The Cooper-Siegel Community Library and its Sharpsburg branch offer a variety of programming for visitors of all ages.
To view a complete list of offerings, visit coopersiegel.librarycalendar.com. Events at both libraries are listed and can be viewed according to age group and location.
Registration is required for most programs as space is limited and some programs fill up quickly. In some cases, drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
Registration through the online calendar is encouraged when possible so staff members can plan accordingly. To register by phone, call the respective libraries at 412-828-9520 for Cooper-Siegel and 412-781-0783 for the Sharpsburg branch.
Regular operating hours at Cooper-Siegel Community Library, 403 Fox Chapel Road in Fox Chapel, are from 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Regular operating hours at Sharpsburg Community Library, 1212 Main St., are from 1 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; 1 to 5 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays; the branch is closed on Sundays. Parking is available at the library and the 13th Street Municipal Lot, which is metered. The library is accessible via Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s 91 and 1 bus routes — get off at 13th Street.
Here are some upcoming events:
Cooper-Siegel Community Library
Kids
• Make-n-Take … STEM experiment (grades K-6): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 3
Visit the craft room for this hands-on fall project that you get to take home with you. The project will be a STEM experiment featuring a yeti escape coding maze using Bee-Bot Robots. Mark your calendars: The Dec. 10 project will be winter-themed fused beads.
• Spanish & English Story Time (ages 3-5): 10:30 to 11 a.m. Dec. 6
This interactive story time for preschoolers and their caregivers features books, rhymes and songs in both Spanish and English.
• Chinese & English Story Time (preK-second grade): 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 7
Explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books and playful experiences. This program occurs on the first Saturday of the month. Please register for all the dates you plan to attend. Drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
Teens
• Crochet ’n Things (teens and adults): 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5
Drop in to crochet, knit or do any other fun yarn craft. Finley will be on hand to teach you how to crochet. Supplies are provided or bring your own. The library receives donations of yarn on a regular basis and has extra crochet hooks and knitting needles to start you on your yarn journey.
• Teen Art Club (ages 11-18): 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 7
Hang out and make some art. Participants can work on their own project or try out the art supplies out for that day, such as 3D printing, watercolors, digital art, cross stitch and more. Drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• Teen After Hours: “Nightmare Before Christmas” Party (ages 11-18): 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 13
Join us for Teen After Hours every third Friday of the month. There will be pizza and snacks. Come and play video games, sing karaoke, play hide and seek in the library with the lights off and more. This month’s special activity will be a “Nightmare Before Christmas” party.
Adults
• Classic Film with Pittsburgh Classic Movie Club: 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 1
The Pittsburgh Classic Movie Club will show the 1957 film “Witness for the Prosecution,” directed by Billy Wilder and starring Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester, through the library’s free streaming service, Kanopy. Enjoy the movie on our big screen with popcorn and a lively discussion afterward.
• New! French Conversation Group: 5 to 6 p.m. Dec. 3
This new group will provide a fun and informal way to practice your French. Designed for intermediate to advanced French speakers, the group offers a welcoming space to refine your language skills and connect with fellow Francophiles. Participants will be able to practice speaking, build confidence and expand their vocabulary. Most sessions will incude a fluent French speaker to keep the conversation flowing. The group will meet weekly and alternate between evening and morning sessions to accommodate different schedules.
• Into the DIY Lab: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5
Join local history librarian Cameron in the DIY Lab to learn about the resources available at the library to help you finish your personal archive projects.
Mark your calendars
• First Friday Fun: Gingerbread Edition: 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at Sharpsburg
Drop in during First Friday for our annual Gingerbread House project. Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. One house per family. This project is recommended for school-age children through adults. It will take at least 15 minutes.
• Pop-up Holiday Concert With FCASD Orchestra: 11:30 a.m. Dec. 7 at Cooper-Siegel
The Fox Chapel Area High School orchestra will read Hanukkah and Christmas stories and intersperse them with familiar music. Young children will be able to draw, play jingle bells and try their hand at small instruments. This event is for families with children and for the young at heart.
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Library (18 and older): 7 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Cooper-Siegel
Dancing Gnome Brewery presents its quarterly, live comedy night fundraiser featuring Pittsburgh’s best comedians. The headliner is Harriet Riley with host/opener McKinnlee McElroy. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased online. All proceeds benefit the Cooper-Siegel and Sharpsburg libraries.
• Live Reading of “A Christmas Carol” (10 and older): 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 8 at Sharpsburg and 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 15 at Cooper-Siegel
An actor in period costume will read Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” by candlelight. Dickens’ novella was first published on Dec. 19, 1843.
• 2nd Annual Cookie Walk Fundraiser and Make a Gingerbread House: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 14 at Cooper-Siegel
Leave the holiday baking to us. Stop by to get your holiday cookies and support the library. Cookies will be $10 per dozen. Stick around for some hot cocoa. For details or to volunteer as a baker, email Dana Zinza at zinzad@coopersiegelcommunitylibrary.org. Have children ages 5-11? They can build a mini-gingerbread house from 10:30 a.m. to noon while you shop for cookies. All proceeds benefit the Cooper-Siegel and Sharpsburg libraries.
Sharpsburg Community Library
Kids
• Little Hands Art Story Time (ages 3-5): 2 to 2:45 p.m. Dec. 3
This weekly arts-integration program for pre-K children and their caregivers includes stories and a hands-on developmentally appropriate art activity. This staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.
• Afterschool Art (grades K-5): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4
This weekly multimedia art studio led by Ms. Alison provides a nurturing environment where everyone is encouraged to find the joy in creating art. This staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.
• Wiggle Time (infant to age 2): 10:30 to 11 a.m. Dec. 5
Children and their caregivers are invited to join Ms. Megan every week for a wiggly, giggly program featuring fingerplays, bounces, tickles and shakers. This staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.
• Painting Studio (grades K-5): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 9
Participants will learn about different painting techniques. Supplies will be provided. The session meets on the second Monday of each month. This staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.
• Read With Mishka (grades K-6): 4 to 5 p.m. Dec. 13
Mishka, a certified therapy dog, and her handler are on hand for youngsters to read to and meet. They visit the library on the second Friday of every month. Registration is encouraged. The kids will take turns reading aloud to Mishka. Pre-K children are welcome with an accompanying adult, and drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
Teens
• Teen Art Studio (grades 6-12): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2
All supplies are provided during this monthly multimedia art studio where everyone is encouraged to find the joy in creating art. The staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome. Seats fill up quickly.
• Anime Club (grades 6-12): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4
This monthly Anime Club meets on the first Wednesday. Teens get to watch a new anime each time, learn some beginner Japanese, draw manga characters, plan out or work on cosplay and more with Mr. Finley. The staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.
Adults
• Coloring Book Club: 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 2
All supplies are provided for this meet-up program for adults. Each month boasts a specific theme or coloring book.
• Senior Craft & Chat: 2 to 3 p.m. Dec. 4 and 18
Bring a craft you’re working on or start a new project in this relaxed social program for senior adults. Come for crafts, conversation and a few laughs. The program meets biweekly on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Supplies are provided. This staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.
• Art After Dark: 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 16
All skill levels are welcome in this monthly art workshop series led by Alison. This encouraging space invites everyone to play, try, fail and succeed. In this session, participants will learn a few techniques for painting evergreens with watercolors.
All ages
• Art Exhibition … Paintings by James Hamm: Now through Dec. 6; closing reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6
James Hamm, a self-taught artist, paints with watercolor, gouache, acrylics and oil. He and his family live in the Fox Chapel Area School District and are originally from Wheeling, W.Va. He is married to Susie Kahle, patron services assistant at Cooper-Siegel. His creative influences include his family, his local community and the environment.