The Intercourse Library began in a one-room schoolhouse. The building, built in 1882, had been vacant for many years. The Lions Club was the driving force in establishing a reading center in Intercourse. The Lions began fundraising and received community support from many donors including the Mary Feree Society. The Pequea Valley School District gave the Lions permission to use the schoolhouse located on Old Philadelphia Pike. The original lease agreement shows the yearly rent was $1.00. The 900-square-foot building opened on Saturday, May 17, 1975. It was staffed by volunteers, and materials were provided by Lancaster Public Library. In 1989, it became an independent library and was renamed Intercourse Public Library. By the early 2000s, as the collection grew to roughly 21,000 items, it was clear that the library had outgrown the space and a larger facility was needed. Donations from patrons, local businesses, and three townships resulted in a new 9,500-square-foot building that opened in 2007 at 31 Center Street. In 2001, the name was changed to the Pequea Valley Public Library. In 2021, the Board of Trustees voted to amend the name of the library and return to the original name, Intercourse Library.

This year, the library is hosting extra activities and events to celebrate 50 years of providing free resources to our community.

Stop back on this page often to get updates on upcoming events. We are looking forward to seeing our old and new friends at these events!

January 2025 – 50th Anniversary Kickoff
Check out the displays around the library for a glimpse into the past.
– Saturday, January 11th – 50th Anniversary Kick Off

February 2025 – Tech Month
– Thursday, February 13th & Thursday, February 27th from 1:00-2:00pm – Stop in to learn about the different technology available at the library, including a demo of Virtual Reality glasses

– Tuesday, February 25th at 10:30 – Money Mentor Workshop: Identity Theft presented by M&T Bank

Tech support is available every Friday all year long at the Intercourse Library

March 2025 – March Movie Madness
DVDs continue to be popular items at the library with streaming services increasing their membership rates. Movies will be highlighted throughout the month of March at the library.

– Thursday, March 6th 9:30am “Using Technology for Genealogy” with Sue Gregg
– Adult Movie showings:

April 2025 – “Feasting for the Future”

– Tuesday, April 1st at 6 pm – “Feasting for the Future” Dinner at Olde Mill Restaurant, Intercourse PA. The cost is $60 per person and includes a $25 dollar tax deductible donation to the library. Order tickets by Tuesday, March 18th.

Buffet dinner will include:
House Salad and Dinner Rolls
Chicken Breast with Pan Gravy
Beef Tenderloin with Beef Gravy
Green Beans
Roasted Potatoes
Dessert

You may pick up an RSVP form at the library, or purchase tickets here.

–   Wednesday, April 9, 2025: Local author Shawn Smucker at book group 11:00am

May 2025 – Artists
Interested in local artists? Come to the library this month to see the work of Milton E. Denlinger and Dolores Hackenberger. Both were widely recognized for their talent. Artists’ weekend is free, but donations would be appreciated.

Denlinger:
– Friday, May 2nd & Saturday, May 3rd – Stop in during library hours on Friday (9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm) or on Saturday (9am to 3 pm) to view some interesting artwork in the school house by Milton E Denlinger. During the 1900’s, this local artist produced hundreds of paintings of life around Lancaster County. Often his paintings included scripture written on the back of the artwork. He also was known for lettering vehicles and signs around the county.

– Saturday, May 3rd 11:00am – Sherry (Denlinger) Groff will be presenting information
about the life and art of her grandfather.

Hackenberger:
–  Sunday, May 4th – We will celebrate Dolores Hackenberger’s distinctive and well known art at two locations for this event. A longtime friend of Dolores and art enthusiast, Alan Emerick, will be speaking at the library. More artwork, tours, and snacks will also be hosted by the Osceola Mill House where Dolores Hackenberger lived for a time. The current owners of the mill were able to meet Dolores last fall before she passed away and have much to share about her also. Space is limited for this two location event so registration is required before April 27th. We expect the event will take about 90 minutes between 2 pm and 5 pm, but further details will be emailed by May 1st.
Click the button below to register for the event by Sunday, April 27th.

June 2025 – Summer Reading Kickoff

– Saturday, June 7th – Family Fun Day – Bring the kids for fun activities, free food, a scavenger hunt and more!

– Tuesday, June 10th at 11am – Raven Ridge – A one-hour program with a little bit of everything from PA reptiles to mammals and birds of prey. Learn about how we acquired these animals as ambassadors, and how they are beneficial for the environment. (All ages welcome) Register here https://forms.office.com/r/uk5j190W6g

– Tuesday, June 24th at 10am – Working on the Railroad – Description: Participants will be able to interact with many hands-on visual aids and artifacts, like tools, lanterns, uniform items, dining car china, and ticket punches, to explore the various jobs in railroading. (All ages welcome) Register here https://forms.office.com/r/qNGebCje3x

July 2025 – Summer Events

– Ongoing summer reading programs.

– Saturday, July 12th – Zachary Stoltzfus, who has his PHD in Modern European History with focus on French history, will be speaking on Lafayette in the library school house.

– Tuesday, July 15th at 10am – Critter Connection – Experience a hands-on, educational program featuring a variety of snakes, geckos, a bearded dragon, tortoises, turtles, a rabbit, and a guinea pig. Mike, our presenter, will share a brief fact about each animal and then take several animals around at a time so the children can touch and hold them. You will see over 20 animals! All of the animals are safe to touch and hold, and both children and adults will enjoy the experience. (Ages 2+) Register here https://forms.office.com/r/WMuarxMWGC

August 2025 – Authors

– Tuesday, August 19th – Author John Wasserman, former Pennsylvania game warden turned author who will be speaking about his books and adventures.

– Date TBD – Author J. Arthur Moore will be speaking about his books.

September 2025 – Johnny Appleseed

– Date TBD – Apples and Books, of course! (More details to come)

October 2025 – Run for Reading

– Date TBD – 2nd Annual Intercourse Library 5K (More details to come)

November 2025 – Celebration Dinner

– Date TBD – Gala (More Details to come)

December 2025 – Holiday Events

– Friday, December 5th & Saturday, December 6th – Merchant’s Association Christmas Market (More details to come)