Vision, Mission, Core Values and History
Customer Focus - The primary goal is to serve every Patron with prompt, friendly, quality service.
Excellence - Strive for excellence through expertise and creativity.
Teamwork - Foster a team environment for the contributions of the Board, Director, Staff, Volunteers and Friends.
Respect - Treat everyone with mutual respect and dignity.
Information - Provide equitable community access to information through technology.
Literacy - Acknowledge the importance and foster an informed and literate community.
Lifelong Learning - Provide resources and services that contribute to lifelong learning.
Diversity - Embrace the diversity of the community through materials selection, programs, services and a handicap
accessible facility.
Community - Provide a community center for cultural programs, leisure activities and exhibitions.
Collaboration - Foster partnerships and expand opportunities to provide more effective and efficient delivery of
materials, services and programs.
History
The first library in Penn Hills was a Carnegie Facility, located in the North Bessemer neighborhood and demolished in the late 1950s to make room for housing railroad employees. Sparked by a campaign by local clubs, the Penn Hills Municipality adopted a Library Ordinance in 1963 that established a Library Board and gave it the power to raise funds for a library. In 1966, a temporary site was rented in the basement level of Chestnut Plaza Shopping Center. Five years later, ground was broken in September 1971, for the construction of a new library facility funded by the Municipality of Penn Hills ($100,000), the Authority for Improvement of Municipalities (AIM)($100,000) through the Allegheny County Commissioners and a fund-raising campaign ($65,000). In 1972, this library building was completed, dedicated and opened to the public. This library began to run out of space in the nineties and various fund raising campaigns were explored. William E. Anderson of Penn Hills donated the land and a substantial monetary gift. Other fundraising brought in the money to build the new library. This library has been named the William E. Anderson Library of Penn Hills and is located at 1037 Stotler Road (corner of Stotler and Saltsburg Roads). The library held its grand opening on October 1, 2007.