Lancaster Public Library

The Lancaster Public Library will provide public access to a variety of services, programs and information resources to enhance individual knowledge, community enrichment and economic vitality.

Description:
The Lancaster Public Library offers the most free services by any Lancaster County non-profit. With 417,000+ patron visits recorded in 2007, it offered 507 programs for children and youth attended by 9,207 patrons, provided 77,500+ hours of free Internet access to community residents, answered 25,503 reference questions and offered space for 35 local organizations and businesses to meet at local branches. The Lancaster Public Library provides books for children,young adults and adults,books and AV materials for children and adults in fourteen world languages, AV materials for all ages,periodicals and newspapers, a wealth of resources in our business center- a one stop source for authoritative and up-to-date business information serving 2310 patrons in 2007,plus a reading room at the Duke Street with materials of local interest.

History:
Library service in Lancaster County has been in effect since 1759 when Julian Penn, daughter-in-law of William Penn donated money and books to the Borough of Lancaster for the establishment of a library consistent with Benjamin Franklin's emphasis on the necessity of establishing libraries for public access to information as a public good.

Over the next 150 years, library service evolved in Lancaster County. From the Juliana Library came the Mechanics Society Library whose focus was providing primarily technical information to area tradesmen. Local lawyer A. Herr Smith bequeathed his home at 125 N. Duke Street to the library in 1903. The A.Herr Smith Library served the community until 1953 when the new Lancaster County Free Public Library was opened on the same site with private funds. The old library and buildings on either side were demolished to make way for the new and current Lancaster Public Library. The cornerstone of the new library was laid on May 17,1953. Recognizing the value that strong public libraries have in communities public funding was provided and helped the library grow over the years with the establishment of branches throughout Lancaster County.

Today, the Lancaster Public Library consists of the Duke Street(main)library with branches in Leola and Mountville. These sites provide direct library service to over half of Lancaster County's population in fifteen municipalities. It also serves as District Center providing interlibrary loan and reference service to the other twelve independent libraries county-wide.

Contact person: Anna Thomas, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (717) 394-3083

Address:

125 N. Duke Street Lancaster , PA 17602 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.lancaster.lib.pa.us

Directions:

The Lancaster Public Library is located at 125 N. Duke Street near the intersection of Duke and Chestnut Steet in Lancaster City. There is a parking lot located at the back of the library. Proceed on Chestnut Street and cross. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: Chestnut Street, 2 minutes minute walk

Last updated on November 2, 2009