Conclusions on Change
Access PA and POWER Library Databases
There are three main reasons for the success of Access PA and of this innovation and these reasons are: funding, leadership and librarians. The Governor has continually funded the Statewide Library Card and the Access PA/POWER databases for more than twenty years. The leadership at the State Library Bureau has created the political means to keep Pennsylvania libraries at the forefront of the Governor’s agenda. The school, public, academic, special and intermediate unit librarians have found common ground in this project and have worked toward the common goal of resource sharing.
The resources in the POWER library database that have been made accessible to all school districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to the patrons of the public libraries. Much in the same way Benjamin Franklin helped start the lending libraries in Philadelphia so has the Access PA/POWER library projects brought access to knowledge for the public.
Teaching how to access the resources available in the POWER library database has become a fantastic reality for school librarians. Librarians can teach how to access authentic, valuable, and valid reference materials in an online environment. A recent study, Measuring Up to Standards: The Impact of School Library Programs & Information Literacy In Schools, shows that higher PSSA reading scores are linked to school library programs that provide the Access Pennsylvania Database, licensed databases, and the Internet/World Wide Web.
What a fantastic time to be a PA Librarian!
Access PA Database Project: Innovation and Technology
written by Mardy McGaw for IDT 676 Management of Online Technology and Change for Philadephia University
December 2007
| access_pa_final_project.pdf |
