PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1981

PRINTER'S NO.  2041

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

No.

343

Session of

2010

  

  

INTRODUCED BY PILEGGI, PICCOLA, ERICKSON, ARGALL, FONTANA, WOZNIAK, BAKER, MUSTO, BRUBAKER, LOGAN, RAFFERTY, M. WHITE, PIPPY, O'PAKE, SMUCKER, WASHINGTON, ALLOWAY, FARNESE, GREENLEAF, WARD, KASUNIC, VANCE, DINNIMAN, D. WHITE, EARLL, MENSCH AND EICHELBERGER, MAY 13, 2010

  

  

SENATOR PICCOLA, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 8, 2010   

  

  

  

A RESOLUTION

  

1

Directing the Joint State Government Commission to study and

2

review The Library Code for modernization.

3

WHEREAS, Public libraries provide information needed to live,

4

learn and work in the 21st century; and

5

WHEREAS, Libraries provide a vital role in a community; and

6

WHEREAS, Libraries are places for opportunity, education,

7

self-help and lifelong learning; and 

8

WHEREAS, Public use of libraries continues to grow; and

9

WHEREAS, The Library Code was enacted by the General Assembly

10

in 1961; and 

11

WHEREAS, The Library Code was established to supplement and

12

stimulate local support of libraries; and 

13

WHEREAS, The Library Code created a State system of local

14

libraries, district library centers and regional library

15

resource centers; and

16

WHEREAS, The Library Code provides funding to support this

- 1 -

 


1

system and to stimulate local funding of public libraries; and

2

WHEREAS, The libraries of this Commonwealth are now governed

3

by the Bureau of Library Development in the Department of

4

Education; and

5

WHEREAS, The Bureau of Library Development includes the

6

Division of Library Improvement which works with public,

7

academic and institution libraries and library networks to

8

coordinate library service across this Commonwealth; and 

9

WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania library system is a network of

10

libraries that are connected by Interlibrary Loan and many

11

different services, such as PA Power Library and Access

12

Pennsylvania; and

13

WHEREAS, This network of libraries and library systems is

14

governed under one funding process; and 

15

WHEREAS, The Library Code has not been thoroughly reviewed

16

since its inception; and 

17

WHEREAS, The Library Code, when it was enacted, was a model

18

for other states; and

19

WHEREAS, The Library Code is now considered antiquated in

20

today's changing library structures; and

21

WHEREAS, The Library Code should be modernized to reflect

22

changes that have occurred in the past 50 years; therefore be it

23

RESOLVED, That the Senate direct the Joint State Government

24

Commission to conduct a review of The Library Code and the

25

current library structure; and be it further

26

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission study

27

the current funding structure for libraries, including the

<--

28

funding models used by other states; and be it further

29

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission provide

30

the Senate with its recommendations for changes and

- 2 -

 


1

modernization of The Library Code; and be it further

2

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission provide

3

the Senate with its recommendations for an organizational and

4

funding structure for the library system in this Commonwealth;

5

and be it further

6

RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report

7

its findings and recommendations to the Senate no later than

8

November 30, 2010.

- 3 -