August 7, 2023 Imagination Library Restarted by Foundations, City of Pittsburgh Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a free book access program, is restarting in the City of Pittsburgh thanks to funding from the City and local foundations, including The Benter Foundation and the Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation. The free program sends one book per month in the mail to enrolled children ages birth to five at no cost to families. How to Enroll Families who reside in the City of Pittsburgh can enroll in the program by visiting the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website. Families who were previously enrolled in the program will not need to re-enroll and should start receiving books again automatically. About the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Restart The program halted at the end of April 2023 for most city children after funding had run out. (A small group of children in three zip codes were still eligible to participate.) Reading Ready Pittsburgh, a local nonprofit that supports access to books and encourages family engagement through reading, will administer the program at the beginning of the restart period. Related Content & Resources Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza 2023 2023 Summer Reading Programs for Young Readers Hill District Conducting Survey on Parent Engagement in Child Literacy Restaurants Add Books to the Menu with Summer Reading Programs Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Releases 2023 Best Books for Babies List 2023 Virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip LDA of PA Offering Free Reading Tutoring to Children in Hill District Toolkit: Families and Schools Partnering for Children’s Literacy Success
July 21, 2023 Vision to Learn Mobile Optometrist Visits for Children Vision to Learn’s Mobile Clinic will be visiting the Woods Run Branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, August 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to provide free eye exams to children and teens ages four – 18 with parent/guardian permission. Appointments will take 15-20 minutes and must be scheduled with the branch in advance of the clinic. Where: Woods Run Branch – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 1201 Woods Run Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15212 To make an appointment, contact 412.761.3730.
June 28, 2023 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza 2023 Find your voice and make it heard! Summer Reading 2023 is a celebration of self expression! Join Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Main on Sunday, August 13 from 12 – 5 p.m. at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza, a family-friendly outdoor festival for all ages. Grab some friends and head to the Library in Oakland for music, crafts, games, activities, storytelling, food trucks and so much more! While you’re there, don’t forget to guess the total number of books Pittsburghers read this summer—there will be multiple opportunities to win prizes throughout the day with the final number revealed and grand prize awarded at the end of the event. Enjoy activities and experiences presented by Library partners: Allegheny Land Trust Andy Warhol Museum Bike PGH Colour of Song Juliandra Jones – PBJ Customs Macedonia FACE Mike the Balloon Guy Moonshot Museum Oasis Intergenerational Tutoring Program Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures Pittsburgh Community Services Inc. (PCSI) Pittsburgh Opera Pittsburgh Public Schools Pittsburgh Science Workshop Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra UniSound UPMC Satisfy your cravings with food and sweet treats for purchase from: Billu’s Indian Grill Kona Ice Mandu Handu Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream Don’t miss performances by: Gab Bonesso O’Ryan the O’Mazing To learn more, visit Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s website.
May 2, 2023 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Releases 2023 Best Books for Babies List The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) recently released its 2023 Best Books for Babies list. About the CLP Best Books for Babies List Created by a panel of local librarians and child development experts, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s annual Best Books for Babies list serves as a nationally recognized guide assisting parents, teachers, and caregivers in selecting quality materials to share with their babies. The list is meant to encourage parents and other caregivers to read to babies and to recognize the authors, illustrators, and publishers who create exemplary books for babies ages birth to 18 months. Typically a list of 10 books, the 2023 list features 16 titles, with several book sets included. Boasting books on babies, animals, nature, relationships, language, and sleep, the list offers topics for every early learner. Access the CLP Best Books for Babies List To access the list, visit the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh website.
January 26, 2023 Western Allegheny Community Library Eliminates Library Fines Western Allegheny Community Library (WACL) in Oakdale is no longer charging late fees on borrowed library materials. It joins 30 other Allegheny County libraries, which previously made the move to a fine-free model. This model retains due dates and continues to require the return of materials, but removes barriers to library services. Learn More With the transition to the fine-free model, materials owned by, checked out from, or returned to the Western Allegheny Community Library no longer accrue late fees. This includes WACL materials returned to and checked out from different Pittsburgh libraries. Additionally, existing late fines for all WACL account holders have been eliminated, though replacement charges for lost, damaged, or never returned items remain in effect. Books overdue by more than 60 days are considered lost and accrue a lost fee. More details are available on the Western Allegheny Community Library website. WACL primarily serves North Fayette, Findlay and Oakdale, but fine-free libraries can be found throughout the Pittsburgh region. All 19 branches of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh are also fine free.
January 14, 2022 LinkedIn for Job Seekers Join the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for a virtual information session to learn about LinkedIn. Registration is available on the library website. Learn the ins and outs of LinkedIn, a social media platform that helps people connect with professional opportunities. LinkedIn is a powerful social media site, but it can be daunting for people that haven’t used it before. Participants will discuss what LinkedIn is, why they may want to utilize it for your job search, and how to reap some of the benefits.
Fund My Future PGH and Keystone Scholars Information Session A savings account in your child’s name can build hope and make future dreams a reality. Join The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to learn about Fund My Future PGH, a savings program that provides chances to win prizes and cash in monthly raffle drawings simply by depositing small amounts into your child’s savings account and Keystone Scholars, a PA Treasury scholarship that provides $100 scholarships for parents with children born in or after 2019. This virtual event is open to Allegheny County residents who have children or grandchildren between the ages of 0-18. Registration is available online.
September 29, 2021 Finding the Best Books for Babies Join Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for an upcoming professional development session, “Finding the Best Books for Babies.” Individuals may register for this online event via Zoom. Additional Information Each year since 2000, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has led a panel of local librarians and child development experts in choosing ten best books published for babies in the past year. The resulting annual Best Books for Babies booklist, a nationally recognized guide, assists parents, teachers and caregivers in selecting high quality materials that will delight and engage babies age birth to 18 months. In this workshop, participants will learn what makes a Best Book for Babies and will leave with practical tips for evaluating and selecting books for babies. This virtual workshop will be hosted on Zoom. Attendees will receive 1 hour of PQAS credit.
December 25, 2020 Carnegie Library’s 2020 Best Books for Babies Are you looking for books to read your baby? Check out the 2020 Best Books for Babies list! About Created by a panel of local librarians and child development experts, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s annual Best Books for Babies list is a nationally recognized guide assisting parents, teachers, and caregivers in selecting quality materials to share with babies ages birth to 18 months. View the List To view the list, visit the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s website or download this PDF. Where to Find Them Pick up one or more of these books at a Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch near you. In addition to spending some cozy time together, you will prepare your baby’s brain to learn and grow!
December 2, 2020 Virtual Conference: Early Literacy, Libraries, and You Are you interested in learning how to raise lifelong readers? Join the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh from February 15 – 25, 2021 for their virtual conference, “Early Literacy, Libraries, and You.” About Educators and caregivers play a critical role in developing children’s reading readiness. In order to be ready to read when they enter school, young children need rich early literacy activities and interactions. Through this virtual conference, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will discuss activities, resources, and research that will enable participants to raise lifelong readers through expanded early literacy practices. Formal and informal educators and caregivers are invited to attend. Attendees are welcome to register for one or more sessions. For individuals seeking continuing education hours, the number of hours received will correspond with the number of sessions attended. All sessions will be hosted on Zoom. Event links being sent out via email. Featured Sessions Every Child Ready to Read Monday, February 15 | 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Transformation Big & Small: The Pittsburgh Ready Story Monday, February 15 | 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Using Digital Media Resources with Early Learners Wednesday, February 17 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Library 101 Wednesday, February 24 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Race, Reading, and Young Children Thursday, February 25 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. More Information This Virtual Conference is presented in partnership between Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Trying Together as part of the Pittsburgh Ready project, with support from PNC Grow Up Great. To learn more, visit the Carnegie Libary of Pittsburgh website.
