Join us to play Jackbox Games and socialize with other gamers virtually.
Author: Sara
Who works at a library
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Today, April 30th, is National Raisin Day AND National Oatmeal Cookie Day. The first National Raisin Day was celebrated in 1909 and promoted by the raisin growers of California. Advertisements placed in papers and on the radio, flyers delivered door to door leading up to the day included recipes, deals, and announcements reminding everyone to celebrate National Raisin Day on Friday, April 30th. When the day arrived, restaurants, dining cars, hotels and steamships around the country included dishes featuring the dried fruit. Schools, local and state governments were involved in providing education and information about the quality of California raisins and their health benefits. People have been enjoying raisins for as long as grapes have been growing. Raisins are naturally low in fat and contain healthy nutrients. California produces the majority of the world’s raisin supply.
Although there is no known origin of National Oatmeal Cookie Day. Oatmeal cookies have been around since the 1800s. The cookies quickly became popular, and by the early 1900s, a recipe for the delicious treats appeared on containers of Quaker Oats. Oatmeal cookies are also considered health food because they are an excellent source of iron and fiber. Just another reason to have an oatmeal cookie today!
In honor of these two complimentary days, a staff member wanted to share her mother Peggy’s hand-written recipe for Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies.
Try these 5 Cookies to Celebrate National Oatmeal Cookie Day and eBooks:
April 29th International Dance Day
Did you know today is International Dance Day? It is a day set aside by the International Dance Council to promote public awareness of the “art of dance”. The date was chosen because it is the birthday of famed French dance artist Jean-Georges Noverre, (1727-1810), creator of modern ballet.) The intention of the International Dance Day message is to celebrate dance, revel in the universality of this art form, cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers, and bring people together with a common language – DANCE!
International Dance Day is especially meant to get those not usually interested in professional dancing interested in it. It’s a time for promoters and practitioners of dance to reach out to a wider public.
So how about we take time to dance today, in our homes, in our yards? How about organizing a social distancing dance party with your neighbors? Have everyone come out at one time and dance in your front yards. Or set up a virtual dance party with friends and family on a video chat platform such as FaceTime, Zoom or Skype?
Let’s Get Moving!
Also check out these eBooks:
Virtual Train Rides Around the World
All aboard!
Experience many wonderful train rides around the world virtually from
It’s Time to Make Some Pretzels on National Pretzel Day
April 26 is National Pretzel Day. There are many stories regarding the origin of the Pretzel. Some believe it originated by Christian monks in Italy around 610 A.D and the shape resembled arms crossed in prayer. Others believe it originated in various parts of Europe as a means of nutrition during Lent when other food types were not allowed to be eaten. It was used as a reward, a symbol of love (thus the term “tying the knot”) and by the 1600’s, Germans were wearing pretzel necklaces around their necks on New Year’s Day as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. As Germans settled in Pennsylvania in the 1700’s, this region became the birthplace of pretzels in the United States.
Pennsylvania Pretzel fun facts: In 2003, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell declared April 26 as National Pretzel Day to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel to the state’s history and economy.
Hard pretzels were “invented” in the late 1600s, when a baker fell asleep in a Pennsylvania bakery and accidentally over baked his pretzels. This created what seemed an inedible, knot of dough. His job was spared when the master baker took an angry bite out of one–and loved it.
Julius Sturgis opened the first commercial pretzel bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania, in 1861. He received his original pretzel recipe as a thank you from a down-on-his-luck job seeker after Sturgis gave the man dinner. You can visit and take a tour at the original site (when our economy re-opens). This family fun activity is in nearby Lancaster County.
Reading Pretzel Machinery Company introduced the first automated pretzel machine, which enabled large bakeries to make 245 pretzels per minute, or five tons in a day.
Eighty percent of US pretzels are made in Pennsylvania and per Statista which you can access from the library database, pretzel sales reached 1.24 billion U.S. dollars from May 2018-May 2019. The average U.S. citizen consumes up to two pounds of pretzels per year, but Philadelphians snack on about 12 pounds of pretzels per person every year.
Let’s follow this easy recipe to make some pretzels today with your family in honor of National Pretzel Day!
Play Jackbox Games With Us
Join us to play Jackbox Games and socialize with other gamers virtually.
Computer Skills Training
Chester County Library now has online instructions for Basic Microsoft Word and Excel available for you.
While the library cannot currently provide our popular in-house classes and 1-1 tutoring sessions, we can provide you with our Basic Microsoft Word and Basic Microsoft Excel instructions. These are instructional documents only. You will need Microsoft Word and/or Microsoft Excel available on your computer to follow the instructions.
We miss you and we hope to be back soon with in-house workshops. We are in the process of developing virtual computer training. Please stay tuned. We hope these instructional documents will help with brushing up your skills or help you learn something new!
If you have questions related to Microsoft Office, staff from John W Jacobs Technology can try to help you. Please email us your questions to ccljtc@ccls.org. We will respond your emails.
Also, check the following resources:
At-Home Yoga
Feeling stressed out? Stuck in a rut? Looking for ways to keep active and get your body moving in the comfort of your home? With a range of videos from guided meditations to advanced yoga sequences, Yoga with Adriene offers something for everyone, regardless of their level of experience! Now is a great time to begin your yoga practice or strengthen the foundation you may have already developed with Adriene’s easy-to-follow video collection. Make time for yourself to practice mindfulness, mental balance, and to get in touch with your body. Check one of these recommended videos to get connected with your mind and body:
Meditation for Mental Balance and Grounding
Also Yoga eBooks on OverDrive.
Play Jackbox Games With Us
Join us to play Jackbox Games online this Saturday, April 18th. Registration required. Please provide your valid and accurate email address. We will email you the Zoom link and instructions at least two hours before the games start.
Games Schedule:
Drawful – You think you can draw? Try this game. – 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Fibbage XL – Ready for the hilarious bluffing game? – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
You Don’t Know Jack 2015 – You are in for some comedy trivia. – 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Word Spud – Time to test your vocabulary. – 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Lie Swatter – True OR False? – 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
We hope to see you there!
Staff Picks Quick and Easy Recipes
Looking for something to quickly pull together for dinner with what you have in your pantry or fridge? Here are some quick and easy ideas where there’s some flexibility with items that can be substituted.
Also check out these eBooks:
Stay Connected with Chescolibraries 