Author: Laura Daugherty

I Love My Library 724

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

“‘When in doubt, go to the library.’”

-J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Library-goers know the instant tranquility and excitement of walking through the doors of a library. They go through the happy routine of greeting new books added to the collection, seeing classic favorites lined on the shelves, and learning about new events. We all know the comfort of returning home with a stack of books, movies, audiobooks, graphic novels, magazines, and other library resources to explore.

Every day, we talk with people who love Rostraver Library and all libraries. We understand what is like to believe in the purpose of libraries, and we love to share moments with patrons who show enthusiasm for the people, materials, and goals of libraries.

So, how can you express this excitement? There are many ways to support the library, and every effort allows the library to operate and serve the community. However, this month brings a creative and unique way to show how much you love your library.

Westmoreland County libraries will be celebrating I Love My Library 724 on Wednesday, July 24th. When you stop in the library on that day, there will be a photo op set up that will give you a chance to win a star named after you! Three winners will be chosen at random. To enter in the contest, you simply:

  1. Visit the library!
  2. Look at the bottom of your most recent check-out receipt. If you don’t have one saved, you can check something out to see your updated number. 
  3. Write your “Lifetime savings” number on a mini white board provided at the library. 
  4. Take your picture (or have someone take it) holding the white board and a (optional) hashtag sign. We will have a background prepared for the photo opportunity. 
  5. Post the picture on Facebook and tag the Westmoreland Library Network Facebook page.

After those steps, you will be entered in the drawing! 

Staff member Laura demonstrates with her library savings number.

The photo op will only last for one day on Wednesday, July 24th, so make sure to mark your calendar. We look forward to seeing you and discovering how much you’ve saved using the library. After the contest is over, pay attention to your receipts and watch your savings grow. It’s just one more reason to be excited about visiting the library!

#ilovemylibrary724 #alldayeveryday #westmorelandlibrarynetwork

SRQ in June: Recap

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

The month of June at Rostraver Library was full of space exploration with this year’s Summer Reading Quest Theme: A Universe of Stories. On Friday, June 14th, everyone gathered to kick off the summer of events. In addition to exploring the spaceship, coloring to space music, and checking out the summer prizes, each participant went home with a balloon alien.

What better way to blast off for SRQ than befriending some aliens?
Both human and dog take flight into the galaxy on the spaceship!

A week later on Friday, June 21st, kids were able to relax and watch a performance by Stage Right. The audience enjoyed the performance of “The True Story of How the Cow Jumped Over the Moon” and interacted with the cast.

“The True Story of How The Cow Jumped Over the Moon” 

The last Friday event for June took place on the 28th when Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling visited the library to explore the dangers of space junk and how it compares with the problems litter causes on Earth. To reinforce understanding, the kids made rockets and threw “space junk” at them to see if the rocket could be knocked down.

Making rockets out of cardboard tubes!

Thanks to the enthusiasm of the attendees, the Summer Reading Quest has already been an energetic, celebratory time at the library. July will be the busiest month for SRQ programs with 9 unique programs for varying ages. Learn more about each event, check availability, and register by clicking here. Browse the events outside of the Summer Reading Quest happening in July here. 

 

 

LEGO Club!

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

In January, the library added a new club celebrating the creative power of Legos. Thanks to a generous donation of Legos, this club was an exciting possibility for Rostraver Library. In January, a room packed full of children and parents made this club a reality.

The amount of Legos to work with is thrilling!

Each week, Kelly plans a “Challenge” to inspire the Lego creators. The monthly challenge could be many things like “A Living Creature” or “Something That Flies.” In the hour and a half meeting, the builders get to work translating their visions into physical masterpieces. Some of them stray from the challenge and others find ways to stretch the possibilities of the category. No matter what, we always end up with vastly different creations built with care and excitement.

This builder creates a giraffe for the monthly challenge “A Living Creature.”

After the Lego Club meeting ends, the creations are arranged in a display at the library. This display is always a favorite among browsing patrons as the colorful structures easily capture the eye. Lego Club members love to find their work among the display throughout the month, sharing it with their family or whoever is visiting the library with them at the time.

A young builder watches his creation as it goes on display.

The Lego Club always meets on the 2nd Monday of every month at 5:00 PM. No registration is required. If the meeting is cancelled for any reason, it will be made clear on our website, Facebook page, and other social media accounts.

Books about Legos and Lego construction are also available to check out at every meeting.

The atmosphere of Lego club is relaxed and encouraging for the builders. Participants may stay the entire time or come and go as time allows. The Lego Club welcomes ALL new members, no matter the age or skill. Join in the fun of turning pieces into stories, scenes, and characters.

Thank you for your interest in our programs and continued support!

2019 Summer Reading Quest

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

The start of the Summer Reading Quest (SRQ) at Rostraver Public Library is only a week away on June 14! This year, the SRQ theme is “A Universe of Stories.” That means that aliens, space ships, astronauts, and rockets will be moving into our library in the next week to help us understand that reading is out of this world!

This year’s SRQ offers 13 dynamic programs for many ages. Refer to the SRQ page on our website or the handout given during registration to check the day, time, and age group of each program. Each program has differing details regarding registration, age groups, times, and days.

A standard registration done in-person at the library is required from participants, regardless of the number of events attended. Only five of the events require individual registration. Please note that the “There’s No Place Like Space” Teddy Bear Workshop is FULL. Due to the cost and space requirements, some of the programs have a limit on the number of attendees.

In the month of June, there will be three programs for all ages! We will start with a kickoff on Friday, June 14th where attendees can receive balloon art to take home. On Friday, June 21, all ages are welcome to enjoy a performance of “The True Story of the Cow that Jumped Over the Moon” by Stage Right. A week later on Friday, June 28, the Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling will help us understand the dangers of space junk and compare it with the problems that litter causes here on Earth. All three of these programs will start at 10:30am! No registration outside of the initial SRQ Registration is required for these individual events.

In addition to all of the events involved in the SRQ, we have three levels of reading activity sheets available for children ages 2-teens. When you register for SRQ at the library, you will receive ONE sheet per child to keep throughout the summer. The child will receive a stamp(s) from us at the library for the reading activities they complete each week. In exchange for the completed activities, they will be given tickets that they can fill out for a chance to win one of our many prizes shown in our display case. The deadline for these sheets is August 2nd.

We are excited to see you at this year’s SRQ as we blast off to discover the adventures of space. There is a galaxy full of possibilities within the pages of a book!

Check back on the blog for July’s SRQ events and a recap of June’s fun.

Please contact us with any questions: 724-379-5511, r.library@comcast.net, social media, or visit us in-person.

Energy Audit at the Library

Posted on by Laura Daugherty

Today, Envinity, Inc. of State College visited the library to work on an energy audit. This audit was funded by a grant from the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund that Rostraver Library received in March 2019 (you can read the grant press release here).

While at the library, Envinity carried out an initial meeting to discuss the history of the building and how the library got to be where it is now. They evaluated the building’s HVAC, counted lights, and took temperatures throughout the building. The library’s usage in gas and electricity was also evaluated.

Envinity members utilize the PA Room and SMART Board for their meeting.

In approximately 4-6 weeks, Envinity will present suggestions to make our library more sustainable. Using the information collected during today’s visit, they will help us explore different energy options and how those alternatives can be effective for our space.

We are excited as we move forward towards the goal of becoming energy efficient and sustainable. Follow our journey as we share any updates in the coming months.

Welcome to RPL’s Blog

Posted on by Laura Daugherty
Front Entrance

Inspiring our community to learn, create, connect, and grow.

At Rostraver Public Library, we are always looking for ways to fulfill our mission statement. As an effort to better connect with our patrons, we have added this blog to our website. Here, you can read more about our events, be updated on library news, find book recommendations, and more. You can help us learn how to grow by commenting on the blog posts and giving us feedback about what you want to read about or see happening at the library. We may create the content, but we will act as a community with your help.

Rostraver Library offers a wide range of events, resources, and spaces for the entire community. Whether you are interested in educational programs, crafts, children’s activities, clubs, or movies, our events will offer something to fit your goals and passions. Stop in the library and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to check out all of our resources.

Children's Room
Children’s Room

As summer approaches, the library will be humming with the many programs and, most importantly, wonderful patrons who continuously support the library. Our website Events, Clubs, and Summer Reading Quest pages will be continuously updated with the summer’s activity. Our  events calendar on the Home page most clearly organizes the layout of these events and provides a convenient way for patrons to register for some of the events that require registration. As always, call us or stop in the library with questions.

This blog will provide answers to common questions, share news, and allow a more extensive look at what is happening at the library. We hope that readers will be able to better understand our mission and how we constantly aim to help the community learn, create, connect, and grow.