Here are some upcoming programs at Penn Hills Library

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.

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 Sept. 1 in observance of Labor Day.

Here are some upcoming activities:

Variety of history lectures offered for adults

The library is celebrating an extended History Week with a series lectures for adults. Registration is required for all of the presentations.

The lineup includes:

• Ohio Hopewell Moundbuilders: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 8. The people known to archaeologists as the Ohio Hopewell built large numbers of earthen structures, including mounds, enclosures and roads in Ohio and adjacent areas. Eight of these sites, which roughly date between 100 BC and AD 450, were enrolled as World Heritage sites by UNESCO in 2023. The lecture will introduce these sites and their significance.

• More Than Wonderful: The Life and Work of Louis Armstrong (virtual session): 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9. Join us for a retrospective on the legendary musician and performer. Note: This program will be virtual with the opportunity to watch it at the library.

• Rock Talks: National Record Mart: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 10. If you’re a Pittsburgh music fan, you likely shopped at NRM. Join us as we look at the history of this beloved and greatly missed record shop. There also will be music from Pittsburgh artists.

• Richard Gazarik Presents Fannie Sellins and the 1919 Steel Strike: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 11. Fannie Sellins was killed by deputy sheriffs on the eve of the 1919 steel strike in Brackenridge as she was trying to protect a group of women and children. Learn about this little known story from the labor strikes from true crime aficionado Richard Gazarik.

• Introduction to Archaeology and Native Archaeology: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15. Join the Allegheny County Park Rangers for an introduction to archaeology. Learn about how the Americas were inhabited, common tools utilized by American Indians and some of the most important archaeological sites in our area, including in our Allegheny County parks.

• Decoding the Image of Kingship in Ancient Egypt: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 17. Learn about the origins of kingship in ancient Egypt and the development of the iconic royal image that lasted for thousands of years.

• The Quest for the Historical Jesus: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18. Scholars and laypersons alike remain fascinated with the figure of Jesus and the origins of Christianity. Dr. Tucker S. Ferda, associate professor of New Testament at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, will offer an exciting lecture on the developments in historical Jesus research and what scholars are continuing to learn about Jesus in a 1st Century Jewish context.

• African American Herbalism: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Learn about the roots of African American plant medicine and how those practices are alive and relevant today.

CHILDREN (birth to age 11)

The library offers a variety of early learning and literacy programs for its youngest patrons. Visit pennhillslibrary.org for a complete list of programs for children from birth to age 11. Registration is required for the following programs unless otherwise indicated:

• Page-by-Page STEAM Challenges (grades K-5): 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Sept. 2.

We will begin with a fun read aloud and discussion, then engage with themed STEAM challenges to explore and reinforce concepts from science, engineering, art and mathematics. Registration is required.

• Music and Movement (birth to age 5): Three time slots every Wednesday — 10:30 to 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 6 p.m. Youngsters will develop their gross motor skills while having fun singing, moving, dancing and making music together. No registration is required.

• Read to a Mystery Pal (grades K-5): 4 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays and 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays throughout September. Stop by the children’s library each week to get a Reader Badge and read to a “Mystery Pal” — a surprise character stationed around the library. You can pick from our chosen grade-level books or bring your own favorite book to cozy up and get some reading in. Each week, there will be new “Mystery Pals” to unlock new levels on your Reading Badge and receive that week’s secret prize. No registration is required.

• Maker Lab: Back-to-School Edition (grades K-5): 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Sept. 4 and 11 and 1 to 1:45 p.m. Sept. 6. Junior makers can get creative and use fun equipment to add custom designs to school supplies that they will then take home. Registration is required.

• Slime Science: Edible Slime (grades K-5): 1 to 1:45 p.m. Sept. 13. Experiment with mixing different ingredients to make slime many ways in this special lab. Registration is required.

• Toddler Dance Party (birth to age 5): 10:30 to 11 a.m. Sept. 15 and 20. Youngsters will develop body and spatial awareness while using fun props to groove to music. No registration is required.

• KidzStix Cardio Drumming (ages 6 to 11): 4:30 to 5 p.m. Sept. 15. This high-energy and uplifting drumming and dance program led by certified fitness instructor Coleen Bortz combines exercise, dancing and fun with drums. Registration is required.

• Lego Challenges (ages 6 to 11): 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Sept. 24. Join us for some fun Lego challenges and then spend some time engineering new concepts and builds. Registration is required.

TEENS (grades 6-12)

The library offers a variety of books in its Teen Space about college preparation, essay writing, SAT and ACT preparation, and school subjects that can be checked out at any time. Teens also have free access to tutoring help at tutor.com using their library card; instructors are available on a wide variety of school subjects. Teens also have access to language learning resources such as Duolingo and Mango with ther library card. For details, stop by the Teen Space. Text TEENSPH to 412-240-6540 to sign up for program reminders. Teen programs do not require registration.

• Cardboard Crafting: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 2 (leaves) and 3:30 to 5 p.m. Sept. 17 (mushroom garden).

• Make Your Ren Faire Costume: 3:30 to 5 p.m. Sept. 8 and 22. Come and work on your medieval fit for fun or for the upcoming Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival, which will be held weekends and Labor Day through Sept. 28 in West Newton.

• Gender and Sexualities Alliance Button Maker: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 9.

• Explore the Maker Space: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 12 and 26.

• Tattoo Pens: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sept. 9.

• Make Your Own Flowerpot Scarecrow: 3:30 to 5 p.m. Sept. 23.

ADULTS

• Penn Hills Peace Coalition: 6 to 7 p.m. Sept. 2 and Oct. 7. Join the Penn Hills Peace Coalition in discussing methods to support violence prevention in Penn Hills. No registration is required.

• Midday Movie: “Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning”: 3 to 6 p.m. Sept. 6. Join us for a showing of “Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” a 2025 action/thriller rated PG-13 and starring Tom Cruise. Popcorn will be provided. Mark your calendars: The Sept. 27 movie, the the 2025 horror film “Sinners” starring Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld, will be shown from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Registration is required.

• Accessible Crafts: 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 8 (paper flowers) and Sept. 15 (mini paintings). This craft program is for patrons of all abilities. Try out a new artistic activity twice a month. No registration is required.

• Pittsburgh Fatties Social Club Clothing Swap: Noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 13. This swap is a mutual aid event to assist the fat communities of Western Pennsylvania in finding fashionable clothing that fits. Free to enter for all; masks are required and provided. Note: Advanced drop-off only — we will not take clothes at the event. Drop-off locations and dates are announced in August on Instagram at @pittsburghfattiessocialclub.

• Craft Exchange: 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 20. If you have extra fabric, yarn, paint, paper and other craft materials in good condition, bring the items to exchange with others.

• Live Music by Mountains Meet the Moon: 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 20. Enjoy a lively mix of Celtic and Appalachian tunes and the stories behind them. Registration is required.

• Zentangled Illumination: 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 22. Illumination is the artistic decoration of manuscripts, utilized particularly in medieval art. Learn the art form adapted from Zentangles in this interactive are project. Registration is required.

• Documentary Film Club: 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 24. “The Truth About Reading” (2024) looks at the illiteracy problem in America, highlighting people who learned to read as adults and sharing proposed solutions for working towards a future where every child learns to read proficiently. Registration is required.

• Ask a Funeral Director: 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 1. This seminar will give attendees an opportunity to hear about options in funeral services, disposition, veterans benefits, prefunding and preplanning and more. Registration is required.

ALL AGES

• Community Fridge Restock: 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m. to noon Fridays. The fridge and freezer are stocked with fresh vegetables, meal kits, milk and dairy products, juice and more. The pantry shelves include canned goods, snacks and breakfast items, as well as menstrual products and diapers.

• Puzzle Exchange: 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 6 and Oct. 4. Bring in an old puzzle and find a new one at our puzzle exchange for all ages.