September Adult Book Groups

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Our Adult Book Groups are a mix of in person, hybrid, and virtual programs. Please see our September titles and dates below. The online groups are being held via Zoom. We are requiring registration for the book groups in order to send out the Zoom meeting information, if applicable. Click on the date below to register. Information on our adult book groups can also be found on our website: https://bit.ly/chescolibs-bookgroups.

Evening Book Group
Monday, September 11, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Honor by Thrity N. Umrigar
Please note: Due to a power outage on August 7, the August book group was canceled. We will be discussing Honor in September and moving all the titles back by one month. 
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Page Turners Book Group 
Thursday, September 14, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Comics Unbound Group
Monday, September 18, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Crumbs by Danie Stirling
This session will be held via Zoom.

Whodunits Book Group
Wednesday, September 20, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
This session will be a hybrid session, in person or via Zoom.

Afternoon Book Group
Wednesday, September 20, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Registration is required for all book groups. Registration will close at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the book group. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the book group 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 book group.

These programs support the PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy Initiative.

Housing Fair Returns to Chester County Library

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The Chester County Library & District Center will host their third Housing Fair on Saturday, September 9 from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Multiple service organizations throughout Chester County will be on-site to share information about their housing programs. Services cover a variety of needs, including emergency shelter, transitional housing, vouchers, and rental assistance.

Organizations that will be in attendance include ACT in Faith of Greater West Chester, Bridge of Hope Chester County, Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, Good Samaritan Services, Home of the Sparrow, Housing Authority of Chester County, Housing Partnership of Chester County, Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, North Star of Chester County, and W.C. Atkinson Memorial Community Service Center, Inc. A representative from West Chester University’s Community Mental Health Services clinic will also be available to provide information about their mental health services for the public.

At 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., the Housing Partnership of Chester County (HPCC) will lead Credit Counseling Workshops in the Burke Room. Without good credit, it is nearly impossible to secure proper/stable housing, whether renting or purchasing. During the workshop, HPCC will cover the basic principles that everyone should understand including how credit is reported, the credit bureaus, FICO scores, and how to improve your credit situation.

This event is intended for individuals who are unsheltered, housing unstable, or at risk of losing housing. Registration is not required.

For more information, please visit bit.ly/CCLHousingFair23 or email Kelly Quigg, Community Engagement Librarian, at kquigg@ccls.org.

CCLS/CCL Board Meeting

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The Board of Trustees of the Chester County Library System/Chester County Library are hosting their monthly board meeting as a hybrid offering. If you have always wanted to attend a meeting but haven’t had the time, this is your opportunity. Please click on this link at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 15 to join the Chester County Library System Board Meeting virtually; or attend in person at the Chester County Library, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton. The Chester County Library Board Meeting will immediately follow. Find the Chester County Library Board Packet here.

If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend this meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation to observe or participate in the proceedings, please call Chester County Library’s Administration Office at 610-344-5600 or email ddadoly@ccls.org to discuss how we may best accommodate your needs.

July New Releases

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Movies

TV Shows

Music

Audiobooks

An In-Person Da Vinci Murder Mystery Event

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The year is 1960. Father Ambrose has been found murdered in the basement crypt of an old Abbey. Can you unravel the secrets of this isolated Abbey and the strange goings-on surrounding a carefully guarded secret? A secret that may include the lost works of Da Vinci, and a conspiracy that reaches as far back as the Vatican. Even the possibility of supernatural forces may be at work. Over the course of the night, you must unravel the mystery of “The Abbey” and solve this intriguing whodunnit!

Join us for a Da Vinci Murder Mystery at Revival Pizza Pub, 240 Windgate Drive Suite A7, Chester Springs, PA 19425. Registration is required at https://bit.ly/3DS0XnD. This event is for adults ages 18 years and up. This program supports PA Forward’s Civic and Social Literacy.

August Adult Book Groups

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Our Adult Book Groups are a mix of in person, hybrid, and virtual programs. Please see our August titles and dates below. The online groups are being held via Zoom. We are requiring registration for the book groups in order to send out the Zoom meeting information, if applicable. Click on the date below to register. Information on our adult book groups can also be found on our website: https://bit.ly/chescolibs-bookgroups.

Evening Book Group
Monday, August 7, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Honor by Thrity N. Umrigar
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library. 

Comics Unbound Group
Monday, August 21, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Fine by Rhea Ewing
This session will be held via Zoom.

Afternoon Book Group
Wednesday, August 16, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library. 

The Page Turners Book Group and Whodunits Book Group will return in September.

Registration is required for all book groups. Registration will close at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the book group. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the book group 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 book group.

These programs support the PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy Initiative.

CCLS/CCL Board Meeting

~ Jenna P ~ Leave a comment

The Board of Trustees of the Chester County Library System/Chester County Library are hosting their monthly board meeting as a hybrid offering. If you have always wanted to attend a meeting but haven’t had the time, this is your opportunity. Please click on this link at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 18 to join the Chester County Library System Board Meeting virtually; or attend in person at the West Chester Public Library, 415 North Church Street, West Chester, PA 19380. The Chester County Library Board Meeting will immediately follow. Find the Chester County Library Board Packet here.

If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend this meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodation to observe or participate in the proceedings, please call Chester County Library’s Administration Office at 610-344-5600 or email ddadoly@ccls.org to discuss how we may best accommodate your needs.

Teen Artist in Residence Announced

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We are so excited to welcome Alayna Rodner as our inaugural Teen Artist in Residence!

Alayna is a rising Senior at Owen J. Roberts High School who hopes to continue her artistic journey by attending art school when she graduates next year. She typically works in oil and watercolor paints, and charcoal. Her work can be seen at Ludwig’s Corner Hardware Store in Chester Springs. She is a past-president of her high school’s art club and an officer/president of her school’s chapter of the National Art Honors Society. Alayna’s favorite types of art include contemporary realism, especially when created with watercolor and oil paints such as the works of Nick Alm, and abstracted realism.

As part of her residency she will be leading a figure drawing workshop and will be creating “in-studio” around the library on Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. beginning July 10. Alayna will hold a Figure Drawing workshop in August, details to be announced soon and the residency will conclude with a show of her work. Keep your eye on our Event calendar for more information!

Novel Tea Event: Pam Jenoff

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Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 29th at 7 pm. Join Chester County Library as we present a virtual Novel Tea event featuring New York Times Bestselling Author and local Philadelphia native, Pam Jenoff, who will be discussing her latest novel, Code Name Sapphire, released in February 2023.

Pam Jenoff is the author of several books of historical fiction, including the NYT bestsellers Code Name Sapphire, The Lost Girls of Paris, The Orphan’s Tale, The Diplomat’s Wife, and The Woman with the Blue Star. Her novels are inspired by her experiences working as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon and as a diplomat for the State Department in Poland. These positions afforded Pam a unique opportunity to witness and participate in operations at the most senior levels of government and provided expertise regarding World War II and the Holocaust for Pam’s books.

Inspired by these incredible true stories of courage and sacrifice, Code Name Sapphire is a powerful novel about love, family, and the unshakable resilience of women in even the hardest of times. This is a powerful and memorable story for fans of World War 2 historical fiction, for readers who appreciate stories of brave women in the Resistance Movement, and for those who love sides of a thriller with their historical fiction stories.

This Chester County Library System fundraiser will support your local library’s efforts to consistently provide opportunities to read, learn, connect, and support the well-being of thousands of patrons in our shared community. Tickets will be available online from Wednesday, July 5th for $35 per person at https://bit.ly/JenoffLibrary.

July Adult Book Groups

~ Jenna P ~ Leave a comment

Our Adult Book Groups are a mix of in person, hybrid, and virtual programs. Please see our July titles and dates below. The online groups are being held via Zoom. We are requiring registration for the book groups in order to send out the Zoom meeting information, if applicable. Click on the date below to register. Information on our adult book groups can also be found on our website: https://bit.ly/chescolibs-bookgroups.

Evening Book Group
Monday, July 10, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library.

Comics Unbound Group
Monday, July 17, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Squire by Sara Alfageeh
This session will be held via Zoom.

Afternoon Book Group
Wednesday, July 19, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Long Bright River by Liz Moore
This session will be held in person in the Burke Room at the Chester County Library. 

The Page Turners Book Group and Whodunits Book Group will return in September.

Registration is required for all book groups. Registration will close at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled start time of the book group. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 2 hours before the book group 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 book group.

These programs support the PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy Initiative.