Ahoy! Ye Readers! Local Public Libraries and the Library System Bookmobile are partnering with the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire this coming summer! Let it be known that all students ages 6-18 years in the Lancaster County shire are invited to join the libraries’ Make a Splash READ! Summer Reading Program and earn their way to the Faire!

Beginning June 1, 2010, we invite homeschool families and students throughout Lancaster County’s public & private schools to visit one of the 17 local public libraries or the bookmobile and pick up a reading log.

In addition to the “earn a ticket to the Faire” portion of the partnership, professional actors “Pirates” from the Faire will be setting sail to make appearances at several Lancaster County Libraries this summer. The library hosted Pirate & sea-faring adventure programs provide young learners with opportunities to experience history and a sense of place.

Candace Smith, Communications/Educational Programs Director for the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is pleased to support the efforts of the Library System of Lancaster County’s summer reading program. She states, “The Faire welcomes thousands of school students to our six School Days at the Faire each fall—the reading program is a natural extension to our efforts in fostering students academic achievements.”

Renee Christiansen, Youth Services Manager for the Library System of Lancaster County, shares the same enthusiasm for the new sponsorship partnership by saying, “The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire presents students and family members an enriching educational experience that features the time period of the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages is a topic that is very popular with many students and our public library & bookmobile youth collections have plenty of books on the period. Students are keen to learn all about this time period (even when its not assigned by a teacher) – what people wore, what they ate, how they talked, what they did for work, and what they did for fun. The Faire is sure to be a big hit for elementary-age and teen readers. We’d like to thank all those at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire for coming forward as a business to support our efforts in promoting literacy to Lancaster County students.”

To contact your local library go to www.lancasterlibraries.org and click on “Your Local Library” for a complete list.