Community
At the Penn State University Libraries, our Community is everything. It is the cornerstone of our mission. It encompasses:
The People: Dedicated and esteemed faculty librarians, passionate and knowledgeable staff, ambitious students, loyal alumni, generous donors, and engaged members of the public.
The Land Grant Mission: A commitment to education, research, and service that extends throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.
The Programming: Innovative initiatives that enrich learning, advance research, and strengthen connections within and beyond our University.
Together, these elements form the fabric of the Penn State University Libraries’ vibrant and inclusive community, driving our mission forward and making a positive impact on the world.
You can help support our students by establishing scholarships to support our work- study students, graduate and undergraduate internships, and research assistant positions. You can help support our faculty and staff by establishing funds to support their professional development and by endowing various positions such as the Dean’s Chair, an early career librarianship or a subject library faculty chair.
You can help support the Commonwealth by establishing funds to support bringing the University Libraries’ resources to under-resourced and rural communities, reading/literacy programs, and expanding the curation, preservation, and conservation of community archives.
Community Impact Stories
Commons
At the Penn State University Libraries, Commons represents all the quiet and bustling library spaces across the Commonwealth.
Adapting to Educational Needs: Providing flexible teaching rooms, more study spaces, and maker spaces to meet the needs of today’s Penn State students.
Inclusive Learning Environments: Enhancing spaces, furniture, and technology to encourage success and collaboration for neurodivergent and all students.
Updating Facilities: Refreshing and renovating our Commonwealth Campus Libraries, the Eberly Family Special Collections Library, and our subject and branch Libraries.
These spaces serve as dynamic hubs of collaboration and learning, embodying our vision of providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Within these spaces, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends come together to discover new information, engage in meaningful discourse, foster creativity, and explore new ideas.
You can help support our students by establishing scholarships to support our work- study students, graduate and undergraduate internships, and research assistant positions. You can help support our faculty and staff by establishing funds to support their professional development and by endowing various positions such as the Dean’s Chair, an early career librarianship or a subject library faculty chair.
You can help support the Commonwealth by establishing funds to support bringing the University Libraries’ resources to under-resourced and rural communities, reading/literacy programs, and expanding the curation, preservation, and conservation of community archives.
Commons Impact Stories
Collections
At the Penn State University Libraries, our Collections represent the cornerstone of knowledge and discovery, supporting every single academic pursuit and fostering intellectual exploration. From rare manuscripts to digital archives, our collections serve as invaluable resources that empower learning and scholarship:
Supporting Students: Endowed textbook funds and advancing digital library initiatives to broaden access to educational research.
Advancing Scholarly Impact: Accelerating open access publishing through Penn State University Press and enhancing the Research Data Stewardship Program to support researchers at Penn State to manage and share their data more efficiently.
Enhancing Access: Funding initiatives like the Student Laptop Program and expanding our “library of things” collection to provide essential tools and practical items for students. Together, these efforts ensure our Collections remain relevant, findable and trustworthy catalysts for lifelong learning and research.
You can help support our students by enhancing access to essential tools and resources, ensuring that everyone has what they need to succeed. Key areas of focus include long-term laptop support for students who require technology assistance, general collection endowments to enrich our library resources, and promoting open educational resources through open-access publishing with Penn State University Press. Additionally, your support for textbook endowments will greatly enhance student access to vital learning materials.
You can help strengthen our library’s impact by contributing to these fundraising priorities, enabling us to create an inclusive educational environment that meets the diverse needs of our students. Your generosity ensures that every single Penn State student has the resources necessary for academic success.
