2023 Impact Report
Dear Library Supporter,
Thank You for your generosity and support in 2023.
Your support is the cornerstone of the good that The Library has been able to accomplish in providing resources, materials, meeting spaces, and opportunities to learn, advance, connect, and belong.
Through your goodwill, The Library was able to return to in-person programming, provide more STEAM resources for young learners, increase vision resource equipment, deliver more exposure to local artists, to renovate and rejuvenate our library spaces, and continue the impactful work of providing connection to enhanced community aid and resources for members in need.
This impact report is a testament to your graciousness and heart, in providing the means that allows The Library to remain an enriching, integral force for community, growth, and literacy.
Thank You for Kindness and Support,
Dustin Brinton-Wilson | Interim Executive Director
Community Garden & Seed Library
The Library blossomed in 2023! On June 21st The Library celebrated The Grand Opening for both the Northern Dauphin’s Lend & Tend Seed Library and Mary’s Community Garden, named for beloved staffer Mary Witmer. Thanks to support from Penn State Health—with funding from Rite Aid Healthy Futures—Mary’s Garden will grow vegetables and herbs that will be available for community members to take home. The goal was to not only beautify the space, but also serve the community in another way, by providing them with free, healthy food.
The Library’s first Seed library encourages “borrowing” seeds and then harvesting the seeds from those plants and return-ing them to the library. Doing so strengthens the plant and ensures a more robust crop going forward. The Lend & Tend Seed Library was established to help our community learn more about agriculture, grow healthier foods, and create a culture of sharing. Thank you for helping us grow in all the best ways!
Couldn’t make it to our garden’s grand opening? Don’t worry! There’s always something new and exciting happening at The Library. Check out our events page to stay updated on upcoming activities!
The Library Brings Diverse Summer Reading to the Community
Every summer The Library strives to make reading and learning fun for children while they are out of school. One of those ways is through the Super Cool Book Lovers Parade which has become a signature event of the Summer Reading Challenge.
Attendance: 615
Book Giveaways: 400
Partnerships: 9
Couldn’t make it to our Super Cool Book Lovers Parade? Don’t worry! There’s always something new and exciting happening at The Library. Check out our events page to stay updated on upcoming activities!
Beyond the Shelves of The Library
Story Walks are an innovative and interactive way to engage both children and adults in reading while enjoying the outdoors. Visit often as stories change seasonally.
The Library currently has Story Walks at the following locations:
Cameron Parkway, Harrisburg
Paxtang Parkway, Harrisburg
Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, Millersburg
Vision Resources
2023 marked a significant milestone in The Library’s mission to foster inclusivity and accessibility for all community members. Through a collaborative effort involving Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania, The Library, and Lions Clubs, the unveiling of state-of-the-art technology on April 24 symbolized a triumph in addressing the digital divide faced by visually impaired or blind residents. This initiative, driven by the recognition of outdated equipment at East Shore Area Library, saw swift action from Lions Clubs who mobilized resources and raised funds, ultimately covering the entire cost through their dedication and support from the Lions of Pennsylvania Foundation.
Kline Mural & Renovations
Comfort and safety were the focus of the recent renovations at Kline Library. Soft furnishings, new computer stations with partitions, and re-organized shelving have transformed formerly tight spaces into an open and inviting atmosphere. While the renovation helped create a more welcoming environment, fresh paint and an open floorplan were just the beginning.
One of the workers who installed the new circulation desk had a warm moment of connection. “He was one of the children who helped put up the outdoor mosaic when he was little,” says Library Manager Veronica Manthei. “People still feel ownership of the library long after they’ve become adults.”
You’ll also notice a change to the mural at Kline, thanks to the Kline Friends for this unique and welcoming feature.
Art at The Library
The Library may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about art, but thanks to donors, artists, and partnerships, The Library is also a place to experience, create, and learn about all forms of art. Through the following programs everyone can experience local art here in our community.
Limelight on Local Artists a partnership with the Lower Paxton Township Arts Council-View art on display at the East Shore Area Library, artists change quarterly.
Art on Display a partnership with the Millersburg Art Association. The rotating artwork helps to connect the community with art and creates a new experience every time you enter the Elizabethville Area Library.
Crafternoon Join us for a calming afternoon of crafting. All skill levels are more than welcome to come and enjoy. Workshops are available all year round at various libraries.
Creative Engagement for Elders
Thanks to the generous support of donors, The Library is able to engage in impactful initiatives like the Timeslips Program, a national program designed to spark creativity in people with dementia and cognitive impairments.
In January of 2023, our certified TimeSlips facilitators visited Homeland Center for an outreach program. Staff encouraged attendees to help create a story based on a photograph of a baby polar bear that was being cared for by a human. To go along with the story, we took along music and lyrics for songs that related to bears were included.
With encouragement, the attendees who are all memory care patients, created a story but became most engaged when music was played and they were encouraged to sing along. and had them sing along. Two new residents joined in, one was a woman who does not communicate much. She did not appear to be paying attention during the story creation but did become animated during the music. A family member who was visiting her during the program let us know that her relative never participates or speaks much anymore. She was delighted to see her singing and moving to the music.
Couldn’t make it to our last Outreach Program? Don’t worry! There’s always something new and exciting happening at The Library. Check out our events page to stay updated on upcoming activities!
Impactful Book Clubs
Book clubs serve as valuable forums for sharing, learning, and connecting with others over a shared passion for reading and literature. Check out these insights from two of our most popular clubs.
Sip & Speak The topic – Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, which details Noah’s upbringing in a reeling South Africa during apartheid. Out of the seven in the group, only two individuals had ever heard of apartheid, the suffering Black African endured, and the chaos they would continue to endure after. Library staff was thrilled to begin a “new discussion”. This meeting was both an educational session and a humbling experience. Like the book, the discussion recognized the country’s history and members walked away with a story and history they never knew existed.
Silent Book Club – This format is different than most, there is no common book. Participants get to tell us about what they are reading. Our discussions are very broad and interesting because of the wide scope of topics we read about. Memoirs, sociology, non-fiction, self-help, sci-fi, and mystery are some of the book types we have been reading. It ends up being a lovely time to visit and talk about our broader lives.
Upcoming book club events
2023 | Year In Review
