It seems that cancer is all around us. If we haven't been directly affected by it ourselves, we know someone who has.

But do you know what else is universal? Books, reading and information. Knowledge is power.

The Manheim Township Public Library (MTPL) and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health's Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute have teamed up in the ongoing battle against cancer. Their tool is a selection of books called the Cancer Survivor Collection.

"Cancer is universal," said Rennae Newman, a grant writer and fundraiser at MTPL. "It just makes sense that we're going to tackle something that's universal for the community. It's part of the Manheim Township Public Library's collection, but it can be borrowed by anyone in the (Library System of Lancaster County). People from all over Lancaster County will be benefiting from this collection."

More than the ABC's of cancer or a bunch of medical pamphlets, the Cancer Survivor Collection consists of nearly 60 books, including memoirs, journals, children's picture books and spiritually based books designed to approach cancer from a holistic standpoint through reflection, humor, validation and personal growth. The books were authored by medical professionals, comedians and philosophers and collected with survivors, families, caregivers and supporters in mind.

"The interesting thing about this collection is that it's very broad," said Newman. "We expect that these books are going to be very popular. We think those titles will be very used and become part of our circulation for years to come."

MTPL, which is located at 595 Granite Run Drive, Lancaster, publicly unveiled the Cancer Survivor Collection during a formal ceremony on June 26. The collection will be prominently displayed for about a month.

"With this collection, we have more access to knowledge (about cancer) than we ever had," said Newman. "These books are going to connect us with information from appropriate sources. We think this will help families in their fights against cancer. We think that it takes knowledge to another level."

The inspiration for the collaboration between MTPL and the Barshinger Cancer Institute was Jennie Barbieri, a physician, the mother of a cancer survivor and a former member of the MTPL Foundation's board. The partnership could serve as a blueprint for meaningful MTPL collaborations moving forward.

"(Cancer) can be a lonely and long journey," said Barbieri. "Information to help answer the many questions parents and children have and hearing others share how they got through it can be a tremendous help."

"We haven't done a ton of these collaborations," said Newman. "I'd like to hint that maybe there are some more to come. The library's main mission is to be a community hub, and this collection plays into that mission."

According to the World Health Organization, in 2018, more than 18 million new cases of cancer were reported and 9.6 million people died of the disease worldwide. While cancer can spread and affect many different parts of the body, cancers of the lung, female breast and colorectal portion of the digestive tract are the most common worldwide.

For additional information on the Manheim Township Public Library, go to http://www.mtpl.info.