September is Library Card Sign-Up Month and we hope you’ll come to journey with us as we “Read Across CHESCO.” As participants travel from library to library, they will learn about the various services and resources the 18 libraries in the Chester County Library System (CCLS) have to offer. Each library will be spotlighting a different service/resource, so visit as many as you can.

Start your journey by picking up a “Read Across Chesco” passport from your local library and if you are a current library card holder, get your first sticker for the inside cover. If you don’t have a CCLS library card yet, you can sign up for one right there and then! Each library will display information about a specific service that the Chester County Library System provides. Answer the question on the corresponding library page for the location you are visiting and have library staff check your answer so they can give you a PA adventure critter sticker for your passport page. Each library has its own specific PA critter so try to collect all 18 of them!

Once your quest is complete with all 18 libraries visited, questions answered and stickers collected, stop by Chester County Library in Exton to get your swanky “Read Across Chesco” tote bag proudly featuring some of the wonderful landmarks we have here in Chester County.

“We are thrilled to offer Read Across Chesco,” said Lauren Harshaw, Staff Development & Advocacy Coordinator at Chester County Library System. “We wanted to find a way to encourage people to visit all of our libraries and see all of the different parts of Chester County. Furthermore, it is a great opportunity to learn about all of the different services and resources we have to offer beyond books!” “We hope you will join us for Read Across Chesco starting this September with it also being Library Card Sign-Up Month,” said Niki Kolb, Public Relations and Graphics Specialist at Chester County Library System. “This quest does not have a specific deadline as we know it may take some time to visit all 18 library locations across the County. However, we are very excited to see who will have bragging rights as the first patron to finish the entire adventure. See you at the libraries this fall!”

Come to Henrietta Hankin Branch Library on Thursday, September 12th, from 6:30-7:30 for a fascinating presentation on the lifecycle of stars by Don Miller, PhD. “Celestial Journeys: the lifecycles of stars” will give an overview of the journeys of stars from birth through adulthood, to old age and eventual death. Stars experience the same familiar progression as other life forms but on a much different timescale. They live long lives, by human standards, converting hydrogen into helium and perhaps other elements if the star is of sufficient mass. We will learn about the various ways that a star can die. Some go out with a beautiful cloud of gas while others literally go out with a bang.  Our own sun will eventually swell and perhaps engulf the Earth before it ends its lifecycle as a white dwarf.

Special focus will be given to T Corona Borealis, nicknamed the Blaze Star, which is about to put on a rare stellar display due to stellar aging. The Blaze Star can be seen currently in our northern sky.  It appears as one star when in actuality it is two stars.  One star has already ended its life and is sucking material from the still living sister star.  Eventually, this will lead to an explosion which will make T Corona Borealis suddenly appear in the sky, visible to the naked eye.  Learn how and when you may be able to observe this unique event!

Don has been interested in science and the stars ever since he had a night out with his father at age 6 looking at the sky and discussing the possibilities of the universe. He followed every aspect of the Apollo and subsequent programs. He saved up his money as a young kid to purchase an 8-inch reflector telescope and later as an adult moved on to an even larger telescope. He can frequently be found in his backyard or at star parties looking at the stars and sharing his love for space with the community. He has been a member of the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers, moved to Pennsylvania and joined the Chester County Astronomical Society, traveled to Wyoming to see the total solar eclipse, traveled to northern Sweden to see the northern lights, and many national parks for their dark skies, plus great hiking.

Dr. Don Miller is retired from a career in pharmaceutical research and can now devote his time to serving as a NASA Solar System Ambassador giving talks like this one to all age groups about astronomy, NASA programs and space in general. He also participates in the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Project Astro which brings hands-on space science to grade school children.

We are most honored to have Don speak at the library and hope you can join us for this most illuminating presentation. To register, go to https://ccls.libcal.com/event/12980911 or call Henrietta Hankin Branch Library at 610-344-4196. Henrietta Hankin Branch Library supports PA Forward Civic And Social Literacy.

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.