Mission
The mission of the Annville Free Library is to provide quality library services to the residents of our service area.
Vision
The Annville Free Library is a place for learning, growth, and community.
Service Area
The Library System of Lebanon County includes Annville, Lebanon, Matthews, Myerstown, Palmyra, and Richland. Library card holders have borrowing privileges across the system.
The Annville Free Library service area includes Annville Township, South Annville Township, North Annville Township, East Hanover Township in Lebanon County, and Cleona Borough, whose combined population totals more than 12,000.
- Annville-Cleona school district is the 11th fastest growing in the state.
- Lebanon County witnessed the 2nd fastest in growth in the state from 2010 – 2018.
- Seniors are up by 25% in the past decade.
Patrons Served
Programs offered by the Annville Free Library serve:
- Children
- Youth
- Adults
History
The story of the Annville Free Library began in 1939 when a group of determined women led by the intrepid Lillie Struble decided that the children of the community would have a library. The site of the lending collection moved about over the years to include six different properties including a gift shop on Main Street, the Strubles’ garage, and a brick office owned by the Annville Water Company and located on land that is now behind the Fulton Bank in Annville.
In 1949, Gideon and Alice Kreider provided land in downtown Annville, now part of the Annville Historic District, and also funds to give the Library a permanent home. A needed expansion in 1990 added a community meeting room and additional collection space. Since then, the Library has expanded its service area to include the neighboring communities of Cleona, North and South Annville, and E. Hanover Twp. in Lebanon County. Programs for all ages, but particularly for young people, have increased, and the one meeting room no longer serves well. Once more, the Library has outgrown its home, especially as the focus moves from libraries as primarily places for books to include places for people — places for people to meet, learn, access new technology, and share interests. In the same spirit of the Kreiders, honorary chairs, William and Carol Christ, lead the capital campaign, Writing the Next Chapter, to continue our story and prepare the Library to meet its needs for the future.