PCBL

The Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries (PCBL) is an organization of volunteers from across the state whose mission is to: persuade public officials that libraries are essential community services; collaborate with other library associations, agencies, and community groups; be a voice for improved library funding and appropriate legislation; lead efforts to encourage, train, and support library Friends.

Currently, the Board that oversees the purposes of the PCBL has ten Directors. The President of the Board is a name familiar to at least older Murrysville residents. She is Denise Sticha, who before departing the area in 2012, had been Library Director at Murrysville Community Library and Executive Director of the Westmoreland Library Network. Her current primary position is as Executive Director, Centre County Library and Historical Museum. Other PCBL Directors hold primary leadership positions elsewhere, too, including on Library and Library Friends Boards and at universities. I was a PCBL Board Director myself for two three-year terms and Treasurer.

The PCBL provides a number of important specific services to the public Library world in Pennsylvania.

One is organizing and holding Trustee Institutes for the purposes of providing training to new Trustees and Directors especially, as well as the opportunity to come together to share experiences and ideas. Training is often provided by experts in the fields of Library management, marketing, and fundraising. From my own experiences, this is one of the most valuable offerings of the PCBL.

The PCBL provides a single tax-exempt, IRS 501(C)3 umbrella for its Friends group affiliate members. One affiliate benefit is that tax-free donations to that affiliate can be processed through the PCBL as a receiving and pass-through party. Another is that the collective income and expenses of all affiliates are reported to the IRS in a group or umbrella IRS 990 form. Umbrella affiliate membership requires only a membership fee of $125. In 2023 there were 115 affiliate Library Friends groups participating, which is substantial in a state with about 450 public Libraries..

The PCBL celebrates success in the Library world by presentation of awards. Annually, it names someone Friend of the Year for her/his achievements as a Friend. Similarly, it makes an annual Friends Group of the Year award.

And the PCBL’s presence is made evident at annual meetings of the Pennsylvania Library Association. PCBL is a conference exhibitor. It holds informative sessions, such as about laws and regulations. It offers scholarships to first-time staff attendees to attend the conference.

In all that it does, the PCBL seeks to inform state senators, representatives, and the public about public Libraries, their role in community, services that are offered and may surprise in scope, and visions for the future. It is not an easy task to assure adequate operating income that is so dependent on tax dollars and donations, so the PCBL has a never-ending task before it. Please do be mindful of that, and mindful, too, about how much your support matters to the PCBL and all public Libraries.