Pittsburgh, PA - Today, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin visited the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP) to tour the library and record a narration of It Fell From the Sky by The Fan Brothers. Secretary Mumin’s recording will be entered into the Library of Congress’ National Library Service Catalog.
“Libraries inspire curiosity, provide patrons with a connection to a world of information, offer critical services—and are the cornerstone of their communities,” said Sec. Mumin. “The Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians is a shining example of the good that libraries can do for the people they serve, and a reminder that we must continue to prioritize investments in our public library system here in the Commonwealth.”
LAMP is funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Commonwealth Libraries and administered throughout the state of Pennsylvania by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the Free Library of Philadelphia.
The library provides people with disabilities access to free materials shipped to them in accessible formats like braille, audio, described movies, and large print, as well as digital access to downloadable audio or braille to hundreds of thousands of titles. The library also hosts a state-of-the-art recording studio that has added more than 700 audio books to the National Library Service Catalog. Since the early 1970’s, the library’s three accessible sound booths and full digital array of equipment and support systems offer a unique and accessible service that adds locally themed books to the collection.
LAMP’s services are available to eligible Pennsylvania residents who have difficulty using standard print materials because of a visual, physical, or reading disability. To access services, users must submit an application form certified by a health professional or public or welfare agency authority (e.g., social worker, counselor, rehabilitation teacher, certified reading specialist, or superintendent). Professional librarians or anyone approved by the Library of Congress may also certify eligibility for patrons.
In his 2024-25 budget, Governor Josh Shapiro secured historic investments for public education in Pennsylvania for the second year in a row. This year’s budget included more than $2.5 million in funding for LAMP, $3 million for Library Access, $70 million for the Public Library Subsidy, and more than $2.6 million for the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Erin James, erinjames@pa.gov
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