The following is a press release written by the Pennsylvania Department of Education:
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) today announced new online resources are available through POWER Library, Pennsylvania’s electronic library. These additions, joining a collection of more than 25 online resources, include a genealogy database, a language learning platform, and much more.
“These outstanding resources will serve the educational, entertainment, and personal needs of Pennsylvanians of all ages,” said Deputy Secretary and State Librarian Susan Banks. “These are resources that residents, libraries, and schools have been asking for – and we are excited to announce they are now available.”
POWER Library is the online portal to all that Pennsylvania libraries offer. Administered by PDE’s Office of Commonwealth Libraries, it provides access to books, newspapers, historical archives, and more, including trustworthy information on career guidance and personal finances. It also provides a 24/7 live chat service with experienced librarians.
These resources are available to any Pennsylvania resident with a public library card or an eCard issued by POWER Library. Below are descriptions of each new resource:
MyHeritage Library Edition
This multilingual family history research database includes billions of historical documents from 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes, and additional resources that span the past five centuries.
Transparent Language Online
Whether you’re a true language learning beginner, dusting off your old high school Spanish, or eager to tackle your tenth language, Transparent Language Online will help you get started and stick with it. With Transparent Language Online, you can learn 120+ languages, including American Sign Language, and English (ESL/ELL) learning content for speakers of over 30 languages.
Britannica School Elementary
Britannica School Elementary is a comprehensive source of information for learners in pre-K to grade 5. The Early Elementary (PreK–2) edition is the ideal launchpad for the youngest scholars. This platform sets the tone for exploration with a vibrant environment filled with curriculum-aligned games, puzzles, and interactive activities, along with read-aloud options for beginning readers. The edition for elementary school learners from grades 3 to 5 is designed to build foundational knowledge and stimulate curiosity with a child-friendly platform that features simplified articles, engaging multimedia, and interactive games that make complex topics accessible and enjoyable while enhancing reading and comprehension abilities.
Cricket Media Collection
The Cricket Media Collection includes hundreds of e-books from renowned family publisher Cricket Media. It helps build strong literacy skills in students from pre-K to grade 8 by offering access to award-winning, short-form fiction and nonfiction titles. This unique e-book collection explores a wide range of subjects to help young readers explore and expand their worlds.
ProQuest SIRS Discoverer
SIRS Discoverer provides coverage in areas including history, health, language arts, math, science, social studies, and technology. All newspaper, magazine, and reference book content is 100% full text, editorially-selected and indexed from over 2,200 reliable, high-quality global sources, including 400 full-text nonfiction books and around 300 full-text book chapters from publishers such as Britannica, World Book, Rosen Publishing Group, Enslow, and ReferencePoint Press.