"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.

Peters Township Kicks Off Spring Soccer Season with State Champions

Soccer fans and players in Peters Township will kick off the spring soccer season at a special event at the Peters Township Public Library, reliving all the exciting action of Peters Township’s victory against Downingtown West in the PIAA Class AAA boys' soccer championship. The match will be shown on the big screen in the library’s main lobby, and players from the championship team will attend the program, along with their Coach Bob Dyer.

Younger soccer players age 10 and up from the Peters Township Soccer Association (PTSA,) the township’s recreational soccer program, will receive a special invitation to the program through their coaches. Those attending will have an opportunity to meet the team who brought home the gold medals, get their autographs, and see the skills that brought the first championship since 1989 home to Peters Township.

Pete Chiste, President of PTSA, expects a standing room only crowd for this event, calling it “one of the best high school games I've seen ... a very hard fought, high skilled match . (Peters Township) deserved the win as the players' desire was just too much for Downingtown to overcome.”

Seating is limited for this special “after hours” program at the Library on Sunday, March 16. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m. with showing of the match to begin at 6:00 p.m. You must pre-register to attend this exciting event by Friday, March 14 by visiting the Library’s circulation desk or calling 724-941-9430. Please contact Carrie Weaver if you have any questions about this event.

Feeling Frantic? Turn Chaos into Calm!

Is your life frantic? Are you stuck on a fast-paced roller coaster that never stops? Do you have the "Empty Refrigerator - Full Hamper” syndrome more often than not? Do you often think—if only someone would point me in the right direction?

If you find yourself answering “Yes!” to these questions, visit the Peters Township Public Library for “Feeling Frantic? Turning Chaos into Calm” presented by local author and TV personality Mary Jo Rulnick. Ms. Rulnick will discuss the key ingredients for frantic-free days on Thursday, March 13 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. This workshop, filled with humorous anecdotes, will help you create systems to manage the challenges of daily life, including how to clear the clutter that is stealing precious minutes away from you and to create practical systems for daily life, including morning rush, meal planning and must-do tasks.

Pre-register for this free program at the Library’s circulation desk or call 724-941-9430.

About the Presenter: Mary Jo Rulnick is the author of The Frantic Woman’s Guide to Feeding Family and Friends and co-author of The Frantic Woman’s Guide to Life. Rulnick was the #1 Best Selling Author on Internet Book Database. She’s a feature writer for Pittsburgh Parent Magazine, columnist for Family Digest and has had over 200 articles printed in publications across the country and Canada. Mary Jo is a regular guest on TV and radio programs, including KDKA’s Morning Show, the jenniferTV show on WTAE and WQed’s OnQ Magazine. For more information about Mary Jo, check out MaryJoRulnick.com.