Libraries Throughout Pennsylvania Wrap Up 2018 With PA Forward® Star Library Awards

Some 30 libraries obtain Bronze, Silver or Gold PA Forward® Stars between October 1 and December 15, 2018

Mechanicsburg, PA (December 19, 2018) – Libraries across Pennsylvania continue showcasing the value they bring to their communities by providing programs and resources which positively support the patrons served and have earned “Star Library” status in the process.  The Pennsylvania Library Association today announced their statewide PA Forward™ Star Library Program 2018 fourth quarter awardees.

“Using the PA Forward™ framework, libraries help patrons meet their own needs and those of their loved ones in an ever-evolving society. We are honored to be able to highlight their work and help all residents connect more with these community pillars,” said Christi Buker, Pennsylvania Library Association Executive Director. “These awards signify intentional investments by library staffs to offer programs and resources that correlate to direct investments in the community. A patron coming to the library to access a computer and the internet to submit an online job application or an individual coming to the library to participate in a program that helps them care for an ailing parent are examples of patrons whose lives have been changed, positively, because of the offerings at the local library. The Star Library Program allows us to put a spotlight on how libraries are moving Pennsylvania forward.”  

PA Forward™, 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. Those 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™.

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 following library awards are listed by award and county and are for the newest achievements earned between October 1 and December 15, 2018.    

Bronze Star – A total of 10 Bronze Stars are awarded to the following libraries:

Allegheny County

• Andrew Bayne Memorial Library
• Andrew Carnegie Free Library
• Brentwood Library
• Cooper-Siegel Community Library
• Northern Tier Regional Library
• Robinson Township Library

Butler County

• Butler Area Public Library

Delaware County

• Sharon Hill Public Library

Erie County

• Corry Public Library

Montgomery County

• Lansdale Public Library

Silver Star – A total of 13 Silver Stars, and the levels reached, are awarded to the following libraries:

Armstrong County

• Apollo Memorial Library, 3^rd

Chester County

• Paoli Library, 1^st

Clarion County

• Knox Public Library, 4^th

Dauphin County

• Penn State University Harrisburg Library, 1^st  

Erie County

• Corry Public Library, 1^st  

Fayette County

• Carnegie Free Library of Connellsville, 5^th  

Lebanon County

• Lebanon Community Library, 4^th

Lehigh County

• Lower Macungie Library, 5^th  

Luzerne County

• Hazleton Area Public Library, 3^rd  

Montgomery County

• Ardmore Library, 5^th  

Monroe County

• Eastern Monroe Public Library, 1^st

Somerset County

• Meyersdale Public Library, 1^st

York County

• Paul Smith Library of Southern York County, 5^th  

Gold Star – A total of seven Gold Stars are awarded to the following libraries:

Allegheny County

• Baldwin Borough Public Library
• Northland Public Library Authority
• South Fayette Township Library

Dauphin County

• Hershey Public Library

Lebanon County

• Matthews Public Library

Montgomery County

• Ludington Public Library

York County

• Guthrie Memorial Library

For more information, including a complete listing of all libraries participating in the program, visit www.paforwardstarlibraries.org.

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