Celebrate National Library Card Sign-up Month this September with Chester County Library and the American Library Association! We’re inviting everyone to discover the incredible resources and opportunities available at your local library by signing up for a library card.

This year, we’re thrilled to have Optimus Prime from the TRANSFORMERS as our special ambassador, highlighting that there’s more than meets the eye at Chester County Library. Whether you’re looking to enhance your skills, find valuable information, or connect with fellow avid readers, a library card unlocks a world of possibilities.

“Chester County Library is so excited to partner with Senator Comitta once more for our second Library Card Sign-Up Fest this September!” said Chester County Library Director, Jenna Persick. “Join us on Sunday, September 8^th, 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 Handel’s Downingtown and check out all the fun activities we have planned for the day including crafts, face painting, STEM kits, Touch-a-Truck, a photo booth, story times with special guest readers including Miss Pennsylvania’s Teen, Arianna Spurlin, the YMCA of Greater Brandywine’s Zoo & Stem On Wheels and special character visits. Staff volunteers will also be accepting donations of new or gently used books for ages 0-18 years to be distributed to local non-profits.  Please consider donating to this worthy cause. Of course, the main reason for this celebration is that you can register for and roll out with your library card and start the school year off right, with your most important school supply—a library card. Everyone should have one!”

 “Getting a library card is a transformative experience. It opens up a whole new world of education, exploration, entertainment, and enrichment. I am thrilled to again be partnering with the Chester County Library for our Library Sign Up Fest. And I want to thank all of the staff, volunteers, and supporters working to spread the word about the power of public libraries,” said Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee.

Today’s libraries are vibrant community centers offering much more than just books. At Chester County Library, you’ll find diverse programs, homework help, creative maker spaces, book clubs, author talks, story times, and more.

Curious about exploring a new hobby or learning a new language? Chester County Library has the resources you need. Interested in starting or growing a small business? We offer various resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing internet and technology access, literacy skills, and support for job seekers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs.

Getting a library card is easy and an essential step toward academic success and lifelong learning for students. Don’t miss out! Visit Chester County Library this September to sign up for a library card and discover all that your library has to offer.

On August 11, the Chester County Library System held its 1^st Annual CCLS Teen Photo Contest Reception. Sixty unique pieces of artwork submitted by teens in Chester County during July were displayed during this open house event. Teens in grades 6-12 were encouraged to submit digital artwork fulfilling the theme Picture Your Adventure in two categories, Traditional Photo and Anything Goes.

Entries poured in throughout Chester County – from Oxford to Honey Brook to West Chester to Berwyn with 20 municipalities, 15 libraries, and 27 schools represented. The creative Teen artwork was viewed by about 80 people during the reception and you now have a chance to view the slideshow on the Chester County Library YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKBRXwF8Yas.

Winners in the Traditional Photo Category are:

• 1^st Place Miriam M., Pottstown, Across Blue Ridges
• 2^nd Place Claire S., Parkesburg, Taking Wing
• 3^rd Place Kathryn K., Berwyn, Foggy Morning Elephants

Winners in the Anything Goes Category are:

• 1^st Place Chase M., Honey Brook, Heart Head
• 2^nd Place Addison G., West Chester, Mixed Media Lighthouse
• 3^rd Place Zachary D., Chesterbrook, Fireworks that look like a Palm tree (inverted)

We look forward to the 2^nd Annual CCLS Teen Photo Contest next summer with a new theme “Color Our World.”

Beginning on August 20, the Chester County Library & District Center will launch a new initiative called Connect Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, the Library will welcome a different non-profit organization to host an information table promoting their services. Topics will include housing, employment, mental health, disability assistance, and more.

Each week of Connect Tuesdays is dedicated to a different need: a housing organization will be available on the 1^st Tuesday of every month, CareerLink’s employment services on the 2^nd, the 3^rd alternates between a variety of needs, and the 4^th is dedicated to Representative Kristine Howard’s Mobile Office. In addition to the service organizations, patrons can also meet with a resource specialist, called a Mobile Navigator, from the Human Needs Network. This navigator, who will be onsite every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., can answer questions about social services needs and perform the intake necessary for certain support programs.

Participating organizations include Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (LASP), the Housing Partnership of Chester County, Handi-Crafters, North Star of Chester County, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chester County PA Chapter, and more. Find the full schedule and visitation times at bit.ly/Connect-Tues-CCL. Questions can also be directed to the Chester County Library Reference Department at (610) 344-5957.

If you need help now, dial 2-1-1 to get connected with resources today. For mental health emergencies, dial 9-8-8. Both of these services are available 24/7.

Join author David H. Moskowitz to discuss the newest title in his The Creative Positivist Series, The Judge and the Incorrect Decision. 

Each book in this series of four is designed to introduce and then expand upon Moskowitz’s legal theory of creative positivism.

Moskowitz explains, “Creative positivism is a legal philosophy that is an extension of the legal positivist theory presented by H.L.A. Hart in his classic work The Concept of Law…I present the foundation for creative positivism and the principles of creative positivism in The Judge and the Incorrect Decision. Accepting that judges make incorrect decisions, as I have defined them, and that these incorrect decisions make new legal rules is the central theme of creative positivism.”

Registration is required at https://ccls.libcal.com/event/12464217. This program supports PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy. 

CHESTER SPRINGS—Museums are extremely important to our society for the way they bring out the extraordinary (and ordinary) stories of our past, stories that define our culture.  This can be especially significant for African American history and culture which has been largely overlooked in the past.  On Thursday, June 20th, from 6:00-7:30 p.m., in the Annex, Henrietta Hankin Branch Library is pleased to share fascinating clips from “Discovering 18^th & Vine in Kansas City, stories of American history and culture,” in which host Crosby Kemper (Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services) travels to two museums in Kansas City, Missouri, that chronicle that community’s contributions to a pair of uniquely American pastimes: the Negro League Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum.

After the screener, enjoy some light refreshments and join in a discussion with a panel of guests from some of our own local museums: Christopher Miller, Executive Vice President of the African American Museum in Philadelphia; Kathryn Lynch, Collections Manager for the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia; and Ellen Endslow, Director of Collections/Curator at the Chester County History Center, West Chester, PA. Panelists will share their impressions of the screener as well as stories from their own experiences in chronicling local African American history and culture.  All of the museums that our panel represents are part of the Museum Pass Program of Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch, so participants may be inspired to go and visit some of the special exhibits discussed.

“Discovering 18th & Vine in Kansas City: stories of African American History and Culture,” is part of the PBS series, Visions of America: All People, All Stories, All Places. Henrietta Hankin Branch will be hosting screeners and discussions on other episodes from this series in the fall in partnership with PBS Books.

Fans of baseball, jazz, and museums alike are sure to enjoy and gain valuable wisdom from attending this special event. To register and learn more about our amazing guest panelists, visit https://ccls.libcal.com/event/12200561  or call the library at 610-344-4196.  Henrietta Hankin Library supports PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy.

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.

Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch are pleased to announce a new virtual author talk series each month featuring bestselling, award-winning, and highly acclaimed authors from around the world.  The featured writers and thought leaders will cover a wide range of fiction and nonfiction genres.  These programs have been generously funded by the Chester County Library Trust and are brought to you in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium.   

The free, virtual series takes place two to three times a month and includes the opportunity to ask questions to the author.  A complete list of events is available at https://bit.ly/LibrarySpeakersConsortium. Author Talks for this month include: 

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL – New York Times Bestselling author, Douglas Brunt is joining us online to chat about his debut non-fiction work, on Wednesday, May 1st at 3 PM ET. This instant bestseller reveals the hidden history of Rudolf Diesel, one of the world’s great inventors, and his mysterious disappearance on the eve of World War I.

MOTHER – DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT– Nothing brings a family together like a murder next door . . .  Join Nina Simon online to chat about her lighthearted whodunnit about a grandmother-mother-daughter trio of amateur sleuths on Wednesday, May 8th at 7 PM ET.

YELLOWFACE – We’re looking forward to a thrilling conversation with Rebecca F. Kuang (R.F.Kuang) as she chats with us about her New York Times bestselling novel, Yellowface on Tuesday, May 21st at 7 PM ET. Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media.

All events are free and open to the public.  For more information, to register and submit questions for the author, visit https://libraryc.org/ccls

After registration, you will receive a link to the live online event at the email address you provided. These events will be recorded and can also be viewed later (along with many other author talks!) at https://libraryc.org/ccls/archive

The Chester County Library Board of Trustees has recently announced the promotion of Jenna Persick as the next Library Director for Chester County Library and its Henrietta Hankin Branch. Ms. Persick’s appointment was made effective on April 8, 2024. Mike Skay, Chairman of the Board of Trustees says “We are thrilled to have Jenna take on the role of our new Library Director. Her vision for the future of our libraries aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing accessible resources, innovative programming, and fostering a welcoming environment for all members of our community. Jenna has been an exceedingly valuable member of the Chester County Library team since 2001. Throughout her tenure, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and an unwavering commitment to advancing the role of libraries as vibrant community gathering places.

Ms. Persick has worked at Chester County Library for 23 years in various positions, including as a Business Librarian in the Reference Department, and as the Head of Technical Services since 2007. She has also worked at other public libraries, including the San Antonio Public Library’s central library, the Wilmington Library in Delaware, and the Memorial Library of Radnor Township. Joe Sherwood, Executive Director of Chester County Library System, praised Ms. Persick’s skills, knowledge, and expertise, which make her a tremendous asset and a perfect fit for the role. 

As the new Library Director, Ms. Persick will be responsible for executive leadership for approximately 140 staff between the two library locations. Her role will involve working closely with Chester County administration, community partners, county departments, and the Chester County Library System to leverage library programs and services to improve life outcomes for all residents in the area.  

Ms. Persick expressed her excitement about her new role and said, “I look forward to working with our staff to continue to provide quality library services and exploring new opportunities to engage with the community. I believe a strong library engages with its community to align services and resources with community needs. I would love our Libraries to become community hubs where residents can use our resources and spaces to educate, inform, and enrich their lives. I also hope that everyone in the community has a library card to use our services in person and virtually. We have so much information to share: current bestsellers, books for research, digital magazines and newspapers, eBooks, and eAudiobooks, streaming video with our Kanopy Plus subscription, and many databases to help with research for business planning, schoolwork, or consumer study. We have staff ready to assist with business/career and technology questions. We have Makerspaces at both libraries for our community makers to use. We have over thirty museum passes to area museums that are free with your library card. Our Libraries continue to grow and are ready to help. Please stop by and see what we have to offer!”