Thursday, November 12, 2026

From Singin' in the Bathtub to the Star Spangled Banner: Pennsylvania Libraries and the CD MAP Antitrust Settlement (2000-2004)

Thursday afternoon, during the global shut-down of Microsoft Office 365, I turned to research tasks that I could accomplish without e-mail, Word, or workplace cloud storage. I decided to delve into digitized historical documents from Meadville Public Library (MPL) that the library's director, Dan Slozat, had graciously shared with me over the summer. I've been chipping-away at them whenever I have spare time.

While scrolling through some materials from the early 2000s, I came across a news story that jogged a memory: "Local Library in Unusual Scramble for CDs," published in the Lancaster New Era in 2004. MPL's director, John Brice, had shared it with the library's board as part of his monthly effort to keep them informed of events in the wider literary and technological world. The piece described how library staff were readying themselves to log on to a website to claim their share of music CDs that the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office had received as part of a class-action settlement. John Lithgow's Singin' in the Bathtub was one of quirky albums the journalist mentioned, and it reminded me of a moment more than 20 years earlier when I was working at Enoch Pratt Free Library.

John Lithgow's children's album, Singin' in the Bathtub.
Copies were sent to public libraries nationwide as part of the CD MAP settlement.
Album cover image courtesy of Amazon.com

I had been retrieving a title from somewhere in the bowels of Pratt's subterranean stacks when I passed by a few colleagues who were joking about a motherload of donated music that the library had just received. As they slit open the boxes and sorted the contents onto book carts, they held up and laughed at some of the cheesier and more obscure titles -- including a few that were duplicated by the dozen. Lithgow's Singin' in the Bathtub was one of them. Back then, he was better known for his Emmy-winning role on 3rd Rock from the Sun, and for Oscar-nominated performances in The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment. But, at least to my hipster colleagues, the idea of Lithgow singing children's songs was about as goofy as imagining him naked and covered in soap suds. When I reminded them that he'd had a supporting role in Shrek and was starting to publish children's books, they rolled their eyes. One pointed to the track list and asked, "'At the Codfish Ball'? Really? What kid today sings that?'" I shrugged and gave up the fight -- I was just about to resign for a new job at Penn State, anyway. 

I hadn't realized that this workday moment was part of a much larger story that had touched libraries throughout Pennsylvania and in dozens of other states. Having not-much-else I could do on a Microsoft snow day, I dove down a rabbit hole of periodical databases and government databases. Here's what I've uncovered:

In 2000, the States of Florida, New York, and Texas, subsequently joined by Pennsylvania and most others, filed an antitrust suit against a slew of music distributors -- BMG, Capitol Records, EMI, Universal, and Virgin among them. The companies had set a "minimum advertised price" (MAP) for their CDs, and punished retailers that sold their products below that price by cutting them out of advertising and promotions. Since the companies named in the case generated an overwhelming majority (like, 85%) of the albums that were sold in stores, major retailers such as Musicland/Sam Goody and Tower Records went along with the price-fixing (and were also named as defendants in the case). Although it was estimated that the average overcharge per CD sold was only about 23 cents, over a 5-year period (1995-2000), MAP inflated the cost for millions of consumers nationwide to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. In doing so, the companies violated the Fair Trade Commission Act, the Sherman Antitrust Act, and other regulations.

As part of resolving the CD MAP case, the companies agreed to pay consumers more than $64 million. A claims site with the apropos URL musiccdsettlement.com was set up. Anyone who filed -- which ultimately included some 243,000 Pennsylvanians -- got a whopping check for $13.36. I don't recall whether my husband and I were among them. 

MusicCDSettlement.com, where consumers could file their claims in the CD MAP case.
Image courtesy of the Wayback Machine / Internet Archive.

Knowing that millions of affected consumers would never come forward, the court also ordered that the companies distribute $75 million in free CDs to libraries, schools, and other nonprofits that would share them with the public. The number of discs was pro-rated by population, and upon receiving them, each state decided how it would distribute them to relevant institutions. Maryland, it seems, received a shipment of about 100,000 CDs. Its Attorney General office simply surveyed libraries about the genres were of greatest interest and then divided the lot as best it could. Baltimore County wanted rock; Carroll County asked for pop, including Christmas music; and Howard County needed musicals. But who knows if anyone wanted the 1,200 (!) copies of Whitney Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" that Sony shipped out.  

[Don't get me wrong, it's a super recording! But for a state that has fewer than 200 libraries, 1,200 of any Whitney Houston single is probably a bit much. At any rate, I doubt Pratt needed all 66 copies that it eventually got.]

Sony's reissue of Whitney Houston's version of "The Star Spangled Banner."
An avalanche of copies were sent to public libraries nationwide as part of the CD MAP settlement. Album cover image courtesy of Amazon.com

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a complete list of all the music that the companies offered to public libraries. Both the Federal Trade Commission and The National Association of Attorneys General provide open access to case documents (here is the FTC link and NAAG link). Within a Decision that reviews the fairness of the settlement, I learned that Judge D. Brock Hornby reviewed the list and was "satisfied" that they were "not bargain basement CDs," but "good product covering diverse artists and genres." Supposedly there were 1,960 titles in all. However, a list doesn't seem to be included within the materials on FTC's or NAAG's sites. I also tried Westlaw Campus, a subscription-based database I can access through Penn State. While it indexes dozens of court documents that I didn't see elsewhere, the full-text is "Out of Plan" (meaning: behind an additional paywall). Pfffft.

I had more luck when I combed through news articles. A June 2004 piece written by Associated Press journalist Peggy Anderson relays that the CDs were "selected by experts and educators for the lasting significance," and that the state attorneys general had "signed off" on the list. Anderson quotes Washington State's AG Christine Gregoire who asserted, "we did not give carte blanche to the recording industry to provide any CDs they had left over in their warehouse." To pass muster, they had to have been "on industry charts for 26 weeks or to have peaked in the top half of the charts." Apparently, that criteria *did* include Wrestlemania: the Album, as reports by several journalists.

Wrestlemania: The Album, produced by BMG. Copies were sent to public libraries nationwide as part of the CD MAP settlement. Album cover image courtesy of Amazon.com

Here in Pennsylvania, it seems that our Attorney General tried hard to connect libraries with recordings that they actually desired. All told, the PA AG's office received 240,000 CDs. By September 2004, it sent out a title list and created a secure website that librarians and school officials could use to select the items they wanted. Aiming for some degree of equal opportunity and fairness, the AG decided that if there were 100 or fewer of a particular album in stock, libraries could only request 1 copy each. An article describing Pennsylvania's selection, written by Theresa Boeckel of the York Record, breaks down the offering by genre: 705 classical, 331 rock, 304 jazz, 160 roots, 115 country, 86 Latino, 42 Christmas, 35 soundtrack, 18 children's, and 10 blues. 

After many years of underfunding which had been briefly relieved by an influx of state funds, only to be slashed again, Pennsylvania librarians -- at least the ones who spoke to the press -- seemed grateful to have anything that refreshed their beat-up and small collections. In an interview with York Daily Record reporter Teresa Ann Boeckel, Dover librarian Debbie Van de Castle mentioned that she'd started her CD collection just 3 years earlier. While she had about 300 titles, she hadn't be able to acquire any new ones that year because she lacked funds. In September 2004, after the AG pick-list went live, Chris Chilcoat, a librarian at Southern York County Library, told Boeckel "the choices in general are better than what we feared." In addition to Mozart, Louis Armstrong, Etta James, and the Jaws movie soundtrack, albums from Celine Dion and the Dave Matthews Band were on the list. For what libraries were getting, Chilcoat quipped, "the price was very good." 

I doubt that the CD MAP case figures prominently in the big scheme of Pennsylvania library history. But I also think it's more than a Friday Fun story. Beyond providing a fascinating slice of late 1990s/early 2000s music nostalgia, it points to a shared understanding, at least among attorneys and government officials, that public libraries were vital partners for community resource-sharing and for achieving a measure of justice within an imperfect capitalist system. The case also demonstrates how, throughout the 20th century, governments had increasing reach and influence in library operations and collections. Not just in terms of providing vital funds, but also in funneling equipment and content to libraries, and in setting rules for how it could be obtained and used. 

As I read coverage in the music industry press, library professional journals, and Pennsylvania newspapers, I also mused at how local information provides valuable nuance to national stories. To be more specific, most early articles focusing on libraries in other states often framed the giveaway as a "bargain bin" dump -- a kooky hodge-podge that the record companies probably wouldn't have been able to sell, and that libraries beleagueredly accepted. While I don't doubt that savvy corporate types sent items that were less likely to hurt their bottom-lines, Pennsylvania sources seem to show that the offering was valuable, at least within the context of a state where libraries were starving for support and had limited audiovisual collections. If I had been one of hundreds of librarians logging in to the PA AG's web site, I can't say whether I would have chosen John Lithgow's Singin' in the Bathtub. But my cart would probably have been chock-full. 

For more about the CD MAP case:


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Friday, November 6, 2026

Finding Library Friends In and Beyond the Archives

This week, I returned to the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library (MCNPL) to continue using the meeting minutes of its Board of Directors. I'm elbow-deep in the 1980s, and during that time, new-hires were routinely mentioned by the library's Executive Director. When I got to the minutes for 1985, my eyes widened in surprise and delight: my former mentor, Dolores Fidishun, "walked" onto the page. In the formal (and perhaps patriarchal) style some workplaces still used at the time, she was sometimes referred to as "Mrs. Labonis," and I wasn't previously aware she'd worked in Norristown, but I had no doubt it was her. The new librarian in the minute-book was hired to supervise MCNPL's Audiovisual Department -- a specialty I knew Dolores had pursued. Also, the person on the page had previously worked at several Bucks County schools, which meshed with what Dolores had told me about starting her career as a media specialist. 

A few months further in the ledger, I found a July 1985 memo from Board President Stanford S. Hunn to Executive Director Patricia A. Dobbin that confirmed the connection. Dobbin had just returned from vacation and apparently Hunn had overseen the library in her absence. Among other things, he reported that "the Audio-Visual Department is now up-to-date in the booking of 16mm films," and that a backlog of videocassette bookings was being addressed. He wrote, "there is abundant evidence that Ms. Fidishun has earned the support and confidence of the District." My first reaction was to chuckle, imagining my feminist friend setting everyone's record straight about her professional name. I also nodded in recognition as I read of Dolores taking charge, organizing and cleaning up the AV department. I didn't know her during her Norristown days, but here was more evidence of the leadership that I became familiar with 20 years later, when Dolores was head of Penn State Great Valley's library and she became my mentor.

Dolores Fidishun (standing right), attending journalist Linda Ellerbee's
book signing at PaLA's 1987 annual conference. Image provided by Dolores Fidishun.

Until my present project, my research has focused on the 19th/early 20th century, so I haven't had many experiences of uncovering documentation about a living person that I also consider a friend. As I ate my lunch that afternoon, I reflected on both the joys and the ethical responsibilities related to this. My knee-jerk reaction had been to snap a photo of the memo and text it to Dolores, thinking it might brighten her day to see a "blast from the past" and a positive mention of her work. Just before I tapped the "send" button, though, my inner historian re-asserted herself. I carefully re-read Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act, the Citizen's Guide to the Right to Know Law, and other material on the Commonwealth's Office of Open Records site which provide essential guidance about sharing public agencies' records. Since MCNPL receives significant funding from Montgomery County; it performs an essential public function; and the board's meeting minutes (including appended documents) record official business and policy actions, these records aren't closed to the public.

This said, being an ethical researcher involves far more than adhering to state law. While the American Historical Association's Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct doesn't provide advice applicable to my sort of situation, statements of the American Association for State and Local History and the National Council on Public History advise me to keep focused on the purpose of my research and avoid using historical records for personal gain. I am also expected to maintain the confidentiality of certain types of documents, and to otherwise act with integrity, respect, trust, and an understanding of the interpersonal and social impacts of my actions. Thinking about Dolores and my impulse to share a single, upbeat paragraph from a public document, I was probably alright (and I did ultimately send her that snapshot). But, I decided shouldn't allow myself to get diverted too much from my project, especially since I am doing it on company time. Also, if I were ever to encounter disciplinary, salary, or other "h. r." information about any employee -- such private data sometimes creeps into older board records -- it must remain confidential, both for the individual's and for MCNPL's sakes. I don't want want to expose or hurt my colleagues.

Beyond these ethical concerns, encountering Dolores in MCNPL's archives got me to rethink how I should be identifying and prioritizing candidates for oral history interviews. Since I started my project, I've been developing a list of contacts, but her story has encouraged me to reconsider my inclusion criteria. Up to this point, I've mainly made note of long-serving library directors and department heads, and they will definitely be important sources for me. Yet, while Dolores only worked at Norristown for 2 years (1985-1987), then moved on to academic libraries, she was involved in audiovisual services at an important period in AV and District Library Center (DLC) history. 

During that time, 16mm films were giving way to videocassettes, and library collections were broadening to add popular movies and TV series to their longstanding educational materials. This complicated DLCs' efforts to meet the state's Minimum Standards and Guidelines (1978) which specified that MCNPL should have at least 1 sound recording for every 50 residents, plus at least 300 16mm films. The 16mm format was expensive and fragile, requiring awkward projection equipment and a knowledgeable operator. It was becoming obsolete against consumer-friendly VHS tapes that could be played with VCRs on home televisions. In addition to maintaining AV in various formats, DLCs also needed to provide a reasonably up-to-date catalog of the titles titles they owned, and deliver desired items to other libraries upon request. I am foggy on how that all worked. 

Besides the unique challenges that non-book items presented, during the late 1970s to mid-1990s the State Library of Pennsylvania was demanding that DLCs be more accountable, not only to the Commonwealth, but to the libraries and communities they served. This first took the form of submitting reports and plans to the state, in-district libraries, and in-district local governments. Accountability also manifested in the establishment of advisory councils, comprised of local librarians and trustees, which provided input on DLC plans and policies. Later on, there were service agreements signed by both the DLCs and the local libraries, and a peer-review system in which DLCs were evaluated by external teams which included feedback from local libraries. In addition to these requirements, during the 1980s MCNPL's board invited a different local library head to provide a presentation at each of its meetings, and occasionally those heads relayed concerns and dissatisfaction with DLC services. Within the meeting minutes, I've found evidence that access to Norristown's AV collection was a bone of contention before Dolores arrived, and during the first few months of her tenure. Talking with her about that could help me better understand relationships among district, county, and local institutions. 

As I reflected on my easy willingness to share old documents with Dolores, as well as her openness and her longstanding interest in genealogy and history, I was reminded of how research can reinforce interpersonal relationships and build people's personal senses of meaning. I surmised that she might contribute all the more avidly to my project because of our friendship. As careful as I've been to harvest potential interviewees' names from library records, I had not even considered tapping my own networks -- the many academic librarians I know who may have worked at public libraries in the past. When I get to a point when I'm ready to reach out to potential interviewees, I need to put out a broad ask to my colleagues at Penn State and my friends on social media. Though I don't currently have many folks from academia on my radar, my call might uncover willing interviewees who have great stories to share. 

As luck would have it, Dolores and I were able to meet for lunch this week, and she informally shared some anecdotes. As a Penn State employee, I couldn't conduct a formal interview without prior IRB approval, so I limited my questioning and I won't share her comments here. But I came away from our meetup thinking about how librarians' legacies, and the materials that document them, are spread across multiple institutions. Though Dolores and I might believe that our years at Penn State were the culminations of our careers, there are traces of us, and remnants of our impacts, in many places. I hope my thoughtful research, personal connections, and a dash of good luck will be enough to uncover all our important stories. 

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Monday, October 5, 2026

"Everything from Dinah Shore to Dinosaurs": Bell Atlantic Helps Rural Libraries Access the Internet

Recently, the death of Dolly Parton has raised awareness about her Imagination Library -- a literacy effort that mails high-quality titles to more than 3 million children every month. Libraries and other community organizations enroll kids in the program and pay about $2.60 per child in postage costs. In return, families receive free books that they can keep for life. Spanning more than 30 years, Parton's philanthropy is comparable to Andrew Carnegie's library building program in terms of its reach, value, and longevity. 

Many people in my profession know about national giving programs like Parton's, but they may not realize that equally impactful efforts have taken place at the state level. For example, when we think of philanthropists that helped libraries bridge the digital divide, Bill and Melinda Gates usually come to mind. However, here in Pennsylvania, the Bell Atlantic Foundation (now Verizon Foundation) predated the Gates' Global Libraries initiative and enabled many of our rural institutions to provide public Internet access for the first time.

Bell Atlantic was a regional company created in 1984 in response to the U.S. government's concerns about AT&T's monopoly over telephone services. Serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, the company started to offer Internet access to its corporate customers in major cities in Summer 1996. It planned to reach smaller cities by the end of 1997. This timeline was a bit slower than some of the other "Baby Bells" -- Ameritech and U.S. West had already connected customers in Midwest and Western states to the World Wide Web. However, Pennsylvania may have presented unique challenges because of its widely-dispersed rural population. Fortunately, from the mid-1980s through 1997, the company was headquartered in Philadelphia. Thus we were beneficiaries of significant corporate philanthropy. Although the details are hazy to me, Bell Atlantic apparently had a "Pennsylvania Advantage" giving program which focused on economic development, education, health care, and information technology in the Keystone State.

From an early date, the State Library of Pennsylvania/Office of Commonwealth Libraries had been encouraging public library technological development, especially by using federal and state funds to purchase machinery for District Library Centers. Starting in the early 1990s, declining hardware costs and increasing user friendliness made it possible to extend some capabilities to dozens, even hundreds, more institutions throughout the Commonwealth. As luck would have it, in 1995, Bell Atlantic's President and CEO William "Bill" Harral communicated an interest in helping libraries to Michele Ridge, former Director of the Erie County Public Library and wife of then-Governor Tom Ridge. 
The possibility of a Bell-library partnership was relayed to OCL. Subsequently, Commissioner of Libraries Gary Wolfe and Director of Library Development Barbara Cole developed a proposal which resulted in the company giving $750,000 (equivalent to about $1.6 million in 2026) to enable the state to purchase complete Internet access stations for up to 300 libraries. A kick-off for the program took place at the East Shore Area Library in Dauphin County, where Ridge publicly received the check and demonstrated using the Internet. 

Dubbed "Online at PA Libraries," the purpose of the project was to demonstrate what could be accomplished using existing infrastructure to furnish the Internet to areas that didn't already have it. Because OCL was already planning to assist District Library Centers with access, it targeted rural local libraries for Bell Atlantic funds. All successful applicants had to have maintained the basic standards for state-aided libraries in the preceding year. District Library Center administrators and consultants performed preliminary vetting by commenting on applications' relevance to library development plans for their districts, and on each institution's track record for sending staff to district events. In addition, OCL juried applications based on:
  • Service to a rural population (measured by number of people per square mile)
  • Lack of public Internet workstations, or demonstrated use of existing workstations
  • Ability to obtain affordable, reliable Internet access with a local telephone call 
In all, 188 libraries applied and all of them were accepted into the Online at PA Libraries program. After the project's costs proved to be lower than expected, OCL allowed 55 additional sites to join up. Given NCES statistics which indicate that Pennsylvania had 455 public libraries at the time, these 243 institutions represented more than half of those in the Commonwealth.

Schuylkill Intermediate Unit (IU 29), which had been providing Internet access accounts and trainings to schools and libraries within its area, was responsible for technical assistance. Over the summer, SIU ordered and configured all the computers. Each institution received a IBM equipped with a 14-inch color monitor, Pentium chip, internal modem, CD-ROM drive, soundcard, and HP Inkjet color printer, as well as Windows 95 and security software. 

Michelle Misiewiez of Schuylkill Intermediate Unit, Anna Cervenak of Bell Atlantic, and Theresa Kolonsky (seated) of Shenandoah Area Free Public Library with an Internet workstation obtained through Bell Atlantic. Image printed in The Standard-Speaker [Hazleton, PA], December 28, 1996. 

Mansfield University contributed a "Mansfield Cybrarian" website that libraries could use as a starting point for governmental, statistical, travel, and other reference information. For their part, participating libraries had to install dedicated telephone lines for their donated computers, and pay related phone bills and Internet service fees. Librarians also had to attend trainings provided by SIU, publicize the availability of web access, and maintain the service for at least 2 years. 

Mansfield Cybrarian website, 1996. Image courtesy of the Internet Archive.

In October 1996, SIU provided 1-day basic training sessions throughout Pennsylvania, informing attendees about the project's guidelines, how to set up their workstations, how to dial an Internet Service Provider, how to use Netscape, and acceptable library uses of the Internet. In April/May 1997, additional sessions focused on answering reference questions using search engines, "Cybrarian" web sites, and government resources.  

I haven't found a list of all the libraries that received computers through Online at PA Libraries, but my site research has uncovered participants in Blair, Crawford, Cumberland, and Montgomery Counties. I have also found news articles about the project's roll-out in Beaver, Franklin, Indiana, Montour, Northampton, and Washington County libraries. By all accounts, Bell Atlantic's generosity was  transformative to institutions that didn't offer Internet service previously. As Larry Mauro, a board member of the Donora Public Library put it, "you can research almost any subject imaginable ... everything from dinosaurs to Dinah Shore.'' Successful use cases abounded, and soon both children and adults were flocking to libraries to try the technology. 

An evaluation by John Carlo Bertot (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and Charles R. McClure (Syracuse University) estimated that by the close of the project, 500,000 Pennsylvanians were accessing the Internet through their public libraries. According to their survey of library directors, more than 88% of the participating institutions would not have been able to install their workstations without Bell Atlantic's financial support. In the administrators' views, the most important benefits were expanding reference resources, augmenting their libraries' collections, and drawing in new customers. Surveys of library Internet users found that about 1/2 were new to getting online, about 1/3 had no other way to access the Internet, and more than 1/4 were new to the library altogether. Most found the Bell Atlantic stations easy to use, and they were able to find material that was valuable to them, even if they had little prior training. 

Technology evolved quickly in the late 1990s/early 2000s, and I've found that some institutions  replaced donated computers just a few years later -- especially once Gates Foundation grants became available. While the machines themselves may not have been as long-lasting as one might hope, one of the project's long-reaching results was that it shifted public libraries' roles, making them key players in addressing technological inequity. Although libraries have often been early adopters of innovative office and inventorying systems, library staff -- especially in administrative, cataloging, and circulation departments -- had been the primary users and beneficiaries. However, Online at PA Libraries put telecom and machinery in users' hands, and fostered expectations that public libraries would continue to provide cutting-edge tech to their constituents. The libraries' ability to do so, however, wasn't a given. Bertot and McClure noted that even after training, librarians continued to feel inadequate in maintaining connectivity and providing support to users. Also, funds for monthly costs and future upgrades were unlikely to come from local governments. Significant thought also had to be given toward integrating traditional and online services, with attendant impacts on standards, long-range planning, coordination/collaboration, professional education, staffing, and facilities. Bertot and McClure concluded that at least some of these issues had to be carefully considered and addressed at the state level. 

At this point, I can't say whether Online at PA Libraries was the first-ever effort of its kind. I also don't know how much it influenced, or may have been influenced by, other actions of governmental and private entities. While the project was taking place, the 1996 Telecommunications Act deregulated the telecom industry and expanded the concept of Universal Service to encompass high-speed Internet access. State initiatives such as Link-to-Learn were bringing connectivity to educational institutions. Within a few years, the E-rate Program evolved to help schools and libraries with service costs, and there was also a overhaul of the Commonwealth's state aid program for public libraries. However, there's no doubt that Bell Atlantic provided essential means for many libraries to build Pennsylvanians' first on-ramps to the Information Superhighway.  

For more about Bell Atlantic and the Online at PA Libraries program:
  • "Bell Atlantic Connects Ashland, Shenandoah Libraries to Internet," The Standard-Speaker [Hazleton, PA], December 7, 1996, 25. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/59824723/.
  • "Bell Atlantic Offers Internet Access," The Bulletin [Latrobe, PA], April 11, 1996, 9. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/449821464/.
  • Bertot, John Carlo, and Charles R. McClure, "Impacts of Public Access to the Internet through Pennsylvania Public Libraries," Information Technology & Libraries, vol. 16, no. 3 (September 1997), 151-164. 
  • Bertot, John Carlo, and Charles R. McClure, Linking People to the Global Networked Society: Evaluation of the Online at PA Libraries Project, Public Access to the Internet through Public Libraries (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University, School of Information Studies, 1997). ERIC, https://eric.ed.gov/?q=ED413924. 
  • Carroll, Jim, "New Technologies a Boon for Libraries," The Times-News [Erie, PA], January 26, 1997, 1. Available through Access World News. 
  • Comings, Karen, "Two Profitable Partnerships," Computers in Libraries, vol. 16, no. 8 (September 1996), 24-25. 
  • Conrad, K. D., "Local Library Now Boasts On-Line Service," The Standard-Speaker [Hazleton, PA], March 26, 1997, 20. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/65719571/.
  • "Danville Library a Source for Tax Forms," The Press-Enterprise [Bloomsburg, PA], January 5, 1997. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/818975393/.
  • "First Lady Unveils Public-Private Partnership to Expand Internet Access at Public Libraries," PaLA Bulletin, June 1996, 3. 
  • Fogarty, James S., and Michelle Misiewiez, "Online at Pennsylvania Libraries," Rural Libraries, no. 2 (1998), 34-38.
  • "Grant Presented to LV Library," The Bulletin [Latrobe, PA], March 20, 1997, 6. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/449884942/.
  • Hay, Brian, "Nazareth to Introduce Internet Access Tomorrow," The Morning Call [Allentown, PA], February 5, 1997, B4.  ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/docview/392816060. 
  • "Internet Comes to Indiana Library," The Gazette [Indiana, PA], December 11, 1996, 9. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/526356526/.
  • "Libraries Offer Internet Training," The Post-Gazette [Pittsburgh, PA], February 13, 1997, C-3. 
  • Light, Mia, "Shenandoah Library Offers Free Access to the Internet," The Standard-Speaker [Hazleton, PA], December 28, 1996, 14. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/61604107/.
  • Miller, Matt, "Libraries Pack Them In With Free Internet Access," The Patriot News [Harrisburg, PA], January 21, 1997, 14. Available through Access World News. 
  • "Pennsylvania Study Reports Internet Essential to Libraries," Library Journal, February 1, 1998, 14.
  • Pihl, Karen, "Local Libraries to Join Technological Revolution," The Public Opinion [Chambersburg, PA], October 14, 1996, 3. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/449996782/.
  • Zuchowski, Dave, "Grants Help Libraries Pay for Computers," The Post-Gazette [Pittsburgh, PA], December 22, 1996, W-5. Available through Access World News. 
    
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Monday, September 28, 2026

"Wake Up and Read!": Pennsylvania's First National Library Week (1958)

Although Meadville Public Library in Crawford County is a relatively small institution, it was quite innovative during the decades I am studying. I have already written about its Tel-Med service, and sometime soon I'd like to delve into its early (1982) offering of computers for public use. Thus, when I was using its scrapbooks this weekend, I wasn't at all surprised to discover that MPL was an avid participant in the very first National Library Week, held in March 1958. 

Today, National Library Week is spearheaded by the American Library Association, but, as Jean Preer has explained, NLW was actually initiated by the publishing industry. During the 1950s, publishers were concerned about the negative influence of radio and television on reading, the declining international competitiveness of the American school system, and citizens' questionable ability to navigate complex scientific and social issues of the postwar world. To promote reading and to meet these challenges, the American Book Publishers Council (ABPC) pursued various strategies. In 1950, it created the National Book Awards, and in 1954, it organized a citizen's committee called the National Book Committee (NBC) to devise a broader publicity campaign. Libraries were identified as key collaborators, not only because they were major purchasers of reading materials, but even more so because they had established a presence and a trustworthy reputation in thousands of communities across the nation. Thus the NBC had an ex-officio seat for current president of the American Library Association, and ALA's network of state chapters was utilized to reach down to local levels. NLW became one of the NBC's signature efforts. 

Headquartered in New York, the NBC developed publicity kits (bookmarks, posters, etc.) for participating libraries. It also generated buzz through collaborations with Better Homes and Gardens, McCalls, and other magazines, as well as network radio and TV broadcasters. For its part, ALA developed an association-level National Library Week Committee and encouraged counterparts in every state. Although there were usually honorary state chairpersons from the corporate, government, or educational sectors, librarians did the hands-on work of distributing materials from the NBC to local libraries, and fielding libraries' questions. And while local NLW committees also had lay persons serving as chairs, librarians did much of the heavy-lifting in terms of determining the goals of the week, and whether those would be pursued through special events, exhibits, contests, press coverage, or other means. 

The first National Book Week took place on March 16-22, 1958, and the theme, "Wake Up and Read!," conveyed the urgency of the moment. As the 1959 NLW Handbook explained, the purpose was to:

[R]emind the American people that reading can help them to explore and to satisfy their need for a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives; to urge them to use more fully the libraries of all kinds in which the treasures of the printed word await throughout the land. But there is a wider aim: to set apart a time when people can rededicate themselves to the ideas and ideals of a free society.

Today, many of us think of NLW as a "public library" thing, but, as originally conceived, college and school libraries were significant participants, too. The Handbook quoted above included sample materials for each library type, and Richard B. Harwell, then serving as Executive Director of ALA's Association of College and Research Libraries, published at least one article in ACRL's journal, College & Research Libraries, explaining the benefits for colleagues in higher education. In all, more than 5,000 communities throughout the United States observed NLW in some way, and in March 1958 NLW generated more than 11,000 newspaper stories about all types of institutions. 

Pennsylvania's first NLW President was Albert M. Greenfield, a real estate developer, banker, and philanthropist with significant civic connections. The librarian Executive Director was Marie A. Davis of the Free Library of Philadelphia. FLP's focus for NLW was "Operation Join Up," an effort to encourage adult borrower registration by sending applications home with city schoolchildren. Library open houses were planned throughout Philadelphia as well. Davis encouraged her colleagues to take similar approaches, though they were certainly free to pursue NLW as opportunities afforded. Judging from news copy published in the Meadville Tribune and in other papers, it seems that Pennsylvania grasped upon NLW as an opportunity to discuss low state/local funding. "34th in per-capita expenditures for library service" was an oft-quoted statistic. 

Marie A. Davis, Executive Director of Pennsylvania's First National Library Week.
Image courtesy of PaLA Archives, State Library of Pennsylvania. 

In Meadville, the 1958 NLW Organizing Committee was chaired by John Strickler, who was the Sales Director at Penelec and had deep experience with communications. MPL librarian Joseph S. Hopkins followed up on the group's ideas. Their multi-pronged approach involved tapping local Jaycees to put up displays at First National Bank and other establishments around town. MPL also distributed hundreds of children's and adult recommended reading lists, both at the library's service desks and at other convenient spots. Halver Getchell, a reporter for the Meadville Tribune, authored an article about MPL's history. He published other stories about the libraries at Allegheny College, Meadville High School, and in other communities in Crawford County. Philip M. Benjamin, a librarian at Allegheny College, contributed a piece about Meadville authors. Hopkins spoke at PTA and Rotary meetings, while Yolanda Barco, an MPL board member who was an attorney and television executive, provided a talk to the Lions. In addition, the library had a fine-free week, allowing customers to return overdue items without paying the usual penalties. This said, Meadville wasn't the only Pennsylvania community that observed the first NLW -- I found information about Easton's and Scranton's celebrations when I did site research in those cities, and a quick search of Newspapers.com churns up nearly 700 articles about observances in Brookville, Lancaster, Sunbury, Warren, and many other locations.

"Wake Up and Read!" remained NLW's theme for several years, and in Pennsylvania, connections to civic duty and library funding became even more explicit. In 1960, General Matthew B. Ridgway, former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, became Chairman, and Marjorie Flood of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh replaced Marie A. Davis as Executive Director. In addition to promoting the national theme, the Pennsylvania campaign pushed for passage of H.B. 132, a bill to create a state aid program for libraries. Governor David L. Lawrence hosted a Conference for Library Trustees to foster discussion about library needs statewide, and much of the Pennsylvania news coverage that I have found pertaining to NLW in 1960 and 1961 includes political advocacy. While I still need to do more research on the topic, I believe that such activities under the umbrella of NLW helped substantially in securing passage of Act 188.

National Library Week poster, 1961.
Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, LCCN 2015646261.

At the national level, the ABPC merged with the American Educational Publishers Institute in 1970, forming the American Association of Publishers. Cost-cutting associated with this consolidation led to the end of the NBC and the publishers' sponsorship of NLW. As Greg Landgraf has described, ALA took full responsibility for NLW at that point and brought it "in house." Over time, the national program has come to encompass more political action, especially through Right to Read Day and Take Action for Libraries Day which are scheduled during NLW. Here in Pennsylvania, some campaigns have been more focused on lobbying than others, but for a number of years PaLA encouraged local programming by holding contests that recognized individual libraries' publicity efforts. In 2007, when I began to organize the association's archives, it contained voluminous scrapbooks that institutions had submitted to document their NLW activities. To save space, and to give local history back to the communities, I repatriated those scrapbooks to the institutions that had created them. I don't regret that decision, but I kind of wish I had access to those primary sources now. Pennsylvania libraries were enthusiastic and creative participants in National Library Week!

For more about National Library Week:

  • Benjamin, Philip M., "Writing Begins at Home--Library Shelves Boast Meadville, Allegheny Authors," [unattributed newsclipping], March 20, 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
  • "Close National Library Week," The Daily Item [Sunbury, PA], March 22, 1958, 4. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/512567399. 
  • Davis, Marie A., "National Library Week in Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, Winter 1958, 8-9.
  • Davis, Marie A., "National Library Week in Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, Summer 1959, 5-6.
  • Getchell, Halver, "Crawford County Library Facilities Include School, Community, Specialized Collections," The Tribune [Meadville, PA], March 21, 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook.
  • Getchell, Halver, "Library Week Emphasizes Services Offered Public" [undated article], The Tribune [Meadville, PA], March 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
  • Getchell, Halver, "Meadville Had First Public Library West of Pittsburgh," The Tribune [Meadville, PA], March 19, 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook.
  • Getchell, Halver, "Observance of National Library Week Honors Institution Native to State," The Tribune [Meadville, PA], March 17, 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
  • "JC's Outline Program for Local Observance of Nat'l Library Week March 16-22," The Times-Mirror [Warren, PA], March 7, 1958, 2. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/56692739.
  • Landgraf, Greg, "'Wake Up and Read!' to 'Libraries Lead': The 60-Year History of National Libraries Week," American Libraries, March/April 2018, 34-37. American Libraries, https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/03/01/national-library-week-60th-anniversary-libraries-lead/. 
  • "Library Talk Given Exchange Club," [unattributed newsclipping], March 25 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook.
  • "Library Week Observed Here with Events," The American [Brookville, PA], March 17, 1958, 1. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/346538368/.
  • "Library Week to be Marked Here," The Sunday News [Lancaster, PA], March 16, 1958, 23. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/561246255.
  • "Lions Hear Speaker on Library Week," [unattributed, undated newsclipping], March 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
  • National Library Week Organization Handbook (New York: National Library Week, 1959). HathiTrust, https://hdl.handle.net/2027/rul.39030045641208. 
  • "Observance of Library Week Set Up," [unattributed newsclipping], March 7, 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
  • "Overdue Fees Suspended at Library," [unattributed, undated newsclipping], March 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
  • Peer, Jean, "'Wake Up and Read!': Book Promotion and National Library Week, 1958," Libraries & the Cultural Record, vol. 45, no. 1 (2010), 92-106. Project Muse, https://muse-jhu-edu.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/pub/15/article/370113. 
  • Roebling, John S., "National Library Week," American Library and Book Trade Annual 1960 (New York, NY: R. R. Bowker, 1960), 172-175. 
  • "Talk on Books is Given at Rotary Meeting," [unattributed newsclipping], March 17, 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
  • "Wake Up and Read," The Tribune [Meadville, PA], March 17, 1958. Copy available in Meadville Public Library 1958-1962 scrapbook. 
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Monday, September 21, 2026

A $90 Million Article: Gilbert M. Gaul's Libraries in Distress

This week, I published an article in The Conversation, a nonprofit online news source that is considered to be the Associated Press for material written by university-based scholars. Although I knew The Conversation had a wide reach, it was amazing to learn that my work on Pennsylvania library history had been read by nearly 3,000 people within just a few days, and that it was shared by news sites from Schenectady, New York, to Charlotteville, Virginia, to Grand Junction, Colorado. I doubt that anything else I've ever written has been seen by so many individuals beyond my home state.

This got me thinking about news articles that have been impactful in Pennsylvania library history. It's not something I can speak about definitively, because my searches in newspaper databases haven't been comprehensive. But, if I were to measure importance by the number of times I've encountered clippings in library archives, or the number of mentions I've encountered in library board minutes and reports, or how an article was utilized to achieve tangible, positive results, the hands-down winner is a 4-part series collectively titled Libraries in Distress written by Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Gilbert M. Gaul and published June 1-4, 1997. 

It doesn't seem that libraries were Gaul's usual beat, but no one could have asked for a better writer to describe the deplorable conditions Pennsylvania libraries were facing at the time. Although Gaul grew up and attended college in New Jersey, his first reporting jobs were for the Lehighton Times-News and the Pottsville Republican. He rapidly proved himself to be a courageous and talented journalist. In 1979, he and his colleague Elliott G. Jaspin won a Pulitzer Prize for Local Investigative Specialized Reporting for a series they wrote about the demise of Blue Coal Company (see June 12, June 13, June 14, June 15, and June 16, 1978 editions of the Pottsville Republican). In 1983, Gaul moved to the Philadelphia Inquirer. There, he won a second Pulitzer for Service, for "The Blood Brokers," a series about the lack of regulation of the American blood industry (see September 24, September 25, September 26, and September 27, 1989 editions). He was also a finalist for an additional Pulitzer in 1994, and would go on to be a finalist again in 2001. 

According to the back page of a reprint of Libraries in Distress that I found in the PaLA Archives, Gaul had been "busy poring through data and reports on education and literacy in America" when he noticed that "public libraries in Pennsylvania ranked among the lowest in the country with regard to funding, book inventories, and reader services." This inspired him to spend 5 months visiting institutions in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Ohio. To illustrate the stories, he worked with Inquirer photographer Peter Tobia who traveled more than 1,200 miles to capture poignant and vivid images. 

Gilbert M. Gaul (left) and Peter Tobia (right), the author and photographer
who produced Libraries in Distress. Image from an undated reprint of the series,
 available in the Pennsylvania Library Association Archives at the State Library of Pennsylvania.

Premiering on page 1 of the June 1, 1997 edition of the Inquirer, the series began with an unassailable and forceful argument: "Pennsylvania's libraries are among the poorest and most meagerly equipped in the nation. That has serious consequences." For the first article, "A Shortage of Support and Volumes of Problems," Gaul revisited Pottsville, a town that he'd become familiar with as a young reporter, and he described the sorry conditions he encountered at the Pottsville Free Public Library. Built in the 1920s, PFPL housed the children's room in its basement, as many early libraries did. But it seemed that conditions had scarcely improved over the years. A municipal sewage pipe ran through the department, and the children's toilet, which "leak[ed] badly," was located in a wooden stall without a lock. Gaul went on to describe the disparity of library conditions in Philadelphia's suburbs, where institutions that were "shining jewels" were always countered by others that were literally crumbling apart.

The beginning of Libraries in Distress. Image from an undated reprint of the series
 available in the Pennsylvania Library Association Archives.
Image courtesy of the State Library of Pennsylvania.

The guilty party, it seemed, was state law: for one thing, Pennsylvania did not require counties or municipalities to fund public libraries. Furthermore, local governments only had to invest $2.00 per capita in libraries to qualify for state aid. It was a low standard that had been prescribed in 1961 and hadn't changed since. As a result, as of the mid/late 1990s Pennsylvania ranked 49th of 50 states in  local funding. What's more, some libraries had serious free-rider problems: due to state aid requirements, they had to serve all constituents from all the boroughs and townships within their services areas, even if those communities didn't contribute to the libraries' budget. This difficult situation had reached a crossroads, even a crisis, because of declining literacy rates in the state, as well as the high cost of computer technology and other modernization. Pennsylvania was already lagging behind in terms of education -- in fact, one of Gaul's interviewees referred to it as the "Mississippi of the North." But the situation was only going to get worse in the emerging digital age. Libraries in well-funded states like New Jersey and Ohio were able to provide computer terminals, reference databases, and Internet access, while many in Pennsylvania could not. 

On June 2nd, Gaul described excellent library conditions in Ohio, and how western Pennsylvania families often border-hopped to take advantage of resources elsewhere. He again hammered home the shortcomings of state law, but also introduced the stubbornness of municipalities that chose to retain small, poorly-funded institutions for the sake of being able to run them independently, rather than consolidating with neighboring libraries or joining county systems to achieve economies of scale. An additional problem Gaul highlighted was the pathetic salaries often paid to Pennsylvania librarians. Noting that the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) recommended $26,000/year (about $54,000 in 2026 dollars) for an early-career, Master's-level librarian, Gaul found that only 14 of the state's 457 libraries paid that much. Some of his sources attributed this to the long social tradition of paying less for women's work, but he noted that Pennsylvania teachers, who were also predominantly female, earned 2-3 times what librarians did. A more likely explanation: teachers were unionized, while most librarians were not. 

The next day (June 3rd), Gaul returned to and delved into the issue of technology, mentioning how the costs and learning curves were straining some libraries to the breaking point. But he primarily focused on the ways that online gaming and chat rooms were diverting libraries and their customers from reading and other forms of literary engagement. Reading this part of the series with 21st-century eyes, I don't think it's aged well and it wasn't as helpful to libraries as it could have been. I was working in both college and public libraries at the time, and while I remember losing some customers once they got online (especially if they had access at home), the Internet also brought throngs of people who had never visited us before. For some, computer availability was the beginning of a long and evolving relationship as the more open-minded customers explored other library offerings. I have also observed the gaming world develop into an environment that can be rich with storytelling, cognitive challenge, and many other positives that we associate with reading books. That being said, my own research in various county and municipal libraries does confirm Gaul's points about the financial and staffing disadvantages Pennsylvania libraries struggled with as they tried to adopt new technologies. 

On June 4th, the final day of the series, Gaul's most substantial coverage focused on the branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia (FLP), particularly showing how the Wadsworth Branch thrived in part because it had dependable income. While some FLP locations received more funding per-capita than others, overall the city stood out "like a sore thumb," according to the system's director (and former State Librarian) Elliot Skelkrot. He noted that this wasn't because FLP's funding was high above the national average, but because Pennsylvania's was so far below it. Although the article may have seemed geared toward city residents, I don't doubt that it resonated with some small-town librarians around the state because it showed what their own institutions could be if more resources were available. Yet, in another piece Gaul described how some library advocates had opposed the Public Library Project -- an effort of a few years earlier to change the state's funding formula. In particular, libraries that had made strides in obtaining corporate and foundation funding, but felt they had little chance of obtaining additional support from local government -- the Martin Library in York was cited as an example -- lobbied their legislators to oppose the project. Thus, no one could guess if library conditions in Pennsylvania would ever improve.

But ... improve they did!

Drawing from all corners of Pennsylvania, Gaul's fact-finding and storytelling presented compelling reasons to try once more to fix the state aid program. His reporting went "viral" in 1990s meanings of the word. The York Record republished the entire series the following week. In Bloomsburg, library director Hal Pratt used Libraries in Distress as a jumping-off point for a public speech and a later editorial. In Hazleton, the editors of the Standard-Speaker called upon local, county, and state officials to act. Also, as I've mentioned, I have found related clippings and conversations in most of the public library archives I've used. 

Perhaps most importantly, the Pennsylvania Library Association reacted swiftly and decisively to Gaul's pathbreaking work. I haven't yet used all the records from the 1990s, but I found a September 1997 PaLA Bulletin editorial by Karl Helicher, the association's president, which indicated that he agreed with Gaul's comments on paltry library funding, as well as how "provincialism" (Helicher's word) was holding Pennsylvania libraries back. He urged PaLA members to focus more attention on "library service rather than libraries, regionalization versus provincialism, how technology can make regional library service more attractive, how we can qualitatively determine what constitutes good library service," how to "break down the barriers of provincialism that inhibit library service," and how all of these elements could "be used to substantiate the need for additional funding." As someone who was educated at West Chester and the University of Pittsburgh, had worked as a librarian in Clearfield County and the Carnegie (Carnegie, PA) Free Library, had been director of the Upper Merion Township Library since the late 1970s, and had chaired PaLA's Public Library Division, its legislative committees, and other working groups, he knew what he was talking about. 

In October 1997, PaLA offered 2 recommendations: an immediate infusion of $15 million to the state aid program, and full funding (more than $6 million) for Access PA, especially to support the resource sharing element of that program. But it acknowledged that "thoughtful review and careful planning" was needed to "explore alternatives." As a flurry of legislation developed in the Pennsylvania House and Senate, PaLA's Legislative Information Committee tracked the bills and reported on strengths and concerns. PaLA also established a Public Library Funding Committee to hammer out recommendations that all types of libraries across the state could support. Led by Jim Hollinger, the group met several times over the Fall and Winter, ultimately coalescing around a Platform for Twenty-First Century Libraries -- a set of recommendations which urged specific changes to the Public Library Code. While urging that libraries remain locally organized and governed, the Platform suggested that the state take on a "larger partnership role" by investing an additional $18 million per year for the next 5 years ($90 million in total). In return, county/local governments would have to invest $5.00 per capita (instead of $2.00) to qualify for state aid. Bound copies of the Platform were printed for wide distribution, and a web version was posted on Delaware County Library System's website. PaLA hired a lobbying firm, Greenlee Associates, and public relations experts at Neiman-May Communications, and it partnered with the General Federation of Women's Clubs/Pennsylvania to help get its message get heard in Harrisburg and around the state. Further, the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries, and PaLA offered various educational programs to equip librarian to join the legislative fight. 

Front cover of PaLA's Platform for Twenty-First Century Libraries, 1998.
Image courtesy of the PaLA Archives, State Library of Pennsylvania.

In the ensuing months, Gaul himself helped to keep libraries in the public conscience. In August 1997, he reported on legislators who were considering various proposals, as well as the efforts of PaLA's task force. In September, he wrote another piece which called out the state's silence on libraries' funding crisis. Again, that December, he provided an update on the PaLA Task Force's activities, as well as a bill (H.B. 1884) proposed by Rep. Thomas L. Stevenson of Allegheny County that would have repealed the Public Library Code, shifted oversight of libraries to a newly-created commission, and supplied funding increases (a mixed bag of goods and not-so-goods). Then, in July 1998, an Inquirer poll conveyed widespread support for libraries. It found that while more than 3/4 of respondents felt their libraries were doing an "excellent" or "good" job, 30% felt library funding should be higher and more than 2/3 wanted the state to require localities to spend a certain amount on libraries. A majority believed the state should pick up a larger share, and more than 80% of respondents wanted a portion of the state's personal income tax revenue to be dedicated toward libraries.

Fortunately, Rep. Stevenson and his office were willing to work with PaLA to revise H.B. 1884 so that problematic elements were revised and the bill incorporated more ideas from the Platform. Though Stevenson's bill was not passed by the end of the legislative year, libraries also had a significant friend in Harrisburg -- Governor Tom Ridge -- who made a 2-year commitment of $32 million in additional funding, along with an implementation plan which mirrored the Platform in several ways. Through PaLA's continued advocacy and Ridge's leadership, Stevenson's revived bill (House Bill 17) and the companion Senate Bill 936, proposed by Senator James J. Rhoades of Schuylkill County, ultimately achieved passage. Approved by Gov. Ridge as Act 57 of 2000, they made transformative changes to the Public Library Code. Thus, 3 years after Gaul had published Libraries in Distress, he was able to write a follow-up piece about how a "quiet revolution" was taking place -- libraries opening more hours and acquiring more books, with significant increases in circulation as the result. Although the historic library budgets that were achieved during the Ridge administration were sharply cut a few years later by Governor Ed Rendell, my research has found various instances where the temporary surge in state money enabled upgrades that libraries may not have had otherwise. Increases in local funding, spurred by the state's new formula, benefitted libraries over the long term, as well.   

Although many hands worked to secure increased funds and necessary changes to the Public Library code, PaLA recognized the vital instigation that Gilbert M. Gaul's reporting provided when they awarded him the association's 1997 Certificate of Merit. The Pennsylvania Newsmedia Association also recognized the impact of his work by granting him 1st place in its 1998 Public Service/Investigative Reporting category. While Gaul didn't win another Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on libraries, it certainly meant a lot to us in the Keystone State!

Gaul receiving PNA's 1998 award for Public Service/Investigative Reporting for Libraries in Distress. With him are PaLA Past-President Kathy Kennedy and Lois M. Albrecht, a longtime SLP employee and library consultant. Published in the August 1998 edition of PaLA's Bulletin.

For more about Gilbert M. Gaul and Libraries in Distress:

  • Campbell, Stephanie, "In the PaLRaP Spotlight: Glenn Miller," Pennsylvania Libraries: Research and Practice, vol. 4, no. 1 (Spring 2016), 3-5. PaLRaP, https://palrap.org/ojs/palrap/article/view/124. 
  • "Candidates for First Vice President/President-Elect," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, July 1995, 1.
  • Gaul, Gilbert M. "$120 Million is Sought for Pa. Libraries," The Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], December 30, 1997, A1, A8. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/177980926/. 
  • Gaul, Gilbert M., "Advocates Build Case for Pa. Library Reform," The Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], August 28, 1997, A1, A10. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/178063994/. 
  • Gaul, Gilbert M., "In Pa. Libraries, a Quiet Revolution," The Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], September 22, 2000, A1, A17. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/179831616/. 
  • Gaul, Gilbert M., Libraries in Distress, The Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], June 1-4, 1997, A1. etc. 
  • Gaul, Gilbert M., "Method to Fix Pa. Libraries a Mystery," The Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], September 25, 1997, B1, B4. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/178061184.
  • Gaul, Gilbert M., "Survey: Most Want Change in Library Funding in Pa.," The Inquirer [Philadelphia, PA], July 20, 1998, A1, A9. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/179872548.
  • "Gaul, Gilbert Martin," in vol. 16 of Complete Biographical Encyclopedia of Pulitzer Prize Winners, 1917-2000: Journalists, Writers and Composers on Their Way to the Coveted Awards, edited by Heinz-Deitrich Fischer (Munich, Germany: K. G. Saur, 2002). 
  • Helicher, Karl, "Ready, Aim, Fire," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, August 1997, 2, 6.
  • Hollinger, Jim, "Interest in Public Libraries Yields Legislative Proposals," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, November/December 1995, 1, 8-9.
  • Hollinger, Jim, "PaLA Unveils Public Library Funding Platform," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, March 1998, 1.
  • "Libraries in Crisis: Where We Go From Here," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, October 1997, 5.
  • Libraries in Distress [reprinted edition]. Copy available in the Pennsylvania Library Association Archives, Publications Series, State Libraries of Pennsylvania. 
  • "Library's 90th Time to Take State to Task," Standard-Speaker [Hazleton, PA], C4. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/61219519. 
  • Miller, Glenn R., "Budget Process Moves Ahead; May Passage Appears Likely," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, April 1999, 1, 3.
  • Miller, Glenn R., "Governor Ridge Proposes Quantum Leap Forward for Public Libraries," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, February 1999, 1, 5.
  • Miller, Glenn R., "Hooray! Legislature Passes Library Bill," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, June/July 1999, 5.
  • Miller, Glenn R., "Legislature Approves Ridge Increase for Libraries," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, May 1999, 1, 5.
  • Miller, Glenn R., "New Version of House Bill 1884 Out; Sets Stage for Fall Session and 1999," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, October 1998, 3.
  • Miller, Glenn R., "Platform for Twenty-First Century Libraries Gains Support," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, August 1998, 6.
  • Miller, Glenn R., "State Budget Moves Ahead; Early Approval Predicted," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, March 1999, 1.
  • Miller, Glenn R., "State Budget Races Toward Early Completion; PaLA Begins Push for 'Platform,'" Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, April 1998, 1.
  • Oder, Norman, "Politician of the Year, 2001: Tom Ridge," Library Journal, September 15, 2001, 42-43.
  • "PaLA Congratulates Gilbert Gaul," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, August 1998, 4.
  • Pennsylvania General Assembly, "Act No. 57 of 2000: The Library Code, Amend State Aid to Local Libraries," Unconsolidated Statutes, https://www.palegis.us/statutes/unconsolidated/law-information?sessYr=2000&sessInd=0&actNum=0057.&plPageNum=0404. 
  • "PaLA Hails Governor's Announcement of Record Two-Year Budget Commitment," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, February 1999, 6.
  • Pennsylvania Library Association, The Platform for Twenty-First Century Libraries: Pennsylvania's Future Demands Better Libraries / Pennsylvania Libraries in Distress: The Pennsylvania Library Association's Response, 1998. Copy available in the Pennsylvania Library Association Archives, Publications Series, State Libraries of Pennsylvania.  
  • Posel, Nancy, "Keep Interest High to Support Library Funding Increases," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, January 1999, 3.
  • Posel, Nancy, "Keeping Library Needs High on State Legislative Priorities," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, November/December 1998, 13.
  • Pratt, Hal, "House Proposal May Lead to Improvements in State's Libraries," The Press-Enterprise [Bloomsburg, PA], B17. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/818933901. 
  • "The State of Libraries," Daily Record [York, PA], June 15, 1997, 1F, 4F. Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/image/554162023.
  • "Women's Clubs Take Up Library Banner," Pennsylvania Library Association Bulletin, August 1998, 11.

 

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