Ambridge Connection
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Social Media
  • Calendar
  • Eat Local
  • Jobs & Real Estate
  • Government
  • Contact Us
  • BTW
  • Roadmap Conference
  • New Page
  • 2017 Primary
  • GIVE BACK
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Social Media
  • Calendar
  • Eat Local
  • Jobs & Real Estate
  • Government
  • Contact Us
  • BTW
  • Roadmap Conference
  • New Page
  • 2017 Primary
  • GIVE BACK

​

Love your Library: Laughlin Memorial to Celebrate 85 Years

2/17/2014

Comments

 
PictureEmilee Waldo holds the architect's original rendering.
Emilee Waldo hit the ground running as the new director of Laughlin Memorial Library. 

And for Waldo, this is a great year to be a part of the team as the library marks 85 years in Ambridge. 

Event planning is underway to celebrate the anniversary, which falls on July 6, just days after the nation's birthday.

Picture
An open house reception will take place later this year. In the meantime, patrons are being encouraged to write their memories on index cards and leave them in a box near the library's front desk.

Waldo has also been working to gather photos and other information that demonstrates how the library has changed from 1929 through now. 

It’s only been three months since mid-October, when Waldo took on the role as library director and she’s put her sights on attracting more patrons. 

Waldo said she feels that a lot of people don’t take advantage of the library, for whatever reason. Her hope is to offer more programs that entice these people to come inside.

“It’s such a beautiful building. I’d really like for it to be a point of pride for Ambridge," Waldo said. "Not many communities are lucky enough to have something like this.”

At 17 years old, Waldo joined the Pennsylvania National Guard and served for more than 13 years. She missed a year of undergraduate studies to go to Saudi Arabia in 2002. Her job was to monitor a no-fly zone. 

While in the Middle East, Waldo worked in the video store and ran the little library and computer they had. She eventually earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in library information science.

Waldo was previously the children’s librarian in Beaver and came to Ambridge full of ideas.  On Saturday, the first “Authors in Ambridge”event—a brainchild of Waldo's—was a hit with about 20 people in attendance. She hopes to have three to four at the library each year.

“If anybody knows any local authors who would be willing to come and talk, we’d really love to have them," she said. "There really are a lot of local authors. I never realized how many until I started working here.” 

Waldo said libraries are evolving, and Ambridge is no different. 

Besides checking out books, patrons can get free basic computer lessons, join book discussions and writing groups, or participate in various children's activities. 

Non-profits can meet in the library auditorium for free and researchers doing genealogy, property and other topic searches can find a collection of local, county and state archives stored in the smaller Pennsylvania Room. 

More programs are also in the works for children and teens. Waldo wants to get a Lego Club going, but needs more blocks to be donated.  In the summer, the library plans to get more teens involved with programming such as teen trivia and a tie-dye session.  

Waldo said the library can draw many ideas from the state's “PA Forward Initiative,” a program that focuses on providing resources in health, financial literacy and other areas. 

“I want this to be a community hub, not just ‘oh that place has books in it. I’m not going there,’” Waldo said. “In this day and age, that’s just a battle that librarians face.” 

Like Ambridge Connection on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. 

Love Your Library
February is “Love Your Library” month. To support the library, patrons can buy a cut-out hand for $1 and have their names posted on the wall. 

 What are your best memories of the library? Stop by and fill out a Laughlin Memorial Memories form or email ewaldo @ beaverlibraries.org

Laughlin Library is searching for creative, friendly, and motivated citizens of Ambridge to help start a “Friends of the Library” fundraising group. Call 724-266-3857 for details. 
Print Friendly and PDF
Comments
    Picture
    Picture

    AC TEAM

    Larissa Dudkiewicz
    Alan Freed
    Felicia Mycyk
    ​
    Ryan Donnelly 


    ​Community Outreach 
    Felicia Mycyk 

    ​

    Picture

    Archives

    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

_Home I  Disclaimer  I  Privacy  I  Contact Us  l  Advertise  l Donations I Live events
Copyright © 2013- 2017  Ambridge Connection. All Rights Reserved
​Website: Business Liaison
Copyright @ 2018 Business Liaison
Photos used under Creative Commons from garryknight, Predi, erix!, klestaaaaaa, Ravi_Shah, Baugher Webmaster Services, angeloangelo, antonekom, www.tOrange.biz, Fort Meade, Ruben™, mosaic36, janetmck, Sister72, Beverly & Pack, JeepersMedia, torbakhopper, Purple Sherbet Photography, soaringbird, clevercupcakes, slgckgc, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, stillriverside, JalilArfaoui, kennethkonica, Cláudia*~Assad, StockMonkeys.com, KathrynW1, slgckgc, amslerPIX, SonnyVisions Photography, Steven Vance, USDAgov, Accretion Disc, brizzle born and bred, ThoseGuys119, scoop1942, peasap, Vox Efx, blakespot, US Department of Education, StockMonkeys.com, SpecMode, steakpinball, menegue