State guide
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s State Library supports statewide access through POWER Library, the Statewide Catalog, the Interlibrary Delivery Service, and the Statewide Library Card partnership. The State Library also hosts a quarterly virtual book club open to state employees and the public.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State library agency
- State Library of Pennsylvania
- Statewide book club kit program
- The State Library of Pennsylvania hosts a quarterly virtual book club open to state employees and the public; state employees may borrow from the State Library through EZBorrow.
- Statewide kit catalog
- Official page →
- Interlibrary loan
- Pennsylvania uses POWER Library’s Statewide Catalog for discovery and the Interlibrary Delivery Service for member-library delivery; commonwealth employees and contractors with valid State Library cards may also request books through EZBorrow and other State Library interlibrary loan services.
Official resources in Pennsylvania
Official state library home page with POWER Library, public resources, and statewide program links.
Explains POWER Library, the Statewide Catalog, Interlibrary Delivery Service, and the Statewide Library Card system.
Lists State Library service contacts including interlibrary loan.
Official events page for the State Library’s public and employee programming, including the quarterly book club.
Explains EZBorrow and State Library interlibrary loan options for commonwealth employees and contractors.
Key facts for Pennsylvania
- POWER Library’s Statewide Catalog lets users see which Pennsylvania libraries may own a book.
- The Interlibrary Delivery Service links member libraries across Pennsylvania for resource sharing.
- The Statewide Library Card partnership is reciprocal among state-aided local libraries.
- Pennsylvanians over age sixteen may obtain a free State Library of Pennsylvania card.
- The State Library hosts a quarterly lunchtime virtual book club open to state employees and the public.
- State Library contact information lists Interlibrary Loan at 717-787-4130.
Libraries that lend book club kits in Pennsylvania
| Library | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Moreland Free Public Library - Book Club In A Bag Montgomery | Willow Grove | 215-659-0741 | Adult services page says the library has over 65 book-club-in-a-bag kits with 8-15 copies and six-week checkout. |
| Indian Valley Public Library - Book Club in a Bag Montgomery | Telford | 215-723-9109, ext. 3 | One person from a group can check out a bag with ten copies and a discussion guide for two months. |
| Chester County Library - Book Discussion Groups and Book Club in a Bag Chester | Exton | Not published* | Books & Media page links to multiple library-run discussion groups and Book Club in a Bag resources. |
| Free Library of Philadelphia - Book Clubs Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Not published* | Official book-club tag page lists many public discussion groups across the Free Library system. |
| Free Library of Philadelphia - Book Clubs Event Calendar Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Not published* | Event calendar filtered for book clubs across the Free Library system. |
| State Library of Pennsylvania - Book Club Dauphin | Harrisburg | Not published* | Quarterly virtual book club moderated by State Library staff and open to state employees and the public. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Use POWER Library’s Statewide Catalog first to see which libraries hold a title before asking for interlibrary loan.
- If you are a commonwealth employee or contractor with a valid State Library card, try EZBorrow for books not in the State Library catalog.
- If you live where a state-aided local library is supported, ask whether your local card participates in the statewide reciprocal card system.
Not seeing your library or county?
We list a library only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Pennsylvania, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Pennsylvania's population center, for comparison only):
- Carroll County Public Library Adult Book Discussion, Maryland · about 61 miles
- Baltimore County Public Library Books and Conversation, Maryland · about 73 miles
- Enoch Pratt Free Library BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) Club, Maryland · about 82 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.The State Library of Pennsylvania - Contact, Hours & Location
Website →Phone: (717) 787-3169 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Pennsylvania page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- What is a library book club kit?
- How to borrow a book club kit from your library
- How to start a book club at your library
- Using interlibrary loan for your book club