The Mount Washington Branch of the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh. (Shutterstock)
From 3-D printing, to passport renewal, to digitization of analog media, to professional development resources, you may be surprised to find out the many services Pennsylvania’s public libraries provide.
Many Pennsylvanians aren’t aware of how many valuable resources their local library provides.
I used to be one of those people. That is, until a former colleague at the Bucks County Courier Times—from where we had both just been laid off in 2019—turned me on to all the professional development resources available online from the Free Library of Philadelphia to all Pennsylvania residents, not just those living in Philly. All I needed to access them was a library card. After an easy online application process, I was learning Adobe Premiere Pro video editing a few days later.
From accessing extensive databases to getting help from social workers, we’ve got more examples of the great services offered by the Free Library of Philadelphia here.
Across the state, you’ll find public libraries that provide many enrichment opportunities and services. Some examples:
- The Lackawanna County Library System offers low-cost digitization of VHS tapes, 8mm reel film, slides, photographs, and other analog media.
- You can check out musical instruments as you would a book from the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.
- Select libraries in the Library System of Lancaster County offer passport renewal services.
- At the James V. Brown Library in Williamsport, you can print and scan documents and utilize the library’s public computers.
- The Altoona Area Public Library offers video production and photography services, along with music recording software.
- And the Erie County Library offers a class in 3-D Printing.
Like the Free Library of Philadelphia, some library systems, such as Allegheny County’s, offer free cards to all Pa. residents. Pennsylvania residents can also apply for a statewide library card that allows eligible residents to register for a free library card at any participating public library.
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