At the library: Here are some upcoming programs at Northland Public Library

Notice to patrons

Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Road, McCandless, will be closed on Sept. 1 for Labor Day.

As a municipal authority, the library primarily serves the residents of Bradford Woods, Franklin Park, McCandless, Marshall and Ross, but is open to all.

The library’s summer hours run through Labor Day weekend. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. The library is closed on Sundays through Aug. 31.

Visit northlandlibrary.org for a full listing of events, activities and ongoing groups and to register for programs.

To contact the library, call 412-366-8100 or email northland@northlandlibrary.org.

Underwater theme set for Children’s Gala 

Tickets are on sale for the Children’s Gala 2025: Under the Sea library fundraiser.

The event, presented by the Northland Public Library Foundation, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at the library.

The special evening will provide fun and wonder for families with young children. Activities will include strolling book characters, games, live entertainment, raffles, face painting, a balloon artist, food, photo-op areas and more.

Tickets cost $25 per person. Last year’s gala themed “Under Construction” welcomed a sold-out crowd of more than 350 guests. So patrons are advised to purchase tickets early for this year’s event.

Sponsorship opportunies are still available and can be viewed online at northlandlibrary.org/childrens-gala. To help, contact foundation director Alexis McKinley at 412-366-8100, ext. 104, or mckinleya@northlandlibrary.org.

4-day fall book sale coming up

Northland Public Library is planning a fall book sale from Sept. 25-28.

The preview sale is set for 5 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25. For $10, payable when you register in advance online, or $15 at the door if space allows, you can shop Thursday night before the official sale.

There will be something for all ages. Items include books, paperbacks, CDs, puzzles, games, DVDs and Talking Books CDs.

Registration for the preview sale opens Sept. 1 and ends Sept. 23. Space is limited to 60 attendees, and ticket purchases are not refundable. After Sept. 23, patrons will have to pay $15 at the door. To register, visit bit.ly/FallBookSale2025.

The regular sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 26-27 and 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 28.

The final day will be the everything-must-go bag sale: Patrons can fill one bag for $5 plus tax or grab as much as you can haul for $10 plus tax.

Tickets available for murder-mystery fundraiser

Northland Public Library is hosting two sessions of a 21-and-older murder-mystery fundraiser, “Murder Sets Sail,” from 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 5 and Sept. 6 as part of the month’s Love Your Library campaign.

Join staff and other guests of the H.M.S. Enigma for a pirate-themed treasure hunt. But with local eccentric “sail-ebrity” Roger Aurum lending real gold coins for the hunt, will you be able to figure out who might want to see him thrown overboard?

The interactive, original mystery was written by Northland’s Adult Services librarians.

Tickets are $35 per person.

There will be sips, light appetizers, coffee and desserts are included in the ticket price. Wine by the glass and beer will be available for $5 each.

A supporting sponsor ticket option also is available for $50, which includes general admission, one alcoholic drink ticket and name recognition in the event program.

Each session can only accommodate 100 participants, and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not refundable, but they can be transferred to someone else if your plans change.

To purchase tickets, visit northlandlibrary.org/murder-mystery.

Homemade hats, scarves being collected

Northland Public Library, in partnership with KnitHope, is collecting hand-knitted and crocheted scarves and hats through Oct. 1 for people in need in the Pittsburgh region.

KnitHope is a nonprofit organization that distributes items to people experiencing homelessness, women and children in recovery programs, families struggling to make ends meet, children and teens in residential programs, and homebound senior citizens.

If you wish to donate items, please keep gender-neutral colors and patterns in mind. We ask that scarves be about 60 inches long, 5 inches wide and suggest black and gray hats.

Place your completed item in a bag and label the size and type. If you are donating several items, you may include them in one bag, just label the amount.

Collection boxes will be set up on both floors of the library.

For details, visit knithope.org.

Programs for adults

• Wellness Works: Myth vs. Reality in Wound Care: 6 to 7 p.m. Aug. 28

Join Jodi Boory, manager of Wound Care and UPMC Wound Healing Services at UPMC Passavant, as she talks about the basics of wound care. Registration is required.

• Coin Fair: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 13

Would you like to know what your old coins are worth? Drop in to find out and enjoy some time with expert coin enthusiasts. Members of the North Hills Coin Club are offering residents informal and free coin evaluations and a chance to check out some outstanding coin collections. No registration is required.

• Movie Matinee: “You Will Be My Son” (2011): 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 17

This film from France is about a man who is enthusiastic about his grapes and his wine. But he has no faith in his son. Paul’s estate manager, however, has a son, Philippe, who knows his wines. When Philippe saves this year’s crop, Paul thinks of a way to make Philippe his natural heir, but would Paul really cut out his son? No registration is required.

• Wellness Works: Osteoporosis, Exercise and Bone Density: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 25

Physical therapist Amy Seeley will discuss light and easy weight-bearing exercises to maintain bone density and prevent bone loss. She also will review some dietary considerations for bone health. Registration is required.

• Pawpaw: The Forgotten Fruit: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30

Join Northland Library Authority Board member and pawpaw enthusiast Don Hart to hear his adventures raising a grove of pawpaw trees. Once a staple of Appalachian diets, the pawpaw is America’s forgotten fruit. If the September harvest holds out, you’ll get to taste the amazing pawpaw for yourself. Registration is required.

• Northland Writers Fair: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4

Calling all new and aspiring authors! Join us for our first Local Writers Fair, featuring a day of panels, workshops and advice. There also will be tables of authors selling their books and chatting. For a list of authors, visit northlandlibrary.org/writers-fair. To register, fill out a brief survey at tinyurl.com/3nyt42sy.

Programs for young people

• Teen Writing Group: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5 and Dec. 3

Teens 13 to 18 who enjoy creative writing are invited to meet other students with similar interests the first Wednesday of every month. There will be writing games, group writing exercises and interesting prompts. Bring your notebook or laptop: There will be plenty of unstructured time to start a new project or continue working on an old one, as well as opportunities to share your work if you wish. No registration is required. For questions, contact Kim Pierson at piersonk@northlandlibrary.org.

• Middle School Writing Group: 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5 and Dec. 3

This version of the Teen Writing Group is geared toward middle schoolers who enjoy creative writing. No registration is required. For questions, contact Kim Pierson at piersonk@northlandlibrary.org.

• Teen Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 4

Teens 12 to 18 can join us the first Thursday of every month for a mystery activity. No registration is required.

• Nature Friends Storytime: 10 to 10:30 a.m. Sept. 16

Children 3 to 5 are invited to join us for nature-themed stories, songs and library fun in the Learning Garden. No registration is required, but space is limited.

• Mother Goose Tummy Time: 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 16

Babies 3 to 12 months and a caregiver are invited to join us for a 20-minute story time, followed by instruction from Taylor Shields, a physical therapist from Ivy Rehab, on how to encourage your baby in their current stage of development. Then, enjoy some time to socialize. Registration is required.

Programs for all ages

• The 729ers Performance: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 4

Join us for a performance by The 729ers, a three-person alternative folk group from the NorthHills. They play a variety of music styles, including Appalachian, bluegrass, folk, Irish, pop, soft rock and a couple of original songs mixed in. The group was established in 2021 by Mike Sambroak and Dennis Morton. Matt VanCamp joined shortly after, and they’ve been performing together ever since. Registration is required.

• Cup Composting in the Learning Garden: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 6

Girl Scouts from Troop 28008 are wild about composting! Come make your own mini-composter and learn how to turn food waste and yard trash into gardening gold. Great for kids preschool through third grade, but all are welcome. No registration is required.

• Let’s Celebrate Constitution Week: 3 to p.m. Sept. 14

Celebrate Constitution week with the Kushkushkee Trail Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Learn about the Constitution, see the winning poster contest entries and ring bells to celebrate the U.S. Constitution. No registration is required.