Students Pre-K to 4th grade read the book “The Nutcracker” and took breaks after every page to act out what was happening with the help of music.

The program will give attendees guidance on how to begin compiling family histories, with a focus on researching ancestors in Lancaster County. Aimee Caya is the Director of Library and Research Services at LancasterHistory, where she helps visitors to the Research Center look for information about their Lancaster County ancestors or satisfy their curiosity about local history.

This program invites adults and teens to bring a worn, stained, or torn item of clothing to the library and learn how to mend it in the “visual mending style” with materials provided by the library, including fabric, thread, and needles. Visible mending is the practice of repairing clothing in a way that the mended area becomes a visible and intentional part of the garment’s design. It is often regarded as a very eco- and budget-friendly way to make your wardrobe last for as long as possible, while also making it fun to wear. Participants are given the supplies and instructions for basic mending stitches, and popular ways to visibly mend garments that they can use in during the program and then take home. They are also given information about the practice of visible mending as a statement on environmental stewardship!

Sing, dance, chant, listen to music, move, and play instruments, while exploring the patterns and sounds that make up our language. Each month, we’ll focus on a different theme: January 2025: All About Instruments – Learn about the major instruments of the band and the orchestra through listening, play, and stories. February 2025: Musical Opposites – Explore concepts of loud/soft, fast/slow, high/low, short/long, and more, with songs, activities, and books. March 2025: American Treasures – Sing, listen, and read your way through the great musical traditions of the United States. April 2025: Music from Around the World – Experience the music of many lands through listening, play, and stories. May 2025: Silly at the Symphony – Join us for a hands-on, playful introduction to classical music. This musical storytime is designed to promote language development and reading readiness skills while providing young children with joyful introductions to a variety of music and music-making experiences. Also a great storytime experience for active children who do not enjoy sitting still! For ages 0-6 with parent or other caring adult. Registration is not required.

Attention homeschool families! Did you know that ELANCO Library has a plethora of online resources that can help supplement your curriculum? These include: Reliable reference and information resources on science, history, social studies, current events, literature, and more Live, real-time, individualized online tutoring from experts! Tools to assist with learning a second language Test preparation resources to help your student get ready for their next steps in college, career, or military eBooks, eAudiobooks, and eMagazines that you can borrow for free with your library card Please join us in the library’s Community Room for an introduction to these resources! Free pizza will be provided for those who do! To ensure that we have the proper amount of pizza, pre-registration is required.

Charlotte Scheid, a dietician from GIANT Foods, will teach children aged 3 to 8 about healthy foods and lead them in making a healthy snack!

Bring your cell phone, tablet, or laptop to the library to get assistance with your perplexing technical problem! Learn how to use Libby to get free ebooks & eAudiobooks with your library card. Tips on how to optimize your devices for low vision will be included. Come prepared with your own questions, as there will be plenty of time for Q & A and personalized assistance after the class!

We chose The Secret Garden to align with the Longwood Gardens Community Reads initiative which the library participates in. We purchased garden stickers and Black permanent markers. Three different versions of The Secret Garden (Illustrated Beginner Reader, Abridged, and Unabridged) were salvaged from the Used Book Sale. We had glue and construction paper available for those who wanted to mount their poetry.
We first began by explaining the concept and showing some examples. We played classical music in the background while people created. Ten minutes before the end of the program, we invited participants to share if they felt comfortable doing so.

We ran this program twice, once for teens and another for adults.

Where can you find origami frog races, recycled rabbit art, and carrot crunching guests? At the library’s Leap Day Party! Families and youth of all ages are invited to join us in celebrating a day that only comes around every four years. Don’t forget to write a note and draw a picture for our Leap Day time capsule.

Pizza & Pages grew out of Teen Club, Betsy’s monthly series of parties, outings, and other fun get-togethers. The teens couldn’t get enough and wanted to meet more than once a month, so Pizza & Pages was born.

Betsy secured a monthly pizza donation from Vesuvio’s, our local Italian restaurant. Many of the teens in our community are busy – sports, farm work, college courses online. So instead of requiring everyone to read a long book alone before the class, Betsy reads a picture book with the group and they discuss. Sometimes the books are based on a historical event she can teach them more about. Sometimes they are a doorway into discussing deeper topics or emotions. As ever, Betsy’s programs are rigorously planned and meet educational objectives while providing a source of connection for the kids.

On average, Betsy’s teen programs boast 15 to as many as 25 attendees, some of whom use it as a first step in becoming more social. They know they are welcome and safe as they learn to branch out and make new friends