Wolf Administration Celebrates the Newly Renovated Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians

Pittsburgh, PA - The Pennsylvania Office of Commonwealth Libraries (OCL) today joined stakeholders and community members in Pittsburgh to celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) Library of Accessible Media for PennsylvaniansOpens In A New Window (LAMP).

"Our regional libraries in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh provide an essential statewide service to more than 15,000 Pennsylvanians who continue to belong to the community of readers, regardless of their print disabilities, and with the help of the good people working and volunteering from this amazing, renovated facility, we can set our sights on reaching and serving many more thousands of Pennsylvanians," said Acting Deputy Secretary for the Office of Commonwealth Libraries Susan Banks. "The Office of Commonwealth Libraries congratulates Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the City of Pittsburgh for securing a top-tier Keystone Grant for Library Construction as a foundational resource for this remarkable project."

This renovation project included interior and exterior improvements to provide more comfortable and easily accessible accommodations and spaces for patrons and volunteers with visual needs. Renovations included a new HVAC system, new light fixtures on the first floor, two automated entrances, large storefront windows, and a large meeting room. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supported the project through a $750,000 Keystone Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund grant and a $13,750 Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) grant.

"Projects like this are a shining example of the benefits available to communities through partnerships and collaboration," said Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development Dennis Davin. "The Neighborhood Assistance Program connects Pennsylvanians with critical resources, and LAMP will help countless people discover new worlds through innovative learning and accessibility tools."

The library will make services for Pennsylvania's print-disabled population more discoverable, accessible, and inclusive. CLP-LAMP provides resources statewide to the print disabled, and along with the Free Library of Philadelphia is one of two libraries in the commonwealth serving print-disabled residents. In addition to supplying readers with accessible materials, CLP-LAMP houses two state-of-the-art recording studios for staff and volunteers to record books and provide accessibility locally, nationally, and internationally through the National Library Service Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD). CLP-LAMP is also responsible for mailing reading materials to visually impaired patrons across the state through the U.S. Postal Services Free Matter for the Blind.

This summer, LAMP changed its name from the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and launched a centralized new website for Pennsylvanians: MyLAMP.orgOpens In A New Window. The library will continue to implement the Library of Congress' National Library Service program throughout Pennsylvania to patrons with disabilities, including those who cannot access standard print due to blindness, visual, physical, cognitive, or reading disabilities and to those who are unable to hold a book or turn its pages. Additionally, CLP-LAMP will explore ways to provide resources beyond the traditional - such as assistive technologies and accessible programs for all underserved populations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education's Office of Commonwealth Libraries supports, develops, and provides library services for learning and advancement. For more information on the Pennsylvania State Library, follow them on TwitterOpens In A New Window.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education please visit the Department of Education's websiteOpens In A New Window or follow PDE on FacebookOpens In A New Window, TwitterOpens In A New Window, or PinterestOpens In A New Window.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kendall Alexander, PDE, [email protected] Penny Ickes, DCED, [email protected] -

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