Steering 

PA Forward® Overview

PA Forward® provides a universal voice and framework for Pennsylvania libraries and community engagement. The Pennsylvania Library Association initiative, which launched statewide in 2012, works through five key literacies – Basic, Information, Civic & Social, Health and Financial – and helps libraries connect their programs to community needs.  

In 2024, the priorities that will guide our PA Forward work are: 

1. Communication

2. Sustainability

3. Community Relations/External Communications

4. Assessment Development

5. Partnership nurturing

To continue helping libraries use PA Forward® to demonstrate all they offer, in January 2017, the Association kicked off the Star Library program statewide. The Star Library recognition offers support to libraries who participate and integrate PA Forward’s® literacies in their programming activities. Those libraries are recognized for meeting benchmarks within the bronze, silver and gold star levels of the program. 

Stars are awarded on a quarterly basis in the calendar year and the recognition is for the highest level attained in the program at the time of the award. To learn more about the Star Library program, visit paforward.org or to work on your Star, visit my.nicheacademy.com/paforward. 

PA Forward® In Action

As of 2019, the operational structure for PA Forward® took a three-pronged approach:

• Steering Committee - focusing on strategic planning, evaluation, mission, community partnerships and engagement, as well as fundraising.

• Literacies Team - focusing on the five literacies of PA Forward® - Basic, Information, Civic and Social, Health and Financial - working with all libraries to implement the framework in their settings whether public, special, academic or school libraries.

• Training Team - focusing on trainings including the Star Library Program, resource development and skill building.

Volunteer leaders comprise the PA Forward® Committees.  

2024 Steering Committee:

• Jen Luksa, Chair, Misericordia University
• Jessica Church, Immediate Past Chair, Erie County Library
• Helen Taylor, Vice-Chair, Ephrata Public Library
  
• Brenda Beikert, Director, Knox Public Library
  
• Sandy Longo, Director, Abington Community Library
• Emily Mross, Penn State Harrisburg Library
• Catherine Stewart, Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity
• Robyn Vittek, Director, Mt. Lebanon Public Library
• Ed Wolf, HSLC

2024 Literacies Team:

• Tanya Fischer, Chair, National Comprehensive Cancer Network
• Brenda Beikert, Knox Public Library
• Jessica Church, Erie Public Library
• Tylar Kerstetter, Librarian
• Heather Lipinski, Warmister Township Public Library
• Rick Miller, Osterhout Free Library, Luzerne County Library System
• Emily Mross, Penn StateUniversity Libraries-Harrisburg
• Alice Pakhtigian, Librarian
• Stephanie Pennucci, Millersville University Library
• Jessica Stefano, Erie County Library
• Margie Stern, Indian Valley Public Library
  
• Claire Williams, Huntingdon County Library

2024 Training Team:

• Rachel Stevenson, Chair, Erie County Library
• Jackie Laick, Co-Chair, Technical Team, Washington & Jefferson College
• Ed Wolf, Co-Chair, Technical Team,Hosting Solutions and Library Consulting (HSLC)
  
• Paula Gilbert, Retired Librarian
• June Houghtaling, James V. Brown Library
• David Schappert, Retired Librarian
• Margie Stern, Indian Valley Public Library
• Helen Taylor, Past Chair, Ephrata Public Library
• Beth Transue, Messiah University
• Robyn Vittek, Mt. Lebanon Public Library
  
  

The PA Forward® Program Manager is a staff person with the Pennsylvania Library Association, and together with the volunteer leaders work to offer content, training, and outreach assistance for the Association's members and all libraries across the Commonwealth. 

For more information about PA Forward®, including how to become more involved in the Star Library Program or become a volunteer leader, send an email to paforward@palibraries.org or call 717-766-7663. 

This project is made possible, in part, by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, Governor.