FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 22, 2011
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Pennsylvania Library Association Names Senator Pileggi "Elected Official of the Year"

The Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) honored Senator Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware County) as its Elected Official of the Year for 2011.  Senator Pileggi serves as majority leader in the State Senate and represents more than a quarter million constituents in Delaware and Chester Counties.

"This Elected Official Award recognizes Senator Pileggi's hard work and commitment to improved library services, not just constituents in his district, but for all Pennsylvanians," said Rob Lesher, PaLA's 2011 president and director of the Adams County Library System in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  "He is a long-time advocate for better library services and an influential voice supporting the value of libraries.  We are so pleased to recognize him with this honor."

Lesher pointed out that Pileggi's advocacy is particularly insightful given his long experience in local government and as a local library trustee.  "He knows firsthand that a library provides not just resources but large measures of hope as well," he said.  "His personal experience carries over to his leadership of the State Senate where, last year, his bill secured a comprehensive review of our state's library laws.  He followed through this year with legislation to modernize Pennsylvania's 50-year-old Library Code.  The library community applauds all of his efforts to improve library services statewide."

Representing the association at the award presentation on December 16, 2011, were Karla Marsteller, PaLA's Awards Committee chair and director of the Palmyra Public Library; Margie Stern, youth services coordinator for the Delaware County Library System and 2010 PaLA president; and Glenn Miller, PaLA's executive director.  The presentation ceremony took place at Senator Pileggi's home library, the J. Lewis Crozer Library in Chester, PA, where Senator Pileggi previously served on the library board.  Also in attendance were M. Clare Zales, deputy secretary of education and commissioner of libraries for Pennsylvania, the Honorable Wendell Butler, Jr., mayor of the City of Chester, David Belanger, director of the Delaware County Library System, Joseph Sherwood, director of the Chester County Library System, and LaTanya Burno, library director at the Crozer Library.

Founded in 1901, the Pennsylvania Library Association (PaLA) is the state's oldest and most diverse professional library organization serving libraries, library employees, library trustees, and Friends of the Library groups.  PaLA represents more than 1700 personal, institutional, and commercial members affiliated with public, academic, special, and school libraries throughout the Commonwealth.  The association represents the profession in Harrisburg and provides opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and continuing education for librarians. 

Contact:

Glenn R. Miller, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Library Association, glenn@palibraries.org, (717) 766-7663