Month: March 2020

Library Update March 25

~ Jenna P ~ Leave a comment

Due to Governor Wolf’s “Stay at Home” order to help slow the spread of coronavirus throughout the region, Chester County Government and Courts are currently operating on an essential services-only basis, and the Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch are closed until Monday, April 13.

Please do not return library materials at this time. All due dates have been extended to April 15, and current overdue materials will not continue to accrue fines until we reopen. For help with your library account, please visit our Contact Us page. For help with OverDrive, please visit our OverDrive Help page.

Kids’ Update: PA History with Photos and Documents

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

Hey, Kids! Learning about Pennsylvania History can be fun with PA Photos & Documents! Explore photos and documents from library collections across Pennsylvania. You’ll be amazed by what you find! PA Photos & Documents: Kids Collection.

Here’s a nice story by Patricia Polacco for you — Thank You, Mr Falker.

The Youth Services Staff at the Chester County Library and Hankin Branch are presenting Virtual Storytimes beginning April 27th. They will be for three different ages groups — 0 to 2 Year Olds, 3 & 4 Year Olds, and 5 & 6 Year Olds. Registration is required via the Events Calendar at https://chescolibraries.org/. Virtual Storytimes are not registered as multi-week sessions; you will need to register for each storytime individually.

Hello Teens!

~ svirginiaroyf ~ Leave a comment

Looking for something new to do today? Check out these awesome Young Adult-related podcasts the feature interviews with popular YA authors.

BN Teen Blog Podcast – Hosted by best-selling author Melissa Albert (“Hazelwood”), this podcast focuses on the creative process and the stories behind your favorite YA books. Recently featured authors include Renee Ahdieh, Sabaa Tahir, Gayle Forman, and Courtney Summers.

First Draft Pod – Hosted by journalist and author Sarah Enni whose debut YA novel, “Tell Me Everything”, was published this winter. Sarah talks with YA authors about everything from where they were born and raised to what influenced their decision to become a professional writer.

Dear Hank and John – Co-hosted by the very popular brothers and vloggers, John Green (“A Fault in Our Stars” and many other YA novels) and Hank Green (author and YouTuber). Always entertaining, this podcast is about much more than just YA fiction as the brothers offer advice and answer questions about a variety of topics.

Learn how to increase happiness

~ megyves ~ Leave a comment

Current events have many of us worried, stressed out, and with more time on our hands than usual. Why not try an online course aimed at increasing daily happiness? One of Yale University’s most popular courses is available for free through Coursera, an online learning platform. The Science of Well-Being is taught by Yale Psychology professor Laurie Santos. The topics covered include misconceptions about happiness, how we can overcome our biases, and stuff that really makes us happy. The course is taught through video lectures, optional readings, and activities to do each day to build happier habits. Click on the course title above to learn more and enroll or read a more in depth review from Business Insider here.

Kids’ Update: Draw Every Day with JJK!

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

Here’s another chance for you to learn to draw! Author/illustrator, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, will be running free webcasts every weekday at 2 pm ET. His webcasts will also be archived on YouTube for later viewing. You probably know Jarrett from his picture books like Peanut Butter and Jellyfish or his Lunch Lady graphic novels or his graphic memoir, Hey, Kiddo. Here’s the link — Draw Every Day with JJK.

If you’re feeling a little grumpy, snap out of it with — Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book).

The Youth Services Staff at the Chester County Library and Hankin Branch are presenting Virtual Storytimes beginning April 27th. They will be for three different ages groups — 0 to 2 Year Olds, 3 & 4 Year Olds, and 5 & 6 Year Olds. Registration is required via the Events Calendar at https://chescolibraries.org/. Virtual Storytimes are not registered as multi-week sessions; you will need to register for each storytime individually.

Big Library Read: Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic 

~ Jessie ~ Leave a comment

Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic is stand-up comic Michael McCreary’s memoir in which he points out that autism “looks” different for just about everyone with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  Diagnosed with ASD at age five, McCreary got hit with the performance bug not much later. During a difficult time in junior high, he started journaling, eventually turning his pain into something empowering—and funny. He scored his first stand-up gig at age 14, and hasn’t looked back.

This unique and hilarious #OwnVoices memoir breaks down what it’s like to live with autism for readers on and off the spectrum. Candid scenes from McCreary’s life are broken up with funny visuals and factual asides. Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic is an invaluable and compelling read for young readers with ASD looking for voices to relate to, as well as for readers hoping to broaden their understanding of ASD.

Big Library Read is an OverDrive run digital book club.  This book is available as an eBook and eAudiobook without holds until April 13th.  Go to this website to join the discussion!

March-2020_BLR_Libby_Lifestyle1_1080x1080

Book summary provided by OverDrive.

Your Emails, Voicemails, and Texts are Being Answered

~ makohl10 ~ Leave a comment

We may not be able to meet and help you at the library right now, but we can “meet” and help you virtually! You can still rely on us while the library is closed to provide you with excellent information to all of your reference and research questions. Librarians are staffing Reference email, voicemail, and texts throughout the day and returning messages as quickly as possible. Any messages received after 9 p.m. will be returned the next morning.

To Contact a Librarian:

Email: ref@ccls.org (or complete and submit the Contact Form on this site)

Call: 610-344-5957 and leave a voicemail, including your phone number (and email address if you have one).

Text: ref@ccls.org from your mobile device.

Disaster loan assistance from the SBA

~ Sam Bardarik ~ Leave a comment

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace the following items damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster: real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets. For eligibility information, applications, and further disaster preparedness information, go to https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance.

The PA Small Business Development Center is hosting a no-cost webinar, SBA Emergency Loan Webinar: Process for applying and FAQs, tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25, 10:30am to 11:30am and 1pm to 2:15pm.

Kids’ Update: World Book Online Updated

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

Do you have homework or a report to do? Or are you just curious about anything and everything? We’ve got something for you!  World Book Encyclopedia has given us free access to World Book Online for YOU through April 30th.  Simply click here World Book Online and enter your library card number. There’s a different version of World Book Online for every level. So, whether you’ve got an assignment or just want to learn something new, THIS is a great place to start.  You’ll also find eBooks and activities to keep you busy when you’ve finished your homework! 

Now here’s a great big THANK YOU to our friends at World Book!

The Youth Services Staff at the Chester County Library and Hankin Branch are presenting Virtual Storytimes beginning April 27th. They will be for three different ages groups — 0 to 2 Year Olds, 3 & 4 Year Olds, and 5 & 6 Year Olds. Registration is required via the Events Calendar at https://chescolibraries.org/. Virtual Storytimes are not registered as multi-week sessions; you will need to register for each storytime individually.

When you’re ready for a break, listen to a great story by Bill Martin and John Archambault — Knots on a Counting Rope.