Fox Chapel library earns federal humanities grant to preserve local family histories

A new program to record the family histories of patrons at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel is meant to build a sense of community and camaraderie.

The library along Fox Chapel Road earned a $10,000 federal humanities grant to pay for the initiative, through which oral histories will be developed into a collection about the people who live in Fox Chapel Area communities.

“Cooper-Siegel will use funds to anchor itself in the community as a strong humanities institution,” Cameron Smith, history librarian, said.

Executive Director Jill McConnell said the grant is aimed at helping libraries recover from the pandemic.

“I’ve been wanting to expand our local history collections and services and thought this would be a great project to help with that,” McConnell said.

Residents age 18 and older interested in the project can attend a local history focus group meeting from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 31 at the library.

Anyone with a story to share about growing up in the Lower Valley, or about daily life, past or present, is welcome.

A similar, virtual meeting will be at 11 a.m. April 2.

Cooper-Siegel is among 200 libraries across the country selected for the competitive grant.

Money for the American Library Association’s (ALA) American Rescue Plan will be made available through the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The grant is expected to help pay for diverse programs related to culture, history, literature, and other humanities subjects.

More than 370 libraries applied for the grant, according to the ALA.

The participating libraries were selected through a peer-reviewed application process. They serve communities ranging in size from 642 residents in Weir, Kansas, to the city of Los Angeles – home to 3.9 million people.

“We plan to use the grant to bridge the gap between the communities we serve,” Smith said.

Cooper-Siegel serves Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel, Indiana Township, O’Hara and Sharpsburg.

“We will record community member stories and host an online platform where anyone can hear them freely and easily,” Smith said.

The stories will be enhanced by digital photos and maps, along with detailed notes provided by the storytellers and local historians.

“Giving people a chance to learn about their neighbors and community in this way will help to build a sense of togetherness that is so strongly needed to thrive,” Smith said.

Patty Wong, ALA president, said libraries have faced significant hardships throughout the pandemic, from budget cuts to staff furloughs to building closures.

“This crucial support from NEH will enable our beloved institutions, and the dedicated people who run them, to rebuild and emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever,” Wong said.