Mission Statement & Library History
Our Mission Statement
South Park Township Library is
"The hub of lifelong learning."
Values:
In pursuing its mission, the South Park Township Library values:
- The free and equal access to information, resources, and materials in traditional, technological, and innovative formats;
- An individual's quest for lifelong learning of cultural enrichment and intellectual stimulation;
- The promotion of literacy activities and programs for all ages;
- The cultivation of a skillful and professional staff as they are our most valuable resource;
- The acceptance of diverse points of view and acknowledge trust and respect to all;
- The personal development and discovery, which enriches and empowers every patron;
- An individual's pursuit for computer proficiency;
- The acceptance of change in a positive way;
- The partnerships we ensue with local enterprises, interest groups, and other professionals at local, regional, and national levels;
- The ideas pronounced by the American Library Association (ALA) in the Library Bill of Rights, by the ALA and the Association of American Publishers (AAP) in the Freedom to Read Statement by the ALA and the American Film and Video Association (AFVA) in the Freedom to View Policy.
South Park Township Library is currently participating in the PA Forward Star Library Program.
The History
In The Beginning...
The section of South Park Township
known as Library was named because of the presence of a private library
collection in the home of John Moore. Around 1833, John Moore began a fund
to purchase books and subsequently became the first librarian of the new
collection. Other members of the community added to the Library, so the
number of volumes grew to about 2,000. This neighborhood group of library
members formed a "Library Society". The last librarian, in this era, was
Samuel Wilson, a blacksmith who stored the collection in his stable.
The First Free Public Library
South Park Township's
first free public library found its 1960 residence in a room at the end of
Wilson Hall, the site of the Windover Hills United Methodist Church, sponsored
by the Windover Hills Women's Club. They staffed, funded, and literally
nurtured its growth. Services at the Library included children's fiction,
reference materials, adult best sellers, and general fiction. The core
collection was built by donation, a flashback to the historic library in
Library. Membership for children under 16 was free and $1.50 for adult
cardholders. Funding was made possible by the Women's Club through Card
Marathons, which would not have been successful without community support. All this by volunteers, until in 1968, the Library was faced with its first of
many subsequent moves.
The Chamber of Commerce gets Involved
The Windover
Hills Women's Club found it necessary and provident to enlist the help of the
South Park Chamber of Commerce with the move out of the soon-to-be demolished
room at Wilson Hall. The Chamber set up a Township Library Building Fund
and a Library Committee in conjunction with the continuous fundraising events
of the Women's Club. With Chamber support, the Library would realize, in
1969, a permanent home in a brand-new building next to the Township
Building; however, completion of the new site was not possible by the time
of the move from Wilson Hall. The School Board, therefore, granted the
Library the use of a room in Broughton School (Morgan School). Many other
community groups, including the South Park Women's Club, contributed to the
building fund at this time. In early 1969, the move to Broughton School was
accomplished by volunteers, of course, including a hearty group of Boy Scouts.
Temporary But Never Undaunted...
In February of 1969, the
Broughton School, a temporary library site, was opened to the public.
Hours were on Wednesday and Friday evenings, and the services were continually
sponsored by the Windover Hills Women's Club with a warm invitation sent out to
all community members. The Library Fund Drive officially began on March
17, 1969, steered by the Library Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. All
funds were donated by the community, and the land was provided by South Park
Township. The South Park Township Library was on its way to becoming a
realized integral part of the community.
Ground was broken for the Library building on August 17, 1969. Representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Board, and the Township Supervisors were present. The feeling of community pride and accomplishment reverberated throughout the ceremony.
In the winter of the following year, the building was completed, and a formal open house took place on December 6, 1970. Many months had passed since the initial fund drive had begun, yet the many hours of free labor and community donations had truly accomplished their goal.
Library service was provided by a volunteer staff with a volunteer librarian. The hours of operation were expanded to Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoon. Membership fees were $1.50 for adults, $5.00 for the family, and free to all children under the age of 13, who lived in South Park Township. The internal structure of the Library's operating system was also changing with the new building. The Windover Hills Women's Club relinquished their Library Committee as the volunteer corps of the Library. All their materials were officially donated to the new community Library. They continued to volunteer as individuals but not as a club committee. A supervisory board was established at this time continuing the name, Library Committee, and later changing it to the present Library Board. The Township provided the funds for support services, such as telephone and utility bills.
A New Heritage Of Library Service...
October 2, 1974
marked an important occasion for the Library; the first meeting of a new
organization in South Park: The Friends of the South Park Township
Library. The Friends was organized as a "group of individuals who are
interested in the welfare of their library and willing to devote time and effort
to make it a better library." The primary objectives of the group were
devised and are listed as follows:
- to stimulate increased awareness and resulting use of the library;
- to
stimulate increased financial support, public and private;
- to coordinate
efforts of all groups and individuals interested in the library;
- to promote
the greatest use of the library; and,
- to sponsor cultural and related
programs for the community.
Membership fees in the Friends are used as a yearly contribution to the library, along with many other fund-raising campaigns. The design of the Friends harkens back to the Library Committee of the Windover Hills Women's Club.
In order to fulfill the goals and objectives established by the Friends, programs such as a pre-school story hour, a Volunteer Service with training done by the veteran volunteers and various fund-raisers (Craft Sessions, etc.) were devised. The volunteers manned the library at all times and expanded the hours to Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday during the day and Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
By the summer of 1975, the library had grown sufficiently to support a part-time librarian as the first paid position on the staff. Volunteers from the community directed by the Friends of the Library were functioning as the support staff, with many women who started as members of the Windover Hills Women's Club participating.
Increasing Township Government Commitment...
The Township Supervisors had continually been involved in the Library, but in the spring of 1976, their support reached an all-important high. They announced their intentions to expand the municipal building, including the design of a new library. The new facility would mean approximately four times the present space. The growth of the Library had become a shared responsibility between the township government, the Friends, and the public.
Again, the Friends of the Library were prepared to begin a donor drive for office equipment, furniture, and shelving for the new library. The goal was set at $25,000 by the Friends.The Chamber of Commerce and the Women's Club were enlisted to help supervise the Donor Drive. Luminaria became the Women's Club traditional fundraiser for the library. Another change was presented to the new library system, a new librarian was hired in April 1977. At this time, the Library had to vacate its present building and move again, temporarily, to Morgan School until the new facility was completed. Volunteers accomplished the move. A new position was added to the Library staff for a part-time clerk in the fall of 1977, due to the Library service's rapid expansion.
On the Move...
In January 1978, the South Park Township Library, under the auspices of the Township, moved to the top floor of the South Park Municipal Complex, at 2575 Brownsville Road, which would eventually house the South Park Board Room.
Without the volunteer services offered by the community, the move would not have been accomplished as quickly and easily. The organizational relationship between the Township government and the library was also altered. The Township assumed direct responsibility for the employment of a full-time professional librarian and a part-time clerk. The librarian was still dependent on volunteers to man the library depending on the amount of hours opened. The Library Board became an official council under the State Library Code and is directly responsible for the activities of the library. Three more staff positions were added to the library through the acceptance of a CETA Grant.
The Friends of the Library were overjoyed with the prospect of a new library
building and succeeded in raising the money from the Donor Drive to furnish the
Library. They continue to this day to provide the Library with storytimes, craft classes, fundraising projects and volunteers to support the
Library in conjunction with the objectives created by the founders of this
organization.
In 1994, the South Park Township Library would again be on the move. On August 1, 1994, the Library moved to the lower level of the South Park Township Municipal Complex, where it is presently located.
Library Renovations and Beyond...
As the South Park Township Library staff and programming continued to grow, it was decided that the building was in need of a renovation.
In 2005, renovations began in the interior of the building. During the renovation process, South Park Township Library added many new features including an audiovisual section filled with DVDs and CDs, additional public computer stations, the addition of a wireless network for patrons to use, a children's
storytime area, a reading area complete with a fireplace and several other features
to give the interior of the library a new look. The Library finished
its interior renovations in February 2007.
In May 2009, the Library created a brand new section near the front desk, which became known as "The Bestseller's Collection." This collection included books, books on CD, certain DVDs, and a growing collection of Blu-Ray movies. A small collection of video games was added to "The Bestseller's Collection" in 2012. Playaways were reintroduced to the Library in 2017. Launchpad tablets containing kids programming were introduced in 2018.
Other amenities were added to the Library, during this time. In 2016, a Digital Sign was erected, alongside Brownsville Road, to inform the community of all upcoming Library events.
Also, in 2016, an information display was mounted on the wall behind the front desk to display all kinds of important library information.
New shelving for audiovisual items and books was also incorporated into the Library, in 2016 and 2017. The fiction section was expanded in March 2019. The magazine section would be moved to the main pillar next to the front desk in 2022. Additional new shelving was added in August 2023, replacing one of the library's computer stations.
In May/June 2020, a mural was painted on the walls of the Children's Room.
The walls by the Library's Computer Station, the Teen Section, and the Fireplace Area received a fresh coat of paint in April 2023.
In July 2023, a mural was painted on the walls of the Graphic Novels section.
In July 2024, a smartboard was purchaed to further enhance library programming.
Embracing Technology...
Renovating the physical building was not the only project that took place during this time, as technological improvements continued to be incorporated at the Library.
Each month, the Library offers a series of FREE computer classes that anyone can sign up for.
Websites for the Library and the Friends of the Library were launched in the early 21st century to provide all kinds of information to the public.
In the spring of 2010, the Library launched its own Facebook page, which is frequently updated with upcoming events and other important information. The wireless network was also upgraded multiple times to allow patrons to print things off of their own computers, in November 2010. The wireless access points were upgraded in October 2014, December 2019, and March 2024 to support the growing number of computers, tablets, and other smart devices.
In 2011, a collection of FREE downloadable borrowed materials including e-Books and Audiobooks became available to library patrons at the Overdrive website.
In 2012, a collection of FREE downloadable magazines became available to library patrons through the library's Zinio service. In 2017, Zinio transitioned to other online services including Flipster and RB Digital as the primary methods for accessing FREE magazines.
In 2014, additional online services such as Hoopla were launched.
In January 2017, the Library's website was completely redesigned to make things easier to find for patrons and other visitors. The Friends of the Library website was also redesigned later that year. A Library newsletter was also developed to inform the public of upcoming programs and other Library events via e-mail.
In March 2019, mobile printing became available to the public. Mobile printing enabled patrons to send in what they would like to have printed to the Library, via e-mail.
In June 2019, color printing became available to the public.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Library provided virtual programming via Zoom from 2020-2022. The addition of virtual programming alongside the Library's traditional in-person programming would provide flexibility to the needs of the community as the Library continued to move on from the pandemic.
In late 2021, the Library expanded its social media presence with the launch of several Instagram accounts: a primary Instagram account to advertise programming at the library and an Instagram account for teen programming.
On March 29, 2022, the Allegheny County Libraries mobile app was launched, which provides quick access to core services for patrons of all public libraries in Allegheny County.
On June 30, 2023, the new Allegheny County Libraries Catalog was launched, which provided an easier way to find the library materials that patrons are looking for.
On December 1, 2023, a new online calendar of events page was launched, allowing patrons to continue to keep track of and register for library programming.
The South Park Heart of the Community Mosaic Mural...
In 2018, brainstorming sessions for the library's "Heart of the Community" mosaic mural took place. It would be determined that the "Heart of the Community" mosaic mural would be installed along the exterior of the Library building. Members of the South Park Township community began to glue tile to the mural template in late 2018 through November 2019. The final tile piece was glued to the mural template on November 19, 2019.
Members of the South Park Township community took part in a Mosaic Mural Grouting session, which took place on October 17, 2020. This grouting session was the final step of creating the Mosaic Mural, prior to it being hung along the exterior of the Library building.
From November 6, 2020 - November 8, 2020, the completed Mosaic Mural was installed along the exterior of the Library building. South Park Township dedicated the completed Mosaic Mural to the public as part of South Park Township’s Virtual Light Up Night activities on Monday, December 7, 2020 at 6:30 pm.
To view the history of the Library's mosaic mural, please visit the Heart of the Community Mosaic Mural blog here!
Meeting the Challenge of the COVID-19 Pandemic...
One of the most challenging periods in the history of South Park Township Library began in March 2020 with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In accordance with the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, which instructed all public libraries in Pennsylvania to close to the public, South Park Township Library temporarily closed to the public on March 14, 2020. All in-person programming was suspended, book delivery between all Allegheny County libraries was suspended, and the Library's book drop was closed.
During this unprecedented time, the Library staff continued to work from the Library building to provide the community with information regarding online resources such as OverDrive, Libby, and Hoopla to meet the community's Library needs. The staff also used this time shifting from in-person Library programming to virtual programming and preparing for the Library's reopening.
In June 2020, the Library's book drop reopened to the public and contact-less pickup in the Library's Vestibule began. Additionally, Library programming, including Summer Reading, resumed virtually on Zoom during this time.
In July 2020, book delivery resumed throughout Allegheny County, and patrons could once again place holds on items from other libraries in the county. Although the Library building was still closed to the public at this time, South Park Township Library allowed patrons to use Library computers by appointment only.
On September 1, 2020, South Park Township Library reopened to the public for Limited Services. Face masks were required to be worn at all times while visiting the Library. However, due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases and new state restrictions, the Library temporarily moved back to Vestibule Pick-Up only on December 12, 2020 and reopened for Limited Services on January 25, 2021.
In April 2021, some limited capacity in-person programming, including computer classes, children's storytimes, and yoga classes began to resume in the Library and the Community Center, although the majority of Library programming continued to take place virtually over Zoom.
On June 1, 2021, regular Library hours were restored and expanded from pre-pandemic hours of operation in an effort to better serve the community.
On June 8, 2021, in accordance with guidelines from Pennsylvania, face masks were no longer required to be worn inside the Library for patrons that were fully vaccinated.
Beginning with the Library's Summer Reading programming in June 2021, most Library programming for children and teens resumed in-person in the Community Center and the Library's outdoor tent. In-Person Library Programming for adults, including the Munch and Learn program series resumed in September 2021. The Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale returned in October 2021. The first Holiday Market since 2019 took place on November 27, 2021. The Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale returned in April 2022. In September 2022, the Library's Daytrips and Destinations adult programming resumed.
On January 11, 2022, the South Park Township Library Board recognized the staff of the South Park Township Library for the services that they provided throughout the pandemic to the community with a beautiful plaque.
The Future...
With the support of the community, it truly is a bright future at South Park Township Library! Come check us out!
