Summer isn’t just for the kids you know! Partake in special programming and activities, experience kits, reading challenges, plus a party to start the summer in style at Northern Tier Regional Library. We’ll also have our regularly scheduled programming throughout the summer too. 

Don’t forget you can log your activity and reading with Beanstack to be entered into our prize giveaways. Click here for more information about Beanstack and how to turn your summer learning into prizes.

Register for programs on our library calendar webpage here

View the online edition of the library summer newsletter here

Track reading and activities for raffle tickets using Beanstack here

Monday, June 16th @ 6:30PM – 8:30PM 

Knit or crochet a hat, scarf, or both for someone in our community. These items will be collected throughout the summer into September when we’ll have a box set up in the lobby by the KnitHope organization. KnitHope is an organization in the Pittsburgh area that distributes handmade knits to those in need. For more information about this organization, please check out their website at www.knithope.org. Registration is requested.

Monday, July 21st @ 6:30PM – 8:30PM 

Show off your handmade items for KnitHope! Place your completed project in a Ziploc bag with a label that states whether it is adult, or child sized, and our group’s name: Knit Lit at Northern Tier Regional Library. If you haven’t finished yet, don’t worry! We’ll be collecting items until Friday, September 26. Registration is requested.

Tuesdays @ 10:00AM

Have you ever wanted to try a new hobby, but it felt too intimidating to start on your own? The idea behind this group that will meet this summer is the spirit of trying new things! Some sessions require a fee to help cover material costs which can be paid for in person before the event. This program is ages 13 and up, and registration is required.

June 10:  Texture Art  ($5 fee)

Repurpose an old painting using plaster to create your own new masterpiece.  

June 17:  Tea Ceremony

Learn the basics about different types of tea, teaware and tea ceremonies, sample a variety of kinds. 

June 24:  Shadow Box & Paper Art

Henri Matisse was always fascinated by colors. He spent many years painting with a paintbrush. But as he got older, he tried a new kind of art: the paper cut-out! To try something new, he took brightly painted papers, cut them into shapes, and arranged them in designs. Try your hand at what Matisse called “painting with scissors.” 

July 1:  Mindful Art

Mindful art is a creative form of meditation. Applying the benefits of mindfulness to artistic endeavors enables us to explore emotions and thoughts in a calm, gentle and fun way. 

July 8:  Pet Illustration

Bring a picture of your furry friend or favorite animal and we will create a pop art version of them.  

July 15:  Floral Hoop  ($5 fee)

Practice your floral skills with this simple floral hoop decoration!  

July 22:  Origami

Learn the basics of origami, a simple hobby, all you need is a piece of paper!  

July 29:  Calligraphy

Learn the basics of calligraphy.  

Tuesdays @ 8:30AM at the Pine Community Center

The library is excited to announce our new summer walking club! On Tuesday mornings, we’ll gather near the book drop at the entrance to the Pine Township Community Center. From there, we’ll take a leisurely stroll around the park talking about life, literature, and the pursuit of happiness. No registration required.

Wednesdays @ 6:30PM

Adult programming—including book clubs, diamond painting & embroidery—will be offered as in-person programming and take-home activities on Wednesdays.

Wednesday, June 11 @ 6:30 to 8:30 PM:  Bridget’s Book Club

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. That’s where she becomes acquainted with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium who ends up helping her discover what happened to her eighteen-year-old son who mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Join us for a discussion about Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Registration is requested.

Wednesday, June 18, lobby pickup after 12:00 PM:  Bargello Take-Home Kit

Make a bargello bookmark with some yarn and plastic canvas in this take-home kit. This craft kit is intended for teens and adults, but all ages are welcome to register. Registration is required by Monday, June 16 to account for supplies.

Wednesday, June 25 @ 6:30 to 8:30 PM:  Diamond Art Magnets

Try a new craft! Bling out your fridge with a plant or animal magnet made with colorful “diamonds” (tiny resin rhinestones) that are placed on a pre-printed adhesive design. Supplies are limited so registration is required in advance. This program is for ages 13 and up.

Wednesday, July 2, lobby pickup after 12:00 PM:  Coloring Page Take-Home Kit

Mindful coloring helps you focus on the present moment to reduce stress and anxiety. Register for one of our take-home coloring kits that can be picked up inside our lobby on Wednesday, July 2. Registration is required to account for supplies.

Wednesday, July 9 @ 6:30 to 8:30 PM:  Bridget’s Book Club

Back in high school, everybody thought Shiloh and Cary would end up together… everybody but Shiloh and Cary. They were just best friends and promised each other that their friendship would never change. Fast forward fourteen years and the two have fallen out of touch with very different lives when the two meet up at an old friend’s wedding. Slow Dance is the story of second chance love. Join us for a discussion about Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell. Registration is required.

Wednesday, July 16 @ 6:30 to 8:30 PM:  Paper Book Vase

Repurpose an old book by folding the pages to make a vase. Then learn how to make paper flowers to put in your vase. Registration is required in advance to account for supplies. This program is for ages 13 and up.

Wednesday, July 23, lobby pickup after 12:00 PM:  Embroidery Take-Home Kit

Pick up an embroidery kit in the lobby. There are two options, one is a more challenging floral pattern while the other is a simpler tiny terrarium, so please choose which option you’d like when you register. There is a limit of one kit per family, so please register in advance by Monday July 21, so we can account for supplies. Pickup will be after 12 PM on Wednesday, July 23.

Wednesday, July 30 @ 6:30 to 8:30 PM:  Watercolor Art

Use watercolor paints and tape to make an abstract art piece. No skills required. This program is for older teens and adults, ages 13 and up.

Friday, July 18 @ 5:30PM – 7:30PM

Come and enjoy a variety of beer styles while admiring the different colorations that beer can have. These selections will be paired with a colorful variety of cheeses, breads, spreads, and pickles. Registration is required by July 7. A minimum attendance of 16 people is needed to hold the program. Must be at least 21 years old to attend. $40 fee per person, commemorative beer glass included! 

!This summer, some of Pittsburgh’s favorite attractions will offer more than 100,000 free admissions this summer through RADPass. All you need is an Allegheny County library card and a reservation made on radpass.org to take advantage. Note: Cardholders living in other counties are limited to which passes they can get of those listed below. 

Available attractions include:

• The Andy Warhol Museum
• Carnegie Museum of Art
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History
• Carnegie Science Center
• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
• The Frick Pittsburgh
• Mattress Factory
• National Aviary
• Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
• Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
• Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
• Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum
• …….. and more! 

Ticket offers from many of Pittsburgh’s favorite attractions will begin to appear on radpass.org starting May 1, and reservations can be made starting May 15. During the run of RAD Summer Staycation through the end of August, these attractions will provide more than 100,000 free tickets.

Northern Tier Library has partnered with the Heinz Center Affiliates Program and other Allegheny County libraries to offer free admission for up to two adults and six children (under 18) to a number of museums and historical sites around Pittsburgh.

Experience kits are passes that can be checked out for one week at a time beginning June 1. Passes must be returned to Northern Tier Library.

This year’s sites include:

• Heinz History Center (+Fort Pitt Museum & Meadowcroft)
• Historic Harmony
• William Vicary Mansion
• Historic Fort Steuben
• Gibson House Manor
• Duncan & Miller Glass Museum
• Bushy Run Battlefield
• Depreciation Lands Museum

Be on the lookout for additional virtual programs held throughout the summer with our experience kit partners!

For more specific information such as the operating hours at these locations, please visit https://aclalibraries.org/experience-kits/

Visit a museum and enter to win a prize!
Each time you visit a museum site using an Experience Kit, you can enter to win our grand prize! Complete the raffle entry form here for each site you have visited by October 31, 2025. 

Complete six tasks on your bookmark, and receive a free book coupon for our Book
Sale. Complete the whole bookmark, and we will add a book to the library’s collection in your honor!

Turn in your bookmark by the last day of the Summer Learning Program for credit.