Join us in person at the Henrietta Hankin Branch Library on Tuesday, September 19 at 6 p.m. for a special Author Event with John F. Dobbyn as he discusses the buildup of events related to the setting of Deadly Depths, his newest book.
Deadly Depths is a historical novel ranging from three centuries, the Aztecs, Jamaican Maroons, and the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean. In addition, Dobbyn is the author of six mystery/thriller novels.
A graduate of Harvard College, Boston College Law School, and Harvard Law School, Dobbyn is a former professor of law at Villanova Law School where he taught criminal, constitutional, and corporate law.
Registration is encouraged. This event is free. Following the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Deadly Depths.
To register for this special event, please visit https://bit.ly/44C8EJg. For additional information, please contact Barbara Vitelli, Reference Librarian at bvitelli@ccls.org.
September is Library Card Sign-up Month – a time when Chester County Library System joins the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide to remind everyone about the valuable resources available with a library card.
“The Chester County Library & District Center is really excited to partner with Senator Comitta for our first-ever Library Card Sign-Up Fest this September! There is so much to discover at the library,” said Chester County Library Director, Mary Gazdik. “I hope families will join us on September 17th from 1-4 pm at Chester County Library in Exton for a fun day where you can get a taste of some delicious ice cream from Maggie Moos and check out all the fun activities we have planned for the day including crafts, face painting, story times with special guest readers including Miss Pennsylvania, Miranda Moore, and Miss Pennsylvania’s Teen, Lizzie Shacklett, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine’s Zoo & Stem On Wheels Van with animals, special character visits, games and of course, you can sign-up for your library card. Fire up your imagination and dive into all the library has to offer and make sure you start the school year with the most important school supply—a library card!”
Senator Comitta also stated, “Public libraries serve as a centerpiece to our communities and a library card is your key to access all of the opportunities for growth, education, enrichment, and entertainment they have to offer,” Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee, said. “I want to thank the Chester County Library & District Center for hosting our Library Card Sign-Up Fest, as well as all of the staff, volunteers, and supporters who keep our libraries running strong.”
From borrowing books, audiobooks, ebooks, or playing a new tabletop game to getting homework help, learning new skills, or attending story time – a library card helps you do more of what you enjoy. Get a library card and dive into a new hobby. Use your library card to tinker in a maker space and spark your creativity. “A library card is your most important school supply—it’s elemental, really—and everyone should have one!” said Gazdik.
Chester County Library and its Henrietta Hankin Branch offer early literacy resources to help younger children learn to read and encourage school readiness. For teens and older students, they provide access to technology and digital tools (such as 3D printers, button makers, scanners, and audio-visual recording and editing equipment) as well as GED resources for adult learners.
Did you know you can borrow family museum passes from these libraries for free? Visit an area zoo, museum, or garden – you just need a Chester County Library System card!
Are you taking a vacation, or doing virtual work on the road? The Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch also rent mobile hotspots which allow library cardholders to access unlimited, high-speed Internet service anywhere a T-Mobile signal can be received. Connect up to ten devices at a time, including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.
Chester County Library also offers various resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners helping to create economic vitality in communities by providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for job seekers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs.
Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month has been held each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the ALA and libraries unite in a national effort to ensure every child signs up for a library card. This program supports PA Forward Basic Literacy.Follow the Pennsylvania Library Association, PA Forward, ALA and I Love Libraries on social media and use the hashtags: #PALibraries #NationalLibraryCardSignUpMonth #LibrariesTransform #ILOVELIBRARIES #ILOVEMYLIBRARY #PAFORWARD #BasicLiteracy.
For more information about how to sign up for a library card, please visit Chester County Library or Henrietta Hankin Branch Library in person or online at chescolibraries.org. The mission of the Chester County and Henrietta Hankin Branch Libraries is to provide informational, educational, and cultural services to the residents of Chester County so that they may be lifelong learners. Chester County Library & District Center is located at 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton, PA. For hours or more information, visit our website at www.ccls.org.
Our Adult Book Groups are a mix of in person, hybrid, and virtual programs. Please see our September 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, September 11, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Honor by Thrity N. Umrigar Please note: Due to a power outage on August 7, the August book group was canceled. We will be discussing Honor in September and moving all the titles back by one month. 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.
The Chester County Library & District Center will host their third Housing Fair on Saturday, September 9 from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Multiple service organizations throughout Chester County will be on-site to share information about their housing programs. Services cover a variety of needs, including emergency shelter, transitional housing, vouchers, and rental assistance.
Organizations that will be in attendance include ACT in Faith of Greater West Chester, Bridge of Hope Chester County, Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, Good Samaritan Services, Home of the Sparrow, Housing Authority of Chester County, Housing Partnership of Chester County, Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, North Star of Chester County, and W.C. Atkinson Memorial Community Service Center, Inc. A representative from West Chester University’s Community Mental Health Services clinic will also be available to provide information about their mental health services for the public.
At 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., the Housing Partnership of Chester County (HPCC) will lead Credit Counseling Workshops in the Burke Room. Without good credit, it is nearly impossible to secure proper/stable housing, whether renting or purchasing. During the workshop, HPCC will cover the basic principles that everyone should understand including how credit is reported, the credit bureaus, FICO scores, and how to improve your credit situation.
This event is intended for individuals who are unsheltered, housing unstable, or at risk of losing housing. Registration is not required.
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, August 15 to join the Chester County Library System Board Meeting virtually; or attend in person at the Chester County Library, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton. 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.
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