MURRYSVILLE COMMUNITY LIBRARY
MURRYSVILLE COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Jamie Falo – Director
The Murrysville Community Library is imbued with a rich history of dedication, commitment, and generosity. Our humble beginnings go back to the year 1922 when the Library was founded by the Murrysville Woman’ s Club. In 1925, the Library housed 1,200 books, circulated 145 items a month, and was opened five hours per week, 10 months per year. In 2016, the Library housed 65,000 library materials, circulated approximately 12,000 items per month, and was opened 58.5 hours per week, 12 months per year.
Over the years as time, technology, and the community changed, the Library changed too. As we grow, we continually work to reinvent ourselves to help better and improve the lives of those within our community. We would like to share with you some of our most exceptional and
which included: Cookbook Book Club; Meet the Author; Painting on Glass and Canvas; Creating a Healthy Community, with Blue Zone Basics; Pictures for Books; Our Creative Process; Medicare Program; Osteoporosis / Osteopenia Class; and Ice Cream Social, which wrapped up our Adult Summer Reading Club. Building partnerships within the community has helped create even more informative and enjoyable adult programs.
Children’ s programming is also an essential component of the Library. In 2016, we introduced STORYTIME Stem-Packs™ in three Summer Reading Club programs. STORYTIME Stem-Packs is a unique product of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit Math & Science Collaborative and our 2014- 16 piloting partnership with the Math & Science Collaborative. It represents an
Club, stories, face painting, crafts, and cookies and punch.
These programs and initiatives are still growing! Next up:“ Build a Better World”( Summer Reading Club 2017 theme) and adult and children programs featuring Solar Eclipse 2017( August 21, 2017) which will include new STORYTIME Stem-Packs for children, designed in partnership by the Math & Science Collaborative, with NASA input as well.
Murrysville Community Library Foundation is a mainstay organization of the Library and continues to play a vital role in Library funding. Last year, the Foundation provided over $ 15,000 in funding to support special library projects, library programs, daily operations, and to purchase library materials such as DVDs, e-books, and best-seller and award winning
urrysville MUNICIPALITY OF MURRYSVILLE NEWS successful stories from last year.
In 2016, we created a campaign to market OverDrive, our downloadable e-book and e-audiobook collection platform. Library staff offered programs to assist patrons in downloading e-books and e-audiobooks to their personal devices. From these efforts, we saw a spike in e-content circulation from 7,008 in 2015 to 9,340 in 2016. There are currently over 8,400 items available to borrow through our OverDrive collection. Downloading e-content is quick, convenient, and free! We have a very knowledgeable and patient staff to work with you one-on-one to meet your technology needs.
Adult programming is an essential component of the Library. In 2016, we strived to strengthen community by adding more unique adult programs offering the opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds and interests to come together for learning, literacy, and enjoyment. In addition to our popular regular adult programs focusing on active discussions, crafts, and health and fitness, we were able to offer several new programs advanced reading experience for children. Yet, it is still an easy-to-use, just-in-time resource that enables any educator or storyteller to incorporate STEM concepts into preK-4 children’ s programming. Each STORYTIME Stem-Packs unit consists of one piece of children’ s literature and accompanying STEM learning activities that directly connect to the theme and main ideas featured in the children’ s literature, as well as to scholastic Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards in Math & English Language Arts. We take great pride in our strong STEM collaborations, and our leadership in advancing“ informal” STEM learning for children.
We also take great pride in our year-end, holiday Jingles‘ n’ Gingerbread multicultural evening, attended in this, its third year, by 672 adults and children. We enjoyed the evening featuring talented Franklin Regional High School and Middle School student musicians, Bollywood dance performers, food and customs from members of the International Women’ s books. In addition to the Foundation, the Library receives funding from many different sources, including the Municipality of Murrysville, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Westmoreland County Commissioners, and generous donations from local businesses, civic organizations and individuals. We are sincerely grateful to all who make it possible for the Library to continue its service to the community.
Thank you to the Murrysville Woman’ s Club for having the insight to establish a community library. We are proud to serve the ever growing changes and needs of the community. Also, thank you for the many ways that you support the Library. Strong community support allows Murrysville Community Library to provide resources and outstanding service that enhances the quality of life for all residents. If you have not been to your Library lately, stop in. Every Westmoreland County resident is eligible for a free Library card, so get yours today! For more information, visit the Library’ s website at www. murrysvillelibrary. org or call us at 724.327.1102.
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