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All three members of the Union County Library System — The Public Library for Union County in Lewisburg, the Herr Memorial Library in Mifflinburg, and the West End Library in Laurelton — will be closed for Memorial Day on Mon., May 30. No materials will be due on this date, but each of the libraries has a book and magazine return box that is always available. Other materials must be returned inside when the libraries are open.
Library card holders who have registered may access their accounts online to renew eligible materials at www.unioncountylibrarysystem.com, www.publibuc.org, www.herrlibrary.org, or www.westendlibrary.org. The libraries will reopen on Tues., May 31, and resume regular hours of operation.
For more information, call 523-1172 in Lewisburg, 966-0831 in Mifflinburg, and 922-4773 in Laurelton.
Are you planning a garden this year and wondering what to plant for home canning? Lynn James, M.S., R.D., L.D.N. Penn State Extension Senior Educator and Registered Dietitian, will present a “Home Food Preservation” workshop at the West End Library, 45 Ball Park Road, in Laurelton from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Mon., May 16.
The program is presented as part of the Union County Library System’s “Libraries for Health” project. The fee is $10, and registration must be made one week prior to the workshop (May 9).
This workshop is both for those new to home preservation who would like to find out how to preserve garden produce and for experienced canners who are looking for updates and new recipes.
Participants will learn how a pressure canner works, when to can using pressure, how to safely can without pressure using a boiling water bath, and how to freeze correctly. Safe, tested recipes and procedures will be shared for preserving a variety of produce, including green beans, tomatoes, and peaches. The last half hour will cover how to prepare home canned goods for county fair contests.
Participants are invited to bring pressure canners for testing of the dial gauge and for safety inspection.
To register, visit the library for a registration form, call the Penn State Cooperative Extension, Northumberland County office at (570)-988-3950 to have a registration form mailed, or print one from their website: http://northumberland.extension.psu.edu
Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodations or have questions about the physical access or program provided, contact Lynn James at (570) 988-3950 in advance of your participation or visit.
The “Libraries for Health” project has been (partially) funded with federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
On Thurs., May 19, from 2 to 7 p.m., and on Fri., May 20, and Sat., May 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., staff at the West End Library will accept items for the annual fundraising Book Sale and Yard Sale that will be held on Fri., May 27, and on Sat., May 28.
Antiques, collectibles, and items in very good condition for the house, car, and yard would be appreciated. Donations of gently used books, music, and movies are welcomed. Textbooks more than five years old and clothing cannot be accepted.
The combination Book Sale and Yard Sale will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to early afternoon on Saturday.
For more information, call 922 4773 or visit the library at 45 Ball Park Road in Laurelton.
Are you planning a garden this year and wondering what to plant for home canning?
Lynn James, M.S., R.D., L.D.N. Penn State Extension Senior Educator and Registered Dietitian, will present a “Home Food Preservation” workshop in April and May as part of the Union County Library System’s “Libraries for Health” project.
This workshop is both for those new to home preservation who would like to find out how to preserve garden produce, as well as for experienced canners who are looking for updates and new recipes.
Participants will learn how a pressure canner works, when to can using pressure, how to safely can without pressure using a boiling water bath, and how to freeze correctly. Safe, tested recipes and procedures will be shared for preserving a variety of produce, including green beans, tomatoes, and peaches. The last half hour will cover how to prepare home canned goods for county fair contests.
Participants are invited to bring pressure canners for testing of the dial gauge and for safety inspection.
The fee is $10, and registration must be made one week prior to the workshop. A workshop will be presented at Herr Memorial Library, 500 Market Street, in Mifflinburg from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thurs., April 21 (deadline is Thurs., April 14); at The Public Library for Union County, 255 Reitz Road, in Lewisburg from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Mon., May 2 (deadline is Mon., April 26); and at the West End Library, 45 Ball Park Road, in Laurelton from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Mon., May 16 (deadline is Mon., May 9).
To register, visit any of the three libraries for a registration form, call the Penn State Cooperative Extension, Northumberland County office at (570)-988-3950 to have a registration form mailed, or print one from their website: http://northumberland.extension.psu.edu
Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodations or have questions about the physical access or program provided, contact Lynn James at (570) 988-3950 in advance of your participation or visit.
The “Libraries for Health” project has been (partially) funded with federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
With Pennsylvania’s trout season set to open April 16, area residents may be happily surprised to learn that they can check out fishing equipment at any of the three Union County public libraries.
The Public Library for Union County in Lewisburg, Herr Memorial Library in Mifflinburg, and West End Library in Laurelton — are pleased to announce their involvement in the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Fishing Tackle Loaner Program.
Beginning Mon., April 11, adults age 18 or older may visit the libraries in Lewisburg, Mifflinburg, and Laurelton to borrow rods, reels and a tackle box with hooks and other basic tackle.
Identification in the form of a valid driver’s license or a Union County Library System card is required to borrow the equipment. Borrowers simply complete a short registration form. At the end of the borrowing period the equipment is returned to the appropriate library. Borrowers then will be asked to fill out a short comment form.
In general, people age 16 or over are required to possess a valid fishing license to use the equipment. According to the PA Fish and Boat Commission’s 2011 Fishing Summary (page 29) an exception would be an adult who is actively and closely helping a child aged 12 years or younger learn to fish.
For an up-to-date listing of exclusive areas for children and adults with disabilities, visit the PA Fish and Boat Commission’s website www.fishandboat.com.
This fishing tackle loaner program is a partnership between the PA Fish and Boat Commission, the American Sportfishing Association, and the three libraries of the Union County Library System. The program is designed to make it easy for anyone to access fishing tackle. Groups who wish to conduct angler education programs in the community may also borrow the fishing equipment.
For additional information about this program, contact The Public Library for Union County at 523-1172, Herr Memorial Library at 966-0831, and West End Library at 922-4773, or visit the PA Fish and Boat Commission’s website at www.fish.state.pa.us.
The federated Union County Library System (UCLS) is made up of The Public Library for Union County in Lewisburg, the Herr Memorial Library in Mifflinburg, and the West End Library in Laurelton. The UCLS Board of Trustees meets every other month at 4:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of that month. The location of meetings rotates between the three member libraries. Meetings are open to the public.
The following dates and locations have been approved for 2011: Feb. 1 at The Public Library for Union County; April 5 at the Herr Memorial Library; June 7 at the West End Library; Aug. 2 at The Public Library for Union County; Oct. 4 at the Herr Memorial Library; and Dec. 6 at the West End Library.
Call (570) 523-1172 or visit the UCLS website www.unioncountylibrarysystem.com for more information.
Read Across the Valley: 2011 project explores PA cultural roots
What if everyone in the central Susquehanna valley region read the same book at the same time? That was the idea behind two earlier “Read Across the Valley” projects. In 2011, though, libraries in Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties will be taking a different approach — three books, three authors, and one theme.
The Read Across the Valley project is a cooperative effort of one academic and 12 public libraries: Beavertown Community Library, Degenstein Community Library, Herr Memorial Library, McClure Community Library, Middleburg Community Library, Milton Public Library, Montgomery House Warrior Run Area Public Library, Priestly-Forsyth Memorial Library, The Public Library for Union County, Selinsgrove Community Library, Blough-Weis Library of Susquehanna University, Thomas Beaver Free Library, and West End Library.
With the goal of exploring regional cultures, promoting reading, and building a sense of community by encouraging residents to talk about what they read, member libraries chose the theme “Living Simple, Living Plain.” They have asked Kevin Williams, editor of the “Amish Cook” series, Marta Perry, author of a new series of “Amish Suspense” books, Tamar Myers, whose books feature characters based on her religious upbringing, and Donald B. Kraybill, co-author of Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy, to speak in the area during the late summer and early fall of 2011.
Williams, editor and friend of the late Elizabeth Coblentz and of her daughter Lovina Eicher, has been involved with the family since 1991 when he first began editing and promoting Coblentz’s “Amish Cook” column. In addition to the column, which is now written by Eicher and published in more than 100 newspapers, Williams has collaborated on three “Amish Cook” books. He will talk about his experiences with the Amish community on Tues., July 26, at Degenstein Community Library in Sunbury.
Perry will be the first featured Read Across the Valley author, with a presentation scheduled for Tues., Aug 16, also at Degenstein Community Library. Perry will focus on her book “Murder in Plain Sight,” published in December 2010.
Myers, author of a mystery series set in Pennsylvania that features an Amish-Mennonite sleuth, will speak on Sept. 13, at an area location to be determined. Myers will focus on her 2009 novel “The Witch Doctor’s Wife,” in which she delves into her own history as the daughter of Christian missionaries in the Belgian Congo. She also will introduce her novel “The Headhunter’s Daughter,” which will be published in December 2011.
Kraybill, who is nationally recognized for his scholarship on Anabaptist groups, is the author or editor of more than 25 books and dozens of professional articles. The 2007 non-fiction book “Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy” examines the Amish understanding of forgiveness and explores how and why the Amish responded to the 2006 killing of Amish school children at Nickel Mines in Lancaster County with grace. Kraybill is scheduled to speak at Susquehanna University on Thurs., Oct. 13.
Participating libraries plan to purchase extra copies of the featured books for library card holders to borrow, and they plan to present a variety of programs for residents of all ages to support the project. A list of these events, as well as more information about Read Across the Valley as it is confirmed, will be available online at www.readacrossvalley.org.
The Read Across the Valley project began with a 2005 “One Book: The Killer Angels ” project in which five participating libraries — Selinsgrove, Milton, Montgomery House, Priestley-Forsyth, and Degenstein — promoted Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and offered a presentation by his son, author Jeff Shaara. In 2009, the Read Across the Valley project included 14 libraries and focused on New York Times best-selling author John Grogan, who wrote Marley and Me.
Although the member libraries of the Read Across the Valley project are applying for grants to help with the cost of the presentations and events, opportunities remain for sponsorship. For more information about sponsoring a speaker or a Read Across the Valley event, contact Melissa Rowse, chairperson of the Read Across the Valley committee, at 570-538-1381.
The three libraries in the Union County Library System — The Public Library for Union County in Lewisburg, Herr Memorial Library in Mifflinburg, and West End Library in Laurelton — will be closed on Thurs., Nov. 25, for Thanksgiving Day. In addition, Herr Memorial Library will close at 5 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 24, and The Public Library for Union County will close at 5 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 24, and remain closed through Sun., Nov. 28.
Library card holders who have registered at one of the UCLS libraries may access their accounts online by clicking on the “Go to my library account” link at the top of any page of any of the libraries’ websites. The “Patron/Alternate ID number” is the full library card number, and the pre-set PIN number is the last six digits of the library card number. For more information call 523-1172 for the library in Lewisburg, 966-0831 for the library in Mifflinburg, or 922-4773 for the library in Laurelton.
During a regular meeting on Mon., Nov. 8, the Board of Trustees of The Public Library for Union County voted unanimously to cut the library’s hours of service for the 2011 calendar year. Effective Jan. 1, the library, located at 255 Reitz Blvd. in Lewisburg, will no longer be open on Sundays and will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays. According to library administrators, the reduction of seven and a half hours per week was made necessary by continued cuts in state funding.
“Our focus is to continue to provide our users with the support they need to access our services, programs, and collections during the hours that we are open while maintaining the safety of the staff,” Roberta Greene, the library’s director, said. “Also, we must stay within our means.”
The reduction in hours of operation is the latest action the library’s administration has taken to stay within budget. One year ago, in response to a 20.1 per cent reduction in state funding for libraries in 2010, the library’s administration voted to close the facility several extra days around major holidays. Library employees are not paid for those days off.
Staffing also has been reduced in 2010 through employee attrition. Two vacant circulation positions have caused difficulty in scheduling enough people to serve library users adequately and safely during the library’s current hours of operation, Greene explained.
State funding for Pennsylvania libraries will be reduced another 10.3 per cent for 2011. Despite stretching the budget and increasing local fundraising endeavors, Greene said the library’s trustees had to make the difficult decision to cut service hours. State funding is not expected to increase in the foreseeable future.
“Local donors continue to play a vital role in the ability of The Public Library for Union County to serve residents,” Greene said. “And volunteers are more critical to the library’s success now, too, as they play an important role as partners in the library’s mission to connect people to the world of ideas and information.”
Public libraries in Pennsylvania receive funding from three main sources: local government, private fundraising, and state government.
Union County libraries have lost $119,349 — $52,500 in state subsidies, $42,449 in County Coordination Aid, and $24,000 for Access Pennsylvania.
County Coordination Aid is paid to libraries that receive a direct county appropriation or library tax revenue. Priorities for the use of these funds are established by an annual county-level plan. The Public Library for Union County is the headquarters for the federated Union County Library System, which also consists of the Herr Memorial Library in Mifflinburg and the West End Library in Laurelton.
Access Pennsylvania is a statewide catalog of materials that can be requested through interlibrary loan.
Greene expressed gratitude that Union County’s support for libraries has remained consistent.
“We are very fortunate to have County Commissioners and residents who recognize the value of public libraries,” she said.
Through the end of 2010, The Public Library for Union County’s regular hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The library will be closed on Thurs., Nov. 11, for a county-wide staff training day.
The library will have the following holiday schedule: close at 5 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 24; close all day Thurs., Nov. 25, through Sun., Nov. 28; close at 5 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 23; close all day Fri., Dec. 24, through Sun., Dec. 26; close at 5 p.m. from Mon., Dec. 27, through Thurs., Dec. 30; and close all day from Fri., Dec. 31, through Sun., Jan. 2.
For more information, call 523-1172 or visit the library’s website www.publibuc.org
The three libraries in the Union County Library System — The Public Library for Union County in Lewisburg, Herr Memorial Library in Mifflinburg, and West End Library in Laurelton — will be closed to the public on Thurs., Nov. 11, to allow staff members to focus on development and training. All three libraries will resume regular hours of operation on Fri., Nov. 12.
For more information about the libraries call 523-1172 for the library in Lewisburg, 966-0831 for the library in Mifflinburg, or 922-4773 for the library in Laurelton.