Happy Spring library colleagues!

The past few months have been quite busy in the Bureau of Library Development (BLD) as we continue to build our team and map out our work in accordance with the Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL) Five-Year Plan, which officially begins October 1, 2023. To read more about recent activities, please refer to BLD’s first quarter Compendium posts listed at the end of this message. Some additional highlights include:

• A new Compendium layout was launched with a links page for quick access to some of our new LibGuides. Stay tuned as we add more!
• The public library directory is still in development, but you can preview the demo site. Please note that it is possible the developers haven’t made the updates you provided to our office yet, and we are aware of several functionality issues that need to be addressed, but we wanted to give you an opportunity to see what’s in the works.
• The Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) Guidelines on service areas are nearly complete. A focus group has been convened to review and make recommendations to the committee.
• The BLD regulations work group continues to meet regularly and develop draft recommendations for the full regulations committee.
• Statewide Library Service Grants for federal fiscal year 2023/24 will open this May. An information session will be held Thursday, April 27, 2023 from 10:30AM-12PM. For those unable to attend, the recording will be posted on the PA Library Staff Academy.
• A NEW application for state aid will be implemented this year and will be combined with the waiver application. Training for the new process will be held in June.

Also, we are thrilled to have welcomed new members to the BLD team this quarter – GJ Hinkley, our Management Technician in the Admin and Data unit, and Julie Moore, our Professional Development Advisor in the Programs and Advising unit.  And we are in the process of filling two more positions including a Statewide Services Advisor and Education Administration Supervisor.

The Compendium is now OCL’s primary communication channel; therefore, BLD will no longer use the mailing lists to provide updates. If you don’t already subscribe, please do so to ensure you receive the most up-to-date information. 

I am grateful for your continued patience and support as we move forward, and I thank you for all you do for Pennsylvanians!

Heather

Heather Sharpe, MLIS | Director, Bureau of Library Development
Office of Commonwealth Libraries | Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street | 11th Floor | Harrisburg PA  17126
Office: 717.783.0565 | Mobile: 717.903.1819 | www.statelibrary.pa.gov

BLD Quarterly Digest

January
1/12/2023 Bureau of Library Development – Staff News
1/26/2023 American Library Association 2023 Youth Media Awards
1/27/2023 Register for an INCLUDING YOU workshop
1/31/2023 2023 PA One Book Selection Announced: Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor

February
2/2/2023 Promising Practices for Youth Services in Pennsylvania’s Public Libraries
2/7/2023 Pennsylvania Summer Library Program: 2023 Summer Showcase and Roundtables
2/13/2023 Summer Program 2023 Opportunities for Libraries
2/14/2023 Banned Books, Critical Literacy, and the Power of Speech
2/24/2023 $4.12 Million in Keystone Grants Awarded

March
3/9/2023 A Change in SAM.gov for Some Entity Administrators
3/10/2023 Federal Government is Reducing the Number of New Entities Required to Obtain CAGE Code for SAM.gov Registration
3/13/2023 Keystone Grant Overview Webinar
3/24/2023 StoryWalk® Project Recipients Announced
3/24/2023 Register for INCLUDING YOU April 12 – May 17 Workshop
3/29/2023 Webinar Announcement: Choosing and Using Picture Books to Engage in Developmentally Appropriate Race Talk
3/30/2023 2023-24 LSTA Grant Updates

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.