AUTHOR TALK At 7 p.m., Monday, June 23, the library will host journalist and labor writer Kim Kelly, whose 2022 book, Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor has been edited this year for a young people’s edition, Fight to Win!. Her work has appeared in The Nation, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Republic, Rolling Stone, Esquire and many other publications. Kelly will be available after her remarks to sign books which will be available from City Books. Registration is required for this event. 

A START TO SUMMER On Monday, June 9, Mt. Lebanon Public Library is combining the launch of this year’s summer reading program with its popular Midsummer Night Festival.

Beginning at 10 a.m., an information station near the main circulation desk will have all the details on how to get started with children’s, teen and adult challenges. Staff will be on hand to talk to you about summer reading, and to hand out treats and prizes.

Inside the children’s library, librarians will be on hand to provide reading suggestions and answer questions. A full lineup of activities for kids will happen in story room and in the library’s outdoor courtyard: spin art in the courtyard from 10 to noon; paper sculpting from noon to 2 in the story room and face airbrushing from 2 to 4 in the courtyard.

At 4 p.m., the party moves outdoors with the start of the Midsummer Night Festival, on the Southminster lawn directly across the street from the library’s lower entrance. A summer reading information tent will be set up on the lawn to assist you with getting started with summer reading.

Food trucks will be at the event from 4 to 8 p.m., including Tango, serving  Argentinian street food; Community Kitchen, a nonprofit that offers training programs, apprenticeships and job placement for positions in food service, with a variety of handhelds and sides dishes and Piccolo Piazza, Mt. Lebanon’s own mobile gelateria, serving a variety of frozen gelato and non-dairy sorbets.

The Book Cellar, the used bookstore run by the Friends of Mt. Lebanon Public Library, will be open until 8, with a pop-up tent sale on the lawn from 4 to 7:30.

The evening also features a variety of hands-on craft activities for all ages, strolling folk and fairytales with children’s librarian Miss Rachel, a juggler and live music by folk singer Liz McBride from 6 to 7:30.

GARDEN TOUR Mt. Lebanon Public Library’s 35th Annual Garden Tour is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, June 22. This year’s tour features eight gardens. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the tour, and can only be purchased online.

LIBRARY PROGRAMS 

More information and registration at mtlebanonlibrary.org.

PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN

Mini Yoga

10 a.m., Tuesday, June 3, Story Room

For kids age 3 to 6 and family. Kids
will stretch their minds and bodies in the story-based yoga class.

Pajama Storytime

6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 26, Story Room

For ages 3 to 6. Enjoy interactive stories and creative activities in this family storytime.  Please register once per family.

PROGRAMS FOR TEENS

Board game night

7 p.m., Tuesdays in June, Learning Lab

For teens and adults. All experience levels are welcome, and games will vary every week depending on attendees’ interests. Feel free to bring your own games or just come to learn something new. Here are some examples of what may be available:

Strategy (Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Kingdomino, Small World, Sagrada, Azul, Barenpark, Parks, Wingspan)

Group/Party (Codenames, Just One, Dixit, 6 Nimmt)

Cooperative (Pandemic, Hanabi, Forbidden Island)

Deck Builder (Valeria, Splendor)

Science Fiction Book Group

7 p.m., Wednesday, June 25, Meeting Room B

For teens and adults. Works up for discussion are Andromeda Evolution by Daniel Wilson, My Future Self, Refused by Adam-Troy Castro and Mom Heart by Will McIntosh

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS

Pittsburgh’s Historic Ballparks

3 p.m., Wednesday, June 4 and 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 11, Meeting Room A

Pittsburgh has an incredible baseball history with great players, teams and historic moments, but few realize that Pittsburgh has often been in the lead in ballpark design and development. Mark Fatla, lifelong baseball fan and author of Pittsburgh’s Historic Ballparks, chronicles the nine ballparks that hosted major league baseball in Pittsburgh between 1876 and the present, including the Negro Leagues. Historic photographs illustrate design and construction phases, the major changes as parks expanded and aged, and eventually their demolition. This talk and the accompanying book provide a unique perspective on the rich history of Pittsburgh’s ballparks.

Art and Architecture Presented by the Frick

10 a.m., Friday, June 13, Meeting Room A

Take an armchair tour of the historic house of Henry Clay Frick. Frick was an avid art collector who filled his homes with paintings and decorative arts. Learn from a Frick educator and enjoy a
conversational experience that shares the stories of the Frick family and other Pittsburghers, and considers how the legacy of the Gilded Age continues to affect us today. No registration required.

Memories & Memoirs Book Club

1 p.m., Wednesday, June 18, Learning Lab

Memories & Memoirs Book Club covers a diverse range of subjects in the world of non-fiction. Mostly memoirs, these books focus on personal identity and self-discovery, and the authors explore themes of social justice and resilience. June’s topic is Better Living Through Birding by Christian Cooper. Available in regular print, large print, as an eBook, or as an audiobook. Registration encouraged but not required.