Dedicated to the faithful librarians who have fueled our inspiration.

Thank you for all you do. 💗

There really is nothing like the public library.


It’s a place that quietly represents all the best parts of the communities we share—welcoming, enriching, and free.

It's where friends are made, imaginations grow, and lifelong learning takes root.


For me, it's still one of my favorite places to go.


As a Lebanon city-dweller with small children, I’ve spent countless hours at our local library. The staff knows me by name, and my kids feel right at home among the shelves and story times. But until recently, I hadn’t explored the other libraries sprinkled throughout Lebanon County.


That changed when I joined the Lebanon County CheckOut Trek, a fun initiative encouraging visits to all six libraries.

What I discovered surprised and delighted me.

Each library had its own charm, offerings, and sense of community.


I only wish I had done this sooner—especially when my kids were younger!


So I put together this little guide to help you discover which library might be worth a visit next.

Consider making it a day trip!

Close-up view of colorful children's books lined up on a community library shelf, including LEGO and phonics learning materials.
Empty folding chairs arranged in a circle face a bookshelf and TV in a local library storytime space.
Children's books displayed in wooden shelves at a library, including titles like 'BROS' and 'Eggasaurus'.

📚 SmartStart Storytimes & More


Before diving in, know that all of the libraries offer SmartStart storytimes for toddlers under 2, as well as preschool programs and summer reading events for older kids (check each calendar to view specifics).

We've loved taking part in these activities at our local branch, and it’s heartening to see the same dedication to early literacy across the county.

🧩 Myerstown Community Library


Kid Favorite: Scavenger Hunts

If you ask my kids, they'll tell you the Myerstown Community Library is a winner thanks to the ongoing tiny scavenger hunts scattered around the building. Personally, I’m a fan of the puzzle exchange near the entrance—a simple but brilliant idea! The coffee bar-style layout and cozy community puzzle table make it feel like a relaxed café for book lovers. Also a great place to work away from home!


Notable Programs:

Sit and Knit

Chess Club

PokeMonday

Musical Explorations

Books & Brew


View the Myerstown Library's Calendar for Current Events

Modern white stone library building in Myerstown, PA with digital sign board surrounded by green trees and grass on a sunny day.
Modern Myerstown library interior with wooden shelves, book displays and green storage bins on brown carpeting under a grid ceiling.
Stacks of puzzle boxes arranged against a colorful striped wall with a wooden bookshelf with items for Myerstown Library's Puzzle Swap.
Computer workstations with wooden dividers line up in a library with bookshelves and potted palm plants in the background.
Modern cafe-like interior with wooden bar seating along windows, round marble table and minimalist decor overlooking green lawn.

🦀 Lebanon Community Library


Unique Touch: Hermit Crab Tank

Our home library has a lot to offer, from its extensive audio/visual/computer section and robust children's programs, to community events that keep things fresh. Bonus points go to the hermit crab tank, a unique feature and a big hit with the kids! And if you haven’t visited in a while—their bathrooms got a much needed face-lift (hallelujah!).


Incidentally, they've been putting up with Boyer family shenanigans for way too long... so here's a shoutout to the best librarians ever! 😉


Notable Programs:

Weekly storytimes (including in Spanish!)

A Seed Bank for the spring

Paws to Read (read with therapy dogs)

Basics of Phone Photography

Several weekly book clubs


View the Lebanon Library's Calendar for Current Events

Exterior view of Edward H. Arnold Library located downtown in the community of Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
A display rack of DVDs and movies in a library featuring various titles under an 'Out of This World Movies' sign.
Organized seed library display with labeled storage bins arranged on green wooden shelving at the Lebanon Community Library.
A librarian holds up a hermit crab with its claws outstretched against a dark wooden surface.
Kids library space decorated with tropical green paper palm leaves and wooden furniture features a colorful reading rug and bookshelves.
Children's library bulletin board featuring hop hop reading theme with white paper bunnies against blue sky background.

🌱 Annville Free Library


Best Community Calendar

Annville impressed me with its thoughtful layout—an entire lower level devoted to children with a play kitchen and train set, plus a safe space upstairs devoted specifically to tweens and teens. The outside area even has a newly installed rain garden. But they hands down win the award for most creative calendar... it's one of the best in the county!


Very Notable Programs:

Yoga

Board Games for Adults

AFL Knitters

Paint Your Own Pot Night


View the Annville Free Library's Calendar for Current Events

A cozy living room library space in Annville, PA with coral and beige armchairs, white sofa, wooden coffee table, and blue area rug.
Colorful plastic cups and plates sit on a black counter surface in a preschool play kitchen setting.
A handmade sign for "The Lit Lounge: A safe, inclusive space for students ages 10 and up to hang out and have fun." on the door of a room.
Wooden toy train track setup with bridges and tunnels displayed on a play table with decorative train artwork below.
A colorful collage wall display of children's artwork featuring butterflies, animals, and nature-themed paintings in various styles.

🌞 Matthews Public Library (Fredericksburg, PA)


Best Natural Light

This charming two-level library is right along Fredericksburg’s main street and has some of the most inviting reading spaces I’ve encountered—big windows, comfy chairs, and spaces that lend themselves to quiet contemplation. Handmade literary-themed signs throughout the kids’ section make a nice touch. Bonus: it’s the only library I saw with a kitchen in its community room!

Kid Perk: A large imaginative storybook tree in the children’s area.


Notable Programs:

  • Pennsylvania German Conversation Group
  • Alzheimer's and Dementia Basics Workshop
  • Cyber Security
  • Various book groups


View the Matthews Public Library's Calendar for Current Events

Black and white architectural detail of the Matthews Library building with stone facade and large windows in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania
Interior stairway with stone walls, window view of street, and ornate gold-framed portrait of June Richard Matthews 1923-2000.
Large decorative indoor artificial tree with lush green foliage displayed near a rack of children's audio books at the library near me.
Handmade wooden directional sign post with multiple arrows pointing to fictional locations like Lothlórien and Sherwood Forest.
Library seating area with green cushioned benches and wooden coffee table surrounded by bookshelves and large windows with natural light.
Wooden bookshelves with children's books line the windows of a bright library space decorated with colorful hanging decorations.
Colorful paper raindrops hang from a window frame overlooking a blurred city street outside.
Library bookshelves with with "Go Anywhere With a Book" poster and windows visible through wooden partitions display rows of books.
Interior staircase with grey carpeting leading down to glass doors and a book display case in a modern library building entrance.

🧸 Palmyra Public Library


Top Pick for Preschoolers

Tucked away near The Lazer Factory, this library is worth every mile if you have small children. The kids’ section is exceptional, with puzzles, LEGOs, and imaginative play setups that could easily entertain little ones for hours. Pack a snack and check it out! They also offer the largest collection of children's books on CD I came across.


Notable Programs/Items:

BYO Craft Night for Adults

Little wildflower packets

Strength & Stretch Kit

Monthly Spice Kit

Branded Palmyra Library tumblers (I'm not from Palmyra, but I wanted one!)


View the Palmyra Public Library's calendar for current events

Modern glass entrance to Dr. C. H. Hand Library building with red walls and stone accents on exterior facade.
Colorful metal water bottles in rainbow gradient colors displayed on library shelf with clear plastic lids. "PPL" for Palmyra Public Library
Colorful kid-sized chairs arranged in a circle on a floral educational rug with storage baskets by the windows.
A library room with bright green walls, wooden chairs, and stacks of books, puzzles, and games on white tables near bookshelves.
A collection of children's learning materials including coloring pages and a woven basket full of wildflower seeds on a table.
Mobile library cart with juvenile audio chapter books arranged on three shelves in a public Pennsylvania library setting.
A sign displays five different colored spices for a "Spice of the Month" club with details on how to participate.

🐰 Richland Community Library


Smallest but Mightiest

Don’t let its size fool you—Richland’s library may be the smallest in the county, but it's full of heart. From Reading to Reptiles and Rabbits to all-ages game nights, this library proves that a strong sense of community matters more than square footage. They too have an ongoing puzzle open to the community, but instead of dismantling them when finished, they have the satisfaction of seeing their completed puzzles framed and gracing the walls of the library. What a great idea!


Notable Programs:

Lego Club

Knitting & Crocheting Club

Game Night

Reading to Reptiles & Rabbits


View the Richland Community Library's calendar for current events

Iron handrails lead up steps to a cream colored building entrance with hanging lamp and iron Richland Community Library sign on Main Street.
A wooden bookshelf displays colorful children's books at the library with decorative jars and flower vases arranged on top.
Green LEGO dinosaur figure from the Richland Library Lego Club displayed behind glass in an exhibit case.
Colorful kids section library interior with bookshelves, reading area, activities, small wooden table and chairs on patterned carpet.
A 1000-piece Mario Kart puzzle box sits on a community table covered in scattered colorful puzzle pieces with orange walls in background.

Visiting each of these libraries gave me such a deep appreciation for the diversity and richness of our county's library system. Each one is a gem in its own right, with thoughtful programs, welcoming spaces, and people who care deeply about their communities.


If you're a parent, a book lover, or just someone looking for a new favorite corner to read or connect—pick a library, pack a few snacks, and make it a little local adventure. You never know what small joy is waiting on the shelves (or behind a scavenger hunt clue).

Double-exposed film photo showing colorful yellow and orange flowers against a wooden fence backdrop with Naomi Boyer, family photographer.

ABOUT ME


Naomi Boyer - Family Photographer


I can still remember the sound of my feet on the worn steps of my childhood library—the smell of the books, the hush of the space, the pull of creativity and inspiration. That early sense of wonder has never left me.


Today, I’m a family photographer in Lebanon County,
drawn to the same quiet beauty I felt as a child—connection, curiosity, and the small, everyday moments that matter most.


Whether I’m photographing your little one’s giggle or the way your family fits together just so, my goal is to create images that feel as meaningful and lasting as those childhood memories.


Let’s tell your story—simply, honestly, and with heart.


Love,

Naomi

Two people pose for photos with one photographer in a lush summer meadow with tall grass and trees in the background.