June Adult Book Groups

Our Adult Book Groups are a mix of in person, hybrid, and virtual programs. Please see our June titles and dates below. The online groups are being held via Zoom. We are requiring registration for the book groups in order to send out the Zoom meeting information, if applicable. Click on the date below to register. Information on our adult book groups can also be found on our website: https://bit.ly/chescolibs-bookgroups.  

Evening Book Group
Monday, June 5, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Page Turners Book Group 
Thursday, June 8, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Whodunits Book Group
Wednesday, June 21, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocum
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Afternoon Book Group
Wednesday, June 21, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library. 

Comics Unbound Group
Monday, June 26, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
This session will be held via Zoom.

Registration is required for all book groups. Registration will close at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the book group. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the book group starts.  Make sure to check the email address you registered with to receive the link.  You do not need a Zoom account to attend the virtual book group.

These programs support the PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy Initiative.

CCLS/CCL Board Meeting

The Board of Trustees of the Chester County Library System/Chester County Library are hosting their monthly board meeting as a hybrid offering. If you have always wanted to attend a meeting but haven’t had the time, this is your opportunity. Please click on this link at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23 to join the Chester County Library System Board Meeting virtually; or attend in person at the Henrietta Hankin Branch, Chester Springs, PA. The Chester County Library Board Meeting will immediately follow. Find the Chester County Library Board Packet here.

If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend this meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation to observe or participate in the proceedings, please call Chester County Library’s Administration Office at 610-344-5600 or email ddadoly@ccls.org to discuss how we may best accommodate your needs.

Teen Artist in Residence Call for Artists

At Chester County Library

Chester County Library is pleased to announce a call for teen artists for our inaugural Teen Artist-in-Residence Summer Program. The residency program provides an opportunity for teen artists to create inspiring work, advocate for the arts, and share their amazing talents with the community. The selected teen artist will hold regular studio hours at the library allowing the artist to create on-site sharing their creative process with library patrons as well as lead a workshop for youth in the community. The residency will culminate with a show of the teen artist’s work.

The Teen Artist-in-Residence program is open to Chester County teens currently in grades 9-12. Our ideal candidate is passionate about creating and wants to connect and share their passion with others. The teen artist does not need to have any formal art training or coursework.

This program is supported by the generosity of the Friends of the Chester County Library. For more information about the CCL Friends please visit https://chescolibraries.org/about/ and click on “Friends of the Chester County Library.”

All interested potential Teen Artist-in-Residence should apply online at https://bit.ly/TeenArtist23 by Thursday, June 1st. For additional information, please contact the Teen Artist-in-Residence team at cclmakerinresidence@ccls.org.

Volunteer Fair Coming to Chester County Library on May 6th

(EXTON, PA) — Non-profits from a variety of service sectors will be at the Chester County Library in Exton to promote their open volunteer positions. Stop by on Saturday, May 6 between 9:30 am-1:00 pm to learn about 17 different organizations’ missions and opportunities to give back. Adoptable dogs from Main Line Animal Rescue will also be on site.

The fair will take place in the Reference Department and the Struble Room of the Chester County Library. Represented service sectors include animals, arts, civics, environmental, ESL, health, human services, youth, and more. Positions for teens are also available. No matter your schedule or skillset, there’s an organization that could use your help! 

Attendees will include:

• All 4 Paws Rescue

• American Red Cross, Delaware Valley Chapter

• Boy Scouts of America

• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Delaware and Chester Counties

• Chester County Compeer

• Community Volunteers in Medicine

• Crime Victims’ Center

• French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust

• Good Samaritan Services

• Habitat for Humanity

• League of Women Voters

• LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County

• Main Line Animal Rescue 

• Meals on Wheels

• Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) Adult Tutoring Program

• PA MEDI/Chester County Department of Aging

• RSVP Volunteers

• Wharton Esherick Museum

For additional information regarding the event, please call Community Engagement Librarian, Kelly Quigg, at 610-344-5957

May Adult Book Groups

Our Adult Book Groups are a mix of in person, hybrid, and virtual programs. Please see our May titles and dates below. The online groups are being held via Zoom. We are requiring registration for the book groups in order to send out the Zoom meeting information, if applicable. Click on the date below to register. Information on our adult book groups can also be found on our website: https://bit.ly/chescolibs-bookgroups.

Evening Book Group
Monday, May 1, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Page Turners Book Group 
Thursday, May 11, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Comics Unbound Group
Monday, May 15, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser
This session will be held via Zoom.

Whodunits Book Group
Wednesday, May 17, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Afternoon Book Group
Wednesday, May 17, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Registration is required for all book groups. Registration will close at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the book group. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the book group starts.  Make sure to check the email address you registered with to receive the link.  You do not need a Zoom account to attend the virtual book group.

These programs support the PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy Initiative.

NostalgiaRama – An 80s, 90s, and Aughts Celebration!

(EXTON, PA) – Join us at the Chester County Library & District Center on April 29th from 10 AM to 4 PM, for a celebration of 80s, 90s, and early-aughts nostalgia, sponsored by the library’s XYZ Connect Committee!

The XYZ Connect Committee was formed to develop programming for library patrons from generations X, Y, and Z. With programs such as Nerd Con, Crime Spree, Paint Night, and Murder Mysteries, we provide young adults a space to connect with peers and experience the library’s many resources in a way that is entertaining, accessible, and affordable.

NostalgiaRama is a fun, free way to connect with peers and reminisce about all the things—shows, games, food, and fashion—that made the decades we grew up in great. Whether you’re a kid from the eighties, nineties, or early aughts, there’s bound to be something you’ll love. Attendees can play vintage video games on a number of different consoles, from the N64 to the Wii. Guests can also compete for cool prizes in our trivia contest, or try to catch ‘em all in our Pokémon card game tournament—bring your own deck, or use one of ours!

If you aren’t feeling competitive, kick back with some of your favorite childhood snacks and watch old cartoons like Ed, Edd, and Eddy and Courage the Cowardly Dog, which will be showing all day. All guests are encouraged to dress up in their best retro clothes and take a picture in our photo booth to be entered for a raffle prize. You can even take a little of the fun home with you, as nostalgic goodie bags will be available to attendees while supplies last.

Registration is not required for this event, and admission is totally free. For more information, please visit www.chescolibraries.org and click on “Events.”

CCLS/CCL Board Meeting

The Board of Trustees of the Chester County Library System/Chester County Library are hosting their monthly board meeting as a hybrid offering. If you have always wanted to attend a meeting but haven’t had the time, this is your opportunity. Please click on this link at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18 to join the Chester County Library System Board Meeting virtually; or attend in person at the Chester County Library, Exton, PA. The Chester County Library Board Meeting will immediately follow. Find the Chester County Library Board Packet here.

If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend this meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation to observe or participate in the proceedings, please call Chester County Library’s Administration Office at 610-344-5600 or email ddadoly@ccls.org to discuss how we may best accommodate your needs.

The FRIENDS of Chester County Library Book taking place next weekend, April 14th – 16th

FRIENDS OF CHESTER COUNTY LIBRARY SPRING BOOK SALE is scheduled for April 14-16, 2023. Various books, music, and movie CDs and DVDs will be sold at bargain prices. A huge selection of children’s books will be available in a separate room.

  • Friday, April 14, 6 to 8:30 p.m. — The sale starts for members of the Friends of the Chester County Library only. Memberships can be purchased on Friday night starting at 5 p.m. at the membership table or in advance by mailing in the membership form available at the Library or on our website.
  • Saturday, April 15, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. — The sale will be open to the public.
  • Sunday, April 16, 1 to 4 p.m. — During ‘Bag Sale Day’ we will supply the bag; you fill it and pay $10 (only $7 per bag with your FRIENDS membership). The books will be sold at half-price for less than a whole bag.

We accept cash, checks, or PayPal. All proceeds from the Book Sale benefit the Chester County Library.

Our Fall Book Sale dates are October 6 – 8, 2023.

April Adult Book Groups

Our Adult Book Groups are a mix of in person, hybrid, and virtual programs. Please see our April titles and dates below. The online groups are being held via Zoom. We are requiring registration for the book groups in order to send out the Zoom meeting information, if applicable. Click on the date below to register. Information on our adult book groups can also be found on our website: https://bit.ly/chescolibs-bookgroups.

Evening Book Group
Monday, April 3, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Page Turners Book Group 
Thursday, April 13, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Comics Unbound Group
Monday, April 17, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
This session will be held via Zoom.

Whodunits Book Group
Wednesday, April 19, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Afternoon Book Group
Wednesday, April 19, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Registration is required for all book groups. Registration will close at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the book group. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the book group starts.  Make sure to check the email address you registered with to receive the link.  You do not need a Zoom account to attend the virtual book group.

These programs support the PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy Initiative.

Maker-in-Residence Selected

Megan Raab Greenholt selected for the inaugural program at the Chester County Library Center

The Chester County Library Center is pleased to announce Megan Raab Greenholt for the inaugural Maker-in-Residence program this spring. Selected through an open call conducted earlier this year, Ms. Raab Greenholt is a multi-disciplinary artist that explores printmaking, textiles, collage, painting, and sculpture. As a practicing artist and educator, discovery is integral to her practice as she uses a process-oriented approach to facilitate an intuitive response to materials as a means to encourage community engagement and wonder. Megan currently maintains an active studio practice in Elverson, PA.

We invite you to learn about natural dyes and observe Megan’s current work in progress using naturally dyed materials during open studio hours at the Exton and Henrietta Hankin Library branches that include 2 hours of hands-on maker experience (ages 6+) to create your own embroidered textile collage. Open studio hours will be held weekly beginning March 28th and run through June 28th.

In addition to her open studio hours, Megan will be conducting four (4) workshops for people ages 16+ at the Chester County Library Center and two (2) workshops designed for a parent/guardian and child (age 8+) experience. The workshops will celebrate Chester County’s Juneteenth theme, “Journeying Towards Freedom” by learning about the history of indigo in our country and its use in the creative practices of contemporary African American artists.

This program is supported by the generosity of the Friends of the Chester County Library. For more information about the CCL Friends please visit https://chescolibraries.org/about/ and click on “Friends of the Chester County Library:

To find out more or to register for the workshops, please visit www.chescolibraries.org and click on “Events”.  For additional information, please contact Mary Gazdik, Library Director at mgazdik@ccls.org.