Libraries have the Power to move PA Forward

If KNOWLEDGE is power, Pennsylvania’s libraries have always been central suppliers of POWER in our COMMUNITES. Now we have an opportunity to power a new level of knowledge across our Commonwealth.

As our state and nation struggle with economic shifts, some permanent, we all ask, “How will Pennsylvania build a better future, one of job growth, opportunity, and community vitality?”

Those who work at or with Pennsylvania’s academic, public, school, and special libraries already know that an EDUCATED PUBLIC with BETTER ACCESS to INFORMATION is key. Libraries have been at the center of Pennsylvania’s communities, providing the CRITICAL CONNECTIONS.

Now it’s time to let the rest of Pennsylvania know – and ensure that libraries take their rightful place as LEADERS of a VISION that requires a unique combination of new technology, community access, and commitment to learning.

The Pennsylvania Library Association’s 21st Century Literacies Initiative, PA Forward, was conceived to give voice to what the library community already knows, and what other states throughout the nation are also recognizing: With the right support, LIBRARIES are ideally positioned to become the community centers of information, technology, and learning that will fuel EDUCATIONAL and ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY for all of our citizens.

Libraries have moved far beyond just being book repositories. They’re agile institutions serving real-life needs. Libraries can be key to powering progress and elevating the quality of life in PA by fueling the types of knowledge essential to success: Basic Literacy, Information Literacy, Civic and Social Literacy, Health Literacy, and Financial Literacy.

Find our more at the PA Foward website.