The Board of Directors of the Library System announced that Bonnie Young, Executive Director, will retire from her post on December 31, 2018.   Young has served as Executive Director since January 2016 and has provided leadership for the library system staff and operations during the past three years.

During her tenure as Director, Young achieved breakthrough results with her fundraising efforts in support of Bookmobile services and the Be READy Rover early literacy program*.  Shortly after taking the post, she was able to bring a spirit of collaboration among the public libraries and the Library System staff.   She skillfully streamlined the operation of the organization that has best served the public libraries in Lancaster County since her arrival in 2016.

Young worked closely with the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners in representing the public libraries in the county. Commissioner Dennis Stuckey expressed gratitude for her leadership by stating, “Bonnie Young has had a significantly positive impact on the Library System of Lancaster County and its member libraries. Her calm and collaborative approach to leadership was extremely effective in solving problems, building coalitions, and strengthening relationships between organizations and individuals. She is a friend and dedicated professional to many of us and we all wish her well as she retires from the Library System of Lancaster County organization.”

Library System Board member and past President, Diane Tannehill, has high praise for Young’s term as leader of the organization. “Since Bonnie has taken the helm as Executive Director of the Library System, she has focused on implementing the system’s strategic plan and streamlined processes while inspiring the library system staff with enthusiasm and passion for libraries. Her experience and expertise has created an organization marked with efficiency.”

Young had served as Head of Public Libraries and Professional Development for the Office of Commonwealth Libraries from 2004-2014. She has led public libraries across the state by developing and implementing strategies for improving library service, especially in the areas of professional development, programming, marketing, technology and trustee leadership training.

Prior to her position at Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Young served as Director of the Lititz Public Library (2000-2004) and Director of the Adamstown Area Library (1989-2000). She received a BA from Millersville University and her Masters in Library Science from Clarion University in 2001.

*Be READy Rover—In conjunction with S.A.I.L (Systems Aligned In Learning) a Collective Impact Partnership with United Way of Lancaster County.

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ROYER’S ANNUAL BOOK DRIVE COLLECTS MORE THAN 800 NEW CHILDREN’S TITLES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES 
Nearly 19,000 in event’s 13-year history

From left, Renee Christiansen, youth services manager, Library System of Lancaster County, and Jill Williams, store manager of Royer’s Flowers & Gifts’ Lancaster West store. The books were collected at Royer’s Lancaster West, Lancaster North, Ephrata and Columbia stores.

 Royer’s Flowers & Gifts’ annual book drive over 800 new children’s titles for public libraries in the seven counties where the company operates.  Bouquets for Books, which ran Oct. 28-Nov. 10, has yielded nearly 19,000 books in its 13-year history.

Anyone who donated a new children’s book was eligible to receive a free bouquet. Here are the libraries and the number of books presented to them this year:

• Berks County Public Libraries: 94
• Cumberland County Library System: 58
• Dauphin County Library System: 142
• Franklin County Library System: 39
• Lebanon County Libraries: 91
• Library System of Lancaster County: 266
• York County Library System: 163

Based in Lebanon, Royer’s (royers.com) has 15 stores in Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties. Sister company Stephenson’s Flowers & Gifts has one store in Harrisburg.

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The Library System is pleased to announce the expansion of their popular Bookmobile service! During the past year, the bookmobile significantly increased their service by adding an additional 8 Head Start stops and 4 stops to other communities: Country Meadows Assisted Living Facility; Woodcrest Villa Retirement Village; Manor Heights (Mountville); and Pleasant Valley Amish Store (Kirkwood). Last year the bookmobile had 51 stops on its monthly schedule. Since the arrival of the new bookmobile in the spring of 2018, the schedule now includes 63 stops to Head Starts, preschools and Senior Communities. That is a 23.5% increase over the previous year, while requests for service from Lancaster County communities is still in high demand.

In addition to the popularity of the new bookmobile, the expansion of services can be credited to a newly-formed partnership between the Library System and The Shalom Project. This partnership resulted in the placement of Kaitlin Abrahams as a new intern on the bookmobile. The Shalom Project is a one year voluntary service experience for recent college graduates. Participants live together in a house in Lancaster city, serve the community through full-time, professional internships, and participate in seminars focused on Christian spiritual formation and personal growth. They cover all of our participants’ living expenses, including housing, transportation, and food.

Since Kaitlin’s arrival, she has developed enthusiasm for the communities that receive Bookmobile service, “Serving the patrons of the Bookmobile has reminded me of how much I love helping people, especially when it’s helping people gain free access to something that has made my life so much better―books!”

Kaitlin Abrahams grew up in Kansas and recently graduated from EMU with a degree in English and Writing Studies. She is interning with the Lancaster Public Library Bookmobile. Kaitlin is looking forward to sharing her love of reading with patrons and becoming acquainted with the Lancaster area.