"Communities matter @ your Library," this year's theme for the American Library Association National Library Week, April 14–20, is demonstrated daily in all of Penn State's University Libraries. The celebration is coupled with PA Forward: Pennsylvania Libraries, an initiative that highlights the many roles libraries play in people's lives and demonstrates the assistance offered by librarians and staff.

Through PA Forward, academic, school, and public libraries across the Commonwealth seek to empower Pennsylvanians with the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed. PA Forward also is designed to recognize the library’s role in the community within the context of five essential literacies that individuals must attain in order to thrive as citizens, parents, students, employees, and consumers. The five literacies are basic literacy, information literacy, civic and social literacy, health literacy, and financial literacy. When used properly, our libraries can help solve some of Pennsylvania’s biggest economic and social challenges; thus ensuring that our communities matter. 

"Penn State's University Libraries are pleased to participate in National Library Week and PA Forward," said Barbara I. Dewey, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communications. In our role as an academic as well as a state resources library, we are here for the community and its residents, whether they are searching for medical information, job information, an author or more.

The public is encouraged to explore the Libraries resources. Penn State's Libraries are free and open to the public. See http://www.libraries.psu.edu/hours or call 814-865-3063 for hours of operation.

For more information, visit www.libraries.psu.edu. To learn more about PA Forward, visit http://www.paforward.org.