March & April 2021 Virtual Programs!

 

Join the Winter Reading Challenge TODAY!

Libraries across Allegheny County have collaborated together to present a reading challenge for the whole family!

Find a cozy reading spot and see how much you can read or listen to

from January 1 until February 28, 2021!

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and challenge yourself to read some good books during the cold of winter! Log books, minutes, pages or days read and watch your points add up. All reading counts! All ages can participate! All participants throughout the county will have a chance to win one of 10 gift cards worth $25.

In addition to the county-wide prizes, Pleasant Hills participants will get a chance to win more amazing gift cards for local participants only! Also, your name will get added to a snowflake and displayed in our front windows! Take a winter stroll and see if you can find your name.

Sign up online with the Beanstack app or by going to
https://carnegielibrary.beanstack.org/reader365/
or call us at 412-655-2424 or e-mail at pleasanthills@einetwork.net 
After you've registered, you can log your reading online or use this PAPER LOG

Questions? Give us a call at 412-655-2424 or email pleasanthills@einetwork.net 

Best Books of 2020!

2020 has been a pretty rough year but there's still some things to celebrate - it's been a wonderful year for new books! Below is a roundup of lists featuring some of the best children's and young adult books that were published in 2020. 

The Library remains closed to the public but we are offering curbside pick-up for all materials. You can order books online HERE or call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email us at pleasanthills@einetwork.net to get your order started! All pick-ups are currently happening inside our lobby, although if you need special assistance Library staff can bring items outside for you. 

Our current pick-up hours are:

Mondays 10 - 4    Tuesdays - Thursdays 10 - 8    Fridays & Saturdays 10 - 4

Brightly: best books of 2020 for babies and toddlers

Brightly: best picture books of 2020 for ages 3 - 5

Brightly: best books of 2020 for ages 6 - 8

Brightly: best books of 2020 for tweens (ages 9 - 11)

Brightly: best YA books of 2020

Buzzfeed: the best YA books of 2020

Guardian: the best children's books of 2020 for all ages

Horn Book: Fanfare 2020 annotations

Parents: 30 best children's books of 2020

School Library Journal: best book of 2020

Smithsonian Magazine: ten best children's books of 2020

Wall Street Journal: the best books of 2020: children's books

Reserve your Gingerbread House Decorating Kit TODAY!!!

UPDATE: REGISTRATION FOR THIS PROGRAM HAS NOW CLOSED! We hope you were able to reserve your kit in time. We can't wait to see all the amazing creations you guys make! Please send photos of completed projects to pleasanthills@einetwork.net OR post to our special Facebook group - Pleasant Hills Library Virtual Programming!

 

All Ages Art Contest!

Pleasant Hills Public Library is super excited to announce our All Ages Virtual Art Contest! 

Our monthly themes are:

October - Halloween Art

November - Food Art

December - Art with Lights

Each month, make some art based on our theme. Send us a picture (NOT the actual art) of your art via snail mail, email, or DM on Facebook of Instagram. Pictures will be posted on our Art Blog: https://pleasanthillslibraryartgallery.blogspot.com/ and on Facebook.

All ages are welcome to participate! You can work along or in a group. This is great for families to do together!!

Submit your art today!!

Make sure to include your name, age, title of the piece, mediums used, and contact information!

302 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236

pleasanthills@einetwork.net

Facebook OR Instagram

Show us some love!!

 September is LOVE YOUR LIBRARY MONTH!

All donations made during September will be matched (up to $500) on a pro-rated basis, thanks to a generous grant from the Jack Buncher Foundation. 

You can make an online donation HERE to show your library love!

Make your own magical creature as part of our Love Your Library Stuffed Animal Fundraiser! Supplies are extremely limited so pre-order your creature today! Choose between Hailey Unicorn and Blaze Dragon, $20 each. When you pre-order your magical creature, you will receive a special video storytime link featuring Hailey Unicron's Magic Words by Tricia Main. Drop by the Library parking lot on Wednesday, September 30 between 5:00 - 7:00 pm* to build your magical creature into your new best friend! 

 Pre-order by filling out this form.

Return completed form with payment by mail OR by placing in our book drop.

You can also order and pay online by visiting HERE for BLAZE DRAGON 

and HERE for HAILEY UNICORN

*Masks and social distancing practices will be required. Weather permitting.

September is also National Library Card Sign-Up Month! 

You can sign-up for your own library card HERE.

Fall 2020 Virtual Programs and more!

Although the library building is still closed to the pubic, we’re still here for YOU! 

Our current services include: 

*Outside pick-up service of library materials 

*Mobile printing to the library’s printers
*Virtual programming for all ages w/some outdoors events 

*Free Wi-Fi that reaches outside of the library 

*Access to eResources: https://elibrary.einetwork.net/

*The Story Hike @ the PH Arboretum
*Pop-Up library in the parking lot (weather permitting on T-W-Th)

Library Staff are in the building and available to help during our listed business hours! 

Reach us at 412-655-2424 or pleasanthills@einetwork.net

We're still finalizing the details for our special virtual programming, but we're excited to announce our monthly virtual programs coming Fall 2020 for children and their families! 

Click HERE to view a PDF with all our monthly Fall 2020 children's & family programs.

Tuesday Tales ~ Tuesdays, September 8—December 15 @ 1:30 pm
A NEW family storytime video will premiere every Tuesday, through December 15, on our Facebook page and YouTube channel for you to enjoy whenever works best for you! Ms. Dani will share stories, songs, rhymes, an early literacy tip or two, and offer a fun craft idea you can do with common supplies you have at home.


STEAM Stories ~ September 9 & 23, October 14 & 28, November 11 & 25, and December 9 & 23 @ 5:00 pm
Join us after-school to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics through stories and fun activities with these fun bi-monthly videos premiering on the 2nd and 4th Monday through December on our Facebook page and YouTube Channel. Take-home kits for each video will be available while supplies last. To reserve a kit, please email Ms. Dani.


Classic Chapters ~ Saturdays, September 12—November 28 @ 1:30 pm
Sit back and relax as Ms. Dani reads aloud to you! We will be continuing our series with Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll. A new chapter will be added every week on our Facebook page and YouTube channel that you can enjoy whenever works best for you!


PJ Family Storytime ~ Mondays, September 14, October 5, November 2 & December 7 @ 7:00 pm
Relax in your PJs while enjoying stories and songs in these fun family storytime videos premiering on our Facebook page and YouTube channel! Take-home craft kits will be available as supplies last. To reserve a kit, please email Ms. Dani.
     September 14—Love Your Library! 

     October 5—Batty for books! 

     November 2—Vote for books!
     December 7—Snowmen at night!


Zoom Book VS. Movie Club ~ Mondays, September 28, October 26 & November 30 @ 6:00 pm
Grab some snacks and join us on Zoom for a fun chat and a movie! Read a classic children’s book as a family then join us as we stream the movie adaptation. Afterwards, we’ll talk about what we liked and didn’t like, and most importantly, which was better! Registration is required to receive the Zoom meeting information. To register, please email Ms. Dani.
     September 28—Artemis Fowl 

     October 26—Escape to Witch Mountain 

     November 30—Holes 

Make sure to check our website & Facebook for service updates and additional programming!! 

More information about special programming coming SOON!

NEW Children's Items

With our closure from March - June due to Covid-19, our cataloging department has had to work overtime to get caught up with all our amazing new items. This list of new children's items is insane! It's over 12 pages long when printed out! There's sooooo many great titles, there's bound to be something for every young reader in your house! 

Click on a title to be taken to its catalog record where you can place a hold using the "request" button. You can also request ANY of these titles (OR any items inside the Pleasant Hills Public Library) for curbside pick-up! Call or email us to find out more!

Questions? Give us a call at 412-655-2424 or email pleasanthills@einetwork.net 

We're here to help!

Due to the insane length of this amazing list, click "Read More" below to see the list in its entirety!

How does curbside pick-up work?

We have so many amazing items inside the library just waiting to be checked out to you! While we remain closed for the safety of our community, you can still access the Library's collection using our curbside pick-up service. County-wide online holds have opened back up so you can once again request items from anywhere in Allegheny County. You can search for items using our catalog* OR we will be happy to do the searching for you!

To get started, you can either call the Library at 412-655-2424 when staff are in the building (Mondays: 10 - 4; Tuesdays - Thursdays: 10 - 8; Fridays: 10 - 4; Saturdays: 9 - 1) and a staff member will happily assist you. Prefer to communicate electronically? No problem! Send us an email to pleasanthills@einetwork.net with your requests. Not sure exactly what you want? No sweat! Our staff is happy to select items we think you'll enjoy based on theme, type of material, and your preference. 

Once we've selected your items, we'll check them out to you and work with you to select a pick-up time. During your pick-up time window, all your items will be placed together in a bag with your name and receipt with the return date. The bag will be waiting for you to pick-up from our curbside table located in our parking lot. Easy peasy! 

Questions? Let us know - we're here to help!

Handicap accommodations can easily be made - just let us know what you need.

*Pro-tip: Online holds are taking up to 2 weeks to arrive. If you don't want to wait for an item, limit your search to items currently in our library. To do this when searching for something in the catalog, select "Pleasant Hills Public Library" under "Look in the following Location." This will limit the results to items our library owns and can checkout to you using our curbside pick-up service. You can further limit your search to only show currently available items by selecting "show available items only."

Virtual Programming galore!

We're super excited to offer a plethora of virtual programming this summer! 

There's bound to be something for everyone.

For the most updated schedule, click HERE to access our eventkeeper

Click HERE for a PDF flyer of ALL our summer programs.

Below is list of some of the amazing virtual programs for children and their families happening this summer:

Classic Chapters—Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland — Saturdays, June 13—August 29 @ 1:30 pm
Join Ms. Dani for a special new video series where we'll explore children's classics one chapter at a time! This summer, we'll be reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Watch for a new video on our Facebook page and YouTube channel every week with a new chapter.

VIRTUAL Fairy Tale STEAM—Videos & Make-n-Takes— Mondays, June 15—August 17 @ 1:30 pm
Join Ms. Dani on our Facebook page and YouTube channel for a story and video STEAM challenge based on fairy tales and folklore. Take-home kits will be available at the Library that week (while supplies last). To reserve your kit, please call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net
     June 15—Jack and the Beanstalk need a parachute!
     June 22– Rapunzel needs to get out of her tower!
     June 29—Gingerbread Man needs a boat!
     July 6—The Three Bill Goats Gruff need a bridge!
     July 13—Goldilocks wants to build a new bed!
     July 20—Robin Hood needs a new bow & arrow!
     July 27—Cinderella needs a new carriage!
     August 3—Build your own dragon!
     August 10—Musical Instruments from folklore!
     August 17—Flying & more super powers!

Virtual PJ Family Storytime on Facebook LIVE—Mondays, June 15, July 6 & August 3 @ 7:00 pm
Join Ms. Dani on our Facebook page* for stories, songs, and a fun craft activity that the whole family can enjoy! Take-home kits will be available the week of storytime (while supplies last). To reserve your kit, please call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net 
     June 15—Racing folklore from around the world!
     July 6—Three Little Somethings
     August 3—Fairies & Gnomes

Rhyme Time Tuesdays —Tuesdays, June 16—August 18 @ 1:30 pm
Check out our Facebook page and YouTube channel every Tuesday for videos filled with favorite rhymes, songs, and fingerplays for babies, toddlers, and their caregivers! Watch these videos when they premiere or whenever works best for you!

Wonderful Wednesdays: Facebook LIVE virtual Family Storytime—Wednesdays, June 17—August 12 @ 1:30 pm
Join Ms. Dani on our Facebook page* for stories, songs, and a fun craft activity that the whole family can enjoy! Take-home kits will be available the week of storytime (while supplies last). To reserve your kit, please call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net

Virtual Tail Waggin’ Tutors — Wednesday, June 17 @ 6:00 pm
Practice your reading skills with trained therapy dogs on Zoom! Please select a short book or story to read ahead of time. Recommended for children ages 5 and up. Registration required to receive Zoom invite. To register, please email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net

Book Party Fridays — Fridays, June 19—August 21 @ 1:30 pm
Not sure what to read next? Join us on our Facebook page for virtual reader’s advisory! Each week will feature a theme of materials — new stuff, shelf discoveries, staff favorites, and more!

Sharing Sundays — Sundays, June 21—August 30
Make sure to join our special Facebook group — Pleasant Hills Library SRC Imagine Your Story – to share in the fun that is Summer Reading! Every Sunday we’ll highlight our favorite pictures, videos, and more from our group and around the web!

*You do NOT need a Facebook account to view our live events! You can view them by visiting our Facebook page: facebook.com/pleasanthillslibrary

We have outdoor programs scheduled for August! Check them out below:

Bug Hunt & Nature Hike @ Pleasant Hills Arboretum — Saturday, August 1 @ 10 am
Join Chad Gore, local entomologist, at the Arboretum to learn and search for specific bugs while enjoying a nature hike! Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes! Masks are suggested. The Pleasant Hills Arboretum is located at 181 West Bruceton Road. All ages program—weather permitting! Registration requested. To register please call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net

Campfire @ Round Hill Park with the Allegheny County Park Rangers — Tuesday, August 4 @ 7:30 pm
Join Park Rangers at the Harmony House Shelter inside Round Hill Park for an awesome campfire with a presentation about nocturnal animals—complete with s’mores! Round Hill Park is located at 651 Round Hill Rd, Elizabeth, PA 15037. The Harmony House Shelter is the last shelter on the main road. Family program—weather permitting. Registration is highly limited! To register please call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net

Bird Walk @ Round Hill Park with the Allegheny County Park Rangers — Wednesday, August 19 @ 2:00 pm
Join Park Rangers at the Harmony House Shelter inside Round Hill Park for a bird nature walk! Round Hill Park is located at 651 Round Hill Rd, Elizabeth, PA 15037. The Harmony House Shelter is the last shelter on the main road. Family program—weather permitting. Registration is highly limited! To register please call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net

Questions? Concerns? Suggestions? Call the Library at 412-655-2424 or email Ms. Dani at danylod@einetwork.net