The Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh Present: A Winter Wonderland

Title: The Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh Present: A Winter Wonderland

Description:  The Aeolian Winds of Pittsburgh bring your holiday favorites to life to get you into the spirit of the season.  With a combination of traditional and fresh takes on holiday carols and songs you will enjoy the best of Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanza.  You'll hear the sounds of the symphony and big band jazz with the intimacy a chamber music performance can provide.  Performances can be customized to include full performances of the Nutcracker Suite or Sing-along Carols.

Intended Audience: Any

Min/max registration: ??

Price, honorarium, travel costs: $180 (please contact if concerns about cost)

Contact Information: info [at] aeolianwinds.com, 412-407-7350, www.aeolianwinds.com

Length of Program: Approximately 1 hr, longer programs possible.

Press pack

Affordable Care Act Information Sessions and Assistance

The Squirrel Hill Health Center would like to work with libraries to disseminate information and provide assistance regarding the Affordable Health Care Act and the insurance marketplace.

Here is a brief outline of what they are able to provide to libraries--

Info sessions:

• Affordable Care Act - basic overview and how it affects you
• Health insurance and Marketplace basics (includes eligibility information and programs available)

One-on-one assistance with applications and enrollment:

• Reviewing plan options and providing objective info

Tabling with educational materials and providing assistance with inquiries:

• Connecting consumers to appropriate resources

Library staff can feel free to contact Rachael Singer directly to schedule and coordinate events on an individual basis.

Rachael Singer, MSPH

Certified Application Counselor, 

Outreach & Enrollment Coordinator
Squirrel Hill Health Center
(412) 904-5285
RSinger [at] squirrelhillhealthcenter.org

Collaboration with South Hills Art League

Jefferson Hills Public Library Hosts South Hills Art League

In November, Jefferson Hills Public Library hosted a very successful exhibit of local art, partnering with the South Hills Art League.   The exhibit was attended by library goers and art lovers alike, and has great potential for continued programming.

Jane Milner, coordinator of the exhibit and Programs Coordinator for the library, says that she was inspired after seeing jewelry exhibits elsewhere by the South Hills Art League.  She contacted the President of the organization, Anne Trimble, and Trimble was pleased to accept an invitation to exhibit in the library.  The exhibit was open for two weeks, and the Library Living Rooms were the perfect place for an exhibit, offering open space and a comfortable atmosphere. 

Members of the South Hills Art League measured the space, brought materials, and set up the exhibit.  Meanwhile, library staff planned for an opening reception, and got the word out by placing newspaper ads, and reaching out to local churches, senior centers, and other community organizations.  For the opening reception, the library invited artists, members of the public, the local press, and community leaders to join in the celebration.

Over the two-week period that the art was on display, the exhibit brought new faces into the library, and visitors were able to vote on their favorite pieces, several of which were sold.  The program was highly successful, and very cost-effective, requiring very little resources from the library.  Plans are currently underway for a second exhibit, with hopes that the library can continue to reach out in their community through art.

To learn more, contact:

Jane Milner
Programs Coordinator
Jefferson Hills Public Library
milnerj@einetwork.net
412-973-7262

The New Health Care Law, Explained

Title: The New Health Care Law, Explained

Alt. Title: Affordable Care Act 101: What It Is, How It Works, and What It Means for You

Event Description:

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare” as it’s come to be known, sets out to bring real security for working families and small business when it comes to health care by making sure we all have affordable, quality choices and that insurance companies treat us fairly.

But as Open Enrollment begins and we head toward 2014 when many of the major provisions in the law kick in, many folks are still wondering:

What’s this law all about? What does it do to offer coverage to those who don’t have it now? How will it affect the people in my life that I care most about? Will it help me?

Join the Pennsylvania Health Access Network [on X date, time, at X location] to get answers to these important questions, learn about the new law, and understand how to help your friends and family members access the new law's benefits. Help will also be available for seniors, uninsured folks, and small businesses who need support figuring out their options for getting affordable health coverage. 

About PHAN:

The Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN) is a non-profit, non-partisan health care coalition supported by over 60 organizations from across the Commonwealth. PHAN works to protect high quality health insurance coverage for individuals and businesses and expand coverage to the uninsured. 

PHAN is working to help community members understand the new health care law -- what it is, how it works, and how they can access the new benefits and protections it puts in place -- through a series of presentations and events open to the general public, where folks can come to learn about the law, ask questions, and get help with individual health care situations. PHAN works closely with many non-profit and service agencies that connect the uninsured with free or low-cost services, as well as organizations serving seniors who need help sorting out their Medicare choices. PHAN will also be working to connect individuals, families, and small businesses looking for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act with navigators in their communities who can guide folks through the enrollment process. 

Our services are free, and we serve all of Western Pennsylvania. For more information, contact Pennsylvania Health Access Network Education & Outreach Director, Erin Ninehouser at (412) 512-9225 or eninehouser@pahealthaccess.org. 

Minimum/maximum registration: Minimum 10, no maximum (just please let us know if you do expect a large crowd so we bring the appropriate number of materials)

Price, honorarium, travel costs: We don't charge a fee for these presentations.

Contact information: Erin Ninehouser, Education & Outreach Director, PHAN - (412) 512-9225, eninehouser [at] pahealthaccess.org

Length of program: 1 hour (40 minute presentation, 20 minutes for Q&A)

Free Local Book and Author Program for Libraries

Interested in having local authors come and speak at your library?

A Gathering of Authors is a unique book and author series available to local libraries, made possible by Bill and Linda Davis and Word Association Publishers of Tarentum.

This two-hour program features between eight and seventeen authors; each author speaks for approximately five minutes on his/her book, after which there is a question and answer session, followed immediately by complimentary refreshments, book sales (handled by Word Association staff) and book signings. 

Admission is free, however there will be books available for purchase, as well as a raffle that benefits the library.

The Davis/Word Association team promotes the Gathering with a combination of newspaper and radio publicity, limited paid advertising, and posters and flyers throughout the community and in the library. 

One unique aspect of the Gathering is the program they prepare and give each audience member as they enter the seating area.  It provides photos of each author, book synopses, and author biographies.  In addition, it contains a book sell-sheet that makes purchases easy and efficient.

The event is a great combination of author talks and lively interaction between the authors and the audience.  The Gathering has enjoyed audiences of between 60 and 80 people each time it has been presented.

For more information, contact Linda Davis at (724) 681-8650 and/or Word Association/Francine Costello at (800) 827-7903 or by e-mail at                       
cdavis1112 [at] comcast.net

Younger Americans' Reading and Library Habits

In 2011, the Pew Internet & American Life Project conducted research on the reading and library usage habits of individuals between the ages of 16 and 29. The ensuing report comments on the ways in which younger Americans “encounter and consume books in different formats.”

To read more, and to see the complete findings, visit: http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/10/23/younger-americans-reading-and-library-habits/

April 26, 2013 is National Healthcare Decisions Day

The purpose of National Healthcare Decisions Day is to "inspire, educate & empower the public & providers about the importance of advance care planning."

View the flyer or visit their website for more information!

Health Literacy for Older Adults-A Toolkit for Trainers

How can your library help improve older adult health literacy?

The National Institute on Aging presents “free, easy-to-use training materials to help older adults find reliable, up-to-date online health information on their own.” Whether the users have significant computer experience or none at all, this toolkit helps trainers reach out to users of all skill levels.

To get started, follow the link below: http://nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit/toolkit.html.