Jan Techau, Director of Carnegie Europe

The library continues its eight year partnership with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh and welcomes Jan Techau, Director of Carnegie Europe, to discuss The Future of the EU – the Three Revolutions Europe Needs on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the library.

The McMurray Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 764 is providing support for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh 2011-12 program series. Register for this event online or call 724.941.9430.

Techau will speak about the sovereign debt crisis that has gripped the eurozone over the past year and has posed a mortal threat to the future of the European Union as a political and economic bloc. As countries like Greece teeter on the brink of collapse, political wrangling over a bailout has exposed divisions in the 27-member union. However, even before the eurozone crisis, Europe was facing decline. While its social stability, economic strength, and political influence may still be strong, the “old world” is rapidly losing ground as new powers in Asia and elsewhere increasingly flex their muscles on the world stage.

Jan Techau is director of Carnegie Europe, the European centre of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is a noted expert on EU integration and foreign policy, transatlantic affairs, and German foreign and security policy. Techau served at the NATO Defense College’s Research Division from February 2010 until March 2011. He was director of the Alfred von Oppenheim Center for European Policy Studies at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) in Berlin between 2006 and 2010 and from 2001 to 2006 he served at the German Ministry of Defense’s Press and Information Department.

Techau is an associate scholar at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and an associate fellow at both the German Council on Foreign Relations and at the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS). He is a regular contributor to German and international news media such as the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Bloomberg, Deutschlandradio, and Irish Times.

Author Visit: Robert J. Gangewere

Robert J. Gangewere will discuss his new book Palace of Culture: Andrew Carnegie’s Museums and Library in Pittsburgh at the Peters Township Public Library on Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m. A book signing will follow the program. To attend, register online, visit the circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430.

Believing that education and culture were not just for the wealthy, Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Institute in 1896, which included a music hall, art museum and science museum. Today, his cultural institution has expanded to include a library, music hall, natural history museum, art museum, science center, the Andy Warhol Museum, and the Carnegie International art exhibition.

In this first history of The Carnegie Museums and Library of Pittsburgh, Gangewere details the political turmoil, budgetary constraints, and cultural tides that have influenced the caretakers and the collections. He profiles the benefactors, trustees, directors, and administrators who have stewarded the collections through the years and provided individual histories of the library, music hall, museums, and science center.

Gangewere is a former editor of Carnegie Magazine and adjunct professor of English at Carnegie Mellon University. He is the author or editor of several books, including The Bridges of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and The Exploited Eden: Literature on the American Environment.

Program to assist with starting a new business

Starting a small business can be an exciting and challenging adventure. To help you in launching your new business, the Peters Township Public Library is partnering with the Peters Township Chamber of Commerce and the University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center to present “The Mechanics of Starting a Small Business.” This free program will be offered at the library on Thursday, March 8 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Presenters for this event will be Lindsey Biddle, Management Consultant, University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center; Jonathan Higie, Attorney, Peacock Keller Law Firm; and Edward Nemeth, Senior Loan Officer, Washington County Council on Economic Development.

Attend this event to learn about financing and business structures, how to access helpful resources and to understand the forms necessary for establishing your successful business. As space is limited, reservations are requested. Register online, at the circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430 by Tuesday, March 6 to reserve your space.