Ken Serfass as President Ulysses S. Grant

Dorene Miller

President Ulysses S. Grant is coming to Penn Area Library on Monday, July 16 at 6:30pm!

Kenneth J. Serfass, gunnery sergeant USMC (ret.) is a first-person impressionist who will portray President Grant. With over 40 years spent studying his self-avowed childhood hero, Serfass is a full-time professional living historian portraying Ulysses S. Grant as both General Grant and President Grant. It is with a profound honor that he tells the story of one of America’s greatest military leaders. Serfass reaffirms Grant’s place of honor among the most respected people of our nation’s history. He will talk about Grant’s legacy and answer questions.

To register please call the library at 724-744-4414, ext. 101.

One Book | One Westmoreland Discussion

Dorene Miller
Our Spring/Summer selection is “Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World” by Laura Spinney.
In this gripping narrative history, Laura Spinney traces the overlooked 1918 influenza pandemic to reveal how the virus traveled across the globe, exposing mankind’s vulnerability and putting our ingenuity to the test. Drawing on the latest research in history, virology, epidemiology, psychology and economics, Pale Rider masterfully recounts the little-known catastrophe that forever changed humanity.
Please register for this book discussion at least two weeks in advance by calling the library at 724-744-4414, ext. 101. A copy of the book will be lent to you by the library.

This special program is made possible through a generous grant from the Westmoreland Library Network.

Sean Gaskell Performing on the Kora

Dorene Miller

On June 25th at 6:00pm, Sean Gaskell will give a performance and educational demonstration on the Kora, an ancient 21-stringed harp from West Africa. He will feature traditional songs that are the heart and soul of the Kora’s musical repertoire, in addition to some of his own personal compositions.

Gaskell has studied extensively under the instruction of Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kuyateh, both of Brikama, Gambia. Gaskell has been featured at numerous festivals in the United States, Gambia, and Senegal.

To register please call the library at 724-744-4414, ext. 101. This program is suitable for adults and older children.

Author Visit with Rich Gazarik

Dorene Miller

Pittsburgh is a hardworking city. And hard workers sometimes enjoy the occasional spirit. So, when Prohibition hit the Steel City, it created a level of violence and corruption residents had never witnessed. Join author Richard Gazarik as he details the shady side of the Steel City during a tumultuous era.

Gazarik is a former reporter for the Tribune-Review and has written several books about historical events in the Pittsburgh area.

Meet the Author with Rebecca Drake

Dorene Miller
Rebecca Drake is a Penn State graduate and an instructor in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction M.F.A. program. Her latest novel, Just Between Us, follows four friends from suburban Sewickley who conspire to cover up a deadly crime. To register please call the library at 724-744-4414, ext. 101.