Northland Public Library History

1950

1955

First Documentation of effort to create a public library in the North Hills area

1960

1967

Dale Craig is appointed first director

1967-1969

$180,000 Federal Grant is used to purchase books, furniture and shelving

1967-1968 

Northland Public Library comes into existence

Oct. 6, 1968

Northland Public Library opens at location on Three Degree Road, with 16,000 volumes housed in 10,000 square feet, with 7 staff members
 

1969

First book sale

1970

Aug.1971

Laura Shelley is appointed second director

1973  

50,716 volumes, 35,469 library card holders, 307,704 circulations

Feb. 1973

First annual chess tournament

Summer 1973

1,947 kids participated in NPL Summer Reading Program

Nov. 1973

Northland removes 5 book limit (Non-fiction limit of 3 books per subject still in effect)

Jun. 1976

Air-conditioning is added

Aug 3, 1977

Ground breaking at Cumberland Road location

1978

In 10 years the library collection grew from 16,000 volumes to 75,000.  Current location (Three Degree Road) has space for 45,000 volumes

Mar. 1978

Computerization of library functions begins

Jun. 1978

Registration of patrons for new bar-coded library cards

Oct 6,1978

Northland Public Library opens at 300 Cumberland Road, 30,000 square feet and begins using automated computer system ULISYS
 

Oct. 1978

Library adds 30 prints to start a circulating Framed Art Collection

Nov.1978

Paddington Bear arrives at Northland – he’s still here

May 1979

Began circulating cassettes for 1 week

July 1979

Where the Wild Things Are mural is created by Cecilia Kretz in the children’s department

Sept. 1979

Started Official volunteer program with a Volunteer Coordinator hired

1980

Sept. 1980

Books by Mail program is started

Apr. 1981

Affiliation with sister library in Japan, Tama-shi

June 1981

Pattern Exchange Club begins

Jan. 1983

Installed our 1^st coin-operated Apple II computer with 2 disk drives a color monitor and a dot matrix printer

1984

Addition of a TTY unit (telephone unit for the deaf) – through a gift from North Boroughs Rotary

1984

Northland Public Library receives the Distinguished Service Award from the North Hills Jaycees.

Feb. 1985

Micro Computer Center opens

1985 

Northland Public Library Foundation is created, Northland Public Library Advocates group is created

1985

93,000 volumes, Accounting is automated and first office computers are added

1987

Compact Disc collection is started

Jun. 1989

Marshall Township joins Northland Public Library

Nov. 1989

First annual Wintertide community event

1990

1991

Addition of 2 MacIntosh computers to Public Microcomputer Center (through a foundation grant from USX) 

Sept. 1991

Dial-A-Story line inception

Apr. 1992

Birthday Book Club is started

Aug. 1992

Information centers are added and expanded

June 1998

Sandra Collins is appointed 3^rd director

2000

Summer 2001

-First Three Rivers Storytelling Festival

-Internet access is provided for patrons

-Wireless internet access is provided for patrons
 

Sep. 6, 2002

Northland Public Library institutes Bookmobile service at the Marshall Middle School and the Ross Township community Center. 

Aug. 2003

Library is relocated to Northway Mall during renovation project

Aug. 2, 2004

Library re-opens after renovation project

Fall, 2004

RFID technology is used for circulation

2005

Provides access to downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks via personal computers

Oct. 2005

Northland library catalog is integrated with the Allegheny County EiNetwork catalog

Apr. 2007

Northland starts Best Seller Collection (through a gift from the Northland Public Library Foundation)

May 2008

Blu-Ray DVDs are made available at Northland

June 2008

Northland’s total item count reaches 200,780 items

Sep. 2008

Offers the Northland Library Tutor program to provide online homework help as well as resume and business writing assistance 

2009

Begins circulating ebooks for ebook readers

June 5, 2009

Ingomar Garden Club dedication of Blue-Star Memorial Marker

Fall 2010

Receives Family Place grant and working towards official Family Place designation

Summer

2011

Northland Historical Image collection debuts on Historic Pittsburgh website

Dec. 2011

Begins circulating Wii video games