FAQ: Certification

How do I know what level of certification I need/have earned?

The required certification level is determined by the Regulations and is tied to service population and position. Currently, only library directors, District Consultants, System and District Administrators are required to have a specific certification level. 

There are three levels of certification: Library Assistant, Provisional, and Professional. 

Minimum educational requirements for these levels are: 

• § 133.6. Library assistant (2 academic years of college education and 9 credits in library science from an accredited institution (either as part of the two years or in addition to)
• § 133.5. Provisional librarian (Bachelor’s degree including 12 credits in library science from a 4-year accredited college or university (either as part of the two years or in addition to)\
• § 133.4. Professional librarian (Bachelor’s degree from a 4-year accredited college or university and a Master’s in Library Science from a school accredited by the American Library Association or approved by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Currently, these schools have been approved: Penn West Clarion (Clarion University of Pa), Drexel University, Kutztown University of Pa, University of Pittsburgh.)

You can find the most up-to-date charts at the State’s LibGuide, but the chart below indicates the level of certification required for the service population of your library as of July 2024.

What counts as an academic year of college?

In alignment with the standards set by the Department of Education, an academic year is considered to be 24 credits of college education.

Is certification automatic when I get my education credits or because I have a school librarian certificate?

No. You have to apply for a “Certificate of Preliminary Education” for your certification to be recognized by OCL. Certification is handled by TIMS (Teacher Information Management System), not Office of Commonwealth Libraries staff.

Does public library certification cost anything?

The certification process does not incur a fee. There may be a fee charged by your educational institution for your transcripts.

Where can I find the instructions for TIMS/PERMS?

Find the updated guides and FAQs for TIMS on the Department of Education website.

I have a PPID. Doesn’t that mean I’m certified by TIMS?

No. A PPID (Professional Personnel ID) is only the first step. PPIDs are assigned when you set up an account in the TIMS portal. To complete the certification process, you must apply and submit transcripts through their systems.

What do I need to prepare to apply for a Certificate?

I can’t remember my PPID or if I ever completed my certification process. Is there a way to check?

Yes! You can find your PPID by visiting PERMS (Professional Education Record Management System). You will need your full name, date of birth, and social security number. You can also find your record of Act48 credits (if you have a teaching certificate).
Once you have your PPID, you can visit the public Teacher Certification Search. You can input your PPID and determine what certificates are on record with TIMS.

What if my degree or coursework is from another country?

You will need to have what is called a “Foreign Evaluation Report” for the relevant coursework. All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation agency accredited by the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AI​CE) or National Association of Credential Evaluation Services​​ (N​ACES). This evaluation must show the U.S. equivalent of foreign degrees plus a course-by-course evaluation showing semester hour college credit and cumulative GPA. (If you wish to use another evaluation agency not a member of AICE or NACES,, reach out to PA Dept. of Education first.)
The original or notarized photocopy of the foreign evaluation report must be submitted with photocopies of the foreign credentials.