaining men, is the focus of this fascinating first novel. Narrating her life story from her elegant suite in the Waldorf Astoria, Sayuri tells of her traumatic arrival at the Nitta okiya (a geisha house), where she endures harsh treatment from Granny and Mother, the greedy owners, and from Hatsumomo, the sadistically cruel head geisha. But Sayuri's chance meeting with the Chairman, who shows her kindness, makes her determined to become a geisha. Under the tutelage of the renowned Mameha, she becomes a leading geisha of the 1930s and 1940s... Golden, with degrees in Japanese art and history, has brilliantly revealed the culture and traditions of an exotic world, closed to most Westerners. Highly recommended.

The book selection for the afternoon club meeting on June 18 is "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. From Publishers Weekly:
Starred Review. Freelance writer Walls doesn't pull her punches. She opens her memoir by describing looking out the window of her taxi, wondering if she's "overdressed for the evening" and spotting her mother on the sidewalk, "rooting through a Dumpster." Walls's parents—just two of the unforgettable characters in this excellent, unusual book—were a matched pair of eccentrics, and raising four children didn't conventionalize either of them. Her father was a self-taught man, a would-be inventor who could stay longer at a poker table than at most jobs and had "a little bit of a drinking situation," as her mother put it. With a fantastic storytelling knack, Walls describes her artist mom's great gift for rationalizing. Apartment walls so thin they heard all their neighbors? What a bonus—they'd "pick up a little Spanish without even studying." Why feed their pets? They'd be helping them "by not allowing them to become dependent." While Walls's father's version of Christmas presents—walking each child into the Arizona desert at night and letting each one claim a star—was delightful, he wasn't so dear when he stole the kids' hard-earned savings to go on a bender. The Walls children learned to support themselves, eating out of trashcans at school or painting their skin so the holes in their pants didn't show. Buck-toothed Jeannette even tried making her own braces when she heard what orthodontia cost. One by one, each child escaped to New York City. Still, it wasn't long before their parents appeared on their doorsteps. "Why not?" Mom said. "Being homeless is an adventure."

If you have any questions about the book clubs, please call us at 724-941-9430!

College Savings on your mind?

Families looking for a low-cost, tax-smart way to fund higher education will want to plan on attending a program about nowU Pennsylvania 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP)at the library on Tuesday, May 13 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

For the past 15 years, the GSP has been helping Pennsylvania families make college possible for their children by allowing their savings to keep pace with tuition inflation. The GSP assures that if you save enough to pay for a semester of college today at a tuition level you choose, you'll have enough to pay for a semester of college at the tuition level tomorrow - no matter when, or how much college tuition rises in the meantime.

To register for this free program, visit the library circulation desk or call 724-941-9430.

"The Gallery" showcases PTHS student photography

The Peters Township High School Photography Classes will exhibit their work in the main lobby of the Peters Township Public Library from May 1st – 15th during library hours. "The Gallery" is a display of hundreds of student photographs from the classes and club at the high school.

An opening reception will be held on May 1st from 6:30-8 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

Some of the photos displayed will be available for sale, with proceeds to benefit the Library's expansion project. Over 70 students contributed work for this exciting event. For more information about “The Gallery,” contact the club sponsor, Erin Boni, at bonie@pt-sd.org or the Library at 724-941-9430.

Russia: What Does the Future Hold?

This upcoming program on Tuesday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. will be the conclude this year's World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh series at Peters Township Public Library, highlighting the topic, Russia: What Does the Future Hold? featuring Dr. Jonathan Harris, Professor of Political Science and Comparative Politics at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Harris is the Associate Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Pittsburgh and has an expertise in Comparative politics, USSR and Russian Federation, and international politics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has attempted to reinvent Russia into a major independent world power. Some of his recent policies have provoked concern in the United States and Europe. This will be a timely subject as Vladimir Putin leaves office on May 7 set to become the new Prime Minister of Russia and has agreed to lead the country’s dominant United Russia Party. Although President-elect Dimitri Medvedev is considered to be a protégé of incumbent President Vladimir Putin, many question whether Medvedev or Putin will rule Russia. Political analysts argue that Mr. Putin will retain enormous influence in Russian political life after he leaves office. The audience will have the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with Dr. Harris regarding this important topic.

Pre-register for this free program at the Library Circulation Desk or call 724-941-9430. This program is made possible with the financial support of the McMurray Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 764.

New Library Addition to be Dedicated on Sunday, April 13

Area residents are invited to the Peters Township Public Library on Sunday, April 13 at 2:00 p.m. to celebrate the completion of the new 4,800 sq. ft. two-story addition. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to open each of the new areas will begin at 2:00 p.m., and each family attending will be given a small memento commemorate the occasion. An afternoon of music, activities for children, and tours of the new addition will continue until 5:00 p.m. A special program, “Trolleys to Washington”, will begin at 3:00 p.m. featuring a slideshow presentation about the inter-urban line that ran between Pittsburgh and Washington, PA.

The dedication of the new addition culminates plans to expand the library, which began with the $500,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund awarded to the library in November 2006. Through the generous support of many residents, the library was able to accept the grant by raising matching funds of an additional $500,000. Groundbreaking for the addition took place in July 2007, and several new areas added will be available to the public at the dedication.

These new areas include:

• A 700 sq. ft. Teen Reading Room, a space designed for young adults. This corner room on the first floor is filled with natural light by day and colored ceiling lights by night. A frosted glass partition separates this area from the children’s space with shelving along the walls to house the young adult collection. The room also has café-style seating to play video games and a small kitchen area with a sink, countertop and cabinets. Tables and chairs in the room can be easily moved into an adjacent storage room to clear the space for dancing, concerts,
or other programs. A retractable wall-mounted screen can be used for educational presentations, group instruction or viewing the latest DVDs.

• A Family Activity Room, also on the first floor adjacent to the current Children’s Department. This kid-friendly area encourages freedom and creativity in a colorful, welcoming environment. A story time corner with a built-in, spot-lighted stage will be used for children’s programs. Low shelves along the walls will house books for toddlers and younger children. Pint-sized furniture will suit the smallest library patrons for reading, coloring, and arts and crafts. Large climb-able blocks with interactive panels will be located in the center of this carpeted room and huge, soft cushions in a variety of shapes can be used as chairs or stacked into any number of imaginative shapes.

• A Local History Room which will house all things related to Peters Township History. The bond volumes of “Life in Peters Township”, an Oral History Project by the Peters Township Public Library will be kept in this room. These volumes record and preserve the history of the township through personal audio interviews with past and present residents. The interviews reflect the many facets of the history of Peters Township, including farm life, education, government, recreation, transportation, churches, and industry, and at the same time preserve many of the personal experiences of our longtime residents.

• Additional shelving space on the second floor for the entire adult non-fiction collection.

• A Conference Room on the second floor with a large table and seating for eight, which will be available for use by a variety of community organizations.

All area residents are invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:00 p.m. and remain afterwards to tour the new facilities and enjoy an afternoon of programs and light refreshments.

What are your kids doing online?

Are your children using web sites like MySpace and Facebook to connect with their friends? Do you know what information they are sharing online? To help parents get a better understanding of the online social networks being used today, Senior Supervisory Special Agent Fred Neal will talk with parents during an Operation Safe Surf presentation on Tuesday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Peters Township Public Library. He will present parents with suggestions to help reduce the opportunity and likelihood that their child could be victimized.


Operation Safe Surf is sponsored by Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett to help educate kids and parents about the importance of being safe online. It provides parents with resources and tools to help their children learn how to protect themselves while still enjoying all the benefits of the Internet.

Special Agent Neal, the programs presenter, has held positions in Law Enforcement for over 30 years. He has spent two decades as an agent with the PA Attorney General's Office, conducting and supervising undercover drug efforts. The last 2 years he has served as the Regional Director for Narcotics Investigations in Southwest Pa. During this time, the Attorney General’s office has uncovered many situations in which the internet has been involved in criminal activity.

This program is suitable for adults only. Pre-register for this free program at the library's circulation desk or call 724-941-9430.

Temporary Closure of Library's Second Floor Announced

In order to prepare the Peters Township Public Library’s new addition for the grand opening next month, a temporary closure of the second floor to library patrons has been announced. The first floor of the library will remain open, including the Children’s Department, and all programs will be held as scheduled.

The second floor will be closed beginning Monday, March 17 through Monday, March 24 due to the installation of new carpeting, and the moving of shelving, books, and furniture. The Children’s Department and first floor will remain open during this time, except for Friday, March 21 (Good Friday) and Sunday, March 23 (Easter Sunday). The projected reopen date for the second floor is Tuesday, March 25. Patrons who wish to use computers will be directed to the computers in the Children’s Department.

For patrons requiring materials located on the second floor (nonfiction, young adult books, books on CD/cassette) will be asked to fill out a request form for the item needed. Library staff will call when the item is located and ready for checkout. Study rooms on the second floor will not be available during this time period.

This scheduled closing is part of the library’s preparations for the dedication of the new addition planned for Sunday, April 13, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:00 p.m. followed by tours and other special programs and activities that day. All are invited to attend the festivities.