Eva K. Bowlby Public Library
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The Eva K. Bowlby Public Library is located in the heart of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania at 311 N. West Street. The library is housed in a beautiful mansion that was bequeathed to the community by Mrs. Bowlby to house the Children’s Library of Waynesburg. Service expanded in 1967 to include an adult collection, and the name was changed to the Eva K. Bowlby Public Library.
In 2022 the Bowlby Library continues to be a focal point for the community. County residents, university and college students may apply for a FREE library card which gives a patron access to over 60,000 items in the collection! The Library also offers a large number of patron access computers allowing them to access email, apply for employment, and research projects. The mission statement is “To provide, through the use of traditional and emerging technologies, materials, and services for community residents of all ages for Literacy, Information, Fun and Enrichment. They especially recognize the responsibility to serve as a place to discover the joy of reading and the value of libraries.” The staff members seek to assist community members find information quickly: a patron may be looking for a specialty cookbook after learning of a recent health diagnosis. Older citizens often request assistance with a new cell phone or laptop purchase. A retired teacher may be looking for materials to tutor a student in art technique or someone who recently moved to Greene County needs help writing a resume’ and applying to online job agencies. The library also offers community outreach & educational programs to daycare & preschool businesses. The Children's Department is a busy place offering story hours in the spring & fall months, as well as a lively summer reading program. This summer's theme is "An Ocean of Possibilities," and is offered to all children ages 2 - 13 years of age. The Children's Department celebrates every spring at the beginning of June with the Tiny Tim Tomato Project: a local master gardener instructs children how to plant & care for a tomato plant through the summer. The Teddy Bears' Picnic is an autumn program for children and their parents/caregivers, as they bring their favorite stuffed animal to the library for picnicking, crafts, games & stories! Spring at the library also proves to be a busy time as we exit the winter months; Spring Story Classes kick off the beginning of the month and continues for 10 weeks. There will be a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony / Grand Opening of our newly renovated space we call The Exploration & Creative Studio on Friday, March 4th. This space will be utilized for children’s & youth STEM/STEAM activities, as well as offering access to a 3-D printer, sewing machines, and more. It will also serve as a meeting room for local community clubs & organizations. The library’s Chili Cook Off returns on March 12 and hopes to be a spicy outing for the public to taste-test and declare a “Chili Master.” Every month the library has a Puzzle Competition for teams of two persons to complete a 500-piece puzzle in a 3-hour span of time. We usually wrap up the month with Cosmic Bingo, a fun time under black lights with numerous prizes for winners. Coming up in April is National Library Week, April 3-9th, and in May our annual Mother’s Day Tea. Literacy services to the county are offered through the Family Literacy Department. This includes basic literacy, pc skills, after school tutoring, GED test preparation for adults, SAT preparation for high school students, ASVAB preparation for those interested in joining the military. The department also offers ESL materials, and a new addition to our online resources is NCLEX-RN & PANCE preparation! The business hours for the library are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. You can reserve items or renew overdue materials from the library's website at www.evakbowlby.org., using the link to our Online Catalog. |