The Statewide Catalog (formerly Access PA Database) is a project of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Office of Commonwealth Libraries. The Catalog includes lists of books, movies, and other materials and media found in Pennsylvania Libraries. Using this web-based portal, Pennsylvanians can search the holdings of over 2,600 school, public, academic, and special libraries in Pennsylvania. The Catalog is the result of coordinated resource-sharing among libraries of all types throughout the Commonwealth.
The Catalog enables PA residents to locate specific items. If an item is not available at their local library, they may ask their local librarian to request a loan from another library.
The Catalog is not meant to be a replacement for strong, independent, well-developed library collections. PA libraries continue to develop collections that meet the ordinary everyday needs of their library customers. The Catalog provides access to materials that an individual library may not have purchased. Sharing resources in this way makes it possible for PA libraries to provide excellent, cost-effective customer service.
