Press Releases

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Christi Buker, PA Library Association Executive Director

717-766-7663 or [email protected]  

Louis Labar of the Wayne County Public Library named Trustee of the Year

Mechanicsburg, PA (October 1, 2020) – Each year, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) honors the service of their members, as well as those community volunteers, who go above and beyond the call of duty to support the work of libraries throughout the commonwealth.

On Thursday, October 1, 2020, the 2020 Trustee of the Year was awarded.

The Pennsylvania Library Association is pleased to present the 2020 Trustee of the Year Award to Louis Labar of the Wayne County Public Library.

Louis served on the Wayne County library’s Board of Trustees for nine years, including terms as President and Treasurer before rotating off the Board in accordance with the bylaws’ term limits. Because he inspires with words, leads by example, and advocates constantly, he was re-appointed to the Library’s Board in May 2018.  Concurrent to his time on the Wayne County Public Library Board, Louis was a representative to the Wayne Library Authority Board from 2009-2017 and held the offices of President and Treasurer. Recognizing that small rural libraries were under-represented, Louis applied for and was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Council for Library Development and has held this important position since October 2010.  There are very few trustees who have been dedicated enough to serve on three library boards at the same time, but this is exactly what Louis did and part of why his work is so worthy of recognition.

One of Louis’ most notable efforts was his work with the Wayne Library Alliance, a federated library system, after they lost a dedicated library tax.  Louis was instrumental in the process which led to a reinvention of the Alliance. He attended member library board meetings, drawing on diplomacy and his experience as a trustee of a small and rural library to reassure those reluctant to change. And, when the process was finished, Louis represented the newly invigorated Alliance.

“Our members and libraries have been doing amazing things, particularly during this pandemic” said Michele Legate, 2020 President of the Pennsylvania Library Association.  “It is so important to take a little time to recognize the incredible work that our colleagues have done.”

A committee comprised of association members reviews the nominations, submitted in late summer, and selects winners for a series of categories. Awardees are then invited to attend the association’s annual conference where they are recognized among the membership, their peers, representing all library types and sizes from throughout Pennsylvania.  

“The Pennsylvania Library Association is able to do what we do thanks to the unwavering efforts of our volunteers and our members,” said Christi Buker, PaLA Executive Director. “These awards are just our small way of shining a light on what all librarians, library staffs and our volunteers do to continue promoting the value libraries bring to communities they serve. We are thankful for their support and engagement and are honored to be able to recognize their efforts. Congratulations to all of our 2020 winners.”

A committee comprised of association members reviews the nominations, submitted in late summer, and selects winners for a series of categories. Awardees are then invited to attend the association’s annual conference where they are recognized among the membership, their peers, representing all library types and sizes from throughout Pennsylvania.   

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association is the state’s oldest professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups. PaLA represents more than 1,300 personal, institutional, and commercial members affiliated with public, academic, special and school libraries throughout the commonwealth. The association represents the profession in Harrisburg with the state legislature and provides opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and continuing education for librarians. For a listing of previous award winners, click here. For more information about the work of the Pennsylvania Library Association, visit www.palibraries.org

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Christi Buker, PA Library Association Executive Director

717-766-7663 or [email protected]  

Joann Eichenlaub and June Houghtaling of Williamsport and Marissa Guidara of Reading

Mechanicsburg, PA (September 24, 2020) – Each year, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) honors the service of their members, as well as those community volunteers, who go above and beyond the call of duty to support the work of libraries throughout the commonwealth.

On Thursday, September 24, 2020, three members of the Association were honored with Certificates of Merit.

Certificates of Merit are awarded to individuals making outstanding contributions during the last five years in Pennsylvania.

This year’s winners are Joann Eichenlaub of the Madigan Library Pennsylvania College of Technology, in Williamsport,  Marissa Guidara of the Reading Library District in Reading, June Houghtaling, Consultant for the North Central Library District at the James V Brown Library in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Joann Eichenlaub chairs the PA Forward® Steering Committee and is now helping both the PA Forward® and its Star program to adapt to the changing landscape of library services during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.  She also dedicates her time serving as a Director at Large for the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Library Association since 2017.

Marissa Guidara’s steady support and mentorship has empowered others to take on positions of leadership, further themselves educationally and to step forward in bringing their bravest ideas to fruition. She has also volunteered on the Carolyn W. Field Subcommittee of the Youth Services Division of the Pennsylvania Library Association and the Awards Committee.

June Houghtaling has made many contributions to the Pennsylvania Library Association include involvement in her local West Branch Chapter, the PaLA Academy for Leadership Studies, the Mentorship Program, Chairing the PA Forward® Training Team and involvement in many committees and annual conferences.

“Our members and libraries have been doing amazing things, particularly during this pandemic” said Michele Legate, 2020 President of the Pennsylvania Library Association.  “It is so important to take a little time to recognize the incredible work that our colleagues have done.”

A committee comprised of association members reviews the nominations, submitted in late summer, and selects winners for a series of categories. Awardees are then invited to attend the association’s annual conference where they are recognized among the membership, their peers, representing all library types and sizes from throughout Pennsylvania.  

“The Pennsylvania Library Association is able to do what we do thanks to the unwavering efforts of our volunteers and our members,” said Christi Buker, PaLA Executive Director. “These awards are just our small way of shining a light on what all librarians, library staffs and our volunteers do to continue promoting the value libraries bring to communities they serve. We are thankful for their support and engagement and are honored to be able to recognize their efforts. Congratulations to all of our 2020 winners.”

A committee comprised of association members reviews the nominations, submitted in late summer, and selects winners for a series of categories. Awardees are then invited to attend the association’s annual conference where they are recognized among the membership, their peers, representing all library types and sizes from throughout Pennsylvania.   

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association is the state’s oldest and most diverse professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups.

PaLA represents more than 1,300 personal, institutional, and commercial members affiliated with public, academic, special and school libraries throughout the commonwealth. The association represents the profession in Harrisburg with the state legislature and provides opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and continuing education for librarians. For a listing of previous award winners, click here. For more information about the work of the Pennsylvania Library Association, visit www.palibraries.org.

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Fri., 7/27/2020

CONTACT: Christi Buker, PA Library Association Executive Director

717-766-7663 or [email protected]  

Mechanicsburg, PA – On Monday, July 27, American Library Association (ALA) President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., will kick off a 12-stop virtual tour to spotlight how libraries of all kinds across the country are addressing the needs of their diverse communities and engaging stakeholders to advocate for libraries. The 10-day Holding Space tour will begin at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and end at the Hawaii State Library on Friday, August 7.

“When I was elected ALA President-Elect in 2019, I knew I wanted to shine a light on programs and communities that don’t get the attention they deserve,” said Jefferson. “One year later, as I begin my term as ALA President, libraries are more essential than ever, and yet library workers and library services are more vulnerable.”

At each stop on the tour, Jefferson will meet with library leaders, state and local partners, elected officials and other community influencers to cover a vast terrain of issues facing a broad range of institutions, including libraries at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, other academic libraries, school libraries, Tribal libraries and public libraries.

“Collectively, these conversations are an opportunity for ALA to listen and learn as well elevate the innovative work of the 12 libraries I visit,” said Jefferson. “Originally, I’d envisioned a bus tour, a sort of library celebration on wheels. But this virtual format allows us to critically examine our cultural moment through the lens of the most pressing issues in our profession.”

Each community discussion will explore local and national solutions to local and national issues and feature deep dives into an area of library service, including workforce development programs, children and family services, outreach to rural residents, and broadband for Tribal communities. Jefferson will also invite tour participants to join ALA’s campaign urging members of Congress to support the Library Stabilization Fund Act to protect the jobs of more than 366,000 library workers and the services that 116,000 libraries provide.

“Libraries are improving lives every day, providing internet access to underserved communities, helping people find jobs and build careers, empowering students as they develop literacy skills that will lead to lifelong learning,” said Jefferson. “Many of these successes take place in the shadows. Their stories need to be told, their professional organization and local community need to listen, and their elected leaders need to support them.”

Holding Space tour stops include:

• July 27: Tour kickoff at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.  Holding Space: A National Conversation Series with Libraries
• July 27: Cambria County Library, Penn.  Stronger Together for Workforce Development
• July 28: Muskingum County Library, Ohio  Keeping Communities Connected in Ohio and Beyond
• July 29: Nashville Public Library, Tenn.  Leveraging Place to Engage Community
• July 30: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Ark.  Strengthening Communities and Developing Leaders at HBCU Libraries
• July 31: Lubbock ISD, Texas  Learning in Many Dimensions with Texas School Librarians
• August 3: Pioneer Public Library, Okla.  Partnering to Advance Career and Workforce Development
• August 4: Santo Domingo Pueblo Library, N.M.  The Imperative of Broadband for Tribal Libraries
• August 5: Cordes Lake Public Library, Ariz.  From Interior to Border: Libraries Reaching Rural Communities
• August 6: Nevada State Library, Nev.  Learn and Earn: Nevada Libraries Harness Virtual 3-D for Education and Careers
• August 7: Oakland Public Library, Calif.  Listen to the Kids: Youth- and Family-Centered Practices at Oakland Public Library
• August 7: Closing celebration in Hawaii  Spirit of Aloha: Hawaii Libraries Light the Path

Every event along the tour will be broadcast via Zoom and archived on YouTube so everyone in the library community can participate in the conversation. For more information on tour stops and directions for joining the conversation, visit http://www.ala.org/advocacy/holding-space.

Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes libraries for PA Forward® Star achievements earned between December 16, 2019 and March 31, 2020

Mechanicsburg, PA (April 16, 2020) – The Pennsylvania Library Association just announced the 2020 First quarter PAForward® Star Library awardees.   

As directed by Governor Wolf, public library buildings are closed, but libraries throughout the commonwealth are still offering 24/7 digital resources and live, virtual programming, and reference services via chat or email.  All of this is part of why we believe “Libraries move PA Forward® and are recognized for these outstanding contributions to their communities and their success.  The Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes libraries through their Star Library achievements and hope that you will visit a Star Library in-person when they re-open!

6 libraries have attained Gold Star Status in this Quarter.  More than 17 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 PAForward® Star Library Technical Committee reviews submissions from all types of libraries and certifies the quality of programming provided by participating libraries.  Star Achievements are recognized for one year from completion and requires annual review to Maintain Star Status.  In the First Quarter of 2020, two libraries, Bethel Park Public Library, Allegheny County and Oswayo Valley Memorial Library, Potter County have completed their maintenance activities and will be the first libraries to have maintained their Gold Star Status through 2021. 

 “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.

“Right now, you cannot physically visit a library building in Pennsylvania,” Buker added. “But because of the resiliency of our library staff, libraries are still offering the world and teaching literacy to their users. 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 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 December 16, 2019 and March 31, 2020. For a full listing of PA Forward® Star Libraries, visit http://paforwardstarlibraries.org/star-status/. The next round of awards will be announced after July 1, 2020.

The list of awardees, by county, follows:

Allegheny County

Plum Community Library – Gold                                    Robinson Township Library – Silver, 2

Community Library of Allegheny Valley – Silver, 3           South Park Township – Silver, 5

Berks CountyBrandywine Community Library – Silver, 5                      Bernsville Area Community Library – Bronze

Butler County

South Butler Community Library – Bronze                      Zelienople Area Public Library – Bronze

Cumberland County

Bosler Memorial Library – Gold                                      Shippensburg Public Library – Silver, 1

Delaware County

Lansdowne Public Library – Silver, 1                             

Erie County

McCord Memorial Library – Bronze

Indiana County

Indiana Free Library – Gold

Lancaster County

Lititz Public Library – Gold

Montgomery County

Abington Township Public Library – Bronze

Northampton County

Northampton Area Public Library – Gold

Pike County

Pike County Public Library – Gold

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.   

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Brandi Hunter-Davenport, PA Forward® Project Manager 717-766-7663 or [email protected] 

PA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TEAMS UP WITH CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU TO UNDERSCORE IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL LITERACY AND EDUCATION

CFPB offers free resources and materials through state’s libraries, Signs on as statewide PA Forward® Partner

Mechanicsburg, PA (Sept. 3, 2019) – The Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) is proud to announce that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is the latest PA Forward® partner organization. 

“Financial literacy is critical for everyone,” said Christi Buker, the Association’s Executive Director. “At this time, financial literacy is not a required learning tool in Pennsylvania’s schools. Libraries are able to fill that gap, offering programs on topics which range from planning for your child’s college education to planning your own retirement or how to better understand credit. Working with numerous partner organizations, we’re able to help connect the dots for community programs to occur in the library setting. We’re honored to be working with the CFPB at this level and look forward to a long partnership.”

CFPB previously supported the work of the Association by presenting at the 2017 PA Forward® Financial Literacy Summit. Since that time, the Bureau has remained engaged with the Association, collaborating to share financial education resource materials with Pennsylvanians.

“Libraries are key partners for reaching the American public,” said CFPB Director Kathleen L. Kraninger. “Consider these points, 76% of adults say libraries serve the learning and educational needs of their communities and 113.1 million Americans participated in library programs in 2016. A fundamental building block for developing financial well-being is through a foundation of basic savings. The Bureau has developed an initiative, Start Small, Save Up offering tips, tools and information to help consumers build a basic savings cushion and saving habit, as a foundation for securing their financial future. This is an example of one of the many ways we will work with PA Forward® to help Pennsylvania librarians help their communities develop financial well-being.”

Through PA Forward®, the Association’s training and outreach initiative, academic, school, and public libraries throughout Pennsylvania empower residents and businesses alike with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to succeed.

PA Forward® works through five key literacies – Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health and Financial – to assist all residents in enhancing their overall quality of life. The statewide program works to improve the literacy levels of Pennsylvanians by connecting them with the information, learning, and technology resources available at their local libraries. Working through each of the five literacies, the initiative aims to develop a better-trained and more highly skilled workforce, which in turn grows Pennsylvania’s tax base and economy.

The Pennsylvania Library Association defines financial literacy as the ability to make informed decisions in areas ranging from personal finance, to business management, to teaching spending and savings skills to children, to helping elders with retirement and/or estate planning.

Both PA Forward® and the CFPB saw the direct connections in relation to their individual goals and efforts to provide financial literacy education to state residents.

“Libraries are not simply book repositories,” Buker added. “They are pillars in our communities, offering a spectrum of programs, resources and opportunities to help our patrons become better-informed and more engaged in their local areas. Having the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau join us a partner through PA Forward® helps libraries continue to offer life-changing programs for Pennsylvanians. CFPB is the first organization at their level of government to sign on with our statewide partnership. We’re honored to have them with us.” 

About the Pennsylvania Library Association

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) is the state’s oldest and most diverse professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups. For more information, visit www.palibraries.org, facebook.com/PALibraries or @PALibraryAssoc on Twitter.

About PA Forward®

The PA Forward® | Pennsylvania Libraries initiative was conceived to give voice to what the library community already knows, and what other states throughout the nation recognize – with the right support, libraries are ideally positioned to become the community centers of information, technology, and learning that will fuel educational and economic opportunity for all our citizens. For more information, visit www.PAForward.org, facebook.com/paforward or @PAForward5 on Twitter.

About the CFPB

The CFPB is a 21^st century agency that helps consumer finance markets work by regularly identifying and addressing outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome regulations, by making rules more effective, by consistently enforcing federal consumer financial law, and by empowering consumers to take more control over their economic lives. For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov.

Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes libraries for PA Forward^TM Star achievements earned between April 1 and June 30, 2019

Mechanicsburg, PA (July 22, 2019) – The Pennsylvania Library Association just announced the 2019 second quarter PA Forward^TM Star Library awardees. More than 30 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^TM 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 local 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 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^TM, 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^TM 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^TM’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 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^TM. 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 April 1 and June 30, 2019. For a full listing of PA Forward^TM Star Libraries, visit http://paforwardstarlibraries.org/star-status/. The next round of awards will be announced after Sept. 30, 2019.

The list of awardees, by county, follows:

Allegheny County

Carnegie Free of Swissvale – Bronze                        Community Library of Allegheny Valley – Bronze

Cooper-Siegel Community Library – Silver, 1         Wilkinsburg Public Library – Silver, 3

Armstrong County

Apollo Memorial Library – Gold                                Ford City Public Library – Silver, 5

Berks County

Exeter Community Library – Silver, 5                        Kutztown Community Library – Gold

Schuylkill Valley Community Library – Bronze

Butler County

Butler Area Public Library – Silver, 5

Chester County

Chester County Library – Gold                                    Honey Brook Community Library – Silver, 2

Paoli Library – Gold                                                         Tredyffrin Public Library – Silver, 5

Clarion County

Knox Public Library – Gold

Crawford County

Springboro Library – Gold

Cumberland County

Bosler Memorial Library – Bronze                             Shippensburg University Library – Gold

Dauphin County

Penn State Harrisburg Library – Gold

Delaware County

Haverford Township Free Library – Silver, 3           Marple Public Library – Gold

Erie County

Erie County Public Library – Silver, 4

Lancaster County

Ephrata High School Library – Bronze                      Manheim Community Library – Silver, 1

Luzerne County

Wyoming Free Library – Bronze

Montgomery County

Ardmore Library – Gold                                                 Horsham Township Library – Silver, 2

Indian Valley Public Library – Silver, 5                                       

Somerset County

Somerset County Library – Silver, 2

Warren County

Warren Library Association – Silver, 5

Washington County

Chartiers-Houston Community Library, Silver 5                    Citizens Library – Gold

York County

Collinsville Community Library – Gold                                      Red Land Community Library – Silver, 5

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.