Lancaster Library Secures Funding After Drag Queen Story Hour Dispute Ends

A bitter standoff over free speech and local politics finally resolves. How a shift in leadership changed the game for this Pennsylvania library.

, and Administrator

2025 December 11 . 12:22 AM

1 min read

This picture is clicked outside the city. At the bottom, we see the road. On either side of the... — This picture is clicked outside the city. At the bottom, we see the road. On either side of the road, we see the poles and the buildings. On the left side, we see the people are standing. Beside them, we see a trolley cart. On the right side, we see a man and the women are standing on the footpath. Behind them, we see a purple color garbage bin. We see the flower pots. There are buildings, trees and the flower pots in the background.

Lancaster Library Secures Funding After Drag Queen Story Hour Dispute Ends

East Hempfield Township has ended a long-running funding dispute with Lancaster Public Library. Supervisors voted unanimously on Wednesday to donate £26,350—19 months after withholding money over a controversial Drag Queen Story Hour event. The decision comes as political control of the board shifts to Democrats following recent elections.

The dispute began in early 2024 after the library hosted a Drag Queen Story Hour in March. The event was cancelled due to a bomb scare and multiple threats, including bomb and death warnings. In response, East Hempfield supervisors froze funding and demanded a written guarantee that the library would never host such an event again. Library administrators refused, stating they could not make that promise.

The £26,350 donation resolves a funding freeze that lasted nearly two years. Library officials will now receive the money without the previously demanded conditions. With a new Democratic majority and an upcoming appointment, East Hempfield Township’s board faces a changed political landscape.