Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL) today celebrated the restoration and re-opening of services in the State Library of Pennsylvania, housed in the historic Forum Building.
“The State Library of Pennsylvania is excited to be offering full library services in its original home at the Forum Building,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “The building recently went through a large-scale upgrade including new electrical, heating, and cooling systems, along with extensive restoration to the historic interiors and façade. We are proud to re-open this historic space to the surrounding community and all Pennsylvanians.”
The State Library of Pennsylvania offers a wide range of services for state government employees and for the public, including access to the largest collection of Pennsylvania newspapers and books, rare collections, genealogy materials, law library, and STEM Lab.
The State Library traces its historic roots to 1745 when the General Assembly requested that its Clerk, Benjamin Franklin, order a set of the English Statutes and some maps for reference use. It has grown to one of the largest collections of materials about Pennsylvania and serves the information and research needs of all branches of State Government.
“Restoring operations in this historic space after a three-year absence is thrilling,” said Deputy Secretary for the Office of Commonwealth Libraries and State Librarian Susan Banks. “As librarians, we cherish being back around our collections again. As leaders of library services in the Commonwealth, we are looking forward to growing and evolving those collections and services to meet new and growing needs for reliable, unique, and user-focused library services.”
As a statewide resource center and law library, the State Library provides residents with Pennsylvania State and U.S. Government Documents, print materials, digitized collections, online reference services and automated resources. Rapid access to other state and national collections is available through online systems, networks, interlibrary cooperation, and databases. The Rare Collections Library includes the Provincial Assembly Collection, a historic collection of rare colonial imprints and the largest collection of Pennsylvania newspapers in the world.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the website or follow PDE on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Pinterest.
MEDIA CONTACT: Taj Magruder, tmagruder@pa.gov
# # #