The Library System of Butler County provides library services to Butler County residents through its member libraries and its outreach services.

There are seven member libraries in the system: Butler Area Public Library, Cranberry Public Library, Evans City Public Library, Mars Area Public Library, Prospect Community Library, Saxonburg Area Library and Zelienople Area Public Library.

The outreach services of the library system include the North Trails Library, the Slippery Rock Community Library and the Butler County Bookmobile.

All of the sites have reading and audio-visual materials for their patrons. All 10 sites participate in the statewide Access PA database, which is used for interlibrary loans.

If your library does not own the item you wish to borrow, the chances are good your librarian will be able to borrow that item from another library.

With a library card and an Internet connection, by visiting our Web site at www.bcfls.org, you can also access the POWER Library set of databases with the Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania, an office of the Department of Education. POWER stands for Pennsylvania Online World of Electronic Resources.

It includes databases that provide newspaper and magazine articles as well as information on a variety of topics. If you do not have an Internet connection at home, all of the libraries, except the bookmobile, have at least one computer available for public use.

Since 2000, the libraries in the county have experienced a lot of growth and change. Butler, Cranberry, Evans City, and Saxonburg libraries have all renovated, expanded and/or replaced their space. Mars library is planning an expansion project to add space. North Trails and Slippery Rock libraries were established in 2004 and 2005 to expand library services in northern Butler County.

The libraries offer programming for adults and children. The ever-popular summer reading programs have thousands of children participate each year. In 2006, the summer reading program theme will be Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales; and activities are being planned around this animal theme.

Programs designed for adults have information about various topics including health, parenting, financial planning and hobbies.

Throughout the county there are book discussion groups that meet regularly at the libraries. These discussions can be lively and thought provoking. Many participants have commented they enjoy the book discussion groups because they have read books that they might not have chosen to read otherwise.

Sheila Brown, the administrator of the library system, invites all county residents to use and support the library services in their area.

Brown said, "The best way to recognize the value of these institutions is to see them in use."