Sharon Donovan: Transforming A LIFE

Thursday, August 19 at 7:00 P.M.

Due to a childhood illness, Pittsburgh author Sharon Donovan was told by doctors that she would be blind by age 25. She had a career as a secretary for the Court of Common Pleas, but that work and her lifelong ambition to become an artist were thwarted by the doctors' prediction and she gradually lost her sight after many surgeries. Channeling her creative talents into new outlets, Sharon took writing classes and went to workshops and conferences to hone her skills. Using a talking computer, she began writing her own story as an inspiration to others who suffer loss of sight. Today she is the author of books of inspiration and books of suspense. Join us on the 19th to hear Sharon Donovan's inspiring story. Her books will be available for purchase by those who are interested.
Please register for the program using our library website's Events calendar or by visiting or calling the Adult Services Reference Desk at 412-366-8100, extension 113.

THREE RIVERS STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

Friday and Saturday, August 6 and 7

The tenth annual Three Rivers Storytelling Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, August 6 and 7, on the library grounds.

This year’s featured tellers include Tim Tingle, an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and a frequent speaker at tribal events, West Virginia native Granny Sue Holstein, who tells and sings stories in the old-time front porch style, traveling storyteller Kate Danaher, and local favorite Joe Wos, who has been combining storytelling and cartooning into a very non-traditional approach for more than a quarter of a century.

The Festival begins with Kid’s Day events on Friday morning and afternoon, followed by an evening concert with all of the featured tellers at 7:30pm. Then it’s time for Ghost Stories at 10:00pm. Saturday’s schedule includes individual storytelling sessions on two stages throughout the day beginning at 10:00am with both local and featured tellers, followed by an evening concert with our featured tellers at 7:30pm.

Other Festival events include Stories and Lunch for Seniors at noon on Friday, where you can enjoy a box lunch and stories for just $10. Also scheduled on Friday are workshops with our featured tellers during the day, priced at $35 apiece. Tickets for the lunch and the workshops are available in the administration office on the lower level of the library weekdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

HOT DOG DAY!!

August 5 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but our Hot Dog Day on Thursday, August 5 from 11:00am to 1:00pm comes pretty close. There will be hot dogs for just fifty cents, as well as other snacks and beverages, crafts, face painting and a Book Nook discount table. Join us on the library grounds for this annual highlight of the summer.

Director's Corner by Sandra Collins

The summer is just zipping by as usual – August is upon us and soon children will be returning to school. Northland will feature several special activities before the end of summer that focus on connecting families:

• Join us for lunch at our annual Hot Dog Day, Thursday, August 5, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot dogs, chips, soft drinks, juice and Rita’s Italian Ice will be available for a reasonable cost. Just look for the tent on our south lawn.

• The Three Rivers Storytelling Festival follows on August 6 and 7. Featuring nationally recognized storytellers, including Pittsburgh’s own Joe Wos, the festival is a fun activity for all ages. Friday daytime tellers will feature stories for children 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday’s tales begin at 10 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. and feature 2 different tellers every hour on 2 stages. Evening story concerts on Friday and Saturday begin at 7:30 p.m., with ghost stories featured at a late night concert on Friday. For those interested in learning more about storytelling, workshops will provide the opportunity to learn from the master tellers. All programming, except the workshops, are free and you can attend as many as you want.

• The Northland Public Library Foundation is holding a Family Fun(d)raiser at Wildwood Highlands on Saturday, August 21 during normal park hours. The event will feature Freddie the Fire Engine, the Gymagic bus, raffles and a silent auction. A car cruise, with various prizes is scheduled from 5 to 8. Northland will receive 20% of all proceeds from food, tokens and attractions if those visiting the park that day present a Northland coupon to the cashiers. Coupons are available at Northland or on our website at www.northlandlibrary.org. All proceeds will benefit special library programs and services such as our bookmobile service and online tutoring program.
Please come and celebrate with us.

A New Twist on Tea

Thursday, August 5 at 7:00pm

Spend an evening with the Tea Goddess, Betsy Hollweck, proprietor of Marketfrau, and learn that there's more than "meets the cup." Learn to make "mock-tails," "mar-tea-nis," and other elegant and refreshing summer tea drinks that will soothe your palate. Betsy's knowledge of teas is impressive and she knows how to combine flavors to make a healthy and satisfying beverage. Enjoy some delicious snacks along with samples of these special drinks. Please register for the program using our library website's Events calendar or by visiting or calling the Adult Services Reference Desk at 412-366-8100, extension 113.

Satchmo: The Life of Louis Armstrong

Monday, July 26 at 7:00pm

Actor Gregory Gibson Kenney presents the life of Louis Armstrong in an entertaining program featuring music and song. From his early days in New Orleans, Armstrong loved music and later became one of the greatest and most beloved horn players of our time. Kenney's program will delight family members of all ages. Please register for the program using our library website's Events calendar or by visiting or calling the Adult Services Reference Desk at 412-366-8100, extension 113.

Dixieband Rain Date

Tuesday July 27

The Ohio River: Past and Present

Wednesday, July 21 at 7:00pm

Rick Rhodes has been fascinated with the Ohio River all of his life. He fulfilled a lifelong dream when he took his 24-foot pocket trawler from Fairmount, West Virginia to Cairo, Illinois, traveling 981 miles on five of its tributaries and the Ohio River itself, ending where the river flows into the mighty Mississippi. Rhodes has done extensive study on the Ohio's role in history, the industrial development along the river from past to present, and its locks and dams. He also has advice for those who wish to navigate the Ohio.

Join us for an evening of outstanding visuals and the interesting story of our "three rivers." Please register for the program using our library website's Events calendar or by visiting or calling the Adult Services Reference Desk at 412-366-8100, extension 113.

Happy Independence Day!

Dixieband

Tuesday, July 13 at 7:00pm

Bring a blanket or folding chair to the library's upper lawn and prepare to tap your feet to the jazz rhythms of Dixieland music played by our local Dixieband. The band is composed of members of the North Suburban Symphonic Band who love to play Dixieland music. You'll even have a chance to sing along with some of the familiar tunes. No reservation is required for the program. If the weather is uncooperative, the band will play on Tuesday evening, July 27.