Penn Hills Library, 1037 Stotler Road, offers a variety of programs for all ages.
For a complete list of offerings and to register for programs, visit pennhillslibrary.org. To reach the library by phone, call 412-775-4700.
Regular operating hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The library is closed on Sundays.
The library will be closed April 3.
Variety of STEAM Labs offered in March
The library is hosting a trifecta of STEAM Labs for children in kindergarten through fifth grade during in March.
Participants will work with their hands and experiment with STEAM projects. Each session will explore a different topic:
• Exploring Pi: 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. March 13
• Weather Wonders: 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. March 17
• Spring Lab and Egg Hunt: 11 a.m. to noon March 28
Registration is required and can be done online through the library’s events calendar or by calling 412-775-4700.
Food distribution, fridge open to all
The library is providing the space for a new community food distribution from 6 to 7 p.m. every Monday.
This distribution is run by local community members and is not part of the library’s Community Fridge or run through the library. It will take place in the upstairs cafe area outside the Community Room.
The Community Fridge is an ongoing, free library resource. Patrons do not need to provide any information in order to take food. Everyone is welcome to take whatever they need.
The restocks take place from 5 to 6 p.m. every Wednesday and 11 a.m. to noon every Friday.
Please bring reusable bags as there are a limited number of milk crates available that can be used to transport food.
Members of the community are welcome to donate any unopened and unexpired food to the Community Fridge. To make a monetary donation, you can write a check or donate online. Be sure to indicate on the check or in the comments of your online donation that you intend for it to be used toward the Community Fridge.
The library also holds a Diapers and Books Giveaway on the third Wednesday of each month from 4 to 6 p.m. in conjunction with its Wednesday fridge restocks. Diapers and menstrual products are available. To learn more, visit the cafe at that time.
For questions about either program, contact the library at 412-775-4700.
Volunteers are welcome to assist with the Community Fridge. To help, call the library or email phlibrary@pennhills library.org.
CHILDREN (birth to age 11)
• Music and Movement (birth to age 5): Two sessions every Wednesday — 10:30 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to noon. Come to the library to sing, move, dance and make music together. The program focuses on having fun while developing gross motor skills. No registration is required.
• Music and Movement: Special Session and Egg Hunt (birth to age 5): 11 a.m. to noon March 28. Hop on over to Music and Movement, where we will dance and shake and then go on an indoor Egg Hunt with prizes, as well as an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt with a prize. The event will be held rain or shine. Baskets to collect eggs and prizes will be provided. Registration is required.
• KidzStix Cardio Drumming (ages 6-11): 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. March 16 and April 6. Get moving at this high energy drumming and dance program led by certified fitness instructor Coleen Bortz. Registration is required.
• Irish Step Dance (grades K-5): 4:30 to 5 p.m. March 18. Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by weaving Irish step dance movement and rhythm together. Learn how basic steps integrated with traditional music form the foundation for Irish dance. No experience is necessary. Registration is required.
• Tiny Art: Canvas Painting (grades K-5): 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. March 20. Create the smallest of creations. We’ll use different materials to design tiny art together to put on display. Registration is required.
• Process Art: Women in Art (birth to age 11): 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. March 21. Children of all ages, explore, experiment and create freely. Focus on the fun of the art process rather than the final product. Registration is required.
• Maker Lab: Furry Perler Beads: (ages 6-11): 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. April 4. Junior makers will learn how to use different machines and supplies to create something completely new. Mark your calendars: The April 16 session will be bird houses. Registration is required.
• Future Engineers: Two Sessions: (ages 6-11): 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. April 11 and 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. April 23. Participants will brainstorm and build models to solve real-world problems in this hands-on engineering program. Registration is required.
TEENS (grades 6-12)
Teen programs do not require registration.
• Hot Glue Designs: 3:30 to 5 p.m. March 17. Create different designs with a hot glue gun, silicone molds and paint.
• Cardboard Weaved Pets: 3:30 to 5 p.m. March 18. Learn how to weave yarn on a piece of cardboard to create stuffed animals.
• Teen Space Takeover: 1 to 5 p.m. March 21. Drop by and spend a fun afternoon at the library. Join us for a craft and chat about what’s going on in your life.
• Clay Tic-Tac-Toe: 3:30 to 5 p.m. March 24. Use clay and paint to create a custom tic-tac-toe board themed around your favorite movies, series and more.
• Cherry Blossom Book Nooks: 3:30 to 5 p.m. March 25. Create one-of-a-kind cherry blossom-themed book nooks.
• Teen Art Club: 3:30 to 5 p.m. March 31. Join our teen-led group in exploring art styles, techniques, challenges and more.
• Teen Egg Hunt: 1 to 2 p.m. April 4. Hop on by for a fun egg hunt.
• Gender and Sexualities Alliance: Mario Kart: 5:30 to 7 p.m. April 14. Join us once a month in this safe, inclusive environment where everyone is welcome to be themselves. This month is Mario Kart.
ADULTS
• Yoga: 2 to 3 p.m. March 13, 20 and 27. Bring your own yoga mat and towel to this free class. There are a limited number of mats to borrow. No registration is required.
• Game Night: 6 to 8 p.m. March 18 and April 1. Play one of our board games or bring one of your own. Registration is required.
• Classic Movie Club: “Seven Samurai”: 1 to 3 p.m. March 19. Join us for a showing of “Seven Samurai,” a Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa and released in 1954. The film tells the story of farmers from a village exploited by bandits who steal their harvested crops. The farmers hire a veteran samurai for protection, and he gathers six other warriors to join him. It is considered one of the greatest films ever made. Popcorn will be provided. Registration is required.
• Accessible Crafts: Mini Snow Globes: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 23. This craft program is for patrons of all abilities. Mark your calendars: The April 6 session will be pom pom art; April 27 will be rock painting. No registration is required.
• Soul (Urban) Line Dancing: 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. March 23. Soul (Urban) Line Dancing is a fun way to be active to your favorite songs. Come learn a variety of line dances to popular R&B and hip-hop songs. Registration is required.
• Job and Career Help Appointments: 1 to 2 p.m. March 24, April 7 and 21. Get one-on-one assistance with writing a resume, finding a job, learning Word or PowerPoint and more. Follow-up appointments may be necessary. Registration is required.
• Documentary Film Club: “The Image You Missed”: 6 to 8 p.m. March 25. This 2018 documentary follows an Irish filmmaker grappling with the legacy of his estranged father, the late documentarian Arthur MacCaig, through MacCaig’s decades-spanning archive of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Registration is required.
• Classic Movie Club: “The Magnificent Seven”: 1 to 3 p.m. March 26. Join us for a showing of “The Magnificent Seven,” a highly acclaimed American Western film directed by John Sturges and released in 1960. The film stars Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, James Coburn and Horst Buchholz as a group of seven gunfighters hired to protect a small village in Mexico from bandits. Popcorn will be provided. Registration is required.
• Irish Ceili Dancing Workshop: 6 to 7 p.m. March 30. Join us for an evening of traditional ceili dancing to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Registration is required.
• Penn Hills Peace Coalition: 6 to 7 p.m. April 7. Join the coalition at its monthly gathering to discuss methods to support violence prevention in Penn Hills. No registration is required.
• Office of Vocational Rehabilitation: All day April 10. Office of Vocational Rehabilitation will be on-site to help people with disabilities obtain and maintain employment. Drop-in appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No registration is required.
• Pittsburgh Fatties Social Club Clothing Swap: Noon to 3 p.m. April 11. This free swap is a mutual aid event to assist the fat communities of Western Pennsylvania in finding fashionable clothing that fits. Masks are required and will be provided. Please note: Clothing drop-off is held in advance; we will not accept clothes at this event. Drop-off locations and dates will be announced in March on Instagram @pittsburghfattiessocialclub. No registration is required.
ALL AGES
• Family Game Night: 5 to 7 p.m. April 2. Let the dice roll and the fun begin during spring break. We’ll provide a variety of tabletop board games, card games, video games and more to choose from. Come alone or bring your friends and family with you. All ages are welcome. Drinks and snacks will be provided. No registration is required.
