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

Love Your Library campaign underway

September marks the 10th annual Love Your Library campaign, and Northland Public Library encourages the community to support its efforts.

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

Throughout the month, patrons are encouraged show their support by donating monetarily, attending a special event such as the Children’s Gala and the fall book sale or stopping by in person or online to check out a book or attend a program.

As an added bonus, all donations made in September will be partially matched, up to $500 per donor, by the Jack Buncher Foundation. Donations can be made online at tinyurl.com/3nbrv2x4 or by mailing or dropping off a check payable to the Northland Public Library Foundation at Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

For some other ideas on how to help, view the list of “30 Days 30 Ways to Love Your Library” at northlandlibrary.org/foundation/love-your-library.

The library’s hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Visit northlandlibrary.org for a full calendar 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 AHN Wexford and 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. All children will receive a goody bag.

Tickets cost $25 per person.

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@northland library.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.

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.

Writers fair to feature nearly 30 local authors

The Northland Writers Fair for all ages is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4.

The event will include a day of panels, workshops and advice from local authors.

Nearly 30 local authors are slated to appear. The authors also will have tables set up to sell their books.

The lineup will feature:

• 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.: “Talking Books: Discussing Audiobooks” with Laney David and Amber Battaglia; “Kickstarting Your Writing: Crowdfunding Your First Book” with Jamie Lackey

• Noon to 1 p.m.: “Part of Your World: Worldbuilding” panel with Christina Bunner, Joshua David Bellin and Sean D. Gregory

• 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: “Choose Your Path: Deciding Your Route to Publishing” panel with Fred Durbin and Cori Wamsley

For a list of the authors and some of their works, visit northlandlibrary.org/writers-fair.

For questions, email colemank2@northlandlibrary.org.

Programs for adults

• 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.

• Bettis Field and the ABCs of Pittsburgh Aviation: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29

American aviation took wing in the 1920s in fabric-covered biplanes from local airports that were little more than reclaimed cow pastures — like Bettis Airfield in West Mifflin. Join local historian Sue Morris and Brian Butko, Heinz History Center’s director of publications, as they share stories from their new book about the men and women aviators who lifted off from that little airfield to touch the skies above Pittsburgh and beyond. 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.

• Terrifying Tales by the Fire: 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 10

Bring your scary tales and join us in the library’s Learning Garden. Local author Thomas White will share terrifying local stories and give you a chance to share yours. Have a creepy story but don’t want to tell it yourself? Email it to to us at colemank2@northlandlibrary.net. Snacks and beverages will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Registration is required.

• Beautiful Bats: 7 to 8 p.m. Oct. 20

Bats are key players in almost every major ecosystem around the world. Explore their unique roles in Pennsylvania — and learn why they should be appreciated year-round, not just at Halloween. Registration is required for this virtual program. A Zoom link will be emailed the week of the program.

• Friday Night Frights: 21+ Halloween Night: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 24

Get in the Halloween spirit at Northland with spooky games, a terrifying escape room and creepy crafts. Wear your most boo-tiful outfits for our costume contest and trick or treat for some prizes. Registration is required.

• Northland Radio Hour: Spooky Stories: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30

Join staff and friends of Northland as they share scary tales and local legends to get you in Halloween spirit. To watch virtually from home, register at bit.ly/nplspookystories. Registration is required.

Programs for young people

• Teen Writing Group: 6 to 7:30 p.m. 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. 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.

• Crafting With Ms. Kim: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays, Oct. 2 through Dec. 18

Children 3 and older are welcome to drop by any time to create a 15-minute craft. Registration is required. Note: There will be no session on Nov. 27 because the library will be closed for Thanksgiving.

• Lab Mice Storytime: 1 to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27 and Nov. 3

Children 3 to 6 can join us on a series of Mondays for a STEAM-based, hands-on storytime. Each week, we will read a story, talk about what happened and do a STEAM activity related to the book. Registration is now open and required for the first session only; by registering for the first session, you also will be registering for future sessions.

• American Girl Doll Program: 1 to 2 p.m. Oct. 11

Come meet our latest American Girl Doll. We will talk about where she is from, what she likes to do and create a craft or two from her time period and culture. One lucky participant will be the first to take her home. Registration is required. Note: Participants should be 8 to 12 at the time of the program to register.

• Tekko Teburu Toku: 5 to 7:45 p.m. Oct. 21

Miss the roleplaying game scene at your favorite anime convention? Join a group of Game Masters and Japanese culture enthusiasts for a few hours of drop-in gaming. No experience is necessary. For adults and teens 14 and older. Registration is not required.

Programs for all ages

• The 729ers Performance: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 22

Note: The original Sept. 4 performance was rescheduled for Sept. 22. The 729ers, a three-person alternative folk group from the North Hills, will play a variety of music styles, including Appalachian, bluegrass, folk, Irish, pop, soft rock and a couple of original songs mixed in. Registration is required.