Knowledge Connection
Our History
The Allegheny County Commissioners created the Commission on the Future of Libraries in Allegheny County in June 1991 to improve the county's level of library services. County Controller Frank Lucchino was appointed chairperson of the Commission for his work documenting the problem in a report entitled, A Quiet Crisis:Libraries in Allegheny County. The Commission found that citizens, most importantly the children living in isolated public housing communities, had no access to reading and research material. They also discovered an alarming increase in juvenile crime. The Commission embarked on the Knowledge Connection program to connect the children of public housing communities with the information superhighway.
Our Timeline of Services
June 1993:The first Knowledge Connection opens at the Hays Manor Public Housing Community in McKees Rocks.
January 1994:The second Knowledge Connection opens in McKees Rocks Terrace.
May 1994:Burns Heights Knowledge Connection opens in the city of Duquesne.
July 1994:The fourth Knowledge Connection opens in Hawkins Village, Rankin.
January 1995:The fifth Knowledge Connection opens in AHRCO, the first privately-owned public housing community in Mon View Heights, West Mifflin.
May 1996:Ohio View Acres Knowledge Connection opens in Stowe Township, McKees Rocks.
June 1996:Prospect Terrace, the seventh Knowledge Connection opens in East Pittsburgh.
March 1998:McKees Rocks Terrace Knowledge Connection closes, due to reorganization of the community and ensuing construction hazards.
July 1999:Sheldon Park Knowledge Connection opens in Natrona Heights, bringing the number of sites back up to seven.
July 2000:Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Reading Centers, in City of Pittsburgh housing communities, become Knowledge Connections, expanding the number of sites to twelve. These sites, located within the city of Pittsburgh, include Garfield Heights, Glen Hazel, Homewood North, North View Heights, and St.Clair Village.
August 2003:Ohio View Acres Knowledge Connection closes during renovation of the community.
Jan. 2005:Mooncrest Knowledge Connection opens in Moon Township, bringing the total number of Knowledge Connections to thirteen.
April 2006:Ohio View Acres renovation is completed and the Pleasant Ridge Knowledge Connection opens.
May 2006:Homewood North and Glen Hazel Knowledge Connections close for relocation to new communities.
July 2006:Bedford Hope Center Knowledge Connection opens.
August 2006:Auburn Towers Knowledge Connection opens.
December 2007:Eleven on-site locations of Knowledge Connections close,as the program reconfiguring process begins. At the request of the Township of Moon, the mooncrest site remains open and at the request of the Allegheny Housing Rehabilitation Corporation, the Mon View Heights site remains open to provide on-site services to the community's residents.
Spring-Summer 2008:Knowledge Connections begins to test mobile computer lab programming in the following Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh sites:Allegheny Dwellings, Bedford Hope Center, Garfield Heights, Hamilton-Larimer, North View Heights,and St.Clair Village.
Summer 2009: Due to the downturn in the economy, transition in the communities and problematic wireless access, the mobile computer programming is discontinued. On-site service continues to be provided at the Mooncrest and Mon View Heights sites.