by Heather Smith | Apr 1, 2025 | BLD News, Children's Services, Youth
Library staff and patrons across Pennsylvania are invited to join a special live virtual event with the author and illustrator of the 2025 PA One Book, Arlo Draws an Octopus. The PA One Book committee is excited to welcome Lori Mortensen and Rob Sayegh Jr. as we kick...
by Carrie Cleary | Mar 27, 2025 | Board of Trustees
Sharing this message forward on behalf of the Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries: Please use the form, 2025 Award Nomination Form for PCBL, to submit nominations for the annual Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries (PCBL) Awards before April 30, 2025....
by Abbey Lukiewski | Mar 27, 2025 | BLD News, BLD Updates, Event, Office of Commonwealth Libraries
The first Statewide Gathering is less than three weeks away! The deadline to register is now closed – but – there are three more this year! Our previous post covers the agenda, purpose, and lists all four dates and locations, which can be found here in...
by Amy Geisinger | Mar 26, 2025 | BLD News, Data
The Office of Commonwealth Libraries now has a subscription to the data platform PolicyMap. With our subscription, we can create a Community Profile specific to each state aided public library’s service area. These Community Profiles are snapshots of life in the...
by Kristin LaVanish | Mar 25, 2025 | Accessibility, Adult Services, Belonging, BLD News, Equity, Inclusion, Pennsylvania, Resources of Interest, rural, Rural and Small Libraries, State Agency Information
Hello Library Community! As library leaders, building partnerships and community engagement is centered in serving your community. Please see the links to veterans resources below and this flyer from our partner Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to share...
by Carrie Cleary | Mar 19, 2025 | Susan Banks Deputy Secretary of Education and Commissioner for Libraries
Greetings, Colleagues – You may have heard about the Executive Order issued by the White House on 3/14 calling for a reduction in workforce at seven agencies, one of which was the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) from which OCL receives our Grants to...
by Ed Lupico | Mar 19, 2025 | BLD News, Grants and Other Funding Opportunities, Library Facilities
Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities Overview Webinar Is your library and municipality planning to submit a Keystone Grant for Public Library Facilities application in the near future? Are you planning a facilities project and want to know if it would qualify...
by Carrie Cleary | Mar 18, 2025 | Grants and Other Funding Opportunities, Library Facilities, Susan Banks Deputy Secretary of Education and Commissioner for Libraries
$4.2 Million in Keystone Grants Awarded I am very pleased to announce on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Education that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be awarding eleven municipalities in eight counties with an estimated $4.2 million in Keystone grant...
by Heather Smith | Mar 18, 2025 | BLD News, Children's Services, Youth
The Office of Commonwealth Libraries invites you to register for the second of four quarterly Early Childhood Conversations (ECC) sessions in 2025. This community of practice series is for all library staff and volunteers providing services to children ages 0-8,...
by Julie Moore | Mar 18, 2025 | BLD News, Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL) News
The Bureau of Library Development encourages you to attend one of four Statewide Gatherings being held across the Commonwealth. More information about these events can be found in the Statewide Gathering: Agenda and Purpose article. Please keep in mind that...
