Author: Jamie

Virtual Newsstand Program September 13th!

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Virtual Newsstand, Monday, September 13th 7-8PM. Learn how to access FREE popular newspapers and magazines from the comfort of your home!

Did you know you can access hundreds of magazines and newspapers for free using the library’s digital subscriptions? Join us to learn more about how to access popular periodicals from home. You’ll learn how to access magazines like People, The New Yorker, Real Simple, and National Geographic, as well as newspapers like The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Washington Post, and more.

Register here for this virtual program: https://ccls.libcal.com/event/8137437

Registration is required. Registration will close 3 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the event. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the program 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 program.

Let’s flatten the infodemic curve

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(Image courtesy of World Health Organization)

Misinformation is harmful to everyone. Let’s do our part to flatten the infodemic curve. Here are some fun and educational ways to work on your information literacy:

1. Should you share it? Take the quiz from the News Literacy Project here: https://newslit.org/news-literacy-week/

2. Spot the Troll! Can you tell the difference between a real social media user and a fake one? Test your knowledge here: https://spotthetroll.org/

3. Go Viral! This game puts you in the head of a social media manipulator and teaches you how to protect yourself from misinformation in the process: https://www.goviralgame.com/en

4. Resources from the WHO on navigating the infodemic: https://www.who.int/…/let-s-flatten-the-infodemic-curve

Ask Your Representatives to Reopen the PA Budget to Fund Libraries

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Currently, the 2021 Budget is funding PA Libraries at 5/12 of last year’s funding.

What are the major impacts?

  • Chester County Library and the 16 member libraries of the Chester County Library System will have fewer hours open, fewer materials for the public, and fewer services.
  • Loss of databases to support businesses, job seekers, language learners and students
  • Loss of e-book funding which are critical to students pre-K through college
  • Loss of museum passes
  • Loss of the new library app, curbside pickup and program calendar software
  • Computers that are leased will need to be returned, reducing the computer resources available to the public

This decrease in funding will severely and negatively impact our services and programs. More importantly, sufficient funding of libraries is imperative for keeping communities employed, educated, and engaged. The current funding is a loss of over $250,000 for the Chester County Library & Henrietta Hankin Branch Library.

Contact your representatives by:

  • Picking up a letter to mail at the Reference desk OR
  • Texting SIGN PPFWDN to 50409 to contact your representatives.

If you have any questions about how to contact your legislators, please contact the Chester County Library Reference Desk at 610-344-5957 or ref@ccls.org. Thank you for supporting your local library!

West Whiteland Township Focus Group Seeks Participants

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Now Recruiting West Whiteland Township Residents & Business Owners 

West Whiteland Township is gathering information about how they can better communicate with and support township residents and business owners. They are conducting four virtual focus groups in which they will seek open, honest feedback and information. This information will be used to help in developing future information, communication, and even services. If you’d be willing to participate in a virtual focus group, please RSVP to socialmedia@westwhiteland.org by Friday, October 9. 

The four focus groups will have a maximum number of 20 participants and include:
(1) existing residents (greater than 1 year)– Thurs., Oct. 15 7PM – 8:30PM
(2) new residents (less than 1 year)– Wed., Oct. 21 7PM – 8:30PM
(3) township volunteers– Tues., Oct. 27 7PM – 8:30PM
(4) business owners– Thurs., Oct. 29 7PM – 8:30PM

Beth Trapani of Trapani Communications will facilitate the focus groups. (NOTE: No Township staff will be in attendance.) The Township will receive recommendations on how to better inform the community through future communications. 

It’s Banned Books Week!

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Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2019 – American Library Association > ala.org/bbooks

It’s #BannedBooksWeek! Every year, the American Library Association highlights the top 10 most challenged books in public, school, and academic libraries across the country. This annual event celebrates the freedom to read, a value that librarians hold dear. Check out the top 10 most challenged books for each year going back to 2001— are any of your favorites on the list?

Learn more about the library with these upcoming programs

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Find Your Next Read/Watch/Listen
Thursday, August 27th, 7:00-8:00PM

Learn about different tips, tactics, and resources to find your next read, watch, or listen from home during the pandemic. We will review some search tips for the catalog, as well as highlight NextReads, NoveList Plus, some of our library blogs, as well as an exciting new service for receiving recommendations from library staff.

What’s New at the Virtual Library
Thursday, August 20th, 7:00-8:00PM

Craig Miller, Reference Department volunteer, will highlight the library’s services and resources with a focus on the library’s digital offerings. He will introduce Libby and Flipster, so you can enjoy eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines, and discuss the various databases to which the library provides access.

Find out what’s happening at Chester County Library. The possibilities are endless – 24/7 online services, great programs for all ages, book discussion groups, technology and more. You’ll be amazed at what’s available at Chester County Library.

Register to Attend

Registration is required. Registration will close two hours prior to the scheduled start time of the event. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants two hours before the program 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 program.

Register on our events calendar

Introduction to U.S. Citizenship

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VIRTUAL TRAINING: CITIZENSHIP BASICS
Empower yourself with knowledge about U.S. Immigration and Naturalization.

Join Jwana Smith, a Community Relations Officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, who will go over the basics of immigration and applying for citizenship. We will focus on resources that USCIS provides for those wishing to pursue citizenship.

Thursday, July 23rd, 6:30-8:30PM

Please register here in order to receive the Zoom link: https://bit.ly/3jq41Ma

A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the program 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 program.

Please also note that while we will be taking questions during the program, if you have any you’d like to submit in advance to make sure the topic is covered, you can send them to Jamie Claxton at jclaxton@ccls.org.

Virtual Program: Introduction to Genealogy

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Please join us virtually on Thursday, July 30th, for Introduction to Genealogy from 7:00-8:30PM. Take advantage of the Ancestry- Library Edition database being available remotely until the end of August with this program.

Registration is required (you can register at the link above). A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the program 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 program.

Learn how to use the library databases Ancestry- Library Edition and HeritageQuest for family research. Get genealogy searching tips, research guidance, & more. Genealogy researcher Mike Sheldon will demonstrate introductory methods used to research a family tree, using Ancestry – Library Edition and FamilySearch.org.