Check out these upcoming programs at the Cooper-Siegel and Sharpsburg libraries

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

• Saturday STEM … Building Bridges (grades 2-5): 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 16

Students from Fox Chapel Area High School’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE NEXT) will teach youngsters about various STEM concepts. This hands-on session will be about building bridges.

• Pokémon Club (ages 6-11): 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 16

Stop by to show off your cards, trade cards or play the Pokémon card game. A librarian or teen volunteers will monitor the trading of cards to make sure they are fair. There will be no Pokémon Club in December.

• Make-n-Take … Harvest Corn (grades K-6): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 19

Visit the craft room for this hands-on fall project that you get to take home with you. Mark your calendars: The Nov. 26 project will be shell turkeys.

• Spanish & English Storytime (ages 3-5): 10:30 to 11 a.m. Nov. 22

Join us for a playful storytime in both Spanish and English with interactive books, rhymes and songs. This program occurs every Friday of the month. Please register for all dates you plan to attend.

Teens

• Crochet ’n Things (teens and adults): 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 14 and 21

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 After Hours (grades 6-12): 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 15

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 is Ghost Hunt.

• 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.

Adults

• Art Lecture … Abstract Expressionism: 2 to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 16

IUP professor Kimberlyn Bloise, a ceramic artist from Monroeville, will look at the processes of art making and the motivations of artists with critical examinations of how art and many aspects of society are interconnected.

• Simple Movement Through Somatics: 10:30 to noon Nov. 18

Certified person trainer Tom Capriotti will lead a one-hour somatics session. Somatics engages the nervous system in an active learning process that consists of slow, focused and intentional movements. It teaches the nervous system how to release chronic muscle tension, loosen joints and relieve tightness. Somatics also explores how the body holds and expresses painful experiences, applying mind-body healing to aid with trauma recovery. Participants must be able to get up and down from the floor without assistance. Bring a yoga mat and a water bottle, and wear loose, comfortable clothing.

• Plays Off the Stage: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19; arrive by 6:20 p.m.

No acting experience is required for this super-casual evening of play reading — just an interest in theater and language and an open mind. Roles will be assigned randomly. The group is facilitated by theater aficionado Joanna Patterson of Fox Chapel. This month we’re reading “August: Osage County,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Tracy Letts. Copies of the play will be available from which to read.

• Mid-Week Knitters: 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 20

New knitters and crocheters are welcome to join the group for crafting and chatting. Donated yarn and other supplies are available. Drop-ins welcome as space permits.

Mark your calendars

• Breakfast With the Grinch at the Sharpsburg VFW: 10:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 1

Registration is open now for this Sharpsburg Community Library fundraiser. Tickets are $10 each.

• 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.

• 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 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: 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

• Bilingual Chinese Storytime (grades preschool-2): 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. Nov. 16

Youngsters will explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books and playful experiences with native speakers. The program meets on the third Saturday of each month. Supplies are provided. This volunteer-led program is free, but donations are welcome.

• STEM Explorations (grades 1-5): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 18

Young scientists will learn about physics during this month’s session. Sessions meet monthly on the third Monday. All supplies are provided. The staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.

• Story Supper with Fox Families Care (birth-5 and caregivers): 5:45 to 7 p.m. Nov. 20

Story Supper will nurish your littlest reader’s mind and body in this monthly family literacy program offered in partnership with Fox Families Care. Each program includes creative play and a storytime with Ms. Alison, followed by a nutritious meal. First-time visitors will receive a free welcome book to keep. Participants also will be able to register for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which mails a book directly to a child’s home each month from birth through age 5. Siblings are welcome. Please register so enough food can be prepared.

Teens

• Video Game Hangout (grades 6-12): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 20

Stop by the Teen Space on the third Wednesday each month to hang out and play video games on the Nintendo Switch and PS5 with Mr. Finley and your friends. The staff-led program is free, but donations are welcome.

• 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.

Adults

• Thanksgiving Workshop with The Writing Studio: 6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 18

One November ritual is giving thanks. In this workshop, participants will read several poets who have written about gratitude. Then, everyone will write their our own poem that captures the same spirit. Supplies will be provided. This presenter-led program is free, but donations are welcome.

• Sharpsburg Sleuths Mystery Book Club: 7 to 8 p.m. Nov. 19

This club meets monthly after the library closes. This month, the group is reading “Fateful Words” by Paige Shelton, one of the Scottish Bookshop mysteries. Copies are available at the circulation desk. Zoom is available for those who prefer to meet virtually.

• Senior Craft & Chat: 2 to 3 p.m. Nov. 20

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.

All ages

• Art Exhibition … Paintings by James Hamm: Now through Dec. 6; closing reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5

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.