Category: Children’s Resources

Databases Series: BookFlix & TrueFlix

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The BookFlix and TrueFlix logos.

Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

We have officially come to the end of this databases series!  Except for future updates, when we add or remove resources, this will be my last post for this series.  So, last, but certainly not least, I will talk about our two big children’s literacy databases: BookFlix and TrueFlix.

Scholastic’s BookFlix pairs classic video storybooks with related nonfiction from trusted Scholastic imprints.  This engaging resource for children in grades pre-K through 3 will help early readers develop and practice essential reading skills and introduce them to a world of knowledge and exploration.  Each BookFlix unit includes a video of a classic children’s story; a related nonfiction text presented in an eBook format; interactive educational games related to the specific pair; profiles of the author and illustrator of the story on which the video is based; editorially selected, age-appropriate Web links related to the pair topic; and suggested teaching activities created specifically for each fiction/nonfiction pair.  A number of pairs are available in Spanish!

TrueFlix leverages the award-winning True Books content to help students hone literacy skills, build knowledge of subject-area content, and cultivate 21st Century Skills through the inquiry process.  All of the True Book titles are supported with related content and primary sources featuring videos, audio, images, and text.  Each TrueFlix title includes a streaming video that engages the student and introduces the topic; a flipbook version of the True Book with page-turning and read-along features, chapter tabs, and vocabulary terms identified and defined; related content that provides opportunities for further research and reading across a variety of text types; a lesson plan with teaching activities that are tied to the specific content of that TrueFlix topic; a project goal and ideas or questions on how to kick-start research; a 10-question multiple-choice quiz and a Word Match game based on the important words included in each title; and related Web links to help further extend learning, broaden the content area, and provoke further research.

Find BookFlix on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> B –> BookFlix (POWER Library)

Find TrueFlix on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> T –> TrueFlix (POWER Library)

This is the final post in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Research & Reference

~ rmanuel191 ~ Leave a comment

Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

We’re nearing the end of this series, but I still have a couple more important topics to cover, the first of which is research and reference databases.  We have a number of research and reference databases both through us and through POWER Library targeted towards various age groups and covering a wide range of subjects.  These are useful for doing research, completing school papers or projects, homeschooling, or otherwise finding authoritative sources.  I will go over each of them briefly here:

Academic Search Main Edition (POWER Library):  This database includes full-text and peer-reviewed articles in subjects such as biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, psychology, religion, and theology.

Gale eBooks:  We currently have two Gale eBooks collections, one through POWER Library and one through CCL.  These collections include reference titles in the arts, biography, business, education, environment, general reference, history, literature, medicine, nation and world, science, and the social sciences.  CCL’s collection includes the Business Plans Handbook series.

GreenFILE (POWER Library):  GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment.  Its collection of scholarly, government, and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more.

IN CONTEXT: Middle School (POWER Library):  This database includes reliable and trusted information on a variety of topics to support middle school student research for government, U.S and world history, geography, literature, sciences, and social issues.

Kids InfoBits (POWER Library):  Elementary students in kindergarten through grade five will find age-appropriate content covering a broad range of educational topics such as animals, arts, geography, health, literature, people, social studies, technology, and etc.  Content is continuously updated and provides interesting and important facts with connections to current and past events.

Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (POWER Library):  This database indexes a number of journals, books, research reports, and proceedings in subjects such as librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more.  Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s.

MasterFILE Premiere:  This database provides subject overviews, full text for magazine articles (including Consumer Reports Magazine and Consumer Reports Buying Guides), an image collection, and AP clips. (Please note that we will no longer have access to this database after June of this year, so use it now while you can!)

ONEFILE: High School Edition (POWER Library):  Secondary school students will have access to age-appropriate content from magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, and engaging multi-media covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political science, sports, and environmental studies.

Science Reference Center:  Perform research from hundreds of full text science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other reliable sources.  View high-quality science images from sources such as UPI, Getty, NASA, National Geographic, and the Nature Picture Library.

SIRS Discoverer:  This database provides coverage in areas including history, health, language arts, math, science, social studies, and technology.  All newspaper, magazine, and reference book content is 100% full text, editorially-selected, and indexed from publishers such as Britannica, World Book, Rosen Publishing Group, Enslow, and ReferencePoint Press.

Teacher Reference Center:  Teacher Reference Center provides indexing and abstracts for 280 of the most popular teacher and administrator journals and magazines to assist professional educators.

Find these databases on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases

This post is number 21 in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Virtual Story Times & Programs at the Henrietta Hankin Library

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The Henrietta Hankin Branch Library has posted our Youth Services program schedule! All children’s programming will continue to be held virtually through Zoom.

Story Times will begin the week of March 7th and run through the week of April 4th.

Baby and Toddler Story Time (Ages 0-36 months) – Tuesdays at 10 am

Story Time for Preschoolers (Ages 3-4 years old) – Wednesdays at 10 am

Story Time for Pre K-K (Ages 4-6 years old) – Wednesday at 1:30 pm

Bookworms (Book club for Grades 1-3) – Tuesday March 15 at 4:00pm

S.T.E.A.M:  Grades K-2,  3/10 at 4:30 pm
                     Grades 3-5,  3/17, at 4:30 pm

We will also have Mother-Daughter Book Club on Monday, March 21st at 6:30 pm for those 9 years-old and up accompanied by a favorite female grown-up.

Registration is required for all programming and you can find our event calendar here to sign up !

Winter Family Read-Aloud Program

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“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or a duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.” Kate DiCamillo

Reading aloud to children is an excellent way for parents to nurture a love of reading and also help build the necessary skills for success in reading. During February, the Henrietta Hankin Library offers a family program that encourages reading aloud to children ages birth through sixth grade. Participating families can earn a free book as well as a raffle ticket for the awesome grand prize.

Registration is available either online or by visiting the Youth Services desk. Each registered family also receives a goodie bag filled with treats to enjoy while cuddling up and reading together!

Chester County Library offering virtual STEM story times

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Starting October 7 for ages 4-7!

Register your child for STEM programs!  Starting October 7th, Thursday afternoons at 3:30, library staff will present stories, songs and activities related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math!  6 sessions will be offered on Thursdays from 3:30 – 4:00pm starting on October 7th.  Don’t wait! Reserve your child’s spot now. 
Please use this link to find out more or to register your child.
Parents MUST attend and participate with their children, as they will need help with the virtual activities.  Once registered, a list of materials needed for the activities will be emailed to all participants.  When registering, please include your name, your child’s name, and a phone number and email address.  A link will be emailed to you on the day of the program. 

STEM. Science, technology, engineering, mathematics. Stack of books with science education doodles and hand written word “STEM”

Growing Readers Fall Programs

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You’ve been wondering, and we now announce our upcoming (Virtual) Fall Children’s Programs!
Starting September 20th, children aged infant through 6 years can attend programs via Zoom on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Registration is already open, just click here to view our events calendar. This series of programs will be 5 weeks, however, they will not meet October 11th.

Your child will have a “front row seat,” viewing stories and singing songs while interacting with library staff who present each program. Most programs are presented live from our story time studio, so your child will feel like they are right at the library! In our calendar, you’ll find programs for 2’s, 3’s, and ages 4-6 on Mondays; infants/toddlers and 3’s on Thursdays; and on Fridays, something for 3’s and ages 4-6. Once you register, a Zoom link will be sent via email to you on the day of the program. When you register, please include your child’s name and age, and a current email address. We look forward to sharing many great stories with you this fall!

Photo by Victoria Borodinova on Pexels.com

Virtual Story Times at the Henrietta Hankin Library

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The Henrietta Hankin Branch Library has finalized our Youth Services program schedule for September! All children’s programming will continue to be held virtually through Zoom. Story times will begin the week of September 12th and run through the week of October 15th.

Baby and Toddler Story Time (Ages 0-36 months) – Tuesdays at 10 am

Family Story Time (Ages 0-6 years old) – Tuesdays at 1 pm

Story Time for Preschoolers (Ages 3-4 years old) – Wednesdays at 10 am

Story Time for Pre K-K (Ages 4-6 years old) – Wednesdays at 1 pm

We will also have Mother-Daughter Book Club on Monday, September 20th at 6:30 pm for those 9 years-old and up accompanied by a favorite female grown-up.

Registration is required for all programming and you can find our event calendar here to sign up!

Ask an Engineer! with The Franklin Institute

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This summer, you can learn about careers in engineering when The Franklin Institute presents Facebook Live Ask an Engineer! events.  Scientists from The Franklin Institute will host several Facebook Live conversations with guest engineers about their work and career paths.  This is the perfect follow-up to the 2021 GSK Science in the Summer Be an Engineer! program. 

No pre-registration is required. Click the link at the event time to hear from these scientists.  

Facebook Live Events:

Franklin Outside 
Wednesday, July 21 at 11 am

Engineering for Good 
Wednesday, July 28 at 1 pm 

Night Skies @ Home 
Thursday, August 5 at 7:45 pm 

Future of Health 
Monday, August 9 at 3 pm 

2021 GSK Science in the Summer – It’s not too late to participate!

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Even if you missed the registration or weren’t selected in the lottery, your family can still participate in the 2021 GSK Science in the Summer program.  This summer, the theme is Be an Engineer!  All activity guides, materials lists, and videos are available online.  Assemble your own materials and have fun being engineers at home!  

Once your family has completed the experiments, don’t forget to sign up to join one or more live virtual event, hosted by educators and scientists from The Franklin Institute!  These meetings will be live interactions where your children can share the results of their research with other program participants. Remember, you should complete the activity at home prior to attending the Live Virtual Event.  Attendees will participate via chat.

All of the “Be an Engineer” information and the links to register for the Live Virtual Events can be found at http://scienceinthesummer.fi.edu/

Children’s summer reading fun continues…

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Summer 2021 has reached the midpoint. Is your summer reading going well?  We have many ways for you to still enjoy your summer and keep up with your reading.  There’s still time to register online at Readsquared so that you can track your daily reading and earn reading badges.  OR you can visit the library to get the paper version.  We’ve already awarded reading badges to kids who complete just 3 activities per badge.  School reading lists are available too, and we are happy to help you find the books you need for your school’s reading assignments.  Our preschool, K-5, and teen virtual programs have been so much fun already, and there are more to come!  Visit our events calendar to see what’s next and to register.

You can also have fun reading via Bookflix and Trueflix!  Just have a library card ready and click here for BOOKFLIX; or click here for TRUEFLIX. If you are traveling and wish to read on your devices, you can check out an ebook or eaudiobook, which still count towards your summer reading.  Have your library card ready and click here for our overdrive site.