March 29, 2019 Hershey, PA – Department of Education (PDE) Deputy Secretary for Commonwealth Libraries, Glenn Miller has been named a Presidential Award recipient from the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA) for his work in advancing the goals and work of libraries.
Glenn Miller, Deputy Secretary & Commissioner for Libraries
“Glenn has been instrumental in advocating for school libraries as critical resources for students and for public libraries as essential partners within their communities,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera during the award presentation. “Libraries have continually evolved to meet the changing needs of their patrons. They provide resources for the public to find jobs, training to improve skills, and instructional programs to engage learners of all ages.”
Deputy Secretary Miller received the award during PSLA’s 46th Annual Conference at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.
“Libraries have become an integral part of workforce development, especially as more jobs require digital literacy and computer science skills,” said Deputy Secretary Miller. “To make this work, we need skilled librarians who can show students how to use these resources, so they are prepared to meet the changing demands of employers.”
Earlier this year, Miller joined Google as the tech company held a series of one-day events for its Grow with Google initiative. The events, which were hosted at public libraries in Philadelphia, York, and Erie, delivered digital skills workshops to library staff and local nonprofit leaders, to job seekers, and to small businesses in the local communities.
At the PSLA annual conference, Secretary Rivera also addressed attendees about new educational initiatives, including the launch of the Future Ready PA Index and Governor Wolf’s PAsmart Initiative and Statewide Workforce, Education, and Accountability Program (SWEAP).
The governor launched PAsmart last year as a groundbreaking approach to prepare students and workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow through STEM and computer science education, apprenticeship and job training. The Wolf administration has awarded nearly $20 million this year to bolster STEM and computer science in schools and nearly $10 million to expand apprenticeships and job training.
SWEAP is the governor’s 2019-20 budget proposal which expands access to early childhood education, increases investments in schools, and partners with the private sector to build on the PAsmart initiative.
A native of Pittsburgh, Miller was appointed by Governor Wolf and Secretary Rivera in 2015.
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MEDIA CONTACTS: Eric Levis, PDE