Washington libraries offer winter escape

by Ben Moyer

Not everyone’s a “winter warrior.”

If a day in the cold, snow, and wind isn’t your cup of tea, consider a cozy visit to a library. Even if you are a snow enthusiast, a winter afternoon at the library can be a fascinating change of pace.

Washington County is an excellent place for library exploration. Fourteen community libraries throughout the county serve their local patrons but function together as a county-wide system, linking all users to the system’s breadth of resources.

Washington County’s system includes libraries in Avella, Bentleyville, Burgettstown, California, Charleroi, Chartiers-Houston, Citizens Library (Washington), Donora, Frank Sarris Public Library (Canonsburg), Fredericktown, Heritage Public Library (McDonald), Marianna, Monongahela and Peters Township. The library system arose largely out of the efforts of West Brownsville resident Wyona Coleman in the 1970s. In addition to her passion for literacy, Coleman was also a statewide leader in the growing environmental movement and efforts to preserve unique natural places.

Washington County’s libraries retain their welcoming hometown “vibe,” but libraries aren’t what they used to be. Once, offering a resting place to thousands of books, sending a few out on brief sorties to patrons’ homes was all a library could hope to achieve. Today, libraries still lend books but also link users with literature in digital form, provide training in life skills, and serve as hubs of their communities. Modern libraries may be different, but they remain relevant.

“Even though they’re part of a system, the fourteen libraries in Washington County are all unique and different,” said Chad Gump, district consultant to the Washington County District Libraries. “We have libraries in larger communities such constituency’s needs. They each try to offer the best service they can to the people in their service area. Yet, you can access anything that any library has through the system.”

Winter, when outdoor activities are limited, is an ideal time to visit a library and learn about the range of resources available.

“We are more than just books, though books remain our heart,” said Amanda Gabeletto, Monongahela Public Library director. “We’re more a community hub than just bookshelves today. We offer all kinds of programs — classes, story times, clubs, teen programs. Here, the community we serve finds a variety of interests and services of direct value. We can help develop a resume for job seekers or offer guidance in starting a community organization — real things that help people in real life.”

At any of the libraries in Washington County, residents with a library card can register for online GALE courses, six weeks of online immersion in a diverse menu of subjects led by expert teachers. Selections include accounting, business, languages, law and legal, healthcare and medical, effective writing and more. GALE courses are free through your library, and because they’re offered through a service network called WAGGIN, residents of Washington, Greene or Fayette counties can access the courses at any of the 14 Washington County libraries, four libraries in Fayette or two in Greene.

“To access these classes and all library services, just sign up for a library card,” said Gump. “All that is needed is an ID with your current address or proof of current address, and you can start using our services at no cost. While our library cards are made for the residents and those who work within Washington, Greene, and Fayette Counties, through the AccessPA Initiative, if you visit any of our locations with another library card from anywhere within Pennsylvania, we will also create you a WAGGIN Card at no cost.”

And at the same library where you study law or a new language, you can also indulge in less demanding pursuits.

Bentleyville Public Library hosts a recipe club during the winter, where participants can learn about and try new recipes. The recipe club meets every first Monday of the month, during winter, at 5:30 p.m. At Bentleyville, you can also indulge in “Coffee and Crayons” every Friday at 10:30 a.m. during January, February and March. And its “Knit Wits” club meets every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. when knitters and crocheters can share ideas and learn new stitches.

Donora Public Library takes a special interest in community history, a nod to its unfortunate role in the progress of air quality regulation after the Donora Smog Disaster of 1948.

Heritage Public Library in McDonald holds Senior Coffee and Conversation every Tuesday morning in winter at 10:30 a.m.

All 14 Washington libraries participate in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, a national program that prepares younger children for a brighter future by encouraging families to read together. Studies show that reading to children at ages 4-5 every day significantly impacts their reading and cognitive skills throughout life.

“Right now, I can hear the kids outside the door where Halloween story time is going on. They’re laughing and enjoying a safe, welcoming place to come where it’s all for you,” Gabeletto said. “We want to serve our patrons. If we don’t have a book or other resource in Monongahela, we can look it up in the system for a patron and get it brought here for you. Our accessible resources are what we have here times 14 and more.”

Gump explained that the COVID pandemic forced libraries to think “outside the box” to continue serving patrons when they could not remain physically open.

“Libraries used the pandemic as a reason to pivot,” Gump said. “We had to close our doors, but we did things differently to keep serving citizens. We greatly expanded our digital catalogs, e-books and audiobooks. We offered virtual programming and virtual story times for children.

“We even initiated curbside pickup of books; we’d bag patrons’ ordered books and run them outside to their cars. When books were returned, we quarantined them for days before recirculating. Libraries here and around the country made the most of the opportunities the pandemic brought to diversify our services. Our librarians took it in stride and collaborated to keep the library ball rolling, and we’re proud of them for it.”

One persistent impression potential library users may harbor from their past is the haunting overdue library book

penalty fee. Gump explains that, in Washington County anyway, that fee is a thing of the past.

“We no longer impose overdue fees,” he said. “We will contact you if a book is overdue, but there are no fines. We decided to dump the fee to help people continue to use the library during the pandemic when it was harder for people to get around.”

Washington County’s libraries all subscribe to the mission “To provide the resources to enrich, inform, and educate the public.”

Library hours can vary in each community and at different seasons of the year. To make sure of hours, check the website for the Washington County Library System. Within that site, there’s a link to each of the 14 community libraries with contact information, current hours and special events. The system web address is washlibs.org.

Visiting a library can be as adventurous as a ski resort or ice skating. Consider this insight from a Washington County tourism professional: “Washington County’s public library system is much more than a collection of books. They serve as a beacon of knowledge, a sanctuary for imagination and a gateway to endless possibilities.,” said Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Promotion Agency.

“To me, there is nowhere cozier than a library,” said Gabeletto. “It’s always warm and inviting, particularly the Monongahela Library in winter. It’s a great place to get out of the cold and enjoy fellowship, hot cocoa or coffee, and sit, read and be around other people who enjoy that too. You can even relax and work on a puzzle or color — all happy things to do in the library in the winter.”