Mt. Lebanon Public Library
🏢 Allegheny County Library Association · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mt. Lebanon Public Library
Founded by Lions Club volunteers in 1932 and now open six days a week until 9 p.m. on weeknights, Mt. Lebanon Public Library is the community anchor of Pittsburgh's South Hills — home to a maker room, a beloved used-book cellar, and Pennsylvania's first Book Sanctuary declaration.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–9pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–9pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–9pm |
| Thursday | 9am–9pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | 1pm–5pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 16 Castle Shannon Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15228
Phone: (412) 531-1912
Website: mtlebanonlibrary.org
Plus Code: 86GX9XG3+QV (Pittsburgh, PA)
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Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Mt. Lebanon Public Library
Mt. Lebanon Public Library opened on November 15, 1932, when Lions Club members and Boy Scouts collected more than 8,000 donated books for a single reading room on the second floor of the Municipal Building on Washington Road. By 1964 the community had grown enough to open a purpose-built home at 16 Castle Shannon Boulevard, designed at a cost of $315,000 by architect J. Russell Bailey. A $2.5 million renovation carried out between 1995 and 1997 modernized the building, and a courtyard was completed in 2000. The library operates independently under its own Board of Trustees and is a member of the Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA), whose shared BiblioCommons catalog links it to dozens of county libraries so a single Mt. Lebanon card borrows widely across Allegheny County. Annual circulation now tops 668,000 items — more than twenty-two times the 30,162 items borrowed in the library's very first year. In February 2025 the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to declare the library a Book Sanctuary — the first public library in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to do so.
⭐ What makes this library special
- First public library in Pennsylvania declared a Book Sanctuary (February 2025)
- Maker room with 3-D printers, opened 2015, and a 600-sq-ft Learning Lab added in 2019
- The Book Cellar, an in-branch used-book store run by the Friends group, with seasonal hours
- Six quiet study rooms (two for up to 8 people; four for up to 3 people) — first-come, first-served
- Electric-bike lending collection and a social worker available on Wednesdays with no appointment
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Mt. Lebanon cardholders can read, stream, and research free through these digital collections:
📚 Services
- Maker room with 3-D printers and hands-on STEAM equipment
- Learning Lab (600 sq ft, opened 2019) for technology and digital skills
- Six quiet study rooms for individuals and small groups
- The Book Cellar in-branch used-book store (Friends of the Library)
- Electric-bike lending collection
- Community social worker on Wednesdays (no appointment needed)
- Online ticket lending: free & discounted tickets to regional attractions
- Chromebook & laptop lending
- Mobile printing and self-checkout
- After-hours book return and curbside pickup
- Free parking lot, bike racks, accessible entrance with power doors
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytimes and early-literacy programs
- Summer Reading 2026 with all-ages reading challenges
- Teen programs and homework help
- Gadget Workshops (one-on-one tech help by appointment)
- Book clubs and community reading groups
- Mt. Lebanon Genealogy Society meetings
- Year-round adult programming and author events
📍 Nearby Libraries in the Pittsburgh South Hills
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Pittsburgh · Browse all Pennsylvania libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
When did Mt. Lebanon Public Library become Pennsylvania's first Book Sanctuary?
On February 18, 2025, the library's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt a Book Sanctuary resolution — making Mt. Lebanon the first public library in Pennsylvania to do so. The resolution affirms the library's commitment to intellectual freedom and protection of its collections from censorship.
What can I do in the maker room and Learning Lab?
The maker room, which opened in 2015, houses 3-D printers and other hands-on STEAM equipment for patrons of all ages. In 2019 the library added a dedicated 600-square-foot Learning Lab focused on technology and digital skills. Both spaces are free to use with a library card.
Are study rooms at Mt. Lebanon Public Library reservable in advance?
No — the six quiet study rooms are offered on a first-come, first-served basis only; they cannot be reserved ahead of time. Two of the rooms accommodate up to eight people, and four smaller rooms seat up to three people each.
Does Mt. Lebanon Public Library charge overdue fines?
No. The library eliminated overdue fines in 2021. Late materials can simply be returned without a financial penalty, making it easier for everyone in the community to borrow and return items at their own pace.
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