Puppets for Pages | Raising awareness about Pittsburgh's endangered libraries, one puppet show at a time.

Lawrenceville this Saturday

By Flora | Published: November 17, 2009

Puppets for Pages is visiting the Lawrenceville library this Saturday from noon to 3pm. Come enjoy puppet-making activities for all ages and a free puppet show at 1:30pm.

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Beechview Visit

By Flora | Published: November 17, 2009

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.
–Jorge Luis Borges

Saturday was yet another beautiful day for a puppet show. We arrived at Beechview during a Book Sale and amidst preparations for the Library Trustees’ bus tour scheduled for the day.

Amazing children’s librarian Tina set us up in the Children’s section, which takes up the whole basement floor. The space is wonderfully bright and cheery. She even had arranged a display of books on Puppets complete with one on New Orleans, in honor of Flora’s hometown!

Very soon, everyone was happily making puppets together. There was an animal theme to the creativity that day, and Katrina capitalized on my love of puns to keep me laughing throughout the workshop.

This time, I performed three different hand puppet stories: the Little Red Hen, the Boy Who Cried Wolf and Jack and the Beanstalk. A highlight for me came when Jack asked the audience what else he could do besides play tricks on the townspeople. One child yelled out, “READ A BOOK!” In response, throughout the rest of the story, Jack kept saying “If only my library were still open and I could borrow a book, then I wouldn’t have to keep crying WOLF to keep from getting bored!”

After my performance, I adjusted my stage to be kid-sized again and coached everyone for a chance to do their own puppet shows. The children’s section remained a flurry of activity as the young troupes rushed to finish final props and characters for their stories.

Katrina and I had to leave before the library trustees arrived for their Beechview visit. But, we were lucky enough to see the display Pretty Up Beechview constructed for them. These are letters written by children to the trustees strung up around the library. The effect was extremely touching and, once again, cemented the importance of each and every library in my heart. The rest of our photos are available at our flickr account here. Thanks, Beechview!

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Only two library trustees attended Tuesday’s bus tour

By Flora | Published: November 17, 2009

Only two — TWO — of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s 43-member board of trustees bothered to attend a tour of libraries scheduled to close or to be merged in the new year. The Saturday tour was organized by state Rep. Chelsa Wagner, D-Beechview. A library spokeswoman said the board at large did not feel the tour would help to find long-term solutions to the system’s funding challenges. The board should be welcoming any and all input. Such arrogance is not acceptable.

via the Pittsburgh Tribune, here

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About the Beechview Library

By Flora | Published: November 16, 2009

We had another beautiful, fun Saturday at Beechview. A more in-depth photo post is in the works. In the meantime, the wonderful Beechview children’s librarian, Tina, has provided the following information about her library. ..

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh at Beechview opened 42 years ago on the site of the former Beth El Synagogue. It replaced a Bookmobile service that ran only on Fridays and made three stops in the community. It lies along the route of a trolley line that began in 1904 making it accessible to many parts of the community through public transportation. The library also serves many walk-ins, and a middle school bus stops across the street from it.

Near to the library are two of the community’s three senior residential complexes. One of the most popular adult programs at the library is a monthly meeting of PALS, a book discussion group for people 65 years of age and older. Author visits, Laughter Yoga, a Writers’ Group, computer classes, and knitting sessions are a sample of other adult programming offered.

The library has a lively history of traditions for children including annual chess classes, storytimes, bingos, an annual talent show, a summer reading contest that celebrates the creativity of its children, gingerbread house making, holiday and book-centered programs and much more. Teen programming includes gaming, teen meetings, a monthly book discussion, movies, crafts and more.

The library also brings programs to Beechwood Elementary, Banksville Elementary, South Hills Middle, Crafton Children’s Center and Family Links. Teen volunteers are an integral part of our programs as well as. Homeschoolers find a home base to socialize and gain confidence. Over 5,000 children and teens are reached by Beechview Library during the school year.

Beechview’s Friends of the Library began in 1986 and has done a wonderful job raising money through book, flower sales and more. They have supplied the library with a refrigerator, microwave, furniture and especially generous funding for programs.

Pretty Up Beechview and Pretty Up Beechview Jr. is our newest group of advocates and users. Pretty Up Beechview brought 20-30 children every week for programming during the summer. They also meet at the library for occasions when the school is closed. They have run a hot chocolate stand to raise money for the library – even in the rain – and have supported us in a myriad of other ways.

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Beechview tomorrow!

By Flora | Published: November 13, 2009

Tomorrow, Puppets for Pages goes to Beechview. We’ll be performing and crafting with local children on the same day as the branch’s Book Sale. I hear that Katrina’s car’s suspension is already trembling at the thought of all the books we might bring back. What a great two-for-one. Hope to see you there!

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West End Weekend

By Flora | Published: November 13, 2009

“No man has a right to bring up children without surrounding them with books…. Children learn to read by being in the presence of books.“ — Horace Mann

The weather could not have been more beautiful last Saturday for the Puppets for Pages visit to the West End library. When we walked up the steps, we were greeted with bunches of balloons at the door and even a rented popcorn machine outside! There is a playground next to the West End library and things could not have looked more idyllic. Librarians Jim and Chris organized a wonderful set-up with a strong political presence.

This time, instead of Halloween-inspired shadow puppets, I brought supplies for the young West End artists to make simple rod puppets. I even set up one of my hand puppet stages so it was kid-sized to allow impromptu performances.
Everyone took a break from crafting to enjoy local puppeteer Joann Kielar’s performance in the basement of the library. I especially enjoyed her version of the classic tale “The Fisherman and his Wife.” My parents do their own Louisiana version of the story that also features a pink house. Seeing Joann’s version really warmed my heart. Here’s Joann with two of her frog friends:

We were so excited to see State Representative Dan Deasy (27th District), State Representative Chelsa Wagner (22nd District), and City Councilperson Theresa Kail-Smith (District 2) all gathered on the steps of the library with concerned citizens to celebrate the West End library.

Even the kids wanted to chime in on the importance of the library. I had so much fun making signs and waving at cars with these two!

In short, we had a blast. Katrina and I even had enough time to make some silly puppets of each other and play with them in my stage. Hers is a cowgirl with an “I heart Oregon” hat and mine has pigtails, a puppet and a library book. Two mirror images! You can view the rest of our photos on our flickr account, here. Thanks, West End library, for a great day. I really hope you stay open.

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Library Official Tour

By Flora | Published: November 13, 2009

“Two forces are succesfully influencing the education of a cultivated man: art and science. Both are united in the book. ” — Maksim Gorky

This is another repost from the Save the Libraries, 15201 Facebook page.

Tomorrow, Sat., 11/14, Library board members will make 20 min. visits to branches slated for closure:
Lawrenceville – 12:30
Hazelwood – 1:20
Knoxville – 1:55
Carrick – 2:20
Mt. Wash. – 2:50
West End – 3:20
Beechview – 3:50

Please be at your branch, to share your thoughts on why your neighborhood needs the library.

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Officials call to keep libraries open.

By Flora | Published: November 13, 2009

‘State Rep. Chelsa Wagner, D-Mount Washington, said there’s a “disconnect” between the library board of trustees and library users. “Ninety-five percent of their annual operating funds are public funds. There has to be some system where they have to respond to the public.”‘

Read more of the Post Gazette coverage here.

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Family Finale Preview

By Flora | Published: November 11, 2009

This week, my puppeteer friend, the incomparable Chris de Ville, visited me on his way to California. Here’s a picture of him with my good friend at the dinner party I threw in his honor in my apartment:
I met Chris when we were both on tour with Basil Twist in Argentina. Chris co-designed the show we were working on, called Symphonie Fantastique. It’s cutting edge underwater puppetry. You can learn more about it here. Yes, puppets underwater. I did some underwater puppetry at my last Puppets and Pierogis’ adult cabaret, but what I did was nothing like Symphonie. That show is incredible and a must-see if they ever take it back on tour.

Naturally, over coffee one morning, we began talking about our puppet work. Soon, Chris was helping me brainstorm ideas to make the Puppets for Pages Finale Event especially memorable. I am now even MORE excited about our work because I know the pageantry that’s coming at the Union Project, Sunday December 6th. I don’t want to give too much away. But I will say that our conversation was hugely inspired by the work of pageant puppetry company extraordinaries such as In the Heart of the Beast, Bread and Puppet, Sprial Q and Superior Concept Monsters (who do, among other things, the NYC Village Halloween Parade).

Thanks, Chris, for an awesome visit and truly inspiring ideas. Safe travels to Los Angeles and break a finger in the LA premiere of another of Basil’s shows, Arias with a Twist!

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Save the Libraries Rally: Today!

By Flora | Published: November 11, 2009

“The reflections and histories of men and women throughout the world are contained in books…. America’s greatness is not only recorded in books, but it is also dependent upon each and every citizen being able to utilize public libraries. ” — Terence Cooke

SAVE THE LIBRARIES RALLY!
WHERE: Main Carnegie Library on Forbes in Oakland
WHEN: TODAY, Wednesday, November 11 1pm Please bring signs and your library cards to raise up in unison as a silent show of support for ALL of our community libraries. Please invite friends, family and neighbors to join us.

I found this information via Gloria Forouzan’s Save the Libraries, 15201 page on Facebook here. I highly recommend that you become a fan and follow their updates! Thank you to everyone who’s worked to make this happen! Kat and I can’t make it out today, but we are there in spirit!

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