Month: April 2020

National Poetry Month – brush up on your knowledge with these library resources

~ Book Club Mom ~ Leave a comment
Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

Did you know that in 1862, Emily Dickinson is thought to have composed over three hundred poems? Or that Robert Frost, who wrote in formal meter, compared his contemporaries’ experimentation with free verse to “playing tennis with the net down”? Maybe you’d like to know more about the works of beloved poet Mary Oliver who passed away in 2019. These facts plus literature and information about poets and their works are available through our library databases.

LitFinder (POWER Library) – discover literature content from more than 150,000 full-text poems, 840,000 poem citations and excerpts, 7,100 full-text short stories and novels, 3,800 full-text essays published in the 16th-20th centuries, 2,400 full-text speeches, and 1,250 full-text plays. It also includes biographies, work summaries, photographs, and a glossary. Within LitFinder’s collection, users can access works from over 80,000 authors from 660 nationalities.

MasterFile Premier – provides subject overviews, full text for magazine articles, an image collection and AP clips. Excellent resource for student research and classroom instruction. Information is rich, reliable, and easy-to-use.

ONEFILE: High School Edition (POWER Library) – offers access to age-appropriate content from magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, and engaging multi-media covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political science, sports, and environmental studies.

Contemporary Authors (POWER Library) – provides a guide to current authors in popular fields, based on the print set Contemporary Authors

Click here to search our catalog for downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks about poets and poetry:

And on the web, here are three links about poets and poetry:

Join the celebration of National Poetry Month
and take advantage of these great poetry resources!

Edible Schoolyard Project

~ lshupp13 ~ Leave a comment

If you are looking for edible education lessons that students can complete at home, you’ve got to check out the Edible Schoolyard Project! There you will find educational resources – created specifically for this time of distance learning – that engage students in understanding how food is deeply connected to so many parts of our lives.

They are developing and posting new lessons every week to support students, families and educators. Be sure to check back frequently! You can also subscribe to their newsletter or Facebook page for more updates!

Backyard bird watching

~ cmviola ~ Leave a comment

As the temperatures warm and you spend more time outdoors in your yard or
walking the neighborhood, you may be more acutely aware of the birdsongs in the air as spring gets into full swing. If you have the time, this may be a great opportunity to begin identifying some of the birds creating these beautiful (or possibly annoying) sounds.

There are several free apps available for either iOS or Android phones that can help you in this endeavor.  Two of the more reputable ones are the Merlin Bird ID app (created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) and the Audubon Bird Guide app (from the National Audubon Society).  Learn which birds are most common in your neighborhood at this time of year, look at their photos, listen to their different songs and cries, and find out more about their migration and nesting habits.

Slowing down our pace of life can certainly open up whole new worlds to explore in nature, and free apps like these can help you take the first steps.  Happy Birding!

Teen Update: Marvel Comics – Free Access!

~ svirginiaroyf ~ Leave a comment

Are you a fan of Marvel Comics? Until May 4, fans can access several of the most iconic and beloved Marvel Comics for free on the digital comics subscription service, “Marvel Unlimited”.

In a recent press release the company confirmed that Marvel Unlimited is now offering all fans free access to some of the most iconic stories from recent years. To take advantage of this awesome opportunity, simply update or download the Marvel Unlimited app onto your smartphone via the Apple or Google Play app stores, and click the “free comics” button that appears on the landing screen.

Kids’ Update: Tell Your Story

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

We’re all having a once-in-a-lifetime experience right now. Take advantage of your time together to share family stories. Your parents and grandparents have lots of stories to share. Write them down or create a scrapbook of your family history. The Spark & Stitch has suggestions for Building Resilience with Family Stories.

This is also a great time to start writing a journal. You can write about your experiences and much, much more. Journal Buddies has 10 Journal Writing Tips for Kids for you. If you’ve got writer’s block, ThinkWritten has 300 Creative Writing Prompts to try. Someday, your journal will help you share your stories with your kids!

Check out the world’s most famous journal writer, Greg Heffley, at Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and learn about author, Jeff Kinney, too. You can also get some tips for illustrating your journal at Jeff Kinney’s Cartooning Tips.

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.

Help Support Local Businesses

~ Sara ~ 1 Comment

Currently our local restaurants are not open for dining-in but many are open for take-out meals. Why not support your local eatery by getting take out?  Many have safe curbside pick-up, free delivery or services like Ubereats, Doordash, and even Postmates are still operating during this time. You are practicing social distancing, taking a break from cooking or leftovers, and providing some revenue to a local eatery who needs it.

Teen Update: Focus on Poetry

~ svirginiaroyf ~ Leave a comment

April is National Poetry Month!  So, now is the perfect time to discover more about the world of poetry. Whether you are interested in learning more about the art of reading or writing poems, here are two great websites for teens:

The Academy of American Poets: You will find poems, recommended reading lists, interviews, advice and so much more.

The Poetry Foundation:  With a focus on engaging and inspiring teens, this website provides a wealth of information. Be sure to check out the “Poetry Out Loud” program which helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life.

“Curtis is Here”: Enjoy musical performances from Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music

~ ccllauras ~ Leave a comment

“Join the Curtis Institute of Music weekdays at noon EDT for a new YouTube video series. Curated around themes that change weekly, the ‘Curtis Is Here‘ initiative features videos of favorite or rarely seen Curtis performances accompanied by welcoming commentary from members of the Curtis community. There’s a new release each weekday, Monday through Friday, and all releases remain online for viewers to explore anytime.”

Visit Curtis’ Watch Online page to sign up to receive “Curtis is Here” weekly schedules via email, and to learn about additional online viewing opportunities.

Curtis also welcomes you to explore “recordings from our extensive archive, from highlights to full concerts,” shared via their YouTube channel.

Kids’ Update: Fun with STEM

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

If you’re looking for something to do today, why not explore STEM right in your own kitchen? There are lots of experiments and projects you can do with materials in your home. Here are some links to exciting and fun experiments for you to do:

Kitchen Science Experiments for Kids

STEM Activities for Kids

Daily STEM Resources

After you’ve solved some science mysteries, read about another kind of mystery with Private I. Guana!

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.