KidsPlay provides free interactive and educational programming for children in Market Square, with local partners including Science Tots, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, KidsBurgh, the Senator John Heinz History Center, and more.
To see a list of upcoming activities, visit the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership website.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Satisfy your cravings with food and sweet treats for purchase from:
Don’t miss performances by:
To learn more, visit Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s website.
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) recently released its 2023 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.
To access the list, visit the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh website.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Are you looking for books to read your baby? Check out the 2020 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 is a nationally recognized guide assisting parents, teachers, and caregivers in selecting quality materials to share with babies ages birth to 18 months.
To view the list, visit the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s website or download this PDF.
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!
