Martin Library Hosts Community Conversation 1/29 Panel to Discuss How Literacy and Humanities...

Martin Library Hosts Community Conversation January 29
Panel to Discuss How Literacy and Humanities Save Lives
YORK, PA – Martin Library will host its next Community Conversation: Saving Lives Through Literacy and the Humanities on Thursday, January 29. Created in partnership with the York College of Pennsylvania, and PA Humanities, the program begins promptly at 5:00 p.m.  The free event is open to the public, and will be held at the library, located at 159 E. Market St. in York. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for the program. Registration is not required to attend.
The evening will start with a talk by Dr. Eli Goldblatt entitled “Alone with Each Other: Reading and Writing to Find Our Way.”  Dr. Goldblatt is currently serving as the 2026 York College of Pennsylvania (YCP) Writer-in-Residence. He is a literacy advocate, poet, and professor emeritus at Temple University.
Dr. Goldblatt will be joined by several community leaders for a panel discussion about how literacy and the humanities enrich and save lives. Panelists include YCP Naylor Endowed Professor of Writing Studies Dr. Dominic DelliCarpini, PA Humanities Development Director Ken Dinitz, York City Police Department Trauma Responder Endi Dabney, and York County Libraries President Robert F. Lambert. Martin Library Director Mina Edmondson will moderate the discussion and facilitate questions from the audience. 
According to Dr. DelliCarpini, literacy can make a significant difference in individual lives. “When a mother is literate, her children thrive. They are 36% more likely to live into adulthood,” he says. “That changes when literacy is denied to people. Studies show that 85% of those who interact with the criminal justice system have low literacy rates. But even beyond, that, a lack of literacy limits an individual’s horizons.”
The upcoming Community Conversation invites residents into the library to hear from experts and engage in dialogue about how to work together to build a stronger, more literate community. “We have adults in York County that struggle with basic literacy. This limits their access to jobs, health care and financial stability,” says Lambert. “Literacy is about change. It is about breaking the barriers of economic mobility and lifelong learning for thousands of people in our communities.” 
Light refreshments, and a book signing with Dr. Goldblatt will follow the panel discussion. He is the author of multiple published works including poetry and academic literature. Copies of selected titles will be available for purchase and signing.
Martin Library, located at 159 E. Market Street in York, PA, has served the community since 1935, and is a branch of York County Libraries. It is recognized as a Gold Star library for its outstanding programs that help community members build the five core literacies championed by the Pennsylvania Library Association PA Forward® program. Literacies such as basic literacy, information literacy, civic and social literacy, health literacy, and financial literacy provide the framework for balanced programs to meet the needs of the community. Martin Library has the esteemed honor of being the first to receive the Library of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Library Association.
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