Library Director Information

New Director Handbook

Important Information Checklist

Download (PDF, 29KB)

Resource List 

Note: Please contact a solicitor or your library’s attorney for any legal questions.
Also find info/training in WebJunction and PA Library Staff Academy
Click here for this resource list as a printable PDF. 

Top sites for Information:

State Library Website: http://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/ (use search bar)
Compendium: https://compendium.ocl-pa.org/  (use search bar)
POWER Library: https://www.powerlibrary.org/

ACCESS PA Newsletter

https://www.powerlibrary.org/librarians/library-news/access-pa-news/#.Wp32R23wY2w

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

ADA National Network (resources): https://adata.org/publication/ADA-faq-booklet

Accessibility

see also ADA above
Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians: https://mylamp.org/
Temple University’s Assistive Technology Lending Library: https://disabilities.temple.edu/prgams/assistive/atlend/

Board of Trustees

Blue Avocado: http://www.blueavocado.org/
BoardSource: https://boardsource.org (each district center has copies of their titles)
BoardSource’s Free Resources: https://boardsource.org/board-support/training-education/download-resources-tools/
Charity Navigator: Charity Navigator evaluates and rates nonprofit performance
Leadership by Design: https://compendium.ocl-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Leadership-by-Design3-1.pdf (4-page handout on Board governance duties and more!)
National Council of Nonprofits: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/
Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO): http://pano.org
Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards (National Center for Nonprofit Boards)
United for Libraries: http://www.ala.org/united/

Career Information

O’Net Online: Librarians: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-4021.00?fbclid=IwAR1c_MWKd27Y96c2rDud703TrlBfuIDkVBV7snyIbx7bIkyJoO-LkVgcbjU

Child Abuse Clearance Information

KeepKidsSafe: http://keepkidssafe.pa.gov/
Online Training: https://www.pa-fsa.org/Mandated-Reporters/Mandated-Reporters-Training/OnDemand-Online-Training (fee)
If Individual is Paying for Clearance: https://uenroll.identogo.com/
If organization is paying: https://www.identogo.com/uploads/general/PA_NCAC_Package_Fillable_Fields.pdf
Service Code for Library Employee: 1KG756 (employee 14 years of age and older who has contact with children).
Service Code for Volunteers: 1KG6ZJ (an individual applying for or holding an unpaid position as a volunteer with a child-care service, a school or a program, activity or service, as a person responsible for the child’s welfare or having director volunteer contact with children).

Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

FCC: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
WebJunction Summary: https://www.webjunction.org/documents/webjunction/Children_039_s_Internet_Protection_Act_0 45_Summary.html

Children and Youth

ALSC competencies  (you can only access PDF if you are a member, but if you scroll down they are listed on the site below): http://www.ala.org/alsc/edcareeers/alsccorecomps
Cruise Into Kindergarten: please contact Corri Hines for updated sites (for librarians and parents and early childhood instructors)
Madison Library Bubbler: http://madisonbubbler.org/
OneBook: https://www.paonebook.org/
SummerQuest  new site coming soon; please contact Corri Hines.
YALSA Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/guidelines/yacompetencies

Children’s Books

Copyright-free titles in the POWER Library (over 300; use for online Story hour!) https://powerlibrary.org/librarians/statewide-catalog/documentation/childrens-books-read-aloudactivities/

Collection Development

Weeding: CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries
Compendium: News for Pennsylvania Libraries: https://compendium.ocl-pa.org/

Computers and Software

see Purchasing for:
PEPPM
TechSoup for Libraries, and others

Copyright

U.S. Copyright Office: http://copyright.gov

Continuing Education

Continuing Education (CE) Guidelines for Public Library Staff: https://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/Documents/For%20Libraries/Library%20Laws%20and%20Regulations/Governors%20Advisory%20Council/CE%20Guidelines%20for%20Public%20Library%20Staff.pdf (GAC is revising)
See also Professional Development

Data

see also Statistics and Demographics
Census: https://www.census.gov/
Rural Pennsylvania (Center for Rural Pennsylvania): http://www.rural.palegislature.us/
Pew Internet & American Life Project: www.pewinternet.org
Pew Research Center: www.pewresearch.org

Demographics

Pennsylvania Demographic Profiles: https://www.powerlibrary.org/librarians/special-projectsoffice-of-commonwealth-libraries/pennsylvania-demographic-profiles/#.XT4tMDaoscg
Census: https://www.census.gov/

Disaster Preparedness

ALA  Disaster Response: A Selected Annotated Bibliography (lists resources and training: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=libraryfactsheet&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=25420

Disabilities

See Accessibility

Diversity

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (ALA): http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/diversity/edi
Toolkit: Pa Dept of Education Toolkit
Surveying: Who’s Coming: Respectful Audience Surveying Toolkit
ALA: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity/continuing-education/webinars
ICMA Resources: https://icma.org/race-equity-and-social-justice

E-Rate

Universal Service Administrative Company: https://www.usac.org/e-rate/

Events/News

Notify us of upcoming events: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PALibraryEvent
Submit something for the Compendium: dmegdad@pa.gov

Facilities see also Grants

ALA LibGuides on Equipment and Facilities: https://libguides.ala.org/equip-facilities-mgt/home
Core Library Facilities & Interiors Interest Group: https://connect.ala.org/core/communities/community-home?CommunityKey=db2d336d-8441-479d-8600-58aadd67349d
PLA (Public Library Association):https://www.ala.org/pla/resources/tools/directors-managers-administrators/facilities
Keystone Grants for Public Libraries: http://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/libraries/subsidies-and-grants/pages/keystone-recreation-park-and-conservation-funds.aspx
Whole Building Design Guide
https://www.wbdg.org/building-types/libraries/public-library

Financial

Candid (formerly GuideStar): https://candid.org/ provides information about nonprofits, including copies of their 990’s, online foundation directory and data
PA Public Library Accounting Manual. Revised August 2018: https://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/Documents/For%20Libraries/Other%20Resources/Accounting%20Manual/Accounting%20Manual.pdf (see related webinar Financial Best Practices in the PA Library Staff Academy)
Wallace Foundation’s Resources for Financial Management: http://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Resources-for-Financial-%20Management/pages/default.aspx

Firearms

from Pennsylvania State Police website: https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.psp.pa.gov%2Ffirearms-information%2FPages%2FCarrying-Firearms-in-Pennsylvania.aspx

Friends Group:

Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries (PCBL): www.pcblpa.org
United for Libraries: http://www.ala.org/united/

Furniture and Equipment, etc.

See Purchasing for
COSTARS
KPN
PEPPM
Surplus Federal Real Property for Educational Purposes

Future

Center for the Future of Libraries: http://www.ala.org/tools/future

Grants

see also Keystone and LSTA
National Endowment for the Humanities: NEH Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants
PA Department of Community and Economic Development lists
grants and programs
Some that libraries may be eligible for : Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC)
Community Development Block Grant (through your municipality if eligible)
USDA Rural Development: https://www.rd.usda.gov/

Human Resources and Personnel

Ask Rita in HR (Blue Avocado): http://blueavocado.org/category/topic/ask-rita-hr
Job Interview Questions You Can’t Ask (SBA): https://www.sba.gov/blog/best-hiring-practices-what-you-can-cant-ask-job-applicant?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Team Building Wiki (Teampedia): http://teampedia.net/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
See also Dr. Kramer’s Nonprofit Issues: https://www.nonprofitissues.com/

Intellectual Freedom

Office of Intellectual Freedom: https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif
Resources: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom

Laws (not exhaustive list)

Federal

Pennsylvania

Exclusion from Registering with Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations: https://www.dos.pa.gov/BusinessCharities/Charities/RegistrationForms/Pages/Exclusions-and-Exemptions-Chart.aspx
Library Theft: 18 Pa. C.S.A. §3929.1-3929.2
Obscene and other sexual materials and performances: 18 Pa. C.S.A. §5903
Public Library Code: 24 C.S. §§9301 to 9376

9311. State Library and State Librarian.
9312. Advisory council.
Statewide library resource centers.
9314. District library centers.
9315. Development of local libraries.
9316. Acquisition of real property for library purposes.
9317. County libraries and library taxes.
9318. Local library governance.
9319. Certification of library personnel.
9320. Collaborative ventures.
9321. Qualification in general.
9332. Waiver of standards.
9333. State system of aid to libraries.
9334. Quality libraries aid.
9335. Incentive for excellence aid.
9336. Equal distribution grants.
9337. County coordination aid.
9338. District library center aid.
9339. Statewide library resource center aid.
9340. Equalization aid.
9341. Transfer of funds among allocations.
9342. Special rules for specific fiscal years.
9343. Basic aid to local libraries.
9344. Incentive aid to local libraries.
9351. Financial support for libraries authorized.
9352. Popular subscription.
9353. Gifts and donations.9371. Free use of libraries.
9372. Tax exempt status.
9373. Commonwealth publications.
9374. Selection of materials.
9375. Privacy of circulation records.
9376. Damage to library materials.

Retention of library property after notice to return: 18 Pa. C.S.A. §6708

Legal

Dr. Kramer’s Nonprofit Issues: https://www.nonprofitissues.com/

Library of Congress

Ask A Librarian: https://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-contactus.html
Chronicling America (historic newspapers): http://chroniclingAmerica.loc.gov
Congress.gov Training: http://www.loc.gov/law/opportunities/seminar-orient.php
Digital Collections: https://www.loc.gov/collections
Discover LOC Online Resources: https://www.loc.gov/discover/
Online Catalog: https://catalog.loc.gov
Z39.50 Gateway: http://www.loc.gov/z3950/gateway.html#lc

Library Statistics

ALA Office for Research Statistics: http://www.ala.org/tools/research
Library Research Service: https://www.lrs.org/
Institute of Museum and Library Statistics (Public Library Survey): https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/data-collection/public-libraries-survey

LSTA

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl
Email: RA-LSTA@pa.gov
IMLS Subscriptions: https://www.imls.gov/news-events/e-mail-subscriptions (a way to be notified of federal grants offered by IMLS)
Pennsylvania eGrants: www.egrants.pa.gov
Pennsylvania’s LSTA webpage: www.statelibrary.pa.gov/LSTA
Uniform Guidance: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/uniform-guidance/index.html

Municipalities

International City/County Management Association (ICMA): https://icma.org/

Nonprofit Issues

https://www.nonprofitissues.com/

Office of Commonwealth Libraries

Website: http://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/

Older Pennsylvanians

Area Agency on Aging: http://www.aging.pa.gov/local-resources/Pages/AAA.aspx
Benefits and Rights for Older Pennsylvanians booklet: http://www.aging.pa.gov/publications/benefits-and-rights/Pages/default.aspx
Veterans Affairs: http://www.dmva.pa.gov/veteransaffairs/Pages/default.aspx
Workforce Development: http://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/Libraries/Library-Programs-and-Services/Pages/Workforce-Development.aspx

Outreach

Disabilities
Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP): https://mylamp.org/
Temple University’s Assistive Technology TechOwl: https://disabilities.temple.edu/programs-services/assistive-technology
Homelessness:  Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness (weekly tips): http://www.homelesslibrary.com/ala-book.html

POWER LIBRARY

Newsletter: https://www.powerlibrary.org/about/power-library-news/read/#.Wp320G3wY2w
Support: support@hslc.org

Privacy and Confidentiality

ALA: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/privacy/toolkit

Professional Development

PA Library Staff Academy: https://powerlibrary.org/librarians/#.YSqgM45KiUk (click icon on right)
WebJunction Competency Index for the Library Field: http://www.webjunction.org/documents/webjunction/Competency_Index_for_the_Library_Field.html
WebJunction Training: https://www.webjunction.org/find-training.html

Professional Ethics

(American Library Association, May 19, 2017): http://www.ala.org/tools/ethics

Purchasing

Pre-bid sources libraries may use: COSTARS Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s cooperative purchasing program: https://www.dgs.pa.gov/Local%20Government%20and%20Schools/COSTARS/Pages/default.aspx
PEPPM Technology items: https://www.peppm.org/pa/
KPN Keystone Purchasing Network: http://thekpn.org/
See also TechSoup for Libraries

RA Accounts

General RA Account: RA-Libdev@pa.gov
LSTA: RA-LSTA@pa.gov
Listservs: RA-lists@pa.gov
State Aid: RA-StateAid@pa.gov
Training: RA-EDTraining@pa.gov

Rural Resources

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania: http://www.rural.palegislature.us/
USDA Rural Development: https://www.rd.usda.gov/

Sales Tax

OCL cannot provide legal advice. Guidance on Sales Tax, as of 2019, may be found at: 61 PA Code subpart B Article II (Sales And Use Tax), Chapters 32.1 etc.; however, it is best to speak with the library’s solicitor for your particular situation. An online brochure entitled
Retailer’s Information State: and Local Sales, Use and Hotel Occupancy Tax. Also check the PA Library Staff Academy and don’t forget to reach out to your District Consultant.

SPARK/PaILS

http://sparkpa.org/about/

State Aid

Email:  RA-StateAid@pa.gov
Website: http://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/Libraries/Subsidies-and-Grants/Pages/State-Aid-to-Public-Libraries.aspx

Summer Food Program

http://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/Food-Nutrition/Pages/Summer-Food-Service-Program.aspx

Surveys

Survey Creation: Who’s Coming: Respectful Audience Surveying Toolkit
Survey Monkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/

Tax Credit

Tax Credit for Eligible Businesses Contributing to an Educational Improvement Organization

TechSoup for Libraries

Donation Program and Other Resources: http://www.techsoupforlibraries.org/

Veterans

State Web Site: https://www.dmva.pa.gov/veteransaffairs/Pages/default.aspx

WebJunction

https://www.webjunction.org/

Workforce Development

State Library Web Site: https://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/Libraries/Library-Programs-and-Services/Pages/Workforce-Development.aspx
POWER Library Workforce Resources:
https://www.powerlibrary.org then Click on “Find PA Job Resources” Block

Work Habits/Planning/Decision Making

Eisenhower Matrix: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/
Stress and Time Management: https://managementhelp.org/personalproductivity/time-stress-management.html

Remember that you may find topical information and instruction on WebJunction (topical area and courses and webinars) as well as on the PA Library Staff Academy!

Join PA Public Library Email List

Join the official email list for Pennsylvania Public Libraries. Sign up and stay in the know.
Once you are signed up, you can read the archives of past months and years to see what great information has been shared. You can also search the archives if you are looking for particular information – such as job descriptions or position openings. You don’t have to join to search or view the archives.

Professional Organizations

• American Library Association
• ALTAFF
  Friends of Libraries U.S.A. and the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) joined forces to become an expanded division of ALA known as ALTAFF, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations. Through this partnership, ALTAFF unites libraries’ voices to speak out on behalf of library services and free public access to information.
• PaLA – Pennsylvania Library Association
• PANO – Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
• Public Library Association

Public Library Certification

Click Here