August 31 is the last day to submit your completed passport for a prize
After two years, ACLA’s Library Road Trip program is concluding at the end of the summer. While some may joke that Pittsburghers don’t like crossing rivers, that’s clearly not true of library patrons! Since the program launched in July 2023, library patrons have had their passports stamped at different library locations nearly 800 times. Ten library patrons completed their full passports, visiting all 52 county library locations along the way.
“As much as I love my home library, Swissvale, it’s always exciting to go visit another one I’ve never been to before,” said Carnegie Free Library of Swissvale patron Cece Caro. “There is always something special about each one. I’ve been meaning to visit them all eventually ever since I was a kid, and the ACLA Road Trip was a great motivator to kick this off my bucket list! I got to travel around the whole county and see both communities I was unfamiliar with and the libraries that served them, along with the awesome things they’re doing. Every library, big and small, had something different to offer. Daytrips to visit a bunch of libraries at once were the high point of my summer!”
The Road Trip program highlighted the wide diversity of libraries that make up the Allegheny County Library Association. From big to small, from urban to rural, each of the 52 library locations on the passport is uniquely suited to serve its patrons and community. The Road Trip program gave libraries an opportunity to showcase their unique collections, including local history, Library of Things, play spaces, maker spaces, and more. With so many historic libraries in the county — some even dating back more than 150 years — the Road Trip was packed with beautiful architecture.
“We’re proud to have visited all 52 libraries, but also sad to have reached the end of the program,” said Mt. Lebanon Public Library patrons Genevieve and Judy Williams. “We tried to find something unique about each location, took lots of photos, and hope to create a scrapbook of our journey.”
Although everyone’s favorite librarians are at their own local library, patrons who completed the road trip valued the opportunity to meet and talk with library staff along the way.
“In some locations, we were able to have a longer conversation with the librarian or staff member, which was another lovely part of the experience,” said Genevieve and Judy. “Exploring new communities and traveling on roads we had never been to before was also a bonus. It really expanded our knowledge of the neighborhoods and geography of Allegheny County, and made us grateful for ACLA and other organizations that have such a positive impact on our lives.”
There’s still time to complete your passport! August 31 is the last day to submit your completed passport for a prize. Each library offers something different to their community. You never know what you might discover!
Special thanks to Spark Books for partnering with ACLA to provide prizes.
Library Road Trip Odometer
- 774 total passport stamps
- 10 patrons completed the entire passport and visited all 52 county library locations
- 26 patrons completed at least one region and the South region was completed the most times.
- Patrons from 17 libraries participated, with Mt. Lebanon Public Library patrons participating the most often