Expand AllClick here for a more accessible versionAccess PA Stickers and Logo
Contact the Bureau of
Library Development (ra-libdev@pa.gov or 717-787-8007) to
request Access PA logo stickers. Or, libraries may consider purchasing library
cards from their card vendor that have the Access PA logo (PDF) printed on it as part of the
card’s graphic image. If a library does
this, remember to purchase a supply of cards that do not have the logo on it. This will allow the library to issue cards
(free or for a fee) to people who are not eligible to participate in the Statewide
Library Card Program.
Yes. Your library may choose
to have the Access PA logo (PDF) printed directly on your cards and not use Access PA
stickers. However, if your library
decides to purchase cards that have the logo printed on them, be sure to
purchase a supply that does not have the logo imprint. This will allow the library to issue cards
(free or for a fee) to people who are not eligible to participate in the Statewide
Library Card Program.
No. Requiring someone to purchase a card means
that the individual was not eligible to participate in the Statewide Library
Card Program. Thus, any public library
card that is purchased should not have an Access PA logo on it.
Statewide Library Card Eligibility
To be eligible to
participate, Pennsylvania residents must live in a municipality that that supports
a state-aided public library. To determine if someone is eligible, check the list of unclaimed
municipalities tab on the library service areas spreadsheet. (Excel). If their
municipality is listed, they are not eligible to participate in the program. The
list is updated annually.
To determine someone's municipality of residence, use the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's municipal statistics "Find Municipality by Address" database:
Municipality and Home Library
Statewide Library Card Guidelines
As defined by the
Pennsylvania Public Library Code, a municipality is a county or locality such
as a borough, township, or city.
Statewide Library Card Guidelines
A home library is defined as the local library, library system, or county library that is legally responsible for providing library service to its residents. There are three types:
- Local Library. A person's home library is that local library designated by the municipality within which the person resides that is legally responsible for extending its library services without charge.
- Library System. In a library system, the board of directors of the system shall determine the home library for each municipality it is legally responsible for extending its library services without charge.
- County Library. In the case of a county library which is not part of a public library system, it shall be considered as the home library for those residents it serves directly.
Often when libraries share an integrated library system, they will use the term 'home library' to designate an individual's preferred library within the libraries that share the integrated library system. This is not the way in which the term 'home library' is used in this program. A home library in the Statewide Library Card Program
is defined as the library that is legally responsible for providing library
service to its residents.
Library Participation
Yes. The Pennsylvania Public Library Code requires
all public libraries that receive Public Library Subsidy funds from the
commonwealth to participate in the Statewide Library Card Program (Title 24 PA.
C.S.A. § 9334 (c)(1)).
Selling and Buying Library Cards
No. State-aided public libraries and District
Library Centers are not required to sell library cards to people who are not
eligible to participate in the Statewide Library Card Program. Libraries and
District Library Centers make their own policies about selling or issuing free
library cards to people who live in municipalities that do not support public
library services.
Note that when a library does issue or sell a library card to people who live in municipalities that do not
support public library services, the card should not have an Access PA logo on
it. Paying a fee for a library card does
not make an individual eligible to participate in the Statewide Library Card Program.
No. Paying a fee for a library card does
not make someone eligible to participate in the Statewide Library Card Program. People may only participate in the program if
they live in a municipality that supports a state-aided public library. Purchased
library cards should not have Access PA logos on them.
Yes. State-aided public libraries and District Library Centers may choose to issue a free library card to someone who lives in a municipality that does not support public library services for its residents. (Or, the library may choose to charge a fee for a library card; or it may choose to not issue one at all.)
Note that if a card is issued, it should not have the Access PA logo on it. As required by the Pennsylvania Public Library Code, people may only participate in the Statewide Library Card Program if they live in a municipality that supports a state-aided public library.
District Library Center Cards
No. District Library Centers are not required to
provide cards (for a fee or for free) to people who live in their
state-designated district service area.
Note that when a District
Library Center does issue or sell a library card to people who live in
municipalities that do not support public library services, the card should not
have an Access PA logo on it. Paying a
fee for a library card does not make an individual eligible to participate in
the Statewide Library Card Program.
State Library of Pennsylvania Cards
No. Having
a State Library of Pennsylvania card does not allow
someone to participate in the Statewide Library Card Program. The State Library of Pennsylvania does
not participate in the Statewide Library Card Program because it is not a local
public library. However,
Pennsylvanians who are over the age of sixteen, may obtain a
free State Library of Pennsylvania library card
to visit and borrow its books and documents.
POWER Library Ecards
No. The
POWER Library Ecard only provides access to state-funded online resources to
all Pennsylvania residents. It does
not allow residents to participate in the Statewide Library Card Program. Any Pennsylvania resident may obtain a
free POWER Library Ecard
Academic and School Library Cards
No. Having an elementary,
middle school, high school, college, or university library card does not allow
someone to participate in the Statewide Library Card Program. Only public libraries are part of
the Statewide Library Card Program.