Access Pennsylvania News - Access PA Changes, Britannica, Conferences, and more!

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March 12, 2024

Reminder: Britannica Includes Two Resources!

Inside Britannica School, you will find both of these resources:

Early Elementary (PreK–2) As the ideal launchpad for young scholars, this platform sets the tone for exploration with a vibrant environment filled with curriculum-aligned games, puzzles, and interactive activities, along with read-aloud options for beginning readers.

Elementary (Up to Grade 5) Designed to build foundational knowledge and stimulate curiosity, this child-friendly platform features simplified articles, engaging multimedia, and interactive games that make complex topics accessible and enjoyable while enhancing reading and comprehension abilities.

Use Britannica School Now!

Chat with a Librarian Training Opportunities for Contributing Institutions

These trainings are for staff members at institutions that contribute to Chat with a Librarian. Thinking about adding some new operators to your service? Now would be a great time so that they can benefit from the April 2nd live training!

Chat with a Librarian New Operator Training
Tuesday, April 2, 10 AM
This training is designed for new chat staff and will familiarize them with all the basic elements of the service, the LibAnswers/LibChat software, and more!

Chat with a Librarian Operator Refresher Training
Tuesday, April 16, 10 AM
This training is designed for existing operators and will revisit some important chat topics, look at some best-practices for conducting chat and answering tickets, and offer time for Q&A for all your burning questions!

Is your institution interested in learning more about the benefits of contributing staff to Chat with a Librarian? Learn more here!

Exciting Changes in Access Pennsylvania!

Libraries that participate in the Access Pennsylvania ILL Cooperative have probably noticed some changes lately in the shipping addresses of the libraries with whom they are lending and borrowing.

Multiple public library districts across the state have shifted to “hub shipping” for interlibrary loans.

Much like the model popularized by Fred Smith with FedEx, with these districts all of the ILL packages are shipped in and out of one location, typically the district center library, rather than each physical library location. We have used functionality in the SHAREit software to support this initiative.

The districts currently participating in the initiative are Allentown, Altoona, Chester, Delaware, Easton, Montgomery, New Castle, Northeast, Reading, and Wilkes-Barre. Somerset County Library System (Johnstown district) is also participating.

What does this mean in terms of participating libraries and their workflows? For most of you, not much.

Two things may look different for you, but things will function pretty much the same way they have been.

The first difference you may notice is that, in many instances but not all, the name of the library has been altered to reflect their district or system.

So, for example, Haverford Township Free Library now appears in SHAREit as Delaware County Libraries – Haverford.

The second difference you may notice is that the address that prints out on the shipping label now reflects the shipping hub’s address, not the library’s physical location.

This is what that looks like now on the shipping labels:

If you are in a K-12 library, a special collections library, or a public library whose district isn’t participating in this initiative, just know that you will see these changes on your shipping labels and that’s okay. You are free to continue as you were, provided you are using the shipping labels in SHAREit. If you are not using the labels in SHAREit, see below.

For our partners who participate in Access PA via ISO – Free Library of Philadelphia, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and many of our academic partners – unfortunately, you will need to update those library shipping addresses in ILLiad. If this scenario applies to you, please email Erin at ehalovanic@hslc.org and she will share the list of libraries impacted by this change and the shipping label format for each district so you have the information you need to do so.

Thanks to everyone who contributes to making Access Pennsylvania successful!

Questions? Contact Support!

Come Visit Us at One of These Upcoming Events!

You can find us in the exhibits promoting POWER Library and providing attendees with outreach materials. Not attending a given conference yourself? Maybe your colleagues are attending. Tell them to stop by the POWER Library booth.

Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference, April 8, 2024, in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program Conference, April 9-11, 2024, in Drexel Hill
PA School Librarians Annual Conference, April 11-12, 2024, in Mt. Pocono
PA Museums Annual Conference, April 14-16, 2024, in Harrisburg
PA Workforce Development Association Annual Conference, May 1-3, 2024, in Hershey
PA Intermediate Units Annual Conference, May 29-31, 2024, in Mt. Pocono

Questions? Contact Support!

Staff Changes?

Moving to a new school, retiring, or otherwise leaving your current position? Please let us know! Keeping us updated with contact changes ensures staff are kept up-to-date on lists, newsletters, and invoices issued by HSLC are received.

Help us keep the participant directory up-to-date!

Please Report Contact Updates to HSLC!

POWER Library/Access PA Annual Technology Support Fee Notice

The technology support fee will remain the same for 2024-25.

Invoices will be distributed in April of 2024.

What are the cost-savings of participating in POWER Library?
Statewide contracts for POWER Library resources are paid by the Pennsylvania Department of Education/Office of Commonwealth Libraries. In turn, your school or library benefits by not having to purchase these databases from local funds.

It would cost a school $56,515 to subscribe to all of the e-resources in POWER Library on their own.
It would cost a public library $73,366 to subscribe to all of the e-resources in POWER Library on their own.

In addition to cost-savings, participants are provided with enhanced support, training, and custom programming for access to the e-resources.

Need Support? Contact Us!

Do You Need Support? We Are Here to Help!

If you need support, please use one of the options provided below to contact HSLC.

Complete the POWER Library Support Form
Email us at support@hslc.org
Call us at 215-222-1532

Get Support!

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POWER Library
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 and through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Library Access funds administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

POWER Library is hosted by HSLC
3600 Market St., Suite 550
Philadelphia, PA 19104