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. The library will be closed on April 5 for the Easter holiday.
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.
Pickup lockers, where library patrons can get items they’ve placed on hold, are located behind Jersey Mike’s at 171 Freeport Road in Blawnox or outside Sharpsburg Community Library. The lockers were funded by the Allegheny Regional Asset District through its Transformative Community Library Fund grant program.
Here are some upcoming events:
Cooper-Siegel Community Library
All ages
• Therapets with Bandit: 3 to 4 p.m. April 4
Head to the library to get some therapeutic pets in with Jessica and her pup, Bandit. Bandit, a 7-year-old Portuguese water dog, loves attention. They will be wandering around the library for everyone to meet. Bandit has undergone special training to provide comfort and affection and is certified through Animal Friends’ Therapets program. No registration is required.
Kids
• Spanish & English Storytime: 10:30 to 11 a.m. every Friday
Join us for a playful storytime in both Spanish and English with interactive books, rhymes and songs. This program is geared toward 3- to 5-year-olds and their caregivers, but younger children are welcome. Register for any dates you plan to attend separately. Registration is required.
• Chinese & English Storytime: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. first Saturday of the month
Explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books and playful experiences. This program is designed for kids in preschool through second grade with their caregivers. Register for all the dates you plan to attend. Registration is required.
• Wiggle Storytime: 10:15 to 11 a.m. every Tuesday
Get up and get moving during our toddler and preschool storytime for children 2 to 5 and their caregivers. This interactive storytime features books, fingerplays, bounces, scarves, shakers and a parachute. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• Play Lab (grades K-6): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday
A different hands-on project is offered each week on STEAM concepts. Some weeks will have projects to make at the library and then take home, while other weeks will be more focused on experiments to try out at the library. Upcoming schedule: origami chickens, April 7; spring bug sculptures, April 14; water exploration, April 21; Beebot flower maze, April 28; take apart, May 5. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• FCAHS Orchestra: Disney Pop-Up Concert: 2 to 3 p.m. April 19
The Fox Chapel Area High School orchestra will present a program for children and their accompanying adults. Attendees will learn about instruments through the music and stories of Disney characters. Children are welcome to dress as their favorite Disney character and will have an opportunity to conduct the orchestra. Registration is required.
• Lego Robotics: Build a Windmill (grades 4-6): 10 a.m. to noon April 25
Explore the fundamentals of gears through hands-on Lego Robotics activities presented by Girls of Steel Robotics. During this one-off program, kids will build Lego windmill kits, while developing teamwork and learning more about STEM concept. Registration is required.
Teens
• Makerspace Walk-in Hours: 3 to 5 p.m. Thursdays
Teens 12 to 18 can drop in at these times on Mondays and Thursdays to learn how the Makerspace works and what it has to offer.
• Crafts ’n Things: 6 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday
Teens and adults are welcome to hang out with a group of crafters and work on their own project. All crafts are welcome. Have a crafting question? Stop by and ask the veteran crafters. Finn, our crafting librarian, can assist on multiple types of crafting such as crochet, cross stitch, embroidery and sewing. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• Teen After Hours: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 10 and May 8
Join us for a fun time after hours at the library to play games, sing karaoke, eat pizza and more. Interested in helping out? Bring a snack to share. Registration is required.
Adults
• Crafts ’n Things: 6 to 7:30 p.m. every Thursday
Teens and adults are welcome to hang out with a group of crafters and work on their own project. All crafts are welcome. Have a crafting question? Stop by and ask the veteran crafters. Finn, our crafting librarian, can assist on multiple types of crafting such as crochet, cross stitch, embroidery and sewing. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• Makerspace Walk-in Hours: 1 to 3 p.m. every Monday and 3 to 5 p.m. every Friday
Teens and adults are welcome to drop by during open hours at the Makerspace and learn what it has to offer.
• Simple Movement Through Somatics: 10:30 a.m. to noon April 6, 13 and 20
Join certified personal trainer Tom Capriotti for 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, loosening joints and relieving tightness. Somatics also explores how the body holds and expresses painful experiences, applying mind-body healing to aid with trauma recovery. This class requires the ability to get up and down from the floor without assistance. Bring a yoga mat and a water bottle. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Registration is required.
• Cooks and Books: Best of 2025: 7 to 9 p.m. April 9; meets on the second Thursday of each month
Each month, we’ll read the same cookbook or choose a common ingredient or cuisine. We’ll each cook something to share and gather to eat and talk. For April, we’re exploring some of the best cookbooks of 2025, according to Epicurious: “Braided Heritage Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine” by Jessica B Harris, “Galette!” by Rebecca Ferkser, “Sabzi: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes for Everyday” by Yasmin Khan and “Let’s Party: Recipes and Menus for Celebrating Every Day” by Dan Pelosi. Mark your calendar: On May 14, we’ll be cooking with New York Times chefs. Registration is required.
• Poetry Workshop: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. April 14 and 28
This group meets every other week and focuses on nourishing and sustaining one’s creative practice. No experience writing or reading poetry is required. We’ll spend time reading and discussing poetry, as well as writing together in response to prompts. Expect to receive and share meaningful, positive feedback as we affirm what is strong and powerful in our writing. Bring a poem on paper (we can make copies at the library) no longer than one page if you’d like to workshop. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come anytime. Registration is requested but drops-in are welcome as space permits. The group is led by Kelley Beeson, an award-winning poet with an MFA from the University of Notre Dame and a member of the Madwomen in the Attic Writing Workshops since 1992.
• Paint Night in partnership with LesbiFriends: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 30
This chill, self-guided paint night for adults will be held in the library’s Manley-Dozzi Makerspace. Everything needed to create will be provided. Bring your snacks and your drink of choice. The cost is $6 per registrant. Registration is required for the event, and the cost covers the materials.
Sharpsburg Community Library
All ages
• “Every Piece”: Art by Brad Bianchi: On display daily through April 4
“Every Piece,” an art show presented in collaboration with Evolve Coaching, showcases the work of Brad Bianchi, a Pittsburgh-born reuse artist and furniture maker. He collects discarded material from the world around him and constructs everything from film props to conference tables, stages, large-scale murals, found object sculptures and more. Works also are available to purchase, with 25% of each sale benefiting the Sharpsburg Community Library.
Kids
• Maker Monday (grades K-5): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. every Monday
This program rotates content with some weeks being more arts focused and other weeks being more science focused. Upcoming events include the science of rainbows on March 16, Rachel Carson and nature art on March 23 and spring flower paintings on March 31. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• Little Hands Pre-K Storytime: 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. every Tuesday
This arts-integration storytime will include stories and a hands-on developmentally appropriate art activity. April’s weekly themes: flowers, April 7; shapes, April 14; Earth Day, April 21; and birds, April 28. Register for any session of interest. Registration is required, but drop-ins are accepted as space permits.
• Afterschool art (grades K-5): 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday
Everyone is encouraged to find the joy in creating art in this multimedia art studio. April’s lineup: egg carton bunny portraits, April 1; flower painting with nontraditional paint tools, April 8; poetry illustrations, April 15; Earth Day multimedia mobiles, April 22; and clay bird bowls, April 29. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• Read With Mishka the Therapy Dog (grades Pre-K to 6): 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. April 4 and May 2
Join Mishka, a certified therapy dog, and her handler, Ms. Alejandra, visit the library on the first Saturday of each month. Children will take turns reading aloud to Mishka; all levels of readers are welcome, from those just learning to expert readers. Pre-K children are welcome with an accompanying adult. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
Teens
• Magic the Gathering Commander League: Noon to 1 p.m. second Saturday of the month through May 9
Join former professional Magic the Gathering player Mike Patnik for this Commander League. Beginners and experienced players are welcome. We will have decks available for players to use, but participants are welcome to bring their own decks. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
Adults
• History of Hartwood Acres with Allegheny County Park Rangers: 6 to 7 p.m. April 6
Kick off Earth Month with the Allegheny County Park rangers as they share the history of Hartwood Acres Park, which originally was designed as a county estate for an equestrian family. Registration is required, but drop-ins are welcome as space permits.
• Game Night: 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 13 and May 11
Suffering from board-om? Stop by the library to play our selection of curated board and card games — we’ll vote on what to play at the beginning of the session. If there is a large group, multiple different games may be happening.