Join us at the Henrietta Hankin Branch Library on Thursday, June 6, 2024, from 5:30-7:30 PM for a “Books for all Readers” community workshop. This workshop is designed to inform educators, parents, and caregivers about the science of reading and ways to help early and struggling readers become skilled readers with the help of decodable books.

Decodable books are simple books written for beginning readers and contain specific grapheme-phoneme correspondences that students have learned. This provides learners with the opportunity to use their developing segmenting and blending skills to read words and develop automaticity, which is the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly, leading to independent reading success.

In November 2022, State Sen. Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks) announced a $125,000 grant to establish a collection of decodable books in every public library across Senate District 44 and to offer training and professional development on these collections for librarians and our community members. The funding for this initiative comes from Pennsylvania’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The 10 libraries in Senate District 44 eligible to receive decodable text collections include Atglen Public Library, Chester Springs Library, Henrietta Hankin Branch, Honey Brook Community Library, Parkesburg Free Library, Spring City Library, and the Phoenixville Public Library in Chester County; Lower Providence Community Library and Royersford Free Public Library in Montgomery County; and the Boone Area Library in Berks County.

“Learning to read is a fundamental human right. The process of learning to read and achieving adequate literacy skills is a unique process for each individual learner. Ensuring availability of phonics-based resources in both our classrooms and community libraries for young learners to practice decoding – a necessary skill for reading comprehension – will enhance structured literacy efforts implemented during explicit instruction,” Senator Katie Muth said. “Through this program, librarians across SD44 have already participated in several training sessions on decodable book collections that improve and promote fluency and accuracy, and help kids practice their phonics skills they have learned and build on those skills to master essential reading competencies. The next step in the program is the June 6th community event and I am really looking forward to seeing everyone at the library!”

The workshop being offered at Henrietta Hankin Branch Library (located at 215 Windgate Dr, Chester Springs, PA 19425) will focus on using decodable books in libraries as resources to support skilled reading for all children. Teach My Kid to Read (teachmykidtoread.org/), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, will present this information. Cigdem Knebel from Simple Words Books will also share her story and present a system she created to assess the quality of decodable books.

After the workshop, attendees are invited to view a display of examples of decodable books, sign up for giveaways, and interact with the presenters.

“Every school community is working to ensure that all children are reading on grade level by third grade, and the library sees lending decodable books as another tool to support these new readers and their teachers and caregivers,” said Joseph L. Sherwood, Executive Director of the Chester County Library System. To register for the workshop, please visit https://ccls.libcal.com/calendar/HankinBranchLibrary/communitydecodables.

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.