Carnegie Library Of Pittsburgh

TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY IN LITERACY AND LEARNING.

ANDREW CARNEGIE ONCE ENVISIONED PUBLIC LIBRARIES AS PLACES OF LEARNING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. SINCE 1895, CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH (CLP) HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR EVERY CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY FACING OUR COMMUNITY WHILE ALSO ENGAGING PEOPLE IN LITERACY AND LEARNING.TODAY, OUR SYSTEM CONSISTS OF 19 LOCATIONS, INCLUDING THE LIBRARY OF ACCESSIBLE MEDIA FOR PENNSYLVANIANS (LAMP), WHICH SERVES PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY READING DUE TO PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT, READING DISABILITY OR VISION CHALLENGES. THE LIBRARY SUPPORT CENTER IN THE WEST END, WHICH IS NOT A PUBLIC SERVICE OUTLET, PROVIDES SHIPPING AND OTHER COLLECTION SERVICES TO ALL LIBRARIES IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY. WHILE BOOKS AND MATERIALS REMAIN THE HEART OF THE LIBRARY, CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH HAS TRANSFORMED INTO A COMMUNITY CORNERSTONE THAT FOCUSES ON EDUCATION, WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY. THE LIBRARY EMPOWERS PEOPLE OF THE PITTSBURGH REGION AND HELPS TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES THROUGH LIFE-LONG LEARNING, DIGITAL LITERACY AND CONNECTIONS TO OTHERS. AT CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, IDEAS, PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS INTERACT TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE. CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH'S WORK IS GUIDED BY OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. OUR 2018-2022 STRATEGIC PLAN (AVAILABLE AT CARNEGIELIBRARY.ORG) INCLUDES SPECIFIC GOALS AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THAT THE LIBRARY FULFILLS ITS ROLE AS A COMMUNITY ANCHOR, PROVIDING EQUITABLE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO MEET THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF ALL RESIDENTS, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF LIBRARY WALLS. THE LIBRARY SEEKS TO EXPAND EDUCATION, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE FOR ALL BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND ROBUST DATABASES, ENCOURAGING EXPLORATION AND CREATIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE. ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS, AGE GROUPS, DEMOGRAPHICS, PLATFORMS AND TIME, THE LIBRARY PROMOTES LITERACY AND VALUES PATRON-CENTERED SERVICES, WELCOMING SPACES, INNOVATION, CURIOSITY, TOLERANCE, RESPECT AND THE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE. THROUGH THE COMMUNITY'S INVESTMENT, THE LIBRARY DOES THIS AND MUCH MORE, HELPING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR PEOPLE IN OUR REGION. THE LIBRARY HAS DEMONSTRATED CONTINUED CREATIVITY AND RESILIENCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BY EVOLVING METHODS OF KEEPING PATRONS CONNECTED AND SUPPORTED IN A VARIETY OF WAYSFROM THE GROWTH OF VIRTUAL SERVICES AND EXPERIENCES TO THE THOUGHTFUL RETURN OF IN-PERSON SERVICES. IN FEBRUARY 2021, IN-PERSON SERVICES RESUMED WITH TIME, OCCUPANCY AND SPATIAL ACCESS LIMITS IN PLACE. BY JULY, THE LIBRARY EXPANDED SERVICE HOURS AT ALL LOCATIONS AND RESTORED FULL PATRON ACCESS TO COLLECTIONS AND BROWSING. LIMITED IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING RESUMED IN OCTOBER 2021. MORE THAN 12,000 PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ATTENDED PROGRAMS ACROSS ALL LIBRARY LOCATIONS IN 2021; OF THIS TOTAL, APPROXIMATELY 9,600 ATTENDED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. VISITOR COUNTS AT NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY BRANCHES, WHILE STILL NOT NEAR PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, REMAIN STEADY; BETWEEN JULY AND DECEMBER 2021, MORE THAN 80,000 PEOPLE ON AVERAGE VISITED THE LIBRARY EACH MONTH, TOTALING ALMOST 700,000 VISITS TO LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS ALIKE, COMPUTER AND WIFI ACCESS REMAIN IN DEMAND (NEARLY 13 MILLION MINUTES USED IN 2021), AND THROUGH FUNDING FROM A FEDERAL GRANT, CHROMEBOOK BUNDLES AND HOTSPOTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR EXTENDED LENDING THROUGH SUMMER 2023. CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO PROMOTE LITERACY AND LEARNING AND TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT LIBRARY RESOURCES. DURING THE PANDEMIC, VIRTUAL OUTREACH EFFORTS ALLOWED LIBRARY USERS TO CONTINUE ENGAGING WITH THE LIBRARY WITH MORE THAN 1,500 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING VIRTUAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS. AS A FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY, CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH MAKES AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE A COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 3.2 MILLION PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL ITEMS. DURING 2021, NEARLY 2 MILLION PHYSICAL ITEMS, ALONG WITH NEARLY 1 MILLION ITEMS FROM THE ECONTENT COLLECTION, CIRCULATED. IN OCTOBER, CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH JOINED OTHER LARGE LIBRARY SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MANY OTHERS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN GOING FINE FREE ON A PERMANENT BASIS. THE LIBRARY NO LONGER CHARGES LATE FEES ON ITEMS BORROWED FROM OR RETURNED TO ONE OF OUR LOCATIONS. STUDIES SHOW THAT OVERDUE FINES CAN KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE LIBRARY AND INEQUITABLY RESTRICT ACCESS TO LIBRARY RESOURCES. BY REMOVING BARRIERS FOR OUR PATRONS, MORE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY ALL THE RESOURCES CLP HAS TO OFFER.EVERY DAY, CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, OUT OF SCHOOL LEARNING PROGRAMS AND MYRIAD SERVICES FOR FAMILIES, SENIORS, VETERANS, ENTREPRENEURS AND IMMIGRANTS, AMONG OTHERS. THE LIBRARY'S LOCATIONS OFFER DAYTIME AND EVENING AVAILABILITY TO PATRONS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS, PROVIDING A WELCOMING SPACE FOR ALL. ONLINE RESOURCES INCLUDING EBOOKS, DATABASES, MUSIC AND CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESCAN BE ACCESSED 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. HIGHLIGHTS OF 2021 INCLUDED: CHILDREN: WITH IN-PERSON PROGRAMS HALTED FOR MOST OF THE YEAR, AND RESTRICTIONS TO VISITING SCHOOLS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS STILL IN PLACE, THE LIBRARY AGAIN TURNED TO BOOK GIVEAWAYS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY READING MATERIALS FOR YOUTH. BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING PARTICIPATING PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND DIRECTLY TO CLP PATRONS. IN TOTAL, 28,322 BOOKS WERE GIVEN AWAY TO YOUTH IN 2021, INCLUDING MORE THAN 12,000 DURING THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM. THE LIBRARY AGAIN PARTNERED WITH THE WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DIAPER BANK ON A DRIVE-UP EVENT, THIS ONE AT CLP HOMEWOOD. FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGES BIRTH THROUGH 18 MONTHS WERE OFFERED BEST BOOKS FOR BABIES BOOK BUNDLES AND BOXES OF DIAPERS. EARLY LITERACY INNOVATIONS WERE ALSO AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES IN 2021, INCLUDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE HILL DISTRICT EARLY LITERACY INITIATIVE, ORGANIZED BY TRYING TOGETHER AND MACEDONIA FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT, AND PITTSBURGH READY, A CLP PROGRAM THAT OFFERED CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ACCESS TO A BROAD RANGE OF SUPPORTIVE LIBRARY SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. A NEW ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT SUPPORT PROGRAM PROVIDES BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL TUTORING OPPORTUNITIES. TEENS: TEEN SPECIALISTS CREATED GRAB & GO ACTIVITY KITS TO REPLICATE IN-PERSON LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT YOUTH WOULD HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AT THE LIBRARY BEFORE COVID-19. INSTRUCTION AND RESOURCE SHEETS, ALONG WITH BOOK SUGGESTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LIBRARY'S HOOPLA AND OVERDRIVE PLATFORMS, WERE INCLUDED WITH THE ACTIVITY AND THE KITS COMPLEMENTED WEEKLY PROGRAM VIDEOS POSTED TO YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM. FROM JANUARY THROUGH AUGUST 2021, THE LIBRARY DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 9,000 KITS ACROSS ALL OPEN LOCATIONS. UNDERSTANDING THAT ONLINE ACCESS WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO ALL YOUTH, THE KITS INCLUDED PRINTED INSTRUCTIONS AND RESOURCES, MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR ALL REGARDLESS OF INTERNET OR ELECTRONIC DEVICE AVAILABILITY TO PARTICIPATE. BATTLE OF THE BOOKS RETURNED IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, PROVIDING STUDENTS IN GRADES 5 THROUGH 12 AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLEX THEIR TRIVIA SKILLS IN GRADE-LEVEL EVENTS. SUMMER SKILLS INTENSIVES ALSO REMAINED VIRTUAL IN 2021, WITH TWO WEEK-LONG ART WORKSHOPS OFFERED IN JULY AND AUGUST. EACH PARTICIPANT RECEIVED A PACKAGE IN THE MAIL CONTAINING THE NECESSARY SUPPLIES FOR THE WEEK'S ACTIVITIES. ADULTS: DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 2021, THE LIBRARY OFFERED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS, INCLUDING BUSINESS PROGRAMS, GUEST SPEAKERS, BOOK DISCUSSIONS AND DIGITAL SKILLS WORKSHOPS. BEGINNING IN OCTOBER, THE LATTER TWO PROGRAMS RESUMED IN-PERSON, ALONG WITH JOB AND CAREER-RELATED WORKSHOPS. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON 1:1 APPOINTMENTS CONTINUED TO SUPPORT JOBSEEKERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, GENEALOGY RESEARCHERS AND THOSE NEEDING TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE. ALSO, IN OCTOBER, THE LIBRARY LAUNCHED FACILITATOR TRAINING FOR "WE LEARN," A NEW SERVICE IN ADULT PROGRAMMING TO DEVELOP VOLUNTEER-LED, INFORMAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THE FIRST COHORT OF FACILITATORS ANTICIPATES OFFERING WORKSHOPS IN 2022. THE CIVICCLP SPEAKER SERIES ALSO DEBUTED IN 2021, FEATURING A DIVERSE GROUP OF PRESENTERS WHO OFFERED PERSPECTIVES ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT, SOCIAL AND RACIAL JUSTICE, INFORMATION LITERACY, POLITICS AND MORE. LAMP: LIBRARY OF ACCESSIBLE MEDIA FOR PENNSYLVANIANS, A NETWORK LIBRARY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED (NLS LBPH), SERVED MORE THAN 14,600 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE 2020-21 FISCAL YEAR, WITH THE CIRCULATION OF MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION ITEMS. STAFF ANSWERED REFERENCE QUESTIONS, PROMOTED ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY, DISCUSSED THE LATEST BESTSELLERS AND FAVORITE AUTHORS AND SUGGESTED NEW TITLES PATRONS MIGHT ENJOY. THE PRINT AND ELECTRONIC COLLECTIONS OFFERED BY LAMP INCLUDE LARGE PRINT BOOKS, AUDIO-DESCRIBED DVDS, AUDIOBOOKS AND MAGAZINES, PHYSICAL BRAILLE BOOKS AND DOWNLOADABLE AUDIO AND BRAILLE.