September 2021

Monday - Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

9AM 9AM 9AM 1PM

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9PM 6PM 5PM 5PM

(412) 741-6920 | www.sewickleylibrary.org

The library will be closed on Monday, September 6 in observance of Labor Day.

In this issue Creating A Legacy Page 2 September is Love Your Library Month Page 3 Back-to-School Learning Tools Page 8

Lecture Highlights History of Antique Skyscrapers

who has appeared on CNN, FOX, and

SPL Presents “American Skyscrapers

the rags-to-riches risk-takers of the

and the History of Building High”

Gilded Age who invested in these so-

More than 100 years ago, towering

called "machines that make the land

cities across the country. Now we invite

own photos of century-old skyscrapers

NPR. He conducts the popular "Antique Skyscrapers Rooftops & Views" tour for Doors Open Pittsburgh.

Houser enlightens audiences about

marvels like New York's Flatiron Building pay." The colorful photo presentation mixes rare historical images with Mark's thrilled the public and transformed you to take a tour of the best of these

from Manhattan to Seattle, Houston to

elegant landmarks with Mark Houser,

Milwaukee -- and Pittsburgh too.

author of MultiStories: 55 Antique

Join us in-person for this lecture on

Skycrapers & the Business Tycoons Who

Monday, September 13 from 6-7pm.

Built Them. Houser is an award-winning

Pre-register to be entered to win a copy

journalist and frequent public speaker

of Mark’s book, MultiStories.

The Hugh and Isabella Donnan Fund

Creating a Library LegaCy gift When Elizabeth Minter and her siblings made a gift of $7,500

understanding of libraries and the funding challenges they

to the library back in 1992 to honor their parents, they never

face, and we are honored she continues to support SPL with

imagined it would grow to more than $100,000 nearly three

gifts to her family’s fund.

decades later. The Donnan Fund serves as a source for

We share Mrs. Minter’s story with you during Love Your Library

collections funding, with librarians selecting books that would

month as an example of how a donor who loves her library

have meaning to her parents including, but not necessarily

has helped to create a legacy gift to honor her family; whether

limited to, topics such as gardening, sewing, and books by

you give an annual, memorial, honor, or endowment gift, every

Scottish and Irish authors. She shared their story with us

gift has a story. What will your Love Your Library story be?

recently when we asked some of our donors to answer a

For more information on all the ways to make a gift to

question about why they give to the library:

Sewickley Public Library any time of year, visit www.sewickleylibrary.org/donate .

“My earliest memories are of my mother taking me to Sewickley Public Library to select books. My father moved to Sewickley in 1927 from County Down, Northern Ireland, and initially worked on several of the estates in Sewickley Heights as a vegetable farmer. But his real love was horticulture and he became groundskeeper and chauffeur to Mrs. Pontefract in Edgeworth and later for her daughter, Mrs. Childs. My mother, a

professional seamstress from Scotland, immigrated to Pittsburgh in 1928 and worked as a fitter in the couture department at Joseph Hornes. From there she was hired to work in Edgeworth for the Scaife family. My parents met at a dance at the YMCA in Sewickley and after they were married in 1932 they lived and worked in the area until my father died in 1982. His last position was as superintendent of Sewickley Cemetery where he also had greenhouses and a plant business.

Both my parents were avid readers. I have continued to support the Sewickley Library over the years with memorial gifts and other occasional contributions. It is my last real connection to Sewickley.”

We recently enjoyed a visit from Mrs. Minter and her niece, Sheila, as she passed through Sewickley on the way to a memorial service to honor her late sister, Mary Donnan Baker.

While she was here, she made an additional gift to her family’s fund in her sister’s honor. She regaled us with library stories

The photo of Hugh and Isabella Donnan is from an undated issue of the Sewickley Herald and was taken on the occasion of Mr. Donnan being presented with a clock by the board of Sewickley Cemetery in celebration of his 20th anniversary as caretaker.

of her own as she herself is a librarian for a private library in her now home state of California. She has a unique

SEWICKLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE QUAKER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT 2

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

- F. Scott Fitzgerald There’s a feeling of possibility that comes with the month of

The libraries raising the most money receive the greatest

September. We feel a sense of renewal and excitement, as the portion of the prorated match. Last year, we came in third weather turns cool and we reconnect with our friends, our

place in all of Allegheny County because the Quaker Valley has

lives, and our responsibilities after the respite of summer. As

so many supportive library lovers. Help us to do it again!

Joe Fox said in Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail, “Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies.

I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I

Gifts of all sizes are appreciated and directly support our operating budget – for pencils, books, movies, or anything

knew your name and address.”

else needed to create a meaningful

It’s not a far leap to assume that people who love books also love school supplies; but instead of a bouquet of newly

library experience for our patrons.

Visit www.sewickleylibrary.org/

sharpened pencils, a gift to our annual Love Your Library campaign would be the perfect gift to SPL during the month of September when the Jack Buncher Foundation provides a

LoveYourLibrary to

make your gift today.

matching pool of funds to every library in Allegheny County.

Animal Friends Reading Together

Wild Readers

Adult Summer Reading

3,649 books were read to 106 Babies & Toddlers! _____

355 children read for 230,733 minutes this summer! _____

Teen Summer Reading

165 teens logged 225,529 minutes! _____

194 adults read for 298,372 minutes! _____

TOP READERS:

TOP READERS:

TOP READERS:

TOP READERS:

Will C. Dylan & Aiden D. Adelina S. Agatha J. Lina K.

Arianna G. Ruby F. Calvin M. Benjamin S. Isaac C.

Gretel C. Cambria R. Finn M. Cecilia M. Sarah J.

Tess R. George C. Pat D. Karen P. Kimberly A.

A special thanks goes out to the Sewickley Confectionery for donating supplies and equipment for our annual Ice Cream Social Summer Reading wrap-up party this August!

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SEWICKLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY’S Are you a Master Builder? Or are you just starting out? Do you want to show off your Lego Builds? Then come share your master LEGO creations for a one-of-a-kind LEGO Display!

Children of all ages can drop off their LEGO Builds September 1 – 10 in the Children’s Department.

The LEGO Expo will run from Saturday, September 11 to Saturday, September 25.

Certificates will be awarded to: · The Best Family Master Build · Master Builder Junior Division · Master Builder Senior Division · Best Sewickley Building LookAlike Build All Lego Builds must be picked up by Sunday, September 26.

All ages welcome!

Thursdays | Sept 9, 16 & 23 | 10am All month long, Miss Bridget will be sharing some of her favorite virtual Preschool Storytimes from the vault! Join us on your YouTube channel for fun books and songs for children 3-5 years old!

Wed | Sept 8, 15,22 & 29 | 10am & 1pm Join us in-person for an all new

program for babies and toddlers! This Storytime is based off of a nationallyrenowned program. Songs, rhymes, fingerplays, stories, and more! Don’t miss out on the fun! For children 0-3-years old. Registration required each week.

Masks are required for adults & children over 2 years old.

Fri | Sept 10, 17 & 24 | 10 - 10:45am Sewickley Public Library is hosting a family storytime at the Ohio Township Nature Center Pavilion. Stories, songs and a craft-to-go kit for the whole family. Registration required each week & masks are recommended for non-vaccinated adults & children over 2 years old.

FALL CRAFT TO-GO KITS Sat | Sept 4 & 18

popular fiction, new arrivals, and more will be included in this new virtual read

Stop by the Children’s Department to pick up a Fall themed Craft To-Go Kit! Supplies and instructions are included.

aloud program. You just might find your next favorite book! Visit our YouTube channel on Friday at 4:00 to listen to

These kits are geared for children in Preschool - Grade 2. Available while supplies last; first come, first served.

the first chapter of a children’s book.

LEGO STEAM KIT

TWEEN CRAFT TAKE AND MAKES Wed | Sept 8 | 10am

Wed | Sept 22 | 10am Create, explore and investigate STEAM through creative play. Register to reserve

Stop into the Children's Dept and ask at the desk for this month's Take and Make Craft! Available while supplies last, first

your LEGO STEAM kit. Everything you need will be in the bag (LEGOs included).

Great for families to work on together!

come, first served. For children 3rd grade and up, please.

Kindergarten and up. Registration required.

FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAYS Fri | Sept 3 & 17 | 4pm On First Chapter Fridays sit back, listen, and use your imagination as the first chapter of a book is read to you in this new addition to our

virtual programming. Classics,

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SEWICKLEY STORYWALK Daily | Sept 24 - Oct 17

FERN HOLLOW NATURE CENTER (1901 Glen Mitchell Rd)

Grab the family and take a stroll through any of these spaces and enjoy one of five different Fall nature picture books! A StoryWalk® places pages from a children’s picture book along

The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry HENLE PARK (Beaver St & Ferry St) The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri

a walking path so that children and their caregivers may enjoy nature and reading together.

Note: Thank you for using street parking and not parking at the VFW – it is a private lot.

During your visit, don’t forget to pickup your Sewickley StoryWalk Passport! Fill out the info at each of the StoryWalk stops during your visit and return it to the library to be

MARY ROBERTS RINEHART NATURE PARK (1412 Beaver St) In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes

entered to win a special prize. The locations this session include:

OHIO TOWNSHIP NATURE CENTER (325 Nicholson Rd) The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger

AUDUBON GREENWAY (160 Magee Rd) Full of Fall by April Sayre

Note: The StoryWalk is located on the paved path behind the nature center building.

Back-to-School Learning Tools from the Sewickley Library Give your student the resources they need to succeed with

for children to use. This resource is ideal for students in

learning tools from the Sewickley Public Library. Explore new ways to engage your child in reading, science, math,

Grade 3 and up.

BookFlix

social studies and more. These databases are available to all Sewickley Library cardholders and can be accessed from BookFlix offers a unique pairing of themed fiction & nonhome.

fiction titles to engage readers and build foundational

Scholastic Teachables

skills. Animated classic storybooks introduce early learners to the delights of reading while sparking curiosity, creating

Scholastic Teachables is a go-to resource for parents, teachers & educators looking for ways to supplement

a natural springboard into the paired nonfiction text for deeper discovery. Great for Pre-K to Grade 3 learners.

learning. This database offers unlimited access to 30,000+ educational resources for students in Pre-K - Grade 8.

Access all of these learning resources and more with

All you need for instant access to this vast collection is your your library card at Sewickley Public Library card. Instantly download printable lesson plans, reading passages, games and

sewickleylibrary.org/ homework.

puzzles, clip art, bulletin board ideas, and more. You can even customize your own crossword puzzles, word searches, bingo sheets, and flashcards!

TrueFlix Delve deep into a range of science and social studies topics with TrueFlix - an interactive learning resource. TrueFlix pairs non-fiction titles with primary resources, videos, games and quizzes to help students improve literacy and comprehension. The easy-to-navigate site makes it simple

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BOOK GROUPS Now meeting at the library!

Mystery Book Group Tues | Sept 14 | 7pm The Lost Man by Jane Harper Brown Bag Book Group Thurs | Sept 16 | 11:30am The Address by Fiona Davis Get Lit! Book Club Tues | Sept 21 | 7pm Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Fourth Tuesday Book Group Tues | Sept 28 | 7pm TBD

TAKE A WISE WALK Thurs | Sept 2 - 30 | 9:30-11:30am

Wise Walks is ideal for active 50+ adults Wed | Sept 22 | 12-2pm who are interested in a lively and social Learn how to use Google Docs, Slides, exercise program. Meet at the library and Sheets, and Forms as an easy free

walk between 1-3 miles before returning alternative to Microsoft Office. We will to the library for a healthy snack. There is also discuss some of the recent changes no need to sign up and new walkers are to Google’s cloud storage policy. always welcome! Weekly though October.

FRENCH CONVERSATION Thurs | Sept 2 - 30 | 2-3pm

LET’S TALK ABOUT MURDER Mon | Sept 27 | 7pm Calling all TRUE CRIME FANS! Join us to

Join Anne-Marie Salih, a native French speaker, in this discussion group to improve your French conversational

talk about murder and other crimes. Each month we'll pick a theme; come with a story to share based on the theme! This

skills. This group is for individuals who have an intermediate knowledge of French. Meets in-person and online.

month's theme: SURVIVAL. No need to register. Meets in-person & virtually.

Virtual meeting link: www.tiny.cc/

WRITE NOW! Fri | Sept 3 - 24 | 10am-12pm Participants enjoy writing from prompts in an encouraging and supportive virtual atmosphere. Please register.

TECH ASSISTANCE MEETUPS Wed | Sept 8| 12-2pm Drop in at the library for help with your phone or tablet device from one of our

CONVERSATION SALON Wed | Sept 1 | 10am All are welcome to join this engaging group of adults in-person or virtually for great discussions. Newcomers always welcome! If you're interested in joining the conversation on Zoom, please register online. No registration necessary for in-person attendance.

SPL KNITTERS GROUP Wed | Sept 1 & 15 | 10:30am-12pm New to the hobby or have years of experience, everyone is welcome! Join us in the library to work on current projects or come to learn. An experienced knitter will be on hand for instruction.

LEARN GOOGLE DOCS, SLIDES, SHEETS, AND FORMS

librarians. No need to register.

12pm - Help with iPhones/iPads 1pm - Help with Android Devices AMERICAN SKYSCRAPERS Mon | Sept 13 | 6-7pm (Info on page 1) DIY CRAFTS FOR ADULTS Tues | Sept 14 | 10am Want to try a new DIY project? Grab one of our DIY Crafts for Adults kits! Find the supplies & instructions you need inside our kits to make your own craft project at home. Stop by the Reference Dept. to get your kit starting at 10am. While supplies last.

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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BOOK CLUB SERIES THOUGHT PROVOKING BOOKS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH Wed | Sept 15 | 7pm Join our new book discussion group that examines some of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. This month’s title, The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest

by Dan Buettner, is a interesting look into the lives of the planet’s longestlived people and discusses simple lessons learned that could help extend your life. Contact the library to reserve a copy of the book to read in advance, then discuss with us at the meeting.

This new series will be led by Lori M. Bigi, MD MS, a Primary Care physician certified in Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. She has extensively studied the benefits of a predominantly whole food plant-based diet and recommends it as part of the foundation of healthcare.

One-on-One Help from a Librarian Are you in need of help with your smart phone or tablet? Want to get started downloading ebooks from the library but don’t know where to begin? Or maybe you need some advice on how to update your resume?

SPL Librarians are here to help! We offer one-on-one assistance with our knowledgeable staff to help with tech troubles or resume/interview guidance. Schedule a Tech Café or Resume Café appointment by calling the library at 412-741-6920 or inquiring at the

Tell Your Tale: A Community Story This summer’s collaborative writing story is complete! In honor of the Summer Reading theme, “Tails & Tales,” we welcomed writers from the Sewickley Library community to come together to

compose a collaborative story.

We are pleased to present for your reading pleasure, Tell Your Tale: A Collaborative Writing Story. Thank you to the writers who created this engaging and heartwarming tale.

Visit our website at www.sewickleylibrary.org/tellyourtale to read the story!

Reference Desk.

SEWICKLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE QUAKER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT 8

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10:00 Convo Salon 10:30 SPL Knitters Group

9:30 Wise Walks 2:00 French Convo

10:00 Write Now! 4:00 First Chapter Fridays

Craft-to-Go Kits

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3:30 Anime Club

10:00 Mother Goose ST 12:00 Tech Meetup 1:00 Mother Goose ST

9:30 Preschool ST 9:30 Wise Walks 2:00 French Convo

10:00 Family ST

Labor Day

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Drop off your LEGO Build by September 10th!

(More on page 4!)

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3:00 Take & Make 6:00 American Skyscrapers Lecture

10:00 DIY Craft for Adults 6:30 DIY Neon Signs 7:00 Mystery BG

10:00 Mother Goose ST 10:30 SPL Knitters Group 1:00 Mother Goose ST 6:00 Board Game Café 7:00 Healthy Lifestyle BG

9:30 Preschool ST 9:30 Wise Walks 11:30 Brown Bag BG 2:00 French Convo

10:00 Tabletop Takeout 10:00 Write Now! 10:00 Family ST 4:00 First Chapter Fridays

Craft-to-Go Kits

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LEGO EXPO 2021 (through September 25th!)

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3:00 Take & Make 4:00 Teen Advisory

3:30 Anime Club 7:00 Get Lit!

10:00 Mother Goose ST 10:00 LEGO STEAM Kit 12:00 Google Docs 1:00 Mother Goose ST

9:30 Preschool ST 9:30 Wise Walks 2:00 French Convo 4:00 Taco ‘Bout True Crime

10:00 Family ST

Sewickley StoryWalk

LEGO EXPO 2021 (through September 25th!)

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3:00 Take & 7:00 Fourth Make Tuesday BG 7:00 LTAM Group

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10:00 Mother Goose ST 1:00 Mother Goose ST

9:30 Wise Walks 2:00 French Convo

Visit the Sewickley StoryWalk (Sept 24 - Oct 17) Children’s

Teens

Adult 9

All Ages

500 Thorn Street Sewickley, PA 15143 sewickleylibrary.org

FOSPL Fall Book Sale Reading is wonderful any time of the year, but there’s something special about curling up with a good book as the air turns chilly.

Now is your chance to stock up your fall book collection at the Friends of the Sewickley Public Library’s Book Sale this September!

Shop the sale for great priced books, children’s books, movies, music & more.

Friday, September 10 (9am - 5:30pm) Saturday, September 11 (9am - 4:30pm) Sunday, September 12 (1 - 3:30pm) As always, Sunday is Bag Day! Fill one of the provided bags with any combination of books, DVDs or CDs for only $5!

All proceeds benefit the Sewickley Public Library of the Quaker Valley School District.

Plus, all purchases made during at the sale count toward the Love Your Library match!

Phone 412-741-6920 Children’s 412-741-0937 Renewals 412-622-1895

Pet Picture Contest Results We are excited to announce the winners of the Sewickley Public Library’s Tails & Tales: Pet Picture Contest! And must we say there are some PURR-fect pets out there!

There were over 60 submissions among all four categories: Dogs, Cats, Draw Your Pet, & Other Pets.

The voting period has ended and the winners have been determined by our community members.

And the winners are...

•Dogs: Abby (taken by Kimberly) •Cats: Paloma (taken by Nancy) •Draw Your Pet: Dora (drawn by Enzo) •Other Pets: Ginger (taken by Sophia) Congratulations to all the winners! And thank you to everyone who submitted photos and cast your ballots in for the Pet Picture Contest!

SEWICKLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY OF THE QUAKER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT 10