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Private Pittsburgh foundation donates $50,000 to Northland Foundation to support replacement of the Library's elevator

In December 2006, the Foundation received a grant of $50,000 from a private Pittsburgh Foundation toward replacing and improving parts of the Library’s elevator which was originally installed in 1976. This will add long term reliability and safety to the elevator which is used to transport people and books between the two floors of the Library. The repairs will occur in 2008.

The changes will include new controls and handicap accessibility, a new tank, pump and valve to improve long-term reliability, new wiring, and a new car enclosure and platform to comply with current elevator and fire code requirements.

Bestseller Collection funded for 2008 for an additional $10,000!

The Bestseller Collection that was launched in April has proven to be wildly popular. Books are so quickly gone from the shelves that the Foundation board voted in December to augment funding with an additional $10,000, bringing funding up to $20,000. The program was started with funds donated through the Elizabeth Goodwin Fund at the Pittsburgh Foundation, and donations from NPL cardholders.

Items in this collection are located in a special section on the upper level outside the Book Nook. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis to those who come into the library to pick them up in person. The demand has been overwhelming, and you may only find a few books left at any given time, so check often for your favorites.

You can help the collection to grow by making a gift to the Foundation toward the bestseller collection today! Forms are available on the bestseller collection shelves or by making a donation.

Food for Thought to fund Live Homework Help

The Northland Public Library Foundation and Magoo’s Restaurant on Perry Highway have teamed up to help raise funds to purchase a subscription for Live Homework Help from Tutor.com. Donors (just $2) will be rewarded with a $5 coupon to save money on their next visit to the restaurant. The program is designed to allow any of the 14,000 school-aged children with a Northland Library card to register through the Library website for online access to a live tutor with their homework. Each donation underwrites access for 1 child for a year.

Here’s how the Food For Thought program works:
Anyone making a minimum $2 donation towards the purchase of the Tutor.com program will receive a $5 coupon good on their next visit to Magoo’s. You can make your donation at the checkout or service
desks at the library to receive your discount coupon, or can add it to your bill while dining at Magoo's and receive a coupon good for your next visit! (The coupon is good on purchases of $20 or more, and expires June 30, 2008.)

NPL and Boomer Connections: resources for transforming the second half of life

Funded by the Foundation, Northland Library is presenting a series of workshops and trainings, supplemented with book lists, and social get-togethers where Boomers can discover a variety of ways to volunteer, pursue civic engagement, re-career and find employment, as well as to engage in lifelong learning, embark on healthy lifestyles and enjoy social connections.

Right now, more than 76 million baby boomers are turning 50 or 60 and beginning to transition to the next phase of their lives. The future will look very different from the retirement years of their parents and grandparents. Today, boomers are looking at a 25 year life stage beyond midlife. The question is: What are they going to do with that time?

Boomers and Caregiving

When people hear "caregiver," they often think only of professional caregivers – nurses, nursing assistants, and home health aides. In fact, most caregivers are family members or friends. Caregivers are anyone who gives assistance to another adult who is ill, disabled, or needs some help. Starting in mid-February 2008, Boomer Connections will offer six bi-weekly presentations on Thursday evenings especially for boomers serving as caregivers.

LifeLinks for Family Caregivers is designed to meet the increasing demands for information on eldercare by providing information on the services and resources that are available in the community. LifeLinks for Family Caregivers is an educational outreach program to assist family caregivers by providing information on aging, caregiver issues and available resources within Allegheny County. Information is also available for long distance caregiving.

This program is targeted to:

  • Those currently caring for a loved one,
  • Those anticipating that responsibility in the future, and
  • Older adults themselves.

Each presentation has been designed to address a major area of concern:

  • Caring for your loved one and yourself
  • Keeping your loved one safe at home
  • Healthy aging
  • Living options
  • Legal issues
  • Community and medical resources

    This program is brought to you by ACLA in partnership with LifeSpan, a non-profit agency that initiates and monitors the delivery of supportive services necessary for older adults to remain safely in their own homes.

No registration is required for this program. For more information please contact Library Adult Services staffer Jane Jubb at 412-366-8100, extension 113, or by email at jubbj@einetwork.net.

Northland Foundation is actively raising funds to support programs, trainings and resources to support boomers in our community. If you would like to help support this program, please make a donation.