In case you haven’t heard, you can currently access Ancestry Library Edition remotely when you log into your Chester County Library System account. This database is a substantial resource for genealogical research that encompasses records from the U.S. as well as many other countries.
Normally, this database is only available inside of the library. ProQuest and Ancestry have extended remote access through the end of July, and will reevaluate remote access on a monthly basis.
If you would like to start researching your family tree, you can access Ancestry by logging into your library account here. You will need your library card number and PIN to access your account (instructions for creating a PIN, if you don’t already have one, are here). Once you are logged in, you will see a link that asks you to “Click here to access Ancestry.com remotely.”
Happy researching! Please contact us if you have questions about using Ancestry or conducting genealogical research.
Now that it’s officially summer, will you head outdoors and sink into a comfortable chair with a new book on your device? What will you read? Something light, like a beach read or a summer romance? Maybe a mystery or some historical fiction. If you like nonfiction, perhaps a book on mindfulness or travel.
Maybe you want to flip through a new magazine. We have more than 100 magazines ready for you on Flipster. Visit https://chescolibraries.org/downloads and scroll to Flipster to sign in with your library card.
Or if you’re ready to try our curbside pickup, search our catalog at ccls.org or look for suggestions on NovelistPlus.
By targeting black men through the War on Drugs and decimating communities of color, the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a contemporary system of racial control–relegating millions to a permanent second-class status–even as it formally adheres to the principle of colorblindness.
Based on the viral Instagram challenge that captivated participants worldwide, Me and White Supremacy takes readers on a 28-day journey of how to dismantle the privilege within themselves so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.
The Hate U Giveby Angie Thomas, is available as an ebook and eAudiobook through July 19, 2020.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
A current, constructive, and actionable exploration of today’s racial landscape, offering straightforward clarity that readers of all races need to contribute to the dismantling of the racial divide.
Thinking of ways to become more in touch with yourself during this quarantine? Sometimes it can be easy to get lost in the monotony of the “new normal” in quarantine, so some helpful and healthy mindfulness prompts can help bring to mind what made each day special. Mindfulness is about connecting the mind, soul, and body, so that you can be in the moment, rather than letting your thoughts drift off into anxious, dark places. By focusing on the present and bringing gratitude and gratefulness into each day, mindfulness can be extremely therapeutic.
There are tons of mindfulness prompts that can be used while journaling that can help your juices start to flow. Many of these prompts ask questions like “What things am I most grateful for in my life,” “How am I impacting other people around me daily,” “Some areas that I’d like to improve in my life are…”. Clearly, a lot of these prompts dig into some areas that may not feel super comfortable, but by addressing them and putting them out on paper, they bring a sense of awareness and understanding. The thing that I like the most about mindfulness journaling is that it grounds me and helps me to understand myself better. If I am in a bad mood, sometimes mindfulness journaling can help me realize why I am feeling cranky, and it gives me the tools I need to improve my mood.
If you are interested in diving deeper into the world of mindfulness journaling, there are many resources available online. My favorite mindfulness writer is Katie Dalebout, and I learn a lot about being mindful, grateful, and present through her podcast “Let it Out.” There are many mindfulness prompts available online as well, which can greatly help with starting the process.
VIRTUAL TRAINING: CITIZENSHIP BASICS
Empower yourself and your students with knowledge about U.S. Immigration and Naturalization
**This program will be focused on training English Tutors to assist their students.**
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 for English tutors interested in assisting their students with these topics. We will focus on resources that USCIS provides for those wishing to pursue citizenship.
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.
Now is the perfect time to make your house a haven of comfort and beauty, using your own hands. A great place to start is by getting ideas from Do It Yourself magazine, available on Flipster. The summer issue is full of ways to make that happen.
Inside this “Dream It, Do It” issue are many “how to” ideas. Here are just a few:
Store sports equipment and travel gear in underused garage space
Sew table linens
Use curb appeal tips to brighten the outside view
Make unique bookshelves
Craft a backyard retreat
Create vertical gardens
It’s easy to read Do It Yourself and all our Flipster magazines. Visit https://chescolibraries.org/downloads and scroll to Flipster to sign in with your library card.
We are holding our existing book groups as virtual programs. Please see our July titles and dates below. These groups are all being held online via Zoom. We are requiring registration for these online book groups in order to send out the Zoom meeting information. Click on the date below to register. Information on our adult book groups can also be found on our website: http://bit.ly/chescolibs-bookgroups.
The Page Turners Book Group will be back in September.
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.
Looking for a different kind of novel? An epistolary novel is a story written as a series of documents, often in the form of letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. More recent formats include emails and blog posts. All offer a realistic view into the narrator’s life and story.
Here are some classic epistolary eBooks and eAudiobooks, ready for download.
Whether you’re already in the poultry business or want to know more about chickens and eggs, Backyard Poultry is a colorful look at chickens and their habitats and great source of information for all types of readers.
From show chickens to county affairs, this bi-monthly magazine offers expert advice on keeping your flock healthy, picking out the right rooster, as well as great recipes and feature articles.
In the June/July issue, read about a young entrepreneur’s journey in the poultry business and how organizations are leading young people toward the business.
Beginning June 5th, the Chester County WIC program transitioned alongside the Chester County Health Department into the “yellow” phase of the Governor’s reopening plan. This means that WIC staff have returned to a full-time operating schedule Monday through Friday. However, for the protection of staff and participants alike, WIC will continue to operate on a limited-contact basis with appointments conducted via phone call only and food benefits loaded via curbside pick-up. Participants with scheduled WIC appointments will receive a phone call from WIC staff 1-3 business days before their appointment to speak with a nutritionist and will be scheduled a time to come to their clinic for curbside pick-up afterwards. WIC is NOT able to service any walk-ins at this time. WIC has recently been approved to begin offering curbside pick-up services at our satellite clinic locations in Spring City and Phoenixville in July and will be offering curbside services at our Oxford satellite clinic as soon as we are approved to do so.
Any new applicants to the WIC program should call their local WIC clinic or complete a pre-application online at https://www.pawic.com/OnlineApplication.aspx (www.pawic.com then click “Get Started Online!”). Any current WIC participants who need an appointment should be directed to call their local WIC clinic. When calling the WIC clinic, please encourage participants to leave a message and WIC staff will return their call ASAP. Due to our current reliance on communications via phone, please encourage WIC participants to update their local clinic with any changes to their phone number so that they may be contacted.
West Chester/Phoenixville/Spring City WIC clinics: 610-344-6240
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