We are saddened to hear about the passing of Pennsylvania Library Association Past-President Dr. Mary Anne Fedrick. We send our deepest condolences to her family and friends.

Read her full obituary here.

PA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZES THE 2024 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Melinda Tanner, District Services Manager and Consultant Librarian with Westmoreland County Federated Library System, Greensburg, PA presented with the Distinguished Service Award for 2024.

The Recording of the Ceremony can be watched Here!

Mechanicsburg, PA (October 15, 2024) – Each year, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) honors the service of their members, as well as those community volunteers, who go above and beyond the call of duty to support the work of libraries throughout the commonwealth.

On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, Melinda Tanner was recognized for her service to the Association with the 2024 Distinguished Service Award.

It is with great pleasure and appreciation that the Pennsylvania Library Association recognizes Melinda Tanner with the 2024 Distinguished Service Award, an award to recognize exceptionally meritorious statewide service to libraries and the Pennsylvania Library Association.

Melinda is a District Services Manager and Consultant Librarian with Westmoreland County Federated Library System, Greensburg, PA. According to her nominator, Melinda has been a force in Pennsylvania libraries. She began her career as a library director and soon after took on the role of District Consultant serving numerous libraries. Melinda possesses a deep understanding of library codes, operational strategies, human resources management, and governance issues, which she generously shares with her peers and colleagues.

Some of her most influential accomplishments have involved the work she did mentoring other librarians and shaping the careers of numerous young library professionals.

Melinda's impact extends well beyond the more than fifty libraries she has directly served in four counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania (Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland). Her contributions to the Pennsylvania Library Association are numerous and significant. Through leadership on various committees her proactive involvement in statewide initiatives has earned her the respect and admiration of colleagues statewide.

One of her many notable achievements was the creation of the association’s Rural and Small Libraries Roundtable. Melinda saw the need for librarians working in small and rural communities to have a place to focus on their unique issues. She was also involved with important work with state library code revisions and was a part of the committee that created the highly successful PA Forward initiative.

Beyond Pennsylvania, Melinda has been involved with numerous initiatives including service on a National Science Foundation project which brought high quality science programming to libraries.

Melinda continues to serve as a District Consultant making an indelible mark on the landscape of Pennsylvania libraries.

“Congratulations to our 2024 award winner!  Their efforts truly serve as an inspiration to the library community” said Sylvia Orner, 2024 President of the Pennsylvania Library Association.   “I am so proud of their amazing work and humbled by their generosity with both their time and talent.  I hope that all PaLA members will join me in celebrating these well-deserved awards.”

“The Pennsylvania Library Association is able to do what we do thanks to the unwavering efforts of our members,” said Christi Buker, PaLA Executive Director. “These awards are just our small way of shining a light on what all librarians and library workers do to continue promoting the value libraries bring to communities they serve. We are thankful for their support and engagement and are honored to be able to recognize their efforts. Congratulations to all our 2024 winners.”

A committee comprised of association members reviews the nominations submitted in late summer and selects winners for a series of categories.

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association is the state's oldest professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups. PaLA represents more than 1,300 personal, institutional, and commercial members affiliated with public, academic, special, and school libraries throughout the commonwealth. The association represents the profession in Harrisburg with the state legislature and provides opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and continuing education for librarians.

For a listing of previous award winners, click here . For more information about the work of the Pennsylvania Library Association, visit www.palibraries.org .

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Mechanicsburg, PA (September 24, 2024) – Each year, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) honors the service of their members, as well as those community volunteers, who go above and beyond the call of duty to support the work of libraries throughout the commonwealth.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, three members of the Association were honored with Certificates of Merit.

Certificates of Merit are awarded to individuals making outstanding contributions during the last five years in Pennsylvania.

This year’s winners are Brenda Beikert, Library Director of the Knox Public Library in Knox, Heather Weleski , director of the Avalon Public Library in Avalon, and Emily Reed, Reference and Instruction Librarian for the Madlyn L. Hanes Library at Penn State Harrisburg, Middletown.

Brenda Beikert’s many contributions to the Association include service as 2019 Chair of the Northwest Chapter after serving on the executive committee, service to the Membership Committee from 2014-2018, as a member of the PA Forward Literacy Team since 2019 and as a member of the Literacy Summit Planning Committee in 2019, 2021, and 2023. Additionally, she served on the 2019 Conference Committee and as the Chair of the 2020 Nominations Committee. She is an active member of the Legislative Information Committee since 2021 and has been very involved in planning and holding the Legislator Information Sessions and Legislative Town Halls for fellow members.

Brenda began her public library career in 2009 as the Director of the Foxburg Free Library in Clarion County where she applied for and received an LSTA grant for hotspots to help her rural community have more ready access to the internet when the library wasn’t open. In 2017, she became the Assistant Director of the Knox Public Library where she led their quest to become a PA Forward Gold Star library in 2019. Also in 2019, Brenda was appointed as the Director of the Knox Public Library where she continued to work diligently to find more resources for her community and successfully applied for both the Community Connect: Fostering Digital Access grant through the American Library Association in 2020 and the Libraries Transforming Communities grant in 2021.

Heather Weleski has been actively involved in the Association since becoming a member in 2015. She started off her involvement by presenting at and attending conferences in 2015, 2016, and 2018. Heather served on the Best Practices Award Committee from 2017-2020 and has served on the Scholarship Committee since 2017, including chairing the committee in 2023. She is a 2019 graduate of the Leadership Academy by PALS and was invited to serve as a mentor at the Directors’ Institute in 2023. A member of both the Southwest Chapter and the Public Library Division, Heather served as division chair in 2022 and chapter chair in 2024. Additionally, she has written articles for the Bulletin and continues to proofread and review the Bulletin in volunteer service to the Association. In all of her professional service roles, Heather is known to be supportive and encouraging and sharing her good nature to welcome others.

Heather began her public library career in 2014 as the Children and Youth Services Coordinator at the Community Library of Castle Shannon. While working full time, she pursued her master’s degree in library science. In 2019, Heather was appointed the director of the Avalon Public Library and immediately began expanding programming, developing an inclusive environment for all those who visit, and took the library outside the walls and into schools and community spaces. Under her guidance, the Avalon Public Library entered the PA Forward Star Library program and as of 2024, the library has received a silver star in all but one of the essential literacies.

Emily Reed is a dedicated professional - to her organization and work, to librarianship more broadly, and to the Pennsylvania Library Association.  Her contributions to the Association are numerous, including using her tech savvy in her role as Technical Coordinator on the College and Research Division Board, facilitating meaningful connections between professionals as a member and chair of the Mentorship Subcommittee, and supporting first-time conference attendees to get the most out of the conference experience in helping to create the Conference Buddy Program.  Emily is also now a member of the Pennsylvania Library Association Board of Directors, where she continually exemplifies thoughtful leadership in her role.

Emily represents the best of what our Pennsylvania librarians and libraries have to offer.  As noted by one of the nominators, her efforts are marked by enthusiasm and hard work, she routinely seeks additional responsibilities and new opportunities that align with her professional interests, and she consistently provides guidance and support by striving to participate in meaningful ways.

Also worthy of recognition is Emily’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, evidenced by her work on various committees and projects within her role at Penn State Harrisburg, and also seen in her support and efforts for marginalized communities.   Emily played an integral role in her library’s nomination for the Association’s Library of the Year Award in 2023, the first academic library to receive the honor.  And finally, Emily has proven to have the deep respect, appreciation, and support of her colleagues who also recognize her successful contributions.  One of them said this about Reed, “Through librarianship, research, and service Emily is pushing the field of librarianship – particularly in Pennsylvania – to new heights.”

“Congratulations to our 2024 award winner!  Their efforts truly serve as an inspiration to the library community” said Sylvia Orner, 2024 President of the Pennsylvania Library Association.   “I am so proud of their amazing work and humbled by their generosity with both their time and talent.  I hope that all PaLA members will join me in celebrating these well-deserved awards.”

A committee comprised of association members reviews the nominations submitted in late summer and selects winners for a series of categories.

“The Pennsylvania Library Association is able to do what we do thanks to the unwavering efforts of our members,” said Christi Buker, PaLA Executive Director. “These awards are just our small way of shining a light on what all librarians and library workers do to continue promoting the value libraries bring to communities they serve. We are thankful for their support and engagement and are honored to be able to recognize their efforts. Congratulations to all our 2024 winners.”

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association is the state's oldest and most diverse professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups.

PaLA represents more than 1,300 personal, institutional, and commercial members affiliated with public, academic, special, and school libraries throughout the commonwealth. The association represents the profession in Harrisburg with the state legislature and provides opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and continuing education for librarians.

For a listing of previous award winners, click here . For more information about the work of the Pennsylvania Library Association, visit www.palibraries.org .

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PA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZES THE 2024 NEW PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIAN

Sara Kern of Penn State University Libraries named New Professional Librarian of the Year

Mechanicsburg, PA (September 24, 2024) – Each year, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) honors the service of their members, as well as those community volunteers, who go above and beyond the call of duty to support the work of libraries throughout the commonwealth.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, the 2024 New Professional Librarian of the Year was awarded to Sara Kern.

Sara began her librarian career at Juniata College where she worked as an Access Services and Instruction Librarian and a Student Success and Outreach Librarian. She is currently an Engineering Librarian at Pennsylvania State University’s University Park Campus where she works as an instructor, department liaison, and manager.

In her teaching role, Sara promotes inclusivity in her information literacy classes and programs for students. Her well-structured information literacy plans have significantly enhanced the curriculum and benefited countless students and faculty members. She also provides innovative opportunities for students to engage with the library that contributes to the growth of the whole student as a lifelong citizen of this world.

Sara takes her role as a department liaison very seriously. By acquiring more foundational subject knowledge and developing strong working relationships with faculty and staff, Sara has become an integral part of the Engineering department’s functions. When the university was unable to deliver a donation of books to the Acoustics Engineering Department, Sara decided to deliver the books herself.

Sara’s dedication to the field of librarianship makes her an outstanding role model for her colleagues and students.

She is an accomplished writer and presenter in the field. Her involvement with the Pennsylvania Library

Association includes serving as a Member-at-Large for the Pennsylvania Library Association College and Research Division Board and as the Nominations & Elections Representative for the Juniata-Conemaugh Chapter.

“Congratulations to our 2024 award winner!  Their efforts truly serve as an inspiration to the library community” said Sylvia Orner, 2024 President of the Pennsylvania Library Association.   “I am so proud of their amazing work and humbled by their generosity with both their time and talent.  I hope that all PaLA members will join me in celebrating these well-deserved awards.”

“The Pennsylvania Library Association is able to do what we do thanks to the unwavering efforts of our members,” said Christi Buker, PaLA Executive Director. “These awards are just our small way of shining a light on what all librarians and library workers do to continue promoting the value libraries bring to communities they serve. We are thankful for their support and engagement and are honored to be able to recognize their efforts. Congratulations to all our 2024 winners.”

A committee comprised of association members reviews the nominations, submitted in late summer, and selects winners for a series of categories.

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association is the state's oldest professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups. PaLA represents more than 1,300 personal, institutional, and commercial members affiliated with public, academic, special and school libraries throughout the commonwealth. The association represents the profession in Harrisburg with the state legislature and provides opportunities for professional growth, leadership development and continuing education for librarians.

For a listing of previous award winners, click here . For more information about the work of the Pennsylvania Library Association, visit www.palibraries.org .

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The 2024 PaLA Annual Conference is in Harrisburg, October 6-9.  Take advantage of our Harrisburg location to make an appointment with your state-level Senators and Representatives!  

If you've never met with your elected officials before, join us for "How to Do Advocacy" on Thursday, August 8, 2024, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm on Zoom.  Register NOW - at https://www.palibraries.org/event/2024Advocacy  This session is free for both members and non-members, and open to all regardless of whether you've already registered for the conference or not yet!

Members of the PaLA Legislative Committee will review the basic steps in advocacy on the attached handout, share their tips, and answer any of your questions!  

We hope that everyone will plan to take an hour in October to meet with your legislators!

Don't forget to register by August 15 for the early-bird rates

for the Annual Conference!

https://www.palibraries.org/event/2024ConferenceAttendeeReg