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Archives for July 2024

Financial Empowerment Takes Center Stage at Grundy Library with State and Local Support

July 26, 2024 by Rob Lesher

https://bucksco.today/2024/07/defoor-financial-literacy-grundy-library/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEQmj9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHboxcC4zqrZvTJoGIBW7TJzsXcKmQoRhzzkcwXdIrIbT-_bnPN9fICtAYQ_aem_pVks2EOL88032L9Evaassg

Filed Under: Press Releases

PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK BY HIGHLIGTING LIBRARIES REACHING FOR THE STARS – April 4, 2024

July 26, 2024 by Rob Lesher

Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes libraries for PA Forward® Star achievements earned between March 31, 2023 and March 31,2024

Mechanicsburg, PA (April 4, 2024) – April 7-13, 2024 is National Library Week, a time to highlight the essential role libraries, librarians and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening communities.  In honor of this week, the Pennsylvania Library Association is announcing the 2023-2024 PA Forward® Star Library awardees showcasing libraries who are committed to providing quality literacy programming to their communities.

The theme for this year’s National Library Week is “Ready, set, library!” and Pennsylvania’s libraries encourage everyone in the community to visit their local library to take part in the festivities and explore all the library has to offer.

Libraries give us a green light to experience something truly special: a place to connect with others, learn new skills, and pursue our passions through book clubs, Storytimes, movie nights, crafting classes, lectures, and more. Pennsylvania’s Libraries offer a wide array of programs, classes, and resources, including The POWERLibrary a collection of tools which library users can access from home with a card from their local library.

And libraries play a pivotal role in economic development by providing resources and support for job seekers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.  Libraries help families to save money by providing materials and collections available to them that they would never be able to afford on their own.  Remember that getting your library card is a financially literate action.

No matter where you find yourself on the roadmap through life’s journey—preparing for a new career, launching a business, raising a family, or settling into retirement— Pennsylvania’s libraries offer the resources and support you need and an inclusive and supportive community where you will feel welcome.

So, get ready to explore, become inspired, and connect with others this National Library Week. Pennsylvania’s libraries are there for you, all the way to the finish line.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

“Yes, you can go to your local library and check out books, but these agile institutions demonstrate day in and day out they offer more than books,” Buker added. “Libraries offer the world to those who enter their doors. It is an honor during this year’s National Library Week to highlight those efforts with the PA Forward® Star Library designation. Congratulations to all of our participating Star Libraries.”   

PA Forward®, which launched statewide in 2012, works through five key literacies – Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health and Financial – to assist individuals in enhancing their overall quality of life. To continue helping libraries use PA Forward® to demonstrate all their libraries offer, in January 2017, the Association kicked off the Star Library program statewide. The Star Library recognition offers support to libraries who participate and integrate PA Forward®’s literacies in their programming activities. Program topics can include information such as retirement planning (financial literacy) to more physically active programs such as walking book club discussions (civic and social literacy and health literacy).

Libraries are recognized by their peers for meeting benchmarks within the bronze, silver, and gold star levels of the program. While one star is awarded for both the bronze and gold levels, a total of five stars are awarded in the silver category – one silver star for each of the five literacies of PA Forward®. For each silver star award, a number appears denoting the number of silver stars obtained to date.

Stars are awarded on a quarterly basis in the calendar year and the recognition is for the highest level attained in the program at the time of the award. The libraries noted below are those that earned a first-time star or a new star level between March 31, 2023 and March 31, 2024.

For more information about the Star Library Program, visit https://paforward.org/pa-forward-star-program/.

The next round of awards will be announced after July 29, 2024.

The list of awardees, by county, follows:

Adams County

Adams County Library System – Silver

Allegheny County

Avalon County Library – Silver

Baldwin Borough Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Brentwood Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Bethel Park Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Brendtwood Library – Gold, Maintenance

Bridgeville Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Carnegie Library of Homestead – Gold

Community Library of Castle Shannon – Gold, Maintenance

Jefferson Hills Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Monroeville Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Northern Tier Regional Library – Gold

Northland Public Library Authority – Gold, Maintenance

Oakmont Carnegie Library – Gold, Maintenance

Sewickley Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

South Fayette Township Library – Gold, Maintenance

South Park Township Library – Gold, Maintenance

Upper St. Clair Township Library – Gold, Maintenance

Western Allegheny Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Armstron County

Ford City Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Berks County

Bernville Area Library – Gold, Maintenance

Brandywine Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Hamburg Public Library – Bronze

Kutztown Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Fleetwood Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Mifflin Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Muhlenberg Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Reading Public Library – Gold, Maintenance      

Village Library of Morgantown – Gold, Maintenance

Wernersville Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Blair County

Altoona Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Tyrone-Snyder Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Bucks County

Free Library of Northampton Township – Gold, Maintenance

Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Warminster Township Free Library – Gold, Maintenance

Butler County

Butler Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Zelienople Area Public Library – Gold

Cambria County

Cambria County Library – Gold, Maintenance

Carrolltown Public Library – Silver

Centre County

Centre Hall Area Branch – Gold, Maintenance

Centre County Library and Historical Museum – Gold, Maintenance

Holt Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Penn State University Park Library – Silver                                          

Chester County

Atglen Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Chester County Library – Gold, Maintenance

Henrietta Hankin Public Library – Bronze

Tredyffrin Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Clarion County

Knox Public Library Gold, Maintenance

Clinton County

Annie Halenbake Ross Library – Gold, Maintenance

Cumberland County

Bosler Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Cleve J. Fredricksen Library – Gold, Maintenance

Ezra Lehman Memorial Library, Shippensburg University – Gold, Maintenance

Dauphin County

Penn State Harrisburg Library – Gold, Maintenance

Delaware County

Haverford Township Free Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lansdowne Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Marple Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Yeadon Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Erie County

Erie County Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Fayette County

Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville – Gold, Maintenance

German-Masontown Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Penn State University Library, Fayette – Gold, Maintenance

Franklin County

Alexander Hamilton Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Grove Family Library – Gold, Maintenance

Fulton County

Fulton County Library – Gold, Maintenance

Greene County

Eva K. Bowlby Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Indiana County

Indiana Free Library – Gold, Maintenance

Jefferson County

Mengle Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lackawanna County

Abington Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Carbondale Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Dalton Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library – Gold, Maintenance

Scranton Public Library (Albright Memorial Library) Gold, Maintenance

Taylor Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Valley Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lancaster County

Adamstown Area Library – Gold, Maintenance

Eastern Lancaster County Library – Gold, Maintenance

Ephrata Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Manheim Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Quarryville Library Center – Silver

Lawrence County

New Castle Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lebanon County

Matthews Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Myerstown Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Palmyra Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lehigh County

Emmaus Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lower Macungie Library – Gold, Maintenance

Parkland Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Luzerne County

Hazelton Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Osterhaut Free Library – Gold, Maintenance

Pittston Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lycoming County

James V. Brown Library – Gold, Maintenance

Mercer County

Community Library of the Shenango Valley – Gold, Maintenance

Monroe County

Western Pocono Community Library – Bronze

Montgomery County

Abington Township Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Ardmore Library – Gold, Maintenance

Bala Cynwyd Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Conshohocken Free Library – Bronze

Free Library of Springfield Township – Gold, Maintenance

Gladwyne Free Library – Gold

Huntingdon Valley Library  – Gold, Maintenance

Lower Providence Community  Library – Silver

Ludington Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

North Wales Area Library – Gold, Maintenance

Pottstown Regional Public Library – Gold

Swedenborg Library, Bryn Athyn College – Gold, Maintenance

William Jeanes Memorial Library – Gold

Northampton County

Easton Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity – Gold, Maintenance

Northampton Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Northumberland County

John R. Kauffman Jr. Public Library, Degenstein Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Potter County

Genessee Area Library – Gold, Maintenance

Pike County

Pike County Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Somerset County

Somerset County Library – Gold, Maintenance

Tioga County

Green Free – Gold, Maintenance

Washington County

Chartiers-Houston Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Citizen Library – Gold, Maintenance

Peters Township Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Wyoming County

Tunkhannock Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

York County

Collinsville Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Dover Area Community Library – Bronze

Kreutz Creak Library – Bronze

Martin Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Guthrie Memorial Library ~ Hanover’s Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Paul Smith Library of Southern York County – Gold, Maintenance

Red Land Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Village Library – Bronze

###

This project is made possible, in part, by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, Governor.

Filed Under: Press Releases

PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK BY HIGHLIGTING LIBRARIES REACHING FOR THE STARS – April 21, 20234

July 26, 2024 by Rob Lesher

Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes libraries for PA Forward® Star achievements earned between January 1 and March 31, 2023

Mechanicsburg, PA (April 21, 2023) – April 23-29, 2023 is National Library Week, a time to highlight the essential role libraries, librarians and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening communities.  In honor of this week, the Pennsylvania Library Association is announcing the 2023 first quarter PA Forward® Star Library awardees showcasing libraries who are committed to providing quality literacy programming to their communities.

The theme for this year’s National Library Week is “There is more to the Story,” which promotes the idea that libraries are welcoming spaces that bring communities together for entertainment, education, and connection through book clubs, story times, movie nights, crafting classes, lectures, and more. Our libraries offer a wide array of programs, classes, and resources.

Libraries also offer opportunities to connect with media, programs, ideas, and classes, in addition to books. Most importantly, libraries also connect communities to each other.

Libraries of all types continue to go above and beyond to keep their communities connected by expanding resources and embracing inclusion in their programming, resources, and collections. Libraries across Pennsylvania are making a difference in people’s lives by providing electronic learning resources like online homework help and wi-fi access for students and workers who may lack internet access at home.

“Yes, you can go to your local library and check out books, but these agile institutions demonstrate day in and day out they offer more than books,” Buker added. “Libraries offer the world to those who enter their doors. It is an honor to highlight those efforts with the PA Forward® Star Library designation. Congratulations to all of our participating Star Libraries.”   

PA Forward®, which launched statewide in 2012, works through five key literacies – Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health and Financial – to assist individuals in enhancing their overall quality of life. To continue helping libraries use PA Forward® to demonstrate all their libraries offer, in January 2017, the Association kicked off the Star Library program statewide. The Star Library recognition offers support to libraries who participate and integrate PA Forward®’s literacies in their programming activities. Program topics can include information such as retirement planning (financial literacy) to more physically active programs such as walking book club discussions (civic and social literacy and health literacy).

Libraries are recognized by their peers for meeting benchmarks within the bronze, silver, and gold star levels of the program. While one star is awarded for both the bronze and gold levels, a total of five stars are awarded in the silver category – one silver star for each of the five literacies of PA Forward®. For each silver star award, a number appears denoting the number of silver stars obtained to date.

Stars are awarded on a quarterly basis in the calendar year and the recognition is for the highest level attained in the program at the time of the award. The libraries noted below are those that earned a first-time star or a new star level between January 1 and March 31, 2023.

For more information about the Star Library Program, visit https://paforward.org/pa-forward-star-program/.

The next round of awards will be announced after July 6, 2023.

The list of awardees, by county, follows:

Allegheny County

Baldwin Borough Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Brentwood Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Carnegie Library of Homestead – Gold

Community Library of Castle Shannon – Gold, Maintenance

Oakmont Carnegie Library – Gold, Maintenance

Sewickley Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

South Park Township Library – Gold, Maintenance

Berks County

Brandywine Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Fleetwood Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Reading Public Library – Gold, Maintenance      

Village Library of Morgantown – Gold, Maintenance

Womelsdorf Community Library – Silver

Bucks County

Free Library of New Hope and Solebury – Gold, Maintenance

Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Butler County

Butler Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Zelienople Area Public Library – Silver

Cambria County

Cambria County Library – Gold, Maintenance

Carrolltown Public Library – Silver

Tyrone-Snyder Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Centre County

Centre Hall Area Branch – Gold

Penn State University Park Library – Silver                                          

Chester County

Atglen Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Paoli Library – Gold, Maintenance

Tredyffrin Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Clarion County

Knox Public Library

Cumberland County

Bosler Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Cleve J. Fredricksen Library – Gold

Ezra Lehman Memorial Library, Shippensburg University – Gold, Maintenance

Delaware County

Havorford Township Free Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lansdowne Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Fayette County

German-Masontown Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Penn State University Library, Fayette – Gold

Fulton County

Fulton County Library – Gold, Maintenance

Indiana County

Indiana Free Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lancaster County

Manheim Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Quarryville Library Center – Silver

Lackawanna County

Abington Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Carbondale Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Dalton Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Nancy Kay Holmes Branch Library – Gold, Maintenance

Scranton Public Library (Albright Memorial Library) Gold, Maintenance

Taylor Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lebanon County

Matthews Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Myerstown Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lehigh County

Emmaus Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Parkland Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Luzerne County

Hazelton Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Pittston Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lycoming County

James V. Brown Library – Gold, Maintenance

Montgomery County

Bala Cynwyd Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Ludington Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

North Wales Area Library – Gold, Maintenance

Swedenborg Library, Bryn Athyn College – Gold, Maintenance

William Jeanes Memorial Library – Silver

Northampton County

Bangor Public Library – Silver

Easton Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity – Gold, Maintenance

Northampton Area Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Northumberland County

John R. Kauffman Jr. Public Library, Degenstein Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Perry County

Genessee Area Library – Gold, Maintenance

Pike County

Pike County Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Somerset County

Meyersdale Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Washington County

Chartiers-Houston Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Citizen Library – Gold, Maintenance

Clark Family Library, Washington & Jefferson College – Silver

Peters Township Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Westmoreland County

Vandergrift Public Library – Bronze

Wyoming County

Tunkhannock Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

York County

Collinsville Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Dover Area Community Library – Bronze

Guthrie Memorial Library ~ Hanover’s Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Paul Smith Library of Southern York County – Gold, Maintenance

Red Land Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Beginning January 2020, once a library achieves the Gold level of the PA Forward® Star Library program, libraries will now be able to take steps to maintain their PA Forward® Gold Star status. More information about that process, can be found at www.paforwardstarlibraries.org under the Getting Started tab.   

###

This project is made possible, in part, by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, Governor.

Filed Under: Press Releases

LIBRARIES MAKE AN IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH LITERACY PROGRAMS – January 11, 2023

July 26, 2024 by Rob Lesher

Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes libraries for PA Forward® Star achievements earned between September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2022

Mechanicsburg, PA (January 11, 2023) – The Pennsylvania Library Association just announced the 2022 fourth quarter PA Forward® Star Library awardees. More than 83 libraries from throughout the state earned their star status and are being recognized by the Association for their efforts to provide patrons with educational resources and opportunities.   

“The PA Forward® Star Library program spotlights libraries’ efforts to continue making intentional investments in literacy-aligned programs,” said Christi Buker, Pennsylvania Library Association Executive Director. “Our libraries continue to be community pillars, meeting citizen needs, helping businesses, government organizations and others connect with residents, sharing resources and information which have the potential to positively impact multiple lives.

“Yes, you can go to your local library and check out books, but these agile institutions demonstrate day in and day out that they offer more than books,” Buker added. “Libraries offer the world to those who enter their doors. It is an honor to highlight those efforts with the PA Forward® Star Library designation. Congratulations to all of our participating Star Libraries.”   

PA Forward®, which launched statewide in 2012, works through five key literacies – Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health and Financial – to assist individuals in enhancing their overall quality of life. To continue helping libraries use PA Forward® to demonstrate all their libraries offer, in January 2017, the Association kicked off the Star Library program statewide. The Star Library recognition offers support to libraries who participate and integrate PA Forward®’s literacies in their programming activities. Program topics can include information such as retirement planning (financial literacy) to more physically active programs such as walking book club discussions (civic and social literacy and health literacy).

Libraries are recognized by their peers for meeting benchmarks within the bronze, silver, and gold star levels of the program. While one star is awarded for both the bronze and gold levels, a total of five stars are awarded in the silver category – one silver star for each of the five literacies of PA Forward®. For each silver star award, a number appears denoting the number of silver stars obtained to date.

Stars are awarded on a quarterly basis in the calendar year and the recognition is for the highest level attained in the program at the time of the award. The libraries noted below are those that earned a first-time star or a new star level between September 30 and December 31, 2022.

For more information about the Star Library Program, visit https://paforward.org/pa-forward-star-program/.

The next round of awards will be announced after April 6, 2023.

The list of awardees, by county, follows:

Allegheny County

Borough of Jefferson Hills Library – Gold, Maintenance

Avalon Public Library – Bronze                                  Northland Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Brentwood Library – Gold, Maintenance              South Park Township Library – Gold, Maintenance

Sewickley Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Berks County

Reading Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Bernville Area Community Library – Silver, 5

Bucks County

Free Library of Northampton Township – Gold, Maintenance

Cambria County

Carrolltown Public Library – Silver, 2

Centre County

Centre Hall Area Branch, Silver, 3                                            

Centre County Library and Historical Museum – Silver, 3

Penn State University Park Library – Bronze

Holt Memorial Library – Silver, 4

Chester County

Chester Springs Library – Bronze

Clinton County

Annie Halenbake Ross Library – Gold, Maintenance

Cumberland County

Bosler Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Delaware County

Yeadon Public Library – Gold

Indiana County

Indiana Free Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lackawanna County

North Pocono Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Carbondale Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Scranton Public Library (Albright Memorial Library) Gold, Maintenance

Lancaster County

Adamstown Area Library – Silver, 5

Ephrata Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Manheim Township Public Library – Silver, 2

Manheim Community Library – Gold

Lehigh County

Coplay Public Library – Bronze

Parkland Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Lycoming County

James V. Brown Library – Gold, Maintenance

Mercer County

Community Library of the Shenango Valley – Gold, Maintenance

Montgomery County

Bala Cynwyd Memorial Library – Gold, Maintenance

Washington County

Peters Township Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Frank Sarris Public Library – Silver, 3

Beginning January 2020, once a library achieves the Gold level of the PA Forward® Star Library program, libraries will now be able to take steps to maintain their PA Forward® Gold Star status. More information about that process, can be found at www.paforwardstarlibraries.org under the Getting Started tab.   

###

This project is made possible, in part, by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, Governor.

Filed Under: Press Releases

PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES THE POWER OF OUR STATEWIDE PARTNERSHIPS BY ANNOUNCING STAR LIBRARY HONOREES – July 12, 2022

July 26, 2024 by Rob Lesher

Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes libraries for PA Forward® Star achievements earned between April 1 and June 30, 2022 –

Mechanicsburg, PA (July 12, 2022) – Last week the Pennsylvania Legislature passed a budget that makes the largest investment in libraries in more than 14 years. This investment will be used by libraries to increase the impact they make in their communities and to increase the functional skills necessary for our residents to be successful in a 21st Century society.

Libraires throughout the Commonwealth partner with community organizations to bring quality programming into the libraries and made freely available to all residents. These partnerships provide a platform for experts to share their skills with others and the residents are able to be introduced to concepts by experts which will improve their lives, increase their health, understand their neighbors, and grow their financial capabilities.


Libraries of all types continue to go above and beyond to keep their communities connected by expanding resources and embracing inclusion in their programming, resources, and collections. Some of those libraries are being recognized for their accomplishments this quarter in using literacy programming in a high quality manner by being awarded a PA Forward® Star from the Pennsylvania Library Association.


Libraries across Pennsylvania are making a difference in people’s lives by providing electronic learning resources like online homework help and wi-fi access for students and workers who may lack internet access at home.


“Yes, you can go to your local library and check out books, but these agile institutions demonstrate day in and day out they offer more than books,” Buker added. “Libraries offer the world to those who enter their doors. It is an honor to highlight those efforts with the PA Forward® Star Library designation. Congratulations to all of our participating Star Libraries.”
PA Forward®, which launched statewide in 2012, works through five key literacies – Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health and Financial – to assist individuals in enhancing their overall quality of life. To continue helping libraries use PA Forward® to demonstrate all their libraries offer, in January 2017, the Association kicked off the Star Library program statewide. The Star Library recognition offers support to libraries who participate and integrate PA Forward®’s literacies in their programming activities. Program topics can include information such as retirement planning (financial literacy) to more physically active programs such as walking book club discussions (civic and social literacy and health literacy).


Libraries are recognized by their peers for meeting benchmarks within the bronze, silver, and gold star levels of the program. While one star is awarded for both the bronze and gold levels, a total of five stars are awarded in the silver category – one silver star for each of the five literacies of PA Forward®. For each silver star award, a number appears denoting the number of silver stars obtained to date.


The libraries noted below are those that earned a first-time star or a new star level between April 1 and June 30, 2022. For more information about the Star Library Program, visit https://paforward.org/pa-forward-star-program/.


The next round of awards will be announced after October 6, 2022.


The list of awardees, by county, follows:


Adams County
Adams County Library System – Silver

Allegheny County
Mt. Lebanon Community Library – Gold, Maintenance
Western Allegheny Community Library- Gold, Maintenance
Northern Tier Regional Library – Silver

Armstrong County
Ford City Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Berks County
Wernersville Public Library – Gold
Kutztown Community Library – Gold, Maintenance
Mifflin Community Library – Gold, Maintenance
Womelsdorf Community Library – Silver

Bucks County
Altoona Public Library – Gold, Maintenance
Bucks County
Free Library of Northampton Township – Gold Star Maintenance

Centre County
Holt Memorial Library – Gold
Penn State – University Park Library – Silver

Chester County
Kennett Library – Gold
Chester Springs Library – Silver
Henrietta Hankin Branch Library – Bronze

Clinton County
Anne Halenbake Ross Library – Gold, Mainteance

Delaware County
Marple Public Library – Gold, Maintenance

Franklin County
Alexander Hamilton Memorial Free Library – Gold, Maintenance
Lancaster County
Manheim Township Public Library – Gold

Lackawanna County
Taylor Community Library – Gold, Maintenance

Montgomery County
Huntingdon Valley Library – Gold, Maintenance
Free Library of Springfield Township – Gold, Maintenance
William Jeanes Memorial Library – Silver
Penn State – Abington Library – Bronze

Somerset County
Somerset County Library
Beginning January 2020, once a library achieves the Gold level of the PA Forward® Star Library program, libraries will now be able to take steps to maintain their PA Forward® Gold Star status. More information about that process, can be found at www.paforwardstarlibraries.org under the Getting Started tab.

#

This project is made possible, in part, by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, Governor.

Filed Under: Press Releases

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  • PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK BY HIGHLIGTING LIBRARIES REACHING FOR THE STARS – April 4, 2024
  • PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK BY HIGHLIGTING LIBRARIES REACHING FOR THE STARS – April 21, 20234
  • LIBRARIES MAKE AN IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITIES THROUGH LITERACY PROGRAMS – January 11, 2023

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    About PA Library Association

    PA Forward® is a statewide initiative under the PA Library Association (PaLA), which works to strengthen the state's libraries through education, advocacy and leadership. For more information, click the logo below. to visit their website.

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    This project is made possible, in part, by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, Governor.

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