Libraries continue to ‘pop up’ in Bethel Park

From “Fox in Socks” to Jabberwocks, find ’em in a Bethel box.
Or something else in the literary realm, thanks to outside-the-box thinking by some Bethel Park librarians and educators.
Three sturdy boxes – built by high school wood technology students, under the direction of teacher Bill Wells – have been placed at strategic spots in the community, ready for readers of all ages to open the door and see what’s inside.
“We’re always looking to get new people into the libraries, non-library users, and to let them know the importance of libraries,” Elaine Volpe explained.
“We use Bethel Park as our example, nationally with all the other PBS stations, of how to forge community partnerships and the impact they can make.” – Cathy Cook, WQED
She’s the youth services department head at Bethel Park Public Library and over the years has formed a strong working relationship with Denice Pazuchanics, librarian at Bethel Park’s Lincoln Elementary School.
“We had come up with an idea of pop-up libraries, where we would take the library on the road, so to speak. And we would ‘pop up’ at different community events and pass out free books,” Volpe explained. “It was through the pop-up idea that the free library boxes came to be.”
They’re located on the Montour Trail near Washington Elementary School, off Clifton Road, and at the South Hills Interfaith Movement headquarters on South Park Road and the Bethel Park Volunteer Fire Company’s Milford Station.
“We also invite people to put their own resources in, if they want,” Pazuchanics said. “There’s a teacher who lives near the Milford box who is adding stuff from her collection. And we’ve noticed that other people are starting to donate.”
A steady supply comes by way of the public library and its corps of volunteers.
“We kind of keep an eye on it, and if we notice that books are missing, we just load it up with some more books. It’s that easy,” Volpe said. “When they take a free book, they’re also getting our flier of library programs. They’re getting a list of resources, other helpful places in the community they can visit.”
The pop-up program is funded by a U.S. Department of Education Ready to Learn Television grant, through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS Kids network.
“The grant is focused on looking at what happens when you connect a school, a library, a multimedia station and a community service organization – in this case, it happens to be SHIM – and really trying to do programming around those four pillars,” Cathy Cook, manager of education projects for Pittsburgh PBS affiliate WQED explained.
“Really, the magic in making this grant work is finding partners who are motivated and excited, and really care about their communities,” she said, “which is what Denice and Elaine have done.”
In turn, they continue to nurture the long-standing collaborative effort between the school and public libraries.
“It seems like such a natural idea or connection to make, but that’s kind of not typical,” Volpe explained. “At least, now it’s growing in Allegheny County, but I really think Bethel Park was the first one to forge that kind of partnership. It’s been an extremely important and beneficial partnership from the get-go.”
Others beyond the county are noticing.
“This is now a national model,” Cook said. “We use Bethel Park as our example, nationally with all the other PBS stations, of how to forge community partnerships and the impact they can make.”