Freedom To Read; Mt. Lebanon Magazine, November 24, 2025

 Merle Jantz, Freedom To Read; Freedom To Read

"Patrons will tell you: There’s a lot to love about Mt. Lebanon Public Library. Award-winning programs for all ages, knowledgeable and committed staff members, a wide and lovingly curated collection of items from multiple media and plans for a building renovation. Enough good stuff to make it a thriving community hub. But one thing stood out above all the rest, and caught the eye of the Pennsylvania Library Association’s Library of the Year selection board, which chose Mt. Lebanon from among 630 public libraries, marking the first time any Allegheny County library has received the award. The library is the commonwealth’s first (and at press time only) book sanctuary.

The Chicago Public Library and the City of Chicago launched the first book sanctuary in 2022, declaring themselves a space for endangered stories and calling for others to join the movement. Currently, there are 5,361 book sanctuaries across the country.

What’s a book sanctuary? 

It’s a space where access to books and the right to read them are protected. A book sanctuary is committed to doing at least one of the following:

• Collecting and protecting endangered books
• Making those books broadly accessible
• Hosting book talks and events on banned books featuring diverse voices
• Educating others on the history of book bans and burning
• Upholding the First Amendment rights of all citizens 

This means the library will not remove or relocate any materials from the library’s collection, as long as those materials meet the standards of the approved policy."

Books always have been at the heart of Mt. Lebanon library director; South Hills Almanac, 6/27/16

Luke Campbell, South Hills Almanac; Books always have been at the heart of Mt. Lebanon library director:

"As comedian Drew Carey sat in the contestant’s chair of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” playing for a donation to the Ohio Public Library, he confidently and correctly answered a $500,000 question.

Fifty thousand dollars of the winnings were split among 10 people pursuing a career in teen librarianship, a path Vittek applied to pursue at Kent State University only a few months before.

“I applied for Kent State’s master of library and information science program at about that same time,” said Vittek. “I was not in a good place at the time. I didn’t want to leave my mothe. [sic] But to get into library school, to get that scholarship and to also be awarded a graduate assistantship that made my tuition free, it was just a natural fit.”

Her subsequent career eventually led her to taking over the director’s position in Mt. Lebanon, where the library last year had about 359,000 visitors and lent more than 588,00 physical items.

“Establishing a connection is the most important part of the job,” Vittek said. “You can go to any library and check out a book, attend a program or use the computer, but to have a personal connection and feeling that this is my library, my community and my home. That is why I want to have personal connections."