Partnerships

York County Libraries cares…

Community Partnerships

Educational Partnerships

York County Libraries has developed a unique connection to many educational facilities and groups in both our local and regional community. Libraries offer expertise in ways that can benefit members of our local area.

Community Partnerships

Libraries seek opportunities to move outside their buildings and into the community. These opportunities help to develop partnerships that will benefit members who may not come to the library regularly.

Business Partnerships

We understand the distinct importance of small, local businesses while also recognizing the role that larger, corporate organizations can play in a community.

Individual York County libraries have also established partnerships between themselves and the businesses in their immediate communities. Check with your local library for more information about what kinds of business partnerships exist in your community!

Our Proud Partners

Click on the names of each program or organization below to learn more about their partnership with York County Libraries.

Educational Partnerships

GOAL (Grade One At the Library)

York County Libraries partner with all 16 school districts in York County to provide library cards to all first-grade students through our GOAL (Grade One At the Library) program.  PeoplesBank generously supports this initiative annually so that students get incentives and can meet an author, and teachers can promote reading to their students in a fun way. We also partner with the schools to connect children with the summer reading program that encourages kids to stay involved with learning so they do not lose skills over the summer.

PA Forward

Our libraries participate in a statewide program offered by the Pennsylvania Library Association called PA Forward.  This program is designed to help libraries bring programs to their members based on five literacy areas that everyone needs to be successful- Basic Literacy, Information Literacy, Civic and Social Literacy, and Health and Financial literacy. These programs are free and engage local presenters as well as regional partners in providing programs to people in the library.

Author Visits and Library Tours

Many of our libraries work with their local schools to provide author visits to students and every library offers building tours to school groups so that students can come to the library and see what is available to them. These tours cover both physical materials available to them through the library collections, as well as the digital and electronic resources that they can access with their library card, via our website.

School District of the City of York

Martin Library has gone a step further and set up long term partnerships with the School District of the City of York.  For thirty years, library staff have provided support to the school libraries in all the district’s buildings. We make sure students and teachers have access to materials both in the school library and through Martin via interlibrary loan. 

In addition, we provide behavior specialists to the district in each building to support children who need help with their social, emotional and academic development. This program is entering its fourth year in the schools. Martin also provides an after-school program to the district.  This serves students in grades K-8.  This program serves 85-120 students per school building during the school year. Tutoring, enrichment programs, a snack and dinner are all part of this essential program in the district.

York Academy Regional Charter School

Martin Library also partners with York Academy Regional Charter School to provide a certified school librarian and an aide for the school. Students from both the Lower and Upper Schools can borrow directly from Martin via our automated system, SPARK, or access the collection of items held at the school. Both the City Schools and York Academy participate in on-site summer reading programs for students in their buildings.

Child Care Providers

Some of our libraries also have very successful partnerships with local child care facilities. Staff go to the centers to provide story time and Martin has contractual partnerships with the YWCA and Crispus Attucks to provide trainings for staff and parents as well as story programs and other added value components.

Community Partnerships

Pick-Up/Drop-Off Locations

A cooperative partnership has been developed with Manchester and Springettsbury Townships. Both offices offer township residents the opportunity to pick up and drop off materials at the municipality offices- giving members a chance to get library materials close to their homes. This is a benefit to township residents who may not have the opportunity to go to a local library and it gives the library new outlets in the community to get materials to those who might otherwise not use the library.

WellSpan

York County Libraries has partnered with Wellspan since 1997 for the healthy summer program, GO (Get Outdoors) York. This walking initiative offers parents, caregivers and children the option to visit 30 parks across the county through the summer program and find rubbing posts by following mapping directions. This program, in conjunction with the summer library program, brings healthy activity and reading to kids for the entire summer.

Beyond Our Walls: Read Me A Story

The York County Prison is also partnering with York County Libraries to provide the “Beyond Our Walls” program for male and female incarcerated people to help them reach out to their children and connect through story reading and literacy technology-taping their reading to share with their children while they are in prison. This has had amazing results since the inception of the program in April.

Business Partnerships

Corporate Partners

Support from Corporate Partners ensures vital library services will be available throughout our communities.