Clara Peterson, 8, and her brother Jack, 11, of Zelienople work together to paint the lid of a rain barrel as part of a project for home-schooled students hosted at the Zelienople Area Public Library on Tuesday. Part of the library's plan for expansion would move the children's department out of the basement to an upstairs location and make sure there is a family bathroom that is ADA-compliant.

ZELIENOPLE — The Zelienople Area Public Library celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

“We are very excited about the 100th anniversary,” said Maggie Boylan, library director. “It's a real milestone.”

Throughout the year, special events will commemorate the occasion at the library at 227 S. High St. including a 100-book reading challenge that runs through Dec. 1 for adults, teens and children. The challenge's theme is “Zelienople Area Public Library: Celebrating 100 years serving our communities 1920-2020.”

ShuBrew in Zelienople is partnering with the library to prepare a celebratory brew called Reader's Relief that will be on tap to benefit the library the week of July 26.

Special commemorative displays that will be assembled for each month include what people were reading in 1920, favorite library memories, library paraphernalia, scrapbooks and 1920 fashion and popular culture.

The Zelienople Women's Club that formed in 1919 recognized the need for a library in the area and began to work on funding and finding a space, Boylan said.

Library service began in 1920 with 74 books, a table and a bookcase on a stairwell landing in the Zelienople High School, its first location.

After a time, the library relocated to the second floor of the former Zelienople Fire Station. That building transformed into the Zelienople borough building, and the library remained there for many years.

In 1950, Charles Passavant Jr. deeded a plot of land to the Zelienople Library Association.Construction lasted from 1972 to 1975, which is when the library opened at its current location on High Street.Originally, an architect group designed the building's lower level to be rented out as a revenue source. For years, it was used as office space by a local church.In 1996, the library renovated its lower level, and the children's section was moved downstairs when the renters moved out and the space became available.Over the years, the library has seen improvements and updates.This spring and summer, library officials will conduct a feasibility study to address whether the library should pursue a capital campaign to build a parking lot and an addition on a vacant lot owned by the library.The estimated cost to build the addition is about $750,000 to $800,000. Library officials will apply for a Pa. Keystone Grant to cover half the cost, while the library would need to raise about $400,000.The capital campaign is planned to start in October or November and continue for about five years.The feasibility study includes confirmation by an architect/engineer that the site can support an addition and input from community members and business stakeholders about their support of the project and capital campaign.The addition includes a vision to bring the children's library above ground, an ADA-compliant family restroom and a multiuse room for speakers and events, and a computer lab or quiet study space for community members.Boylan said the role of libraries have changed as they develop partnerships to provide information and literacy services to the community.“The library's mission statement is to afford people of all ages a community center that is dedicated to lifelong learning, enjoyment and discovery, and we look forward to continuing to work toward fulfilling this mission,” she said.

April 23: Rick Sebak, a television producer, writer and narrator of WQED productions, will speak on the history of Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh.May 14: The Zaffrio Trio, a classically trained cellist, pianist and violinist, will perform and discuss their careers. They will be joined by a classically trained composer.July 23: Nick Courage, a middle school/tween/young adult author, will speak. A book signing and Q&A will follow.Aug. 13: Tom Nesbitt, local historian, will present “Main Street Zelienople.” This event is co-hosted with the Zelienople Historical Society.Sept. 17: Regional artists Elliott Cramer and Baron Batch, the former a photographer and the latter a painter, will speak.Nov. 5: Marlena Abraham of Schell Games, an advanced games designer, will talk about what it is like to work as a game arts designer.

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Krista Buzard, 9, of Cranberry Township takes part in the project that included painting a rain barrel Tuesday at the Zelienople library.

The Zelienople Area Public Library celebrates 100 years of service. Throughout the year, special events will commemorate the milestone.