Music, belly dancing among themes for Monroeville Public Library programs

Offerings this month by Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd., include:

• The History of Pittsburgh’s Steps, 7 p.m. Nov. 2, hybrid event.

Did you know Pittsburgh has the largest number of public stairways in the country? Built during the city’s population heyday as a cost-effective measure to move 700,000 people from their homes on the hills to the mills lining the three rivers, city steps offered a free and efficient way to get around.

A talk by Laura Zurowski will provide a historical overview of Pittsburgh’s 900-plus outdoor stairways and the residents who used them, illustrate the various construction styles, and provide an update on how the city is working to preserve them.

• Hooray for Hoagy! The Music of Hoagy Carmichael, 7 p.m. Nov. 9, online.

Tom Roberts of the Hot Club of Pittsburgh will return online with more records from his rare, pristine, shellac-based 78-rpm records. This time, he’ll focus on Hoagy Carmichael (1899-1981), one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s.

Carmichael was among the first singer-songwriters in the age of mass media to use new technologies such as television, electronic microphones and sound recordings. A collaborator with Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke and Johnny Mercer, Carmichael is known for composing music for “Stardust,” “Georgia On My Mind” and “Heart and Soul,” among many others.

• Cybersecurity, 7 p.m. Nov. 14, in person.

Students from Forbes Road Career and Technology Center’s computer networking and security program will return to the library to guide participants in exercises and practice regarding online awareness. They will focus on topics like phishing and passwords, as well as general tips and tricks for navigating the web.

RSVP is preferred, but not required, by visiting www.monroevillelibrary.org or calling 412-372-0500, ext. 122.

• Gadget Class. Do you need help navigating or using your device? Drop in the library’s Gallery Space between 1 and 3 p.m. Nov. 14 and 21. Stop by whether you need specific help or are looking to learn more about your device.

• Jazz Concert with Calvin Stemley, 7 p.m. Nov. 15, in person.

Stemley, who plays clarinet and saxophone, will perform a variety of jazz pieces in the library’s Gallery Space. The event is free and open to the public.

• Classic film showing: “Throne of Blood,” 6 p.m. Nov. 27, in person.

The library’s classic film series seeks to revisit major works of film history, including examples from past eras of Hollywood as well as foreign films.

Directed by famed auteur Akira Kurosawa, “Throne of Blood” is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” A samurai in feudal Japan is offered a prophecy by an evil spirit, which, along with urging by his ambitious wife, leads him to kill his lord.

• Glowforge: An Introduction, 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 28, adult-level class, registration required.

Learn the capabilities of the library’s GlowForge laser cutter/engraver, a tool that cuts wood, paper, plastics, fabric, leather and even chocolate. It can also engrave images on many different materials. You will learn the basics of how the GlowForge works and what it takes to generate your own work, and also have the opportunity to make a customized key-chain.

A class fee of $5 covers material costs. You can pay your lab fee at the front desk before the class or through the library’s website.

• Belly dancing with Amethyst, 7 p.m. Nov. 28, in person.

Amethyst of Pittsburgh Belly Dance will offer a brief lecture on the history and practice of the art form, demonstrate it and lead interested participants in some opening moves. RSVP is required through the library’s website, www.monroevillelibrary.org, or by calling 412-372-0500, ext. 122.