Erie Community College Partners with Erie County Public Library

Contributed Photo

Andre R. Horton (left), Rev. Dr. Charles Mock, Ronald DiNicola, Dr. Judith Gay, Carl Anderson III, County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, Sheryl Thomas, Kathryn J. Sintal, Cheryl Rush Dix, Dr. Annette Wagner, Matthew Ciszek at the May 24 ceremony

During a ceremony on Monday, May 24, the Erie Community College of PA and the Erie County Public Library signed an official Memorandum of Understanding. This partnership is designed to secure library services for the future staff of the Erie Community College of PA. 

There are also plans for an online landing page for community college students at erielibrary.org, no-fee library cards, study spaces, use of technology, and all other services provided to current library patrons. 

A proposal was drafted by the acting director of the Erie County Public Library Sheryl Thomas outlining services that stand to benefit future students. 

Thomas detailed in a press release that "we have many resources at the library that, while available to all card-holders, have specific benefits to community college students." She continued that "we're tailoring how students locate and use these services to highlight how our library can help them succeed, completely free with just their library card. The proposal  helped frame Erie County Public Library's relevance to the college and resulted in this Memorandum of  Understanding to share our services." 

A student success librarian will also be hired by the Community College, who will work with the Erie County Public Library as well as Edinboro University and Penn State Behrend, providing reference support to students and faculty.

The May 24 ceremony included speeches from Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, Erie County Council Chairman Carl  Anderson III, Dr. Judith Gay, interim president of the Erie County Community College of PA, and Matthew  Ciszek, head librarian of Penn State Behrend.