Celebrate Pennsylvania! A History in Story and Song

The Meyersdale Public Library is pleased to host Celebrate Pennsylvania! A History in Story and Song

Award-winning performer Paula Purnell presents songs written by and about the people

of Pennsylvania, in this family-friendly and interactive presentation featuring authentic instruments,

costumes and props. From the indigenous people of the Eastern Woodlands, to early English settlers, on to the workers of the Industrial Age, Purnell invites audiences to explore how and why Pennsylvanians have

been making music for thousands of years. Volunteers don costumes to become George Washington,

Queen Aliquippa and other important people from Pennsylvania's past.

Artifacts provide opportunities to explore and discuss the daily life, toils and triumphs of bygone eras.

October 5 @ 7 p.m.

Amity United Church of Christ

315 Center St, Meyersdale, PA

For more information call 634-0512

Story-hour Begins

Our preschool story hour will begin on September 17th at 10 am. Story-hour session will continue every Friday until May. You are invited to bring your little ones to participate in stories, activities, and crafts that focus on learning our colors and shapes. Miss Cindy is excited to start a new year!

Labor Day Holiday & Survey Results

The Meyersdale Public Library will be closed September 6th in observance of the Labor Day Holiday. Please visit the library this week and select a good book, magazine, or movie to relax with during the 3-day weekend.

I appreciate the effort many of you made to respond to the Library-Use Survey we made available during the summer. I was very pleased to learn the overall consensus was that our library is doing a good job in meeting the expectations of the community. Many of you expressed your gratitude for the our collection, atmosphere, and helpful staff.

Your criticisms were acknowledged and valued. While there is little we can do about the frustrating parking situation, we did renovate the public bathroom and included suggested materials into our collection. The Meyersdale Public Library is here to serve you. Your suggestions and contributions are an important part of helping us be the best we can be. Other areas of improvement are be evaluated at this time. We will be announcing new technological upgrades soon!

Local and Family History Department

Have you ever wondered why your nose is a little crooked? Are you curious about why you love to quilt? Has anyone else in your family been challenged with a physical problem you are struggling with? Have you wondered how your family came to live in America? What is the history of Southern Somerset County? Having an understanding of your family and local history gives you insight into who you are. One of the best ways to know who you are is to know who you came from. Genealogical Research has become one of the fastest growing hobbies in America. As much as 60% of the population is interested in their family history.

The Meyersdale Public Library's Local and Family History department has become a highly reputable source among the genealogy community for its collection and service; much of which is due to the professional efforts of Cynthia Mason. We invite you to come in and let us help you discover your family. The Local and Family history department is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you desire assistance from Cynthia then please visit between the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. If you are traveling from out of town we suggest you call or email ahead to make sure Cynthia will be available to help you. Even she gets a day off now and then!!

New to our collection:

• The New Republic and Daily American obituaries for 2005 – 2009 are now online at http://www.usgwarchives.org/pa/somerset/. Transcribed obituaries from the Meyersdale Commercial for 1913 – 1918 and a few from 1929 will be posted soon.

It is hard to believe that school will be starting before too long! Families are making plans to get that last vacation runaway in before school schedules once again put life back into a more structured routine. Back-to-School sales promote the need for new pencils, notebooks, and shoes. While notebooks are important, we at the library feel that a positive school experience begins in the home. Helping our children prepare physically and emotionally for the demands and expectations of school will help start the new year off on the right foot.

With that in mind, the Meyersdale Public Library has partnered with KidsHealth in distributing a helpful pamphlet for parents that addresses issues such as first-day jitters, nutrition, digital concerns, infectious diseases, and how to volunteer at your child's school. Please stop by the library to get your free copy of "Fresh New School Year." As always, the library is her to support your family in its education endeavors. Please let us know how we can help you get the information you and your children need to ensure a happy, rewarding school experienc

Game Night @ the Library!

Game Night @ the Library!

Starting August 5^th the Meyersdale Public Library will be hosting Teen Game Night @ the Library! We invite young people ages 12 to 18 to visit the library and participate in a night of fun, competition, and eating! Teen Game night is an opportunity to challenge your friends, show off your gaming skills, and just hang out. We will have snacks, Wii video games, board games, and computer games. You are welcome to bring your own games too! Games brought from home will be voted on by the group to see if they work for group play. Once checked into the library, youth under the age of 16 may not leave the building until an adult picks them up. All participants must be picked up no later than 8:30 pm. For any questions, please call the library at 634-0512.

• Play video games on the big screen...
• Challenge your friends to a game of checkers...
• Bring your favorite games from home!

This trial program will run the entire month of August on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. If there proves to be an interest we hope to establish Teen Game Night @ the Library as a permanent part of the library schedule. Hope to see you there!

I would also like to thank all those who have sent donations towards our annual fund drive. As you may have heard, the 2010 state budget once again decreased funding for public libraries. We understand that everyone is making sacrifices during this difficult economic time but we are saddened that the awareness of the positive impact libraries have on a community is not fully understood by political decision makers. That is why every penny donated from our community is a valued vote of confidence in the work we do at the Meyersdale Public Library. Please let us know how we can be of service to you and your family.

Holiday Closing and Fund Drive

The Library will be closed July 5th in observance of the 4th of July holiday! We will be open for business as usual on Tuesday July 6th. Have a happy holiday!

The 2010 Meyersdale Public Library Fund Drive has begun! The board and staff of the Meyersdale Public Library would like to thank all of our community members who have been so supportive of the Library in the past. Through your generosity, we have been able to successfully meet our stated mission to enhance the library through the resources of people, programming and financial assistance for library services. That being said, Pennsylvania libraries are at risk.

Demand for library services has risen dramatically during this recession. Libraries across Pennsylvania are busier than ever - serving people looking for work, families on tight budgets, and retirees grappling with shrinking savings. Recent state budget cuts have reduced library services for the very people who need libraries the most. To accommodate funding restraints, the Meyersdale Public Library chose to reduce staff hours instead of cutting hours of operation in an effort to keep the library and its services available to the community. The future is uncertain. Over 60% of the money necessary to keep the library functional and compliant with state standards comes from community support. Please help us continue to help you by donating generously to the 2010 Fund Drive. Your contributions are tax deductible and the option is available to contribute using the PayPal link on our website www.meyersdalelibrary.com.

Don’t forget to get involved in the following summer reading programs:

• “Make a SPLASH! READ” – for children of all ages. The program starts July 9th and will run until August 13, 2010. Youth may join anytime during this time frame.
• Meyersdale Area Chess Club - Mondays at 4 p.m.
• 2010 Relax and Read Adult Summer Reading Program - July 2^nd and end August 13^th. For each book you read you may submit an entry form. Every Friday staring July 9^th a entry will be drawn and that person will receive a beautiful reward. The more you read…..the more chance you have to win. Prizes are on display at the library. Please ask the staff for more information.

The Meyersdale Public Library offers numerous services that could be beneficial to you and your family. These services include: innovative children’s activities, outstanding local & family history services, an excellent general fiction & non-fiction collection, a variety of magazines and newspapers, assistance in research & problem solving, a diverse reference collection, right of entry to the state-wide Pennsylvania Power Library Access database program, high-speed internet & computer access, Accelerated Reading support, the Friends of the Library programming and book club, special needs computer software and equipment, and access to GED, CareerLink, Family Literacy, and County support representatives. The library is so much more than a place that has books!