Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Bradford Area Public Library has started a new chapter and everyone is invited to see what it's all about. A meet and greet reception for Guy Bennett, BAPL's new executive director, will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday the library. Light appetizers will be provided by the Women's Literary Guild. Bennett came on board on Sept. 19 and hails from Olean, N.Y. Ed Pecht had been the interim director after the departure of Tamara McIntyre. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By SANDRA RHODES Activities that appeal to all ages are on tap for this year’s National Library Week at the Bradford Area Public Library. Tapping on the theme “Communities Matter,” the BAPL is gearing up for a week of exciting activities that run from April 14-April 20. “We are very excited to be offering these events to the community,” said Ed Pecht, president and chief executive officer of the Library. “We want to celebrate what the Library has to offer all our patrons.” Some of the featured happenings at the Library have an emphasis on art. There will be a display of art done by students from CARE for Children. Bradford Little Theater will also display the entries from their recent art contest. Sandy Caparotta will lead a Kids Intro to Art Class 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Library. Preschool Story Hour is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 19. Throughout the week, accumulated artwork from the Library will be sold. With the wide variety of artwork available, there is something fo...

Tamara McIntyre has been named as the new director of the Bradford Area Public Library. She will start her job on November 7. McIntyre replaces Linda Newman, who retired in September. For the first month, McIntyre will work with interim director Ed Pecht, who temporarily resigned from the library's board of directors to fill in between the time Newman left and a new director was hired.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director The Bradford Area Public Library will have to come up with creative ways to raise money. That’s according to Ed Pecht, treasurer of the library’s board of trustees, which held its annual meeting Monday evening. Pecht explained that 85 percent of the library’s funding comes from government agencies – the state, city, Bradford Area School District, Bradford, Foster and Lafayette townships and Lewis Run Borough. But funding from the state – the biggest supporter – has dropped by 29 percent, which he said is devastating. All together, funding has dropped off by 39 percent. He explained that library got a technology grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, federal grant money for implementation of the One Screen McKean project, which tied all the McKean County libraries together, as well as other restricted-use grants. That money was substantial, he said, explaining that by using that money other money was freed up. But that money is not ava...