A Joyful Wish From Your Library Staff

Twas the day before Christmas
And quiet as a mouse
The library was closed
All shut up like a house

The books were all safe
Upon their steel and wood shelves
The librarians had tucked them away
Like Santa's little elves

The Christmas trees had been decorated
The Christmas stories had been read
The cookies had been eaten
And the librarians were ready for bed

The packages were all delivered
New books anxiously awaited
To be cataloged and processed
Our joy could hardly be abated

The library patrons were all gone
Having taken their books and movies
Home to enjoy over their Christmas vacations
Along with their yum-oh hams and turkeys

Outside the snow fell
All pretty and white
Like a snow globe village
Our town all joyful and quiet

With a winkle and a whisper
sleigh bells jingled in the air
With a HO HO HO and a twinkle
Santa flew here and there

But other sounds joined in that night
Of Christmas bells and songs of joy
Of parents reading stories to little children
A sense of well-being and happy employ

We hope that no matter your religion or beliefs
You take a moment to reflect on those you hold dear
To be thankful for family and good friends
To find peace, love, joy and happiness through the year!

We hope you enjoy a safe and happy holiday season!!!



The Ligonier Valley Library will be closed December 24 & 25.
We will re-open at 10:00 am on Monday, December 27.

A Puzzling Request

Are you like most of us? At the end of the year, do you begin to ponder all of the "things" that are trying to take possession of your house? We can't help you with all of them, but we can help you find a good home for your puzzles.

About a month or so ago we began setting a puzzle out for the amusement of our patrons, and several of you have responded by stopping in almost daily to work on them. Unfortunately, we only have a limited number to offer.

So, if you have some puzzles gathering dust in your home, we will happily take them off of your hands and add them to our collection.

Even the seemingly small things help to make the library a fun place to stop by and stay for a while.


Currently there are puzzles in the adult section and down the Pennsylvania Room. So, stop in and stay awhile... it's cold outside!

Happings at the Ligonier Valley Library

December has arrived in full force, with snow falling and Christmas lights twinkling. The Ligonier library has some fun events for you to enjoy this month!

Mystery Book Discussion & Lunch - Our mystery/thriller book discussion group, Death in the Stacks, will meet on Friday, December 3, from 11:30 am to 12:50 pm for their discussion & lunch. We'll be discussing the book "Bone by Bone" by Carol O'Connell. Bring your own lunch, we'll provide drinks and a snack
and/or dessert.

Tree Decorating & Christmas Party - Join us to help decorate the library's Christmas tree. While we have hundreds of ornaments ready to go, participants are welcome to add to the collection. After the decorating, Mrs. Norris will read seasonal stories... and Santa may even stop by for a visit! Refreshments will be served.

Games Day - Our last one for the year, our next Games Day will be on Saturday, December 18, from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Norm Flam of the Toy Soldier Gallery is hosting the Games Day series at the Ligonier Valley Library. Kids of various ages and experience levels play games such as Flames of War™ (a World War II miniature game) and Warhammer 40,000™ (a futuristic science fiction game). Bring your own lunch and snacks. Prizes will be awarded to the winners. Contact Norm at Toy Soldier Gallery with any questions, 724-238-0324.

Titles & Tea Book Discussion - Last month our discussion group read Little Women. December's discussion will be on March by Geraldine Brooks who tells the story of the absent father, March (from Little Women), who has gone off to war leaving his wife and daughters. The discussion will be held on Wednesday, December 15, at 3:00 pm.

The library will be closed on:
Friday, December 24, and Saturday, December 25; and
Friday, December 31, and Saturday, January 1

Westmoreland Day of Giving, Dec 1, 6AM - 9PM

Westmoreland County is participating in its first every Day of Giving. This is your chance to help support a nonprofit organization in your area, including the Ligonier Valley Library Association.

You can make a difference!

What can you do? Visit Westmorelandgives.org and click on the Donate Now button. Fill in the form, select a nonprofit organization, and enter an amount you wish to donate (you can pick up to 5 organizations and the minimum donation is $25.00). Have your credit card handy. That's it... it is that easy.

But the Day of Giving is only today, Wednesday, Dec. 1st, from 6:00 am - 9:00 pm.

So act now! Help support your library.

We thank you.

Thanksgiving

Summer has passed. Yes, I am aware it was 70 degree today, but Summer is over. Our town is looking quite festive. The elves of Ligonier have decorated the Diamond area in preparation for Santa's parade and town lighting this Friday.

Yet there is a wonderful little one day holiday between today and Friday that we hope you will enjoy celebrating. Thanksgiving!

While some may be tired of this annual question, we still like to ask it and answer it. What will you be giving thanks for this week? When all of the news stories seem to be about something negative happening in our world. What do you find worthy of giving thanks for?

We are thankful for:

Our regular patrons who stop by at least once a week, if not once a day, to utilize the free services found at the library... and hopefully to visit with us a little too. We are thankful for your friendship and smiling faces.

The small children who become so upset when they can't check out a book or find that we are closed. While we are sad to know that you are having a bad day or that you missed out on visiting us, we are thrilled to know that you love us enough to let your voices be heard! (But we would remind you to use your library voices.)

We're even more thankful to the small children who grew up, and now bring their small children to the library. This makes us feel a little old, but we're thankful none the less.

Books! We are thankful for the way a new book feels in our hands, the smell of a freshly published page of literature, and the chance to go on whatever adventure the author has created for us. We're also thankful that so many of you love books too.

Our Book Discussion Group members who diligently read the selected books - even if they are not always to their taste or worse turn out to not be a well-written tale. We enjoy sharing an hour or so once a month or every other month with you, listening to your intelligent and often insightful comments.

All the people who volunteer to work in the library's Re-Readables Bookstore and help with the booksale. We're flattered and grateful that you make time in your busy schedule to help us.

Mike and Sharel at ComTech. We have the best Tech-Geek, and his wife is very nice and patient. Thanks for keeping our computers running. (Honestly, we're not breaking them on purpose.)

Everyone who donates to the library. Your contributions help!

We are especially thankful to those who write impassioned letters to their legislators on why they should work to keep libraries open instead of trying so hard to force our doors closed. Your love of libraries is truly appreciated more than you can know!

Each other. Yeah, we're thankful for each other. While most of the time we are a rather serious professional library staff, we occasionally find time for a laugh or two. (Ok, maybe we laugh a bit more than we are serious, but just ask us to help you find a book and we become quite professional.)

Our families. And, well... for 70 degree days in the middle of November!!!

The Staff of the Ligonier Valley Library says "THANK YOU!" We hope you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving.


The library will be closed for Thanksgiving Day, but we will re-open at 10am on Friday, November 26th.

On this Veteran's Day

We, at the Ligonier Valley Library, would like to salute all of our Veterans. While this day is primarily to honor those heroes who served in the military, we would also like to take a moment to thank the Veterans who wore the uniform of law enforcement and firefighter.

We thank you for giving of yourself to keep our country and our lives safe, and for enabling us to enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.

We would also extend our thanks to the families who have shared these brave heroes with us. Several of us have parents, siblings or spouses who served.

And while this day is to remember Veteran's, we encourage you to take a moment to thank those men and women who are still serving... who will hopefully one day be Veteran's themselves, safe and sound at home with their families.


We hope you will stop in the library to view the "Wall of Honor" that was put together by one of our Pennsylvania Room's dedicated volunteers. The display is in the Pennsylvania Room Hallway and will remain up through the end of November.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Murder in the Library

Murder most foul will happen once again at the Ligonier Valley Library on Friday, November 12 at 7:00 pm!

This is not a prediction, but a fact! Join us for a night of murderous intrigue as once again Audrey Tostevin (Director) and her cast of dubious characters gather to perform a new mystery, "Murder of the Mystery Detective." Can you figure out Who-Dunnit?

Don't wait! Stop by the library now to register! Seating is limited this year to 100 people... errr... detectives - as you will have the chance to play detective by interacting with the cast and searching for clues. Can you determine Who-Dunnit?

For more information, visit the Murder in the Library web site.

Happy National ..... Month

There are many joys to be found in working at a library, but on days like today I especially enjoy my job. As we speak I am cataloging the 2011 Chase's Calendar of Events book to be placed in our Reference collection.

As I imagine most normal people would, you might be wondering why such a seemingly simple activity would provide so much joy. Well, my joy stems from giving in to the urge to see what holidays (silly or serious) loom on the horizon for November. For instance, who knew that November was National Pomegranate Month? Or Peanut Butter Lovers' Month? Oh, and to all our Banana Pudding lovers, November is your month too! On a more serious note, it is also an awareness month for several health issues such as Alzheimer's disease, AIDS, and lung cancer.

However, the best celebrations naturally return our thoughts to the library. So during the Month of November we hope you will take the time to celebrate:

National Authors' Day (Nov. 1) - adopted by the General Federation of Women's Club in 1929, National Author's Day was created with the intent to "not only show patriotism, loyalty, and appreciation of the men and women who have made American literature possible, but would also encourage and inspire others to give of themselves in making a better America."

National Family Literacy Day (Nov. 1)

National Lifewriting Month (Nov. 1-30) - "An opportunity to celebrate ourselves and our families by committing our life stories to writing. Preserving our autobiographies in writing allows us to know ourselves better and to share our stories with future generations."

Fun or serious, holidays provide us with an excuse to pause in our day to remember, learn, be aware or just laugh. So, in these last days of October we hope you will take a moment to appreciate a Bat. Yes, you read that right. October is Bat Appreciation Month.

National Gaming Day @ the Ligonier Valley Library

Looking for a place to hang out and have fun with your friends or family? On Saturday, November 13, hundreds of libraries across the country will showcase gaming programs and services in support of National Gaming Day @ Your Library. The Ligonier Valley Library has joined forces with Norm and Robbie Flam of the Toy Soldier Gallery to present a full day of table top strategy games and classes at the library.

National Gaming Day provides the perfect opportunity for beginners and inexperienced players to learn about the games and test their skills against opponents with similar expertise. Participants compete against each other using armies of miniature scale figurines. The rules of each game describe how to move the miniatures around the game surface to simulate combat.

Games will include Flames of War™, a World War II miniatures game, and Warhammer 40,000™, a futuristic science fiction game. A painting class will instruct players on the proper techniques used to paint the miniature scale figurines used in the games.

All miniatures needed for the games will be provided during the event. There is no charge to play the games, but a small materials fee will be charged for the painting class. Participants must register by calling Norm Flam at the Toy Soldier Gallery (724-238-0324).

Winning Window Display

Another Fort Ligonier Days has come and gone, but this year included a happy note for the Library and the Pennsylvania Room. Both the Staff and Friends of the Pennsylvania Room each participated in the 2010 Fort Ligonier Days Window Display contest. The theme this year was "Community Spirit Past and Present."

The Friends of the Pennsylvania Room's window took 1st Place! The window is titled, "Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic: One-Room Schools of Ligonier,"and is on display at The Frame Place. (The Frame Place is located at 110 N. Market Street in Ligonier.)

"The American Chestnut: Lost Giant of our Past" was put together by Pennsylvania Room staff and is showcased outside in one of the library's display windows. The exhibit will remain in the window until the end of October.

We hope you'll stop by and view our windows. All together there were a total of four participants in the contest. In addition to our two displays, the Ligonier Valley Historical Society and the Toy Box each did a window. The Historical Society's "Scouting" display took 2nd Place and is located in the On the Diamond Antiques store window. The Toy Box's "Community Spirit is on the Diamond" took 3rd Place and can be found in their store window.

Fort Ligonier Days Festival Weekend Is Here!!!

Fort Ligonier Days is October 8, 9 & 10.

Ligonier Valley Library will be closed from 4:30 pm on Thursday, October 7 until 10:00 am on Monday, October 11.

Soon our little town will be crowded with people from all over, who will be shopping and eating and enjoying the various things that make this weekend so great. All around town, you will be able to hear the booms and bangs of reenactors at Fort Ligonier; listen to music on the Diamond (and various other places around town); and did I mention all the wonderful food??? Oh! And let us not forgot the Parade on Saturday.

While some residents revel in the various activities, others board up their windows and hide. Before you board up and hide, you may want to check your supply of library books and/or movies. If you find your supply lacking, then you'll need to stop by the library before 4:30 pm on Thursday, October 7, as the library will be closed over the Fort Ligonier Days weekend.

Library doors will re-open at 10:00 am on Monday, October 11.

Enjoy a fun & safe festival weekend!

From the staff of the Ligonier Valley Library

Reading of the United States Constitution

"We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union..." Do these words sound familiar? They begin the United States Constitution. Many of us are familiar with small passages, but have never actually sat down and read the whole document. (At least not when a teacher wasn't standing over us instructing us to do so.)

Ligonier Citizens will be gathering on Saturday, September 18th at the Ligonier Town Hall for a reading of the United States Constitution. The doors will open at 4:30pm, and the reading will begin promptly at 5:00pm.

Volunteers will take turns reading the various passages that make up the Constitution. Participation is welcome, as are people to attend and provide an audience.

As the coordinator of this event expressed, "Our Constitution is neither left nor right nor the center. It's the big umbrella under which we all live as citizens in this country. It is the source of our liberty and the word WE is a big WE which means you and me and our neighbors and the community in which we live."

Whether you can make the reading at Town Hall or not, we encourage you to take the time to read and learn about the U.S. Constitution. Our library, as well as the others in the system, own various materials on the document and its creators.

NEWS FLASH! Ligonier Valley Library has Playaways!

We just added 32 new Playaway titles to our collection!

For those who might be unfamiliar with Playaways, they are quite simply the easiest way to listen to an audiobook while on the go. Playaways work like an MP3 player or IPod, except that you don't have to download the content. You just plug in your earphones to the player and enjoy.


Some of the titles you will find at the library, include:

• Burn by Nevada Barr
• Infamous by Suzanne Brockmann
• Whiplash by Cathering Coulter
  
• The Liar's Lullaby by Meg Gardiner
• Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen
  
• As Husbands Go by Susan Isaacs
• Robert Ludlum's the Bourne objective by Eric Van Lustbader
  
• Devil Amongst the Lawyers by Sharyn McCrumb
  
• Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (also New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn)
• Exclusive by Fern Michaels
• Private by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
  
• In Harm's Way by Ridley Pearson
• Rules of Betrayal by Christopher Reich
• The Year of the Fog by Michelle Richmond
  
• The Search by Nora Roberts
  
• Flashforward by Robert J. Sawyer
  
• The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva
  
• Family Ties by Danielle Steel
  

The Playaways are located just before the start of the non-fiction Audiobooks on CD.

In addition to the 30+ Playaways that we own, there are many more in the system from other libraries. Let us know if you need help requesting a title.

Happy Listening!


Headphones are not provided with the devices. You can either use your own or purchase a set at the main circulation desk at the Ligonier Valley Library.

Star Wars Movie Marathon

Attention Tweeners & Teens! Tired of vampires and werewolves? Try venturing with us to a Galaxy far, far away with rebel fighters, an evil emperor, knights, space ships, a princess, and two lovable droids.

Join us on Saturday, August 14th at the Ligonier Valley Library to watch the three original movies in one of the greatest Sci-Fi epics of all time. Our Star Wars Movie Marathon will begin at 10:30 am.

Star Wars IV: A New Hope - 10:30 am
Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back - 12:45 pm
Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi - 3:10 pm

This program is free. Bring your pillows, blankets, drinks & snacks.

Too Hot to Garden...

What do you do when it is too hot to garden...play sports...walk the dog...paint the house? My favorite chore when it gets really, really hot outside is to stay inside and organize. Yes you read that correctly...organize! Crank up the air conditioner, listen to your favorite tunes (TV is too distracting) and dump the contents of the junk drawer onto the floor. Go through your closets and pull out and pack up everything you haven't worn in the past two years. Goodwill, the Salvation Army or your local church bazaar will thank you for your donations. You can even get a tax deduction! Buy some colorful boxes and labels at your local office supply shop and organize your recipes, your photos, your tax returns (yuck) or your kid's artwork.

A lot of people like to do their organizing right after the new year and that is a great idea. But it is now six months later and I bet the junk drawer is once again overflowing with miscellaneous "stuff" and the mail basket is stuffed with bank statements, insurance policies, appliance warranties and instruction manuals.

Getting organized is all the rage right now and there are a lot of books with great advice on how to get started. Here are a few suggested titles:

• "Organizing From the Inside Out: the Foolproof System for Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life" by Julie Morgenstern 640 MOR

• "Good Things for Organizing" Martha Stewart Living 648.8 GOO

• "When Organizing Isn't Enough: Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life" by Julie Morgenstern 648 MOR

• "Organizing & Preserving Your Heirloom Documents" by Katherine S Sturdevant 929.1 STU

• "Getting Organized in the Google Era" by Douglas C Merrill 650.1 MER

Have fun!

TIME TO VOTE!

We have received 53 entries so far for the 2010 Ligonier Valley Library Pet Photo Contest. We have pictures of cats and dogs and bunnies and turtles of all ages and sizes. Some photos are regal and dignified, others just plain silly and fun! Many pets are dressed in their best "haute couture" outfits.

Now it is time to vote for your favorite(s). Each vote is only 25¢. You can vote as many times as you wish. Purchase your ballots at the Ligonier Valley Library. The grand prize is $50.00. Second and third place prizes will also be awarded. Entries will be accepted through Saturday, July 3rd.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

As a child my parents would take me to my hometown library every Saturday morning. The main room of the children's area was brightly decorated with posters and a painted mural of popular storybook characters. There were tables and chairs that were just my size. What drew my attention, however, was the seemingly endless maze of shelves filled with books of all colors, sizes and shapes. It was a wonderful place to discover the joy of reading.

One of my favorite summer activities was belonging to Summer Reading Club. There was a different theme every year. My favorite summer was the year that we had a cowboy theme because I loved horses. The children’s librarian would hand out a sticker printed with a different breed of horse for each book read. We would stick them on a cardboard corral that we received when we registered. At the end of the summer the child with the most horses in their corral won the grand prize. The prizes were always books, most of them written by popular authors of the time-- Marguerite Henry, Beverly Cleary, and Carolyn Keene. The year that I won, in fifth grade, I received a copy of “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. I was very disappointed. I had been hoping for the latest horse story by Walter Farley or maybe “Big Red” by Jim Kjelgaard. But I still had fun and will always look back with fond memories of my summers at the library.

Libraries today have changed in a number of ways to meet the demands of our modern society, but one of their most important underlying purposes is still to help children discover the joy of reading. Summer reading programs keep children enthusiastic about reading.

Find the Value of Your Antiques

Go to Ligonier Valley Library's web page at www.ligonierlibrary.org to use our new Antiques Database.

The p4a Antiques Reference database is where you can find the answers to those questions – What is it? and How Much is it Worth? This easily searchable online database edits information about collectibles, antiques and fine art provided by over 140 major U.S. auction companies. Updated daily, each record has at least one color picture, a description, the sale price and date, and auction house name and contact information. Added biographical and historical reference notes enhance many of the records.

Click on the Online Databases button on the left side of our web site. All you need to do to log on to any of the library's free databases from your home computer is type in the 14 digit bar code on the back of your WLN library card. Need a library card? Stop in the library today to register for one. It's free if you live in Westmoreland County! Just bring current identification with you.

Westmoreland Conservation District Display

Visit the Pennsylvania Room this month and view the panel display celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Westmoreland Conservation District.

Sand Bucket Raffle Winners

Ligonier Valley Library’s beach bucket basket raffle was a huge success. The raffle raised $1,464.00 for library operations.

The winners are: Debbie Rhodes, Annie Urban, Ellie Davis (shown in photo), John Landi, Pam McKay, Marilyn Siemering, Lois Menzie, Dawn Higgins, Mary Boyd and Julie Knupp.

The buckets and their contents were donated by Cathy Klinchock, Bill Stablein, Paul Fry, Polly Artuso, Virginia Alexander, Carolyn Shafer, Sandra Svilar, Jennifer Welty, Peggy McDonald, Donna McDowell and the staff of the Ligonier Valley Library.

Closed for Memorial Day

The Ligonier Valley Library will be closed on Monday, May 31st for Memorial Day.


Don't forget... Saturday, May 29, is your last day to purchase tickets for the Sand Bucket Raffle! Winners will be chosen on Tuesday, June 1.


Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored. ~Daniel Webster

Pet Photo Contest 2010

Back by popular demand, it’s the Ligonier Valley Library Summer Pet Photo Contest! Don’t miss your chance to show off your pet and maybe win a prize while helping the library raise funds for operations.

Photos will be accepted at the library from June 7 until June 30. The photos will be displayed in the library and people can vote for their favorites from July 1 to August 7. The winners will be announced on August 10.

Entry forms and contest rules can be picked up at the library and will soon be posted on our web page at www.ligonierlibrary.org.

The entry fee per photo is $1.00. Limit is two pets per photo and one entry per pet. No humans or deceased pets in photos please. Submitted photos can be either in color or black & white. They must be printed on high quality photo paper and unframed. Minimum size is 3” x 5” and maximum size is 5” x 7”. All entrees become the property of the Ligonier Valley Library and will not be returned at the end of the contest. Make sure that you have a copy before submitting your photo.

Pets are not limited to dogs and cats. Former contestants included a donkey, a turtle, numerous guinea pigs and hamsters, several lizards, a gold fish and even a tarantula.

While the photos are being displayed, people can vote for their favorites. Each vote is 25¢ and you may vote as many times and for as many pets as you wish. Ballots can be purchased at the library’s circulation desk. One lucky pet receiving the highest total votes will win the grand prize. The top two runners up will also receive prizes.

Pennsylvania Room Hours

The Pennsylvania Room will have limited hours
during the week of May 10 - 15th.

Please call the library at 724-238-6451,
or ask at the front desk to find out if the room is open.

Thank you!

Beach Bucket Raffle Photo Gallery

As a fundraiser for the Ligonier Valley Library's operation fund, we are raffling 11 themed beach buckets.

All 11 buckets are on display in front of the library's bay window. However, if you want to take a peek right now... visit our Beach Bucket Photo Gallery where you'll find photos of each bucket along with a short description. Click on "Home" at the top of the page to return to the library's home page.

Raffle tickets can be purchased at the main circulation desk. For more information on the raffle, please visit the sand bucket raffle's web page.

Raffle ends on May 29th!

Out of the Ground: Western PA's Coal Mining Heritage

Out of the Ground: Western Pennsylvania's Coal Mining Heritage. This program will be presented at tonight, Wednesday, May 5, at 7 p.m. at the Ligonier Valley Library. It is the final presentation held in conjunction with the library's exhibit, Coal and Coke Industry in the Ligonier Valley.

Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator for the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation will present and provide commentary on his acclaimed documentary film about the region's coal mining history and the life of the immigrant mine workers.

The Coal and Coke exhibit will remain on display in the Pennsylvania Room of the library through May 11.

The program and the exhibit are open to the public free of charge.

One Book, One Community

Reserve your spot now to participate in the 2010 One Book, One Community History Book Discussion. This year's title is For the Love of Murphy's by Jason Togyer. It is the behind-the-counter story of a great American retailer. G. C. Murphy Company was headquartered in McKeesport and had a huge presence in Western Pennsylvania.

Five-and-ten stores were immensely popular in the twentieth century, selling cheap, dependable good to people from all walks of life. Though not the largest store chain, nor the first, G. C. Murphy's is remembered today as a commercial trailblazer, a corporation run with honesty and integrity, and, at its peak, a retailer with more than 500 stores.

Participation in the One Book, One Community History Book Discussion is free, but pre-registration is required to reserve a copy of the book to read prior to the discussion. The discussion will be lead by a moderator from the Westmoreland Heritage. It will be held at the library on Wednesday, June 2 at 7 p.m.

Attendees will have the opportunity to register for a free bus trip to meet the author and visit the McKeesport Heritage Center on Saturday, August 28th.

The One Book, One community History Book Discussion program is sponsored by the Westmoreland Federated Library System and Westmoreland Heritage.

Re-Readables Gift Certificates Now Available

Get Mom a gift certificate from Re-Readables, Ligonier Valley Library's bookstore. Certificates are available in $5.00, $10.00 and $20.00 amounts. Call ahead (724-238-6451) for a custom designed certificate for a specific amount or special occasion.

Re-Readables is operated by volunteers and features gently-used donated books, DVDs, videos, audio-books and magazines. All proceeds benefit library operations.

Coal & Coke Industry of the Ligonier Valley

The Pennsylvania Room will host a program titled, A Brief History of Mine Lighting presented by Gil Flint on Wednesday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m.

"From the days of oil-soaked reed lights up to our modern Flame-Safety-Lamps, gradual developments have continually improved light and safety in the mining industry."

Retired mining engineer Gil Flint will discuss the history of lighting in the underground areas where coal is mined and the advances in lighting technology which allow miners to see and remain relatively safe.

Mr. Flint has loaned some of his extensive collection of mine lamps and other artifacts for the Coal and Coke in the Ligonier Valley exhibit currently on display in the Pennsylvania Room.

Wednesday's program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Sand Pail Basket Raffle

A variety of beach bucket gift baskets are being raffled to raise funds for library operations. The baskets are currently on display at the library. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the library through the end of May. Winners will be announced on June 1.

Books We Remember

Diane recently published a great post on the Ligonier Living Blog that I wanted to share with you. Her post, "Books we remember ... A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," is a request for readers to talk about what books left an impression on them.

So, what book or books have left a lasting impression on your life? Did a book inspire you to take a trip you have always contemplated, or, better yet, you never contemplated until having read the book? Did an author manage to change your perspective on life or an issue or a philosophy? Did you discover something about yourself?

Share with us!

[Read Diane's Post]

Time Change

While we all had fun breaking nearly every snowfall record for our area in February, it's time to move toward more spring-like weather. Although it is Pennsylvania, so anything is possible. As your mind shifts toward Spring, don't forget to stop by the library to check out books on gardening, hiking and so much more.

Speaking of Spring, this Sunday (3/14) we shift to Daylight Savings. So don't forget to set your clocks ahead an hour before going to bed Saturday night!


Stay warm, dry and... Happy Reading!

The sky is falling.... or rather the snow

With the slightly warmer temperatures, the snow is starting to melt somewhat... which means all that snow still on the roofs is beginning to lose its grip and fall to the ground.

So, when walking between buildings, be sure to LOOK UP!!!

Also, on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 7pm there will be a town-wide meeting at the Ligonier Valley High School discussing potential flooding as the weather warms and the mountains of snow melt. (read more)

Snowbound & Delirious

What is with all this snow? And will it ever end? Someone commented that their days are beginning to feel like something from the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray, where he kept repeating the same day over and over again. Whoever made that comment couldn’t have been more correct!

Think about it. You wake up each morning to snow. You shovel something that vaguely resembles a path to the outside world (well, at least from your door to the sidewalk), then go to work or, if your work is closed due to the weather, go back inside your home where exciting things like laundry and taxes await. At some point, you venture back outside, possibly to return home or just because going outside is infinitely more appealing than doing taxes. The first thing you notice is that your path is no longer visible. With a sigh of resignation, you don your snow shoveling garb: coat, gloves, scarf, hat, several pairs of socks, then you remember that you forgot to put on your long underwear. At last, armed with shovel and any other snow removal implements you possess, you prepare to attack the snow with renewed vigor. However, upon opening the door, you realize that in the time it took you to get ready several more inches of snow have fallen. So, you close your door and wonder why you didn’t purchase that pair of snow pants you saw a few months ago… the ones that were on sale. You contemplate wrapping your legs with plastic garbage bags, but find that despite the weather you are still vain and believe that you will look stupid. You spend the next few minutes arguing with yourself, only to realize that you are now sweating under all the layers of winter gear that you just put on. So, you scrap the garbage bags and head out the door determined to conquer the snow. And determined to dig the best path ever - one that will make your next door neighbor drool. Except then you feel bad because your next door neighbor has been using his snowblower to keep the sidewalk clean... the sidewalk you use. So now, you set out to create the best path ever for yourself and your neighbor. When done, you stand proudly observing the snow filling your path back in! Too exhausted to care, you chalk up a win to the snow and re-group inside with a hot beverage and fuzzy slippers. The snow may have won today, but later as you trudge to bed you vow to have a better day tomorrow. And when tomorrow arrives, you awake with a strange sense of déjà vu.

Does this sound like your day? If so, here are a few suggestions on ways to spice things up. If you can find a working airport, you could always fly south to Florida where the 65 degree weather will feel down right tropical. If this isn’t in your personal budget, then do the next best thing and dig a path to your local library to borrow some books and movies.*** Perhaps a good story set in a warm climate would do the trick. Whatever you decide to do, stay warm... stay safe... and, if you can, help a neighbor or someone who is struggling in this time of flurries upon flurries.


Happy Snowy Days!



***Many highly qualified individuals (Reference Librarians for the most part) recommend that once you have your goodies from the library that you skip shoveling and go straight for the hot beverage and fuzzy slippers. They also strongly suggest that eating popcorn while watching a movie or reading a book will greatly enhance your mood and day.

Ligonier Valley Library is open

The library is open today, Thursday, February 11th from 10 am to 8:30 pm. Actually, we hope to be open for the rest of the week ... and the week after that ... and, well, you get the point.

Normal library hours are: Mon-Thurs, 10am - 8:30pm; Fri & Sat, 10am - 5pm.

As for the photo.... wishful thinking! Have a nice day!!!

Library Closed

The Ligonier Valley Library is closed today (Wednesday, Feb. 10) due to severe weather conditions.

Library closing due to bad weather

The Ligonier Valley Library will close at 6:00 pm due to the severe weather.

If you need to renew your items, visit the library's website at www.ligonierlibrary.org and click on Polaris and Patron Accounts. You will need your 14-digit barcode number from you WIN library card and your PIN/Password.

New Teen Reads

The weather has been crazy. First we're up to our knee caps in snow, then a 40 degree heat wave floods the area, and now we're back to snowy and bitter cold. How do you deal with the drastic weather changes?

One of our favorite suggestions is to find a good book and stay inside reading all day!!! With that in mind, here are some new teen titles being put on our shelves for 2010:

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
• Raven Summer by David Almond
• Rose and Skate by Beth Ann Bauman
• Going Bovine by Libba Bray
• Fire by Kristin Cashore
  
• A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
• Sphinx's Princess by Esther M. Friesner
• Fallen by Lauren Kate
• Back Home by Julia Keller
• Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan
• Taken by Nora McClintock
• Ruined by Paula Morris
  
• The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
• The Day of the Pelican by Katherine Paterson
• Notes from the Dog by Gary Paulson
• Coffeehouse Angel by Suzanne Selfors
  
• The Espressologist by Kristina Springer
• Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
• Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud
• Homestretch by Paul Volponi
• Once was Lost by Sara Zarr

The above is just a sampling of some of the new book waiting to be discovered. Stop in the library and browse the shelves or take a look online to find more titles.

Happy Reading!!!

Winter Book Sale Coming to Ligonier Valley Library

Be sure to stop and shop at our winter book sale opening on Saturday, January 23rd at 10 a.m. The sale will remain open that day until 4 p.m. and will reopen the following Monday. It will remain open during regular library hours through February 27th. All items are only 25 cents each. There are thousands of books! Audio books on cassette and video cassettes are also available for only 25 cents.