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Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Resources & Services

    Professional Development

    The Office of Commonwealth Libraries offers opportunities for the professional development and continuing education of library staff and trustees through in-person workshops and online webinars.

    Professional Development Opportunities 

    Announcements about in-person workshops and webinars are made on email distribution lists and in the Compendium. 

    WebJunction is available for Pennsylvania library staff and volunteer leadership. WebJunction offers live and archived webinars, courses and content on library technologies, management, and services.

    The PA Library Staff Academy is an online platform of tutorials for Pennsylvania library staff and trustees.  Library staff and trustees may access it via the link to PA Library Staff Academy on the For Librarians section of POWER Library.

    Public Library Staff

    Continuing Education Requirements

    The Public Library Code requires libraries that receive state aid to provide staff with continuing education (CE) that is approved by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.

    To receive Quality Libraries Aid, "the library director of the local library or library system shall annually attend at least eight hours of continuing education programs" (24 PA.C.S. §9334(c)(5). )

    To qualify for Incentive for Excellence Aid, "the local library or member library within a library system shall require at least six hours of continuing education every two years for paid staff working at least 20 hours per week in direct support of the library service" (24 PA.C.S. §9335(b)(4). )

    The Governor's Advisory Council on Library Development has issued Guidelines for Continuing Education for Public Library Staff that explain the types of CE that qualify and the documentation that is required to verify staff attendance.

    Have a question?

    Check out the resources listed on the right or conta​ct the Bureau of ​Library Development.

    School Librarian Continuing Professional Education Requirements

    The Public Library Code requires libraries that receive state aid to provide staff with continuing education (CE) that is approved by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries. OCL offers workshops and webinars that benefit school librarians.  Announcements are made in the Compendium and via the "Schools" statewide email distribution list.

    Additional information can be found on our School Libraries webpage.