Author: Laura Daugherty

Friends of the Library

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Do you love the library? Have you attended a program or visited the library and felt grateful? The perfect way to say thank you is by getting involved with the Friends of the Library.

The Friends of the Library is a non-profit group of volunteers dedicated to imagining and creating ways to fundraise for the library. Across America, Friends of the Library groups make it possible for libraries to survive by fostering community support and devoting energy to raising funds. Where there is a strong library, there is almost certainly a strong Friends group.

For several years, Rostraver Library was without a Friends group. This put a strain on our community presence, programs, staff, and operations. To our great excitement, a group of volunteers came together to reestablish the Friends group in the fall of 2022.

Their first fundraiser, a bake sale celebrating Pi Day (March 14), was a great success!

Once a month, the Friends of the Library meet to discuss ideas and work on their current projects. Dates and times of these meetings vary, so check our events calendar to find details about the upcoming meeting. All ages and backgrounds are welcome as each member offers different talents and perspectives to the group. If you are interested in lending a hand, fill out this brief form to be included in communications.

The Friends are busy with an upcoming trivia night fundraiser that will support Rostraver Library and our branch, Smithton Library! This event will be held at Smithton Fire Hall on October 22 from 1-3PM. Pariticipants can register individually ($10) or as a team of 6 members($50). We hope to see you there!

Together in 2023

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

As we move into 2023, we are excited to busy oursevles with helping patrons, planning programs, and finding new ways to serve the community. The summer reading theme this year is called All Together Now – a fitting phrase to describe the relationship between libraries and their communities. Our staff and volunteers come together to best meet the needs of those who use our services. In return, donations made by the community make it possible for us to maintain those services.

In 2022, we were grateful to recieve support from our wonderful patrons and local organizations. Our garden club, summer concerts, Halloween family night, Christmas family night, and much more would not have been possible without funding from outside donors. In 2023, we look forward to working together to bring joy, learning, creativity, and growth. Here are a few ways that you can support us in the new year:

Friends of the Library

We are thrilled that our Friends of the Library group has recently reformed! Fundraising is key to our continued maintenance and growth. If you have ideas or want to lend a hand, stop in to the meeting on Monday, January 16th at 6:30 or fill out this form.

Sponsor an event: $200

With your sponsorship, we can hold events such Harry Potter day, mini golf at the library, craft night, seasonal events, and much more. With a donation of $200, we are able to ensure a day of exciting activities and experiences for kids of all ages and their families.

Sponsor Beanstack: $500

By funding our yearly fee for Beanstack, you are ensuring that patrons of all ages have access to yearly reading challenges and enrichment. Beanstack is an app that allows patrons to log the hours that they read, share book reviews, learn about different subjects, connect with the library, and participate in fun activities and games. We also use Beanstack for all of our Summer Reading logging, registration, activities, and prize drawings. Challenges range from encouraging kids to read 1,000 books before kindergarten to learning about Native American heritage month. Never heard of Beanstack? Check it out!

Book Decal Donation: $250, $500, $1000

If you donate $250, $500, or $1,000 to the library, your name or the name you are donating in honor of will be added to one of the book decals that line our indoor glass windows. Next time you visit the library, take a look at the windows behind the circulation desk to see the book decals.

Shopping with Amazon Smile

If you shop on Amazon, did you know that you could be earning money for the library? Make sure to use our Amazon Smile link before you make a purchase and 0.5% will be donated to the library.

Amazon Wish List

We created an Amazon wish list and a book wish list to let you know exactly what we need at the library! Library staff has been known to break into song and dance when a wish list package arrives.

General Donation

A donation of any amount can be made 24/7 by using Square or donating through Westmoreland Library Network.

Volunteering

Depending on the time of year and level of need, volunteering could look like pulling weeds around the building, dusting the shelves, shelving books, helping with program prep, organizing the book sale room, helping at the circulation desk, and more. Email us at rostraver@wlnonline.org, call us (724-379-5511), or stop in to see how you can help.

At Rostraver Library, we care deeply about helping each patron as best we can and cultivating a spirit of growth and creativity in the surrounding area. Your support will help us move forward with our efforts. We can’t wait for a new year at the library with all of you!

Libby Extras: Craftsy

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Have you been searching for a new hobby? Is there a craft you would like to learn more about, but you can’t find classes in your area? Look no further than your library card!

Open the Libby app, and locate the “Extras” section on the homepage. Open Craftsy, follow the prompts, and start browsing the incredible array of classes.

Try out a few fall craft projects just in time for Thanksgiving. An instructor will demonstrate flowers in fall tablescape, chalkboard wall hanging, fall flavors party platter, faux-marbled pumpkins, and more.

It’s time to plan that garden you’ve been dreaming of! Not only is there an entire collection of gardening instruction videos, but you can also head over to the woodworking section to find out how to build a raised-bed garden.

In the writing collection, you will discover classes on calligraphy, creative writing, publishing, and even job searching.

There’s something for all ages! Builders of all ages will have a blast testing five paper airplane designs under the instruction of John Collins, a 2012 Guinness World Record holder for longest paper airplane flight. The kids video section also includes classes on baking, sewing, drawing, animation, and much more!

We hope that you take the opportunity to explore Crafsty’s 1,500+ classes that you can access for free. The topics extend far beyond painting and sewing to include life skills, STEM, fitness, and interior design. With winter approaching, it’s the perfect time to dive into a new skill (all within the comfort of your own home)!

Updates and Looking Ahead to Summer

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Over a year has passed since we began to respond to the challenges of COVID-19, and we appreciate your patience, support, and willingness to comply with our best efforts to keep our staff and community healthy. We are excited to share even more updates with you that may remind you of pre-pandemic days.

We have returned to regular operating hours!

Stop in and see us:
Mon-Thurs: 10-7
Fri: 10-1
Sat: 10-2

ALL stacks are open for browsing!

We trust that you will continue helping us with our sanitizing efforts by utilizing our sanitizing stations and placing books that you no longer wish to check out on the designated tables.

You will also have a few more seating options as we slowly add well-spaced furniture pieces. We are thrilled to see everyone safely browsing the shelves and enjoying the library space. As always, we are here to help if you need assistance locating items or accessing our services.

 

Along with our cleaning and sanitizing procedures, there are a few other precautions that will remain. First, we strongly encourage all library visitors to wear a face covering regardless of vaccination status, until further CDC guidance is received. Next, computer station/time limits and our curbside pickup service will remain. Finally, we will continue to restrict in-person programming based on the number of participants and space. Here’s what you can expect for summer programming:

    • A blend of virtual and outdoor programming
    • The Summer Reading Program includes MANY fun events. Some will occur virtually while others will be held either outdoors at the library or at Cedar Creek Park. Details about these events can be found on our Summer Reading Program website page. All registration, logging, and tickets is now on Beanstack.
    • Growing with Gardens Club will be held outside on the library patio (weather permitting).
    • Miss Judy will hold chalk days once a month for her Tiny Tykes. If you are signed up for Tiny Tykes, you will receive information about this through your email.
    • We are now offering one-on-one how-to sessions on E-mail, Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, Google Search Engine, and Power Library. Click here to schedule your session.
    • Masks and social distancing encouraged. At all events, we appreciate your efforts to be socially distant and wear face coverings.

Whether it’s been a virtual basket raffle, Facebook guessing games, live videos, or take-home packets, you have been there to support us. We appreciate your continued support as we plan upcoming programs and resources for the community to enjoy.

 

Spring Welcomes Changes at the Library

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

We are excited to share some upcoming changes with you! These updates are part of our steady and thoughtful return to regular operations. We don’t have all of the answers or specifics, but we continue to hold the safety of our staff and patrons to the highest standards. 

The stacks will open April 1st

The nonfiction, large print, adult fiction, audiobooks, young adult, DVDs, and graphic novels will be open for browsing starting in April.

Although the stacks are open, we ask that patrons practice proper mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing. There will be designated areas to place items that patrons have pulled off the shelves yet no longer wish to check out. We will also make additional hand sanitizing stations available for easy access around the stacks. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with these measures.

Once we can see and adjust how our updated protocols work in the grown-up sections, the children’s area will follow shortly after.

Normal operating hours will resume in May

Starting in May, we will return to our longer operating hours. Here’s a refresher on what those looked like prior to the pandemic:

Monday-Thursday: 10AM-7PM

Friday: 10AM-1PM

Saturday: 9AM-1PM

Please note that computer station and time limits will remain despite the extended hours. 

 

As we move forward with these changes, we are continuing to work on various types of programming. Throughout this time, we designed each program to be something that will excite, refresh, or inform our patrons. We sincerely thank you for participating along the way. 

In order to continue providing programming, we ask that you support our upcoming Spring Basket Raffle fundraiser. This virtual basket raffle will open April 5th! You can visit the raffle site and browse the baskets in advance.

Baskets are still being added, so make sure you stop back when the raffle is officially open April 5th-May 5. If you have any questions, please contact the library (724-379-5511).

 

Our curbside pickup service and other safety measures will remain. Thank you for connecting with us in new ways over this past year.

Library Updates – Limited Browsing and Computer Appointments

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

You can now enter the library to access limited services! We have moved forward with a few more changes that will allow patrons to use our computers and browse books. However, these resources have NOT returned to full access. There are many alterations that you will encounter as you walk through the library.

Limited Browsing

You can now physically pick out a book and check it out in the library! There are a few restrictions that we ask you to comply with:

    • Browse prepared displays. Library staff are the only people allowed in the stacks, and we have indicated this restriction with orange cones that block off the stacks. Instead, you can explore various materials in the displays we have prepared for you.

    • Only touch what you intend to check out. All of our changes to browsing books were created to limit patrons’ physical contact with books. We appreciate your efforts to keep this contact low.
    • Ask a staff member to find the book you want. If you are searching for something particular and it is not in the displays, please ask one of our staff members to retrieve the item from the shelves.
    • Take advantage of our NEW! self-checkout machine! We are so excited about this addition to the library, and we hope you’ll give it a try during your next visit. You simply scan your barcode (or enter the numbers manually) and then scan your items. The prompts on the screen will help you through the process, and any of our staff members are glad to help you with any questions. 

      Our new self-checkout machine!

 

    • Stand behind the barrier during checkout with a staff member. Acrylic barriers have been added to one side of the circulation desk while the other side is completely blocked off. We ask that you stand behind these barriers and slide your items underneath.

 

Computers Open for One-Hour Sessions

    • You are now able to use the computers for one-hour sessions. We have reduced the number of available computers to five in order to follow safe social distancing practices.  Appointments are not required, but they are available to guarantee a station for the time you want. Staff are unable to assist patrons with the computers in order to ensure proper social distancing.

The most important part of our updates is that ALL people entering the building MUST properly wear face masks over their mouths and noses. Our staff continues to wear protective gear and practice all sanitation practices such as routine hand washing, disinfecting, and social distancing.

 

In addition to these updates, our curbside pickup service is still available. Continue to return checked-out items to the outdoor drop box. All fines and fees on materials will be waived during this time.

You can also use the Princh app to print documents from your phone, tablet, or computer. You can call the library and we will help you with this process and bring the documents out to your car!

All of our virtual resources are still available for your use, and we continue to bring you virtual programs such as storytime, virtual crafts, Dance Around the World, and more.

We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time, and we are excited to see some of you back in the building!

Curbside Pickup Open

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Curbside pickup is now available at Rostraver Library!

What does this mean?

Patrons are able to pick up their books through a low contact method of interaction. A library staff member will communicate with you and bring the book(s) to you once you arrive at the library. The building is still closed to the public.

How does it work?

  1. Browse the catalog to virtually search for books. Find the catalog by clicking on the icon that looks like your library card on our website. Remember to limit your search results to the items that are available at Rostraver Library.

    Check the box next to Rostraver Public Library to limit your search to books we own.

    Be sure to check if the book is available or checked out. This will be shown beside “Local Availability.” The number outside the parenthesis indicates how many copies are available and the number inside the parenthesis shows how many copies the library owns. 0 (of 2) would mean that zero of the two copies are available to be checked out.

    Make sure to check if the item is available at the library. In this case, “One Minute Out” is available.
  2. Either request the book online or call us (724-379-5511) and tell us your name and the book’s title and author. We will pull the book off of the shelf and check it out to you.
  3. Arrange a time with us when you can pick your book(s) up. Our current hours of operation are Monday-Friday 10am-2pm.
  4. Call us when you arrive in the library parking lot.
  5. Have your books hand-delivered by a staff member to your car door!

Returns and Due Dates

All items checked out will have an extended due date and auto-renewals will be processed. No fines will accumulate during this time.

Returned items can be placed in the book return box. We are not accepting donations during this time. 

Safety Practices

The library staff wears masks and gloves, and all returned books are quarantined for several days before being checked in. After the books are brought into the building, they are set aside and staff immediately dispose of their gloves and wash their hands. As a result of this quarantine time, there will be a delay checking in your books. We ask that you wait a week after returning items before calling the library with concerns on their status.

WiFi

If you need to access our WiFi, it reaches to certain spaces in the parking lot. The spaces closest to the library will receive the best service.

 

All of our programs will continue to be held virtually. Find news about our programs on Facebook, Instagram, and our website. All videos will be posted on our Facebook and Youtube.

Bringing You a Virtual Library

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

These past few weeks have been a scramble to make decisions and adapt resources. As a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, our physical location is closed until further notice. Thankfully, the digital library world is taking some time to shine. Besides the physical items available in our building, we have access to an abundance of eBooks, audiobooks, databases, and other digital resources. Our goal in this time is to share those with you so you can continue learning and enjoying.

Our new website page At Home Resource Collection is an archive of all the websites and activities we have been sharing on our Facebook page. Artists and organizations have showed astounding generosity and support through the materials they have chosen to freely share.

We at Rostraver Library have also been trying to provide you with remote programs. Check out what we’ve tried so far:

Thursday Storytime and Crafts

Each Thursday, Miss Kelly will alternative between Storytime and demonstrating a craft. The supplies for the craft will be posted ahead of time so you can follow along with prepared materials. Tune in at 10:30AM!

Crafts:

April 9th – Easter Gnome Sock Bunny

April 23rd – Bottle Cap Flower

Storytime:

April 16th

April 30th

Dance Around the World

Dance Around the World has moved to Facebook Live!

So far, we’ve virtually explored Irish Step Dancing and Tap. Miss Laura gives a little bit of history on the dances, demonstrates steps, and puts together a combination to get you moving at home! Dance Around the World occurs monthly, so stay tuned for the next dance in May.

Growing with Gardens

Our garden club has started, and you can find all the videos in our Growing with Gardens Facebook playlist.

Start the series by making your own Garden Journal. After that, move on to learn about seedlings, plant seeds, and listen to the birds.

Don’t forget to stay caught up with our updates on how the plants are growing. Along the way, make crafts, hear stories, and do experiments! This uncertain time may prevent us from working on the library garden together, but it provides the perfect opportunity to get outside, start a garden, or observe plants indoors at home.

Virtual LEGO Club

Do you miss our monthly LEGO club meetings? Try out an online version through our Facebook page.

A weekly LEGO challenge will be posted on Facebook to inspire your creations! If you send us a picture of you and/or your child’s creation, we will share it in our LEGO Club album.

This is open to ALL ages, and we welcome building supplies other than LEGOs! Just like our monthly LEGO club meetings, the goal is to encourage creativity, ingenuity, and fun.

 

We will continue adding to our existing programs and thinking of new ways to maintain our community of learning, growing, and connecting. Please share any feedback and ideas with us. If you’d like to see us try something virtually, let us know in the comments!

We miss interacting with all of you, and we are grateful that we can still reach some of you through social media. Thank you for your ongoing support.

If you would like to see this level of programming continue, please make a donation to Rostraver Public Library. You can donate directly by clicking this link.

Keep up with our services and events by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Library Tour: Children’s Room

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Sitting area

The children’s room at our library is home to colorful toys, timeless stories, and the many excited voices of our young patrons. Whether you are looking for a change of scenery to spend time with your little one(s), thousands of educational resources, or dynamic programs to enjoy, the children’s room can provide opportunities for you and your child to grow, imagine, and learn.

Walking into the children’s room, you will see a circle of movable seats aside from our children’s tables. These, along with other seats scattered throughout the room, provide ample room for parents to relax during events or normal visits to the library.

Display shelf

 

You might also notice our shelf of displays to the left of the sitting area. This space is devoted to teaching young patrons quick facts, exposing them to books they may not have noticed, or reaching out to reluctant readers.

Right now, we are featuring a nonfiction display, an author birthday display, and a holiday display. Many of our displays are interactive, so give them a closer look on your next visit!

 

Board Books

Turn to the left to find our collection of board books. These sturdy, simply worded books are ideal for babies and toddlers to explore without worry of damage, confusion, or boredom.

Walk a bit further and you will see our juvenile DVD and juvenile audio book collection. Beside this display is a door to our patio and a stack of bean bags where patrons can relax and enjoy their book finds.

To the right of this area is our juvenile nonfiction collection that also includes biographies. We work to provide books for young readers on a wide variety of up-to-date subjects. This section is organized under the Dewey Decimal System, and guardians and children can learn how to navigate it through the nonfiction display. Our biographies are organized by the last name of the person the book is written about. The library staff is also happy to help you find the books and subjects you are looking for.

Nonfiction and biographies

 

Juvenile Fiction

The next section is juvenile fiction where more advanced young readers can find many levels of chapter books. The table in this area provides a great place for reading, studying, or coloring (ask us at the front desk for a selection of coloring books and pencils).

The largest collection in this room is the easy readers, or picture books. These span three walls and give readers of all ages short stories and beautiful illustrations that leave a lasting impact.

 

The beginning reader books and holiday books are on the right wall. These shelves also hold toys, puzzles, puppets, games, and coloring books for the kids to enjoy on their library visit.

All of our collections are constantly updated and organized to provide award-winning books, new releases, resources on important topics, and favorite stories. If we don’t have the book you are looking for on our shelves, we can check its availability at other libraries and order it for you.

Our children’s programs include story times, family nights, author birthday parties, dance programs, garden days, and much more. Check our events page and social media to view upcoming events.

If you would like to see this level of services continue, please make a donation to Rostraver Public Library. You can donate directly by clicking this link.

Thank you for your support.

 

Keep up with our services and events by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Tech Nights

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

On the fourth Monday of each month, we invite kids of all ages to explore technology and robotics. Our year-round tech nights provide a space for kids to exercise their imaginations while advancing their engineering, critical thinking, and STEM skills.

Through the Westmoreland Library Network, we have access to many technology kits. We choose one kit to feature each month, and a full rotation of the kits lasts over a year. This way, kids can expect a relatively fresh experience each session.

Over the past few years, we have also built up our own small collection of technology kits that permanently stay here at the library. These are available for in-house use at any time during our hours, so kids can explore materials in-depth without the time limit of tech nights.

One popular kit is video and animation.

Head towards the Makerspace (also known as the book sale room) to discover what can be created with our materials. The technology kits we have available at all times are:

  • Snap Circuits
  • Bee-Bots
  • Dash & Dot
  • Mazes
  • Simple Machines
  • LEGO

Our Makerspace blog post offers a closer look at all of the resources found in the Makerspace room. The tech kits we keep in this room give kids the option to continue their interest in technology outside of tech nights. This also means that tech night attendees have alternatives to explore if they are uninterested in the tech kit of that month.

Every session is supervised by a staff member who will be able to give an explanation of the technology and help with some questions (we are always learning).

Regardless of age and skill level, kids who participate in tech nights will be able to find something suited for them.

Registration is not required for this program. Please reach out to us with any questions (724-379-5511). We look forward to seeing you!

 

 

 

Check out our full 2020 tech kit schedule:

If you would like to see this level of programming continue, please make a donation to Rostraver Public Library. You can donate directly by clicking this link.

Thank you for your support.

 

Keep up with our services and events by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.