Join the Chester County Library for its inaugural Read Local! event, which will feature authors and illustrators from Chester County and neighboring regions in Pennsylvania. The event will showcase a variety of genres for both children and adults.

According to April Nickel, the Youth Services Director at Chester County Library, the intention behind this event is to spotlight selected authors and illustrators who have recently self-published or published a book through an independent publisher and have submitted applications to Chester County Library to be able to present their work to the local community. While not all of these books meet the Library’s collection development policy, they strive to provide a platform for these writers and artists to share their work with the public. The Read Local! event is expected to become an annual gathering for creatives in Chester County and nearby areas.

The event will include thirty authors and illustrators of adult and children’s books across various genres. Each participant will have a designated table inside the library where they can sell their books. Attendees can interact with the writers and illustrators and learn about their work and creative process. This open house-style event will take place at the Chester County Library on Sunday, May 19, from 1 pm to 4 pm. No registration is required to attend.

at Henrietta Hankin Branch Library

On Saturday, May 18th, from 3:00-4:00 p.m., Henrietta Hankin Branch Library is pleased to welcome Thomas Hawkins to present a fascinating program on the evolution of the bicycle from the High Wheel (or Penny Farthing) bicycle to the modern bike.  Join us to learn how these High Wheel bicycles enjoyed their 15 years of fantastic fame in the 1880s and how in modern times the Ordinary High Wheel bicycle is experiencing a revival in manufacturing and racing.  After the talk concludes the presenter will demonstrate how to ride both an antique reproduction 1886 Victor High Wheel and a modern Swedish Racing High Wheel in the Henrietta Hankin Library parking lot.

Thomas Hawkins has been riding and racing Penny Farthing bicycles in the United States and Europe for eight years.  He was immediately fascinated by these strange and dangerous machines from his first ride and race in the Clustered Spires High Wheel Race in Frederick Maryland in 2015. Since then, he began to research in earnest the history of these early bicycles.  In 1817, a Frenchman invented the Hobby Horse for walking and gliding while sitting on two wheels.  Around 1865, pedals were attached to the front wheel and the Velocipede was created.  By 1870, a series of inventions allowed the creation of the High Wheel or Penny Farthing Bicycle, which underwent a huge surge in popularity in England and the United States.  These High Wheel bicycles became so common that they were known as Ordinary bicycles, or simply ‘Ordinaries’.  The High Wheel bicycle was rather unsafe, with a high center of gravity and almost no brakes.  In a few short years, the modern shaped bicycle was invented, and the ‘Safety’ bicycle, with its wheels of equal size, a diamond frame, and the rear wheel powered by a chain drive was invented.  This is essentially the same design as is used today in all modern bikes, one hundred and thirty years later.

Born in England, Thomas has lived and worked as a tropical forester in Nepal and Honduras. As a Research Associate with Missouri Botanical Garden, he made many plant-collecting expeditions to the Cloud Forests of Central and South America.  When not riding High Wheel bicycles Thomas enjoys the less dangerous pastime of cave exploration, both in the United States and overseas.

We thank the Chester County Library Trust for their generous support in making this event possible.  Registration is required. To register, visit https://ccls.libcal.com/event/12103696 or call the library at 610-344-4196.  Henrietta Hankin Library supports PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy.

Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch are pleased to announce a new virtual author talk series each month featuring bestselling, award-winning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world.  The featured writers and thought leaders will cover a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres.  These programs have been generously funded by the Chester County Library Trust and are brought to you in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium.   

The free, virtual series takes place two to three times a month and includes the opportunity to ask questions to the author.  A complete list of events is available at https://bit.ly/LibrarySpeakersConsortium. Author Talks for this month include: 

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL – New York Times Bestselling author, Douglas Brunt is joining us online to chat about his debut non-fiction work, on Wednesday, May 1st at 3 PM ET. This instant bestseller reveals the hidden history of Rudolf Diesel, one of the world’s great inventors, and his mysterious disappearance on the eve of World War I.

MOTHER – DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT– Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door . . .  Join Nina Simon online to chat about her lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths on Wednesday, May 8th at 7 PM ET.

YELLOWFACE – We’re looking forward to a thrilling conversation with Rebecca F. Kuang (R.F.Kuang) as she chats with us about her New York Times bestselling novel, Yellowface on Tuesday, May 21st at 7 PM ET. Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media.

All events are free and open to the public.  For more information, to register and submit questions for the author, visit https://libraryc.org/ccls

After registration, you will receive a link to the live online event at the email address you provided. These events will be recorded and can also be viewed later (along with many other author talks!) at https://libraryc.org/ccls/archive

The Chester County Library Board of Trustees has recently announced the promotion of Jenna Persick as the next Library Director for Chester County Library and its Henrietta Hankin Branch. Ms. Persick’s appointment was made effective on April 8, 2024. Mike Skay, Chairman of the Board of Trustees says “We are thrilled to have Jenna take on the role of our new Library Director. Her vision for the future of our libraries aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing accessible resources, innovative programming, and fostering a welcoming environment for all members of our community. Jenna has been an exceedingly valuable member of the Chester County Library team since 2001. Throughout her tenure, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and an unwavering commitment to advancing the role of libraries as vibrant community gathering places.

Ms. Persick has worked at Chester County Library for 23 years in various positions, including as a Business Librarian in the Reference Department, and as the Head of Technical Services since 2007. She has also worked at other public libraries, including the San Antonio Public Library’s central library, the Wilmington Library in Delaware, and the Memorial Library of Radnor Township. Joe Sherwood, Executive Director of Chester County Library System, praised Ms. Persick’s skills, knowledge, and expertise, which make her a tremendous asset and a perfect fit for the role. 

As the new Library Director, Ms. Persick will be responsible for executive leadership for approximately 140 staff between the two library locations. Her role will involve working closely with Chester County administration, community partners, county departments, and the Chester County Library System to leverage library programs and services to improve life outcomes for all residents in the area.  

Ms. Persick expressed her excitement about her new role and said, “I look forward to working with our staff to continue to provide quality library services and exploring new opportunities to engage with the community. I believe a strong library engages with its community to align services and resources with community needs. I would love our Libraries to become community hubs where residents can use our resources and spaces to educate, inform, and enrich their lives. I also hope that everyone in the community has a library card to use our services in person and virtually. We have so much information to share: current bestsellers, books for research, digital magazines and newspapers, eBooks, and eAudiobooks, streaming video with our Kanopy Plus subscription, and many databases to help with research for business planning, schoolwork, or consumer study. We have staff ready to assist with business/career and technology questions. We have Makerspaces at both libraries for our community makers to use. We have over thirty museum passes to area museums that are free with your library card. Our Libraries continue to grow and are ready to help. Please stop by and see what we have to offer!”

Join us in-person at Henrietta Hankin Library, or participate from home via Zoom, on Monday, April 22, at 1:00 pm, as we tune into a virtual presentation by the Climate Reality Project.  Former US Vice President Al Gore founded The Climate Reality Project to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by making urgent action a necessity across every sector of society.  Today, Climate Reality is a diverse group of passionate individuals who’ve come together to tackle the greatest challenge of our time. “We are advocates, cultural leaders, organizers, scientists, and storytellers from around the world, committed to building a sustainable future together” — from Climate Reality Project website.

The Climate Reality Project ( www.climaterealityproject.org ) is a global network with 40 thousand trained volunteer “Climate reality leaders” from all across the globe.  Our presenter, Kim Møller, joins us virtually from Denmark. Kim received his Climate Reality Leader training in 2020.  Since then he has done presentations to public schools as well as several business leader forums.  He is also a member of the “Climate Reality Nordics” group and a member of the “Danish Climate movement” in his home country.  Kim makes his living in the field of financial planning for a global company and is the father of three grown sons.  In this presentation, Kim will cover the latest science behind climate change and where we now stand as a planet, and whether change is possible.

Registration is required.  To register, click here: https://ccls.libcal.com/event/12273019 Light refreshments will be available to those attending in-person.  Henrietta Hankin Library supports PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy.

THE FRIENDS OF CHESTER COUNTY LIBRARY SPRING BOOK SALE is scheduled for April 12-14, 2024. Various books, music, movie CDs, and DVDs will be sold at bargain prices. A large selection of children’s books will also be available in a separate room.

• Friday, April 12, 6 to 8:30 pm— The sale is for Friends of the Chester County Library only. Memberships can be purchased on Friday night, beginning at 5 pm, at the membership table or in advance by mailing the membership form available at the library or on our website.
• Saturday, April 13, 9:30 am to 4 pm — The sale will be open to the general public.
• Sunday, April 14, 1 to 4 pm — During ‘Bag Sale Day’, we will supply the bag; you fill it and pay $10 (only $7 per bag with your FRIENDS membership). For less than a whole bag, the books will be sold at half-price.

We accept cash, checks, or PayPal. The proceeds of the FRIENDS of Chester County Library book sale benefit the Chester County Library.

Our FRIENDS Fall Book Sale dates are scheduled for October 4th – 6th, 2024.