Road Map:: Brookline, Whitehall, Baldwin, and Pleasant Hills Libraries

More library jumpy pictures! This is the first batch of the month, all taken during April Fool's Day while we were in search of the ideal external hard drive for my laptop.

a) Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: Brookline
Pittsburgh, PA (04.01.08)

Unfortunately, we didn't have quarters for parking, so my husband stayed outside in the car while I perused the inside of this modern and adorable library. Hence, there's only one picture of this fabulous branch, though I do intend to go back soon. The children's department in particular was quite spacious, colorful, and accessible.

Brookline Library + renovations = Work it, lib!

Our quest to a nearby Circuit City was easily sidetracked here. I normally like to do 3 libraries in one outing but this trip took us to 4. Yeah, baby! You know that when we see that library sign on the road, we're *definitely* pulling over-- provided that there is still enough natural light to take a picture.

b) Whitehall Public Library
Pittsburgh, PA (04.01.08)

This is a district library that definitely had a welcoming feel. The coolest thing I noticed here was a flyer for a tea party. A very merry un-birthday to all! I'd love to do something like that eventually.

What do you think about this library's decorations, as seen in this pic? I was definitely impressed by them, because they seem inexpensive, fun to make, and like several people contributed to creating them.

What a fabulous way for patrons to leave a part of themselves at the library!

c) Baldwin Borough Public Library
Pittsburgh, PA (04.01.08)

Again, the loopy drive around South Hills led us to this library, which has one of the coolest locations of any library I've ever visited. It's right on top of a hill (sweet!), and it's in a magistrate's office that definitely has a '50s high school, Back to the Future feel. I'd already met the teen librarian there at the Teen Summer Reading seminar.

The YA fiction section was small but I totally dig the red furniture. This is one of those libraries that proves that it is possible to:

a) do what you can with the space you have, and

b) still have it look awesome.

d) Pleasant Hills Public Library
Pittsburgh, PA (04.01.08)

This is another library that tries hard to do the best with what it has. Upon entering, the staff worker asked me if I needed help finding anything in particular. She explained that items can easily be ordered if I didn't find what I was looking for.

This is rare and way cool! That way, patrons know exactly what their options are. I know that some people don't like to wait for items, so they don't take advantage of this service. Still... Knowledge is powah.

Speaking of powah...

After we left Pleasant Hills, we finally made it to Circuit City, where we got a large external hard drive for less than half of the marked price. ("Apparently, this one's on sale!") It could have been a coincidence...

... Then again, it could also have been the powah of da library!

*Freaky Twilight Zone music in the background*