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 library’s community.  The snapshots include information on its population, racial composition, age, income, and more. Here is sample Community Profile from the PolicyMap website.

These profiles can be used to assist your library in strategic planning, collection development, grant applications, and more. To request your library’s Community Profile, please complete the Contact Us form and select the “Public Library Community Profile” category from the drop-down list.

For questions concerning this topic, please reach out to Amy Geisinger at ageisinger@pa.gov.

The Bureau of Library Development (BLD) in the Office of Commonwealth Libraries supports libraries and library services for Pennsylvanians through the administration of state and federally funded programs and grant opportunities including LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act), Library Access, LAMP (Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians), the Public Library Subsidy, and Keystone Grants for Public Library Facilities. BLD also provides advisory services, professional development, and continuing education for library staff and volunteer leadership at public, school, academic, and special libraries.

The Compendium is BLD’s primary communication channel. If you don’t already subscribe, please do so to ensure you receive the most up-to-date information.