Resource Guide and Contacts for Community Needs and Referrals

~ lshupp13 ~ Leave a comment

The Chester County Department of Human Services has created an online Resource Guide for community needs. Included are resources for food, shelter, mental health, substance abuse, and much more.

They are updating this resource continuously so feel free to check back to see any updates or to contact the Department of Human Services if you have recommendations to add to their guide.

***If you were not able to find what you were looking for in this guide, please contact one of the Information and Referral Agencies listed below or try calling Chester County 2-1-1- by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-866-964-7922 (TTY and language services are available in more than 170 languages and dialects). Chester County residents can also text their zip code to 898-211.***

Chester County Information and Referral Agencies

  • Human Services Inc. (West Chester Area) or 610-429-3033
  • La Comunidad Hispana (Kennett Area) or 610-444-7550
  • Maternal and Child Health Consortium (Coatesville Area) – or 484-378-4030
  • Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center (Southern Chester County) or 610-932-8557
  • Phoenixville Area Community Services (Phoenixville Area) or 610-933-1105

Kids’ Update: A Trip to the National Zoo

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment
Aldabra Tortoise at the Smithsonian National Zoo

The Smithsonian National Zoo has a Virtual Zoo School just for you! It offers Activities You Can Do at Home and Resources to engage learners in grades pre-K to 12 with science, the natural world, wildlife and conservation. Check out the animal webcams, learn about wildlife careers, or take the online zoo highlights tour. National Zoo Activities and More!

If you didn’t find a bat on your visit to the zoo, you can visit Stellaluna!

The Youth Services Staff at the Chester County Library and Hankin Branch are presenting Virtual Storytimes beginning April 27th. They will be for three different ages groups — 0 to 2 Year Olds, 3 & 4 Year Olds, and 5 & 6 Year Olds. Registration is required via the Events Calendar at https://chescolibraries.org/. Virtual Storytimes are not registered as multi-week sessions; you will need to register for each storytime individually.

Financial Aid Webinars and Virtual Application Sessions

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PHEAA will offer Financial Aid Webinars in May on the following dates from 6-7 pm: May 7, 14 and 21 as well as offering one on one virtual application assistance.

Representatives from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Agency (PHEAA) will be providing an overview of how to apply for all types of financial aid, including completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is required to determine eligibility for most student aid programs such as the Pennsylvania State Grant, Federal Pell Grant, institutional offers, and federal student and parent loans. This will also be a great opportunity to have PHEAA representatives answer questions you may have.

Click Here to register for the May 7 webinar from 6-7 pm 
Click Here to register for the May 14 webinar from 6-7 pm 
Click Here to register for the May 21 webinar from 6-7 pm 

Celebrate National Blueberry Pie Day with new recipes in our Flipster magazines!

~ Book Club Mom ~ Leave a comment

Photo by Anastasia Chaplinskaya on Pexels.com

Happy National Blueberry Pie Day! This is the season for berries and you can find new pie and berry recipes in many of our magazines on Flipster.

Here’s a peek at a few magazines that feature pie and berry desserts in their latest issues.

We have more than 80 magazines available on Flipster to read with your library card. Sign in here and get your rolling pin ready!

Teen Update: Writing Tips for Teens and Tweens

~ svirginiaroyf ~ Leave a comment

If you are an aspiring writer, Penguin Classroom is the place to go for encouragement and insight. You will find fun writing tips and advice from award-winning and bestselling authors. John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, Marie Lu, Adam Gidwitz, and Max Brallier are just a few of the featured authors.

Click on the links below and scroll down to download the informative publication for free. And then, start crafting your story!

Penguin Classroom Writing Tips for Tweens

Penguin Classroom Writing Tips for Teens  

Go “Outdoors Online” with Natural Lands!

~ ccllauras ~ Leave a comment
Natural Lands’ ChesLen Preserve in Chester County, PA (Photo by Mae Axelrod)

“Explore nature remotely with a myriad of fresh, flexible, and fun online content” from Natural Lands, including the following:

Visit Natural Land’s Outdoors Online site for more information about these and other online offerings to help you connect virtually with nature!

Kids’ Update: Get Moving!

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

Tired of sitting around? Take a Brain Break! Everyone needs a Brain Break every once in a while. Take a minute or two between lessons to move that body! The Learning Station has a series of brain breaks on their YouTube station. This link has 30 minutes of brain break activities. The Learning Station’s Brain Breaks.

The Youth Services Staff at the Chester County Library and Hankin Branch are presenting Virtual Storytimes beginning April 27th. They will be for three different ages groups — 0 to 2 Year Olds, 3 & 4 Year Olds, and 5 & 6 Year Olds. Registration is required via the Events Calendar at https://chescolibraries.org/. Virtual Storytimes are not registered as multi-week sessions; you will need to register for each storytime individually.

Use your library card to keep up on book news in the New York Times

~ Book Club Mom ~ Leave a comment

Your library card is your link to the book world in the New York Times. See what’s happening today:

  • Read about a new novel, The End of October by Lawrence Wright, in which a new virus upends the world.
  • Preview 11 Books to Watch for in May.
  • Read about If It Bleeds, a new collection of novellas by Stephen King.
  • Access recent articles and book reviews, best sellers and a whole lot more.

You can read the New York Times for free with your library card. Click here to sign in and create your free account.

If you don’t have a library card, you can still get one to tap into our online digital collection, newspapers, Flipster magazines, and helpful databases. Click here to learn how.

Kids’ Update: More Fun with Music

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

Find lots of music games on PBS Kids and make music with your favorite PBS characters. Join Daniel Tiger, Pinkalicious, Martha, Peg & Cat, Sesame Street friends, and others to explore musical instruments and create your own tune. PBS Kids Music Games.

Have fun making music, but don’t do it at night! No More Noisy Nights!

The Youth Services Staff at the Chester County Library and Hankin Branch are presenting Virtual Storytimes beginning April 27th. They will be for three different ages groups — 0 to 2 Year Olds, 3 & 4 Year Olds, and 5 & 6 Year Olds. Registration is required via the Events Calendar at https://chescolibraries.org/. Virtual Storytimes are not registered as multi-week sessions; you will need to register for each storytime individually.