The Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation on Monday night designating April 23-29, 2023, as National Library Week in Upper St. Clair. Board Vice President Dante R. Plutko presented the proclamation to Upper St. Clair Library Director Chris Gmiter along with several members of the Library’s staff:

• Maureen Case, Head of Technical Services
• Sheri Huffman, Children's Librarian
• Shylu Venkatesh, Library Secretary
• Vanessa Ryzner, Circulation Coordinator
• Danielle Packer, Technical Services Assistant

Head of Youth Services Colleen Miles and Reference Librarian Whitney Minyon were to be included in the group that accepted the proclamation, but they could not attend the meeting.

“I wanted to personally thank our Library staff for staying dedicated through all the change in the past two years, all while supporting, enhancing and making our Library even better,” said Commissioner Plutko. “Thank you to our Commissioners, and most importantly, thank you to our taxpayers for supporting the Library no matter what.”

“Well into the future, no matter their age, every patron that walks through that door will have a wonderful facility, incredible staff and they’ll be able to enjoy and explore a lifelong education. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication.”

This year’s theme for National Library Week is “There’s More to the Story.” Most people know about the wealth of stories available at the Library, from picture books and large print to audiobooks and eBooks. But there's so much more to the story of libraries. National Library Week is a time to highlight the essential role libraries, librarians and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening communities.

The Upper St. Clair Library brings the community together for entertainment, education and connection through book clubs, crafting classes, lectures and more. It hosts weekly events ranging from outdoor nature walks with Park Rangers to teaching others how to make Dutch string art.

The Library is also newly renovated, with both the Kids and Adult Libraries now on the second floor of the Township Municipal Building. They are joined together by a new, enclosed connector space. The new design addresses the issues of accessibility, restroom facilities, security and more. The new children's program room includes state-of-the-art technology, lockable storage and a workspace with a water supply for crafting projects.

“This was such a pivotal year with the renovation, and we couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support,” said Mr. Gmiter. “Everybody has been resilient this year and faced the change well. The Library is a first-class facility and the transformation is tremendous.”

“Thank you everyone who has helped this project through all of its stages and thank you to our residents and taxpayers – we truly appreciate all of your help. You really value the Library and that means everything to us.”

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

To check out the Library’s upcoming events, click here.