Business, education, biography, and more in Gale Virtual Reference Library

~ Sam Bardarik ~ Leave a comment

The Gale Virtual Reference Library database includes reference titles in the arts, biography, business, education, environment, general reference, history, law, literature, medicine, multicultural studies, nation and world, science, social sciences, and technology.

Trying to plan a business but don’t have access to the Chester County Library’s Business Plans Handbook series while we’re closed due to the pandemic? Fear not! The first 35 volumes are available online in the GVRL business section.

Planning your career or higher education? Check out the education section.

For all other topics, log in to the database with your CCL library card number from this page.

 

Get a Library Card to Access our Online Resources

~ Jenna P ~ Leave a comment

Use your library card and take advantage of eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, and databases available online 24/7. 

Don’t have a library card? Not a problem! You can get a free library card for use online. Email us at circdesk@ccls.org with your name and home address and we will send you a temporary membership number. 

If you already have a library card but are having trouble using your card to access our resources online, it may be that your library card has expired. Send us an email at circdesk@ccls.org, and if we still have a record of your account in our system we can reactivate your library card and restore access to all of our online resources. 

If a record of your account is no longer in our system, but you can provide us with your library card number, we will be able to provide you with a temporary library account which would provide full access to our resources online. 

If you have an active account and need to know what your library card number is, we can help with that too. Email us at circdesk@ccls.org and we’ll be happy to reply. 

If you have any other questions or concerns about your library account just let us know, we’re here for you!

Keep pace on your next walk with these five bestselling author podcasts

~ Book Club Mom ~ 5 Comments

Image: Pixabay

Before you take your next walk, why not download a podcast to keep your pace? Here are five bestselling author podcasts, ready for your ears!

On Writer’s Bone:

Author Delia Owens joins Daniel Ford for Friday Morning Coffee to chat about her debut novel Where the Crawdads Sing. – 21 minutes

Author Alex Michaelides joins Daniel Ford on Friday Morning Coffee to chat about his best-selling debut The Silent Patient. –23 minutes

On the B&N Podcast:

Bestselling, award-winning novelist Harlan Coben talks about where his stories come from — and the surprising tale of how he came to be a novelist. – 36 minutes

Jeanine Cummins sits down with B&N’s Miwa Messer to take us behind the making of American Dirt. –25-minutes

On Author Stories with Hank Garner:

Interview with C. J. Box, author of the Joe PIckett series and the new mystery Long Range (A Joe Pickett Novel Book 20). – 38 minutes

Walk and listen – a great combo!

Free access to Foundation Directory Online Essential

~ Tom ~ Leave a comment

Nonprofit organizations can still search for funding opportunities while the Chester County Library is closed. Candid, the parent company of the Foundation Center, has provided us with temporary, free access to Foundation Directory Online Essential. This valuable resource includes:

  • 103,000+ expanded grantmaker profiles
  • 300,000+ key decision makers and leaders
  • Searchable 990s and 990-PDFs
  • FDO Workspace

If you need more in-depth information on a foundation than FDO Essential can provide, please email us at ref@ccls.org and one of our librarians can send you the full Funder Profile from Foundation Directory Online Professional.

Kids’ Update: How to Tie Your Shoes

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

​Terry Moore believes that most of us are tying our shoes incorrectly. Surprisingly enough, he’s probably right. In this informative TED Talk, Moore demonstrates how to tie a stronger knot that won’t let us down. You just might be surprised when you click on How to Tie Your Shoes! As Moore notes, sometimes small advantages can yield big results.

Here’s a funny book about NOT going to school in a very interesting way! Me and My Cat.

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.

Get Book Recommendations from Novelist Plus!

~ lshupp13 ~ Leave a comment

Are you looking for what to read next? Need some suggestions based on your favorite books, authors, or series? Novelist Plus has you covered!

NoveList connects readers to their next book by making recommendations for what to read next. It covers non-fiction and fiction as well as book suggestions for readers of all ages, from young picture book lovers to adults in the mood for an intense historical fiction title.

One of the most popular features is read-alikes. If you have ever read a book and wanted to find another just like it, NoveList makes it a breeze to find your next great read. In addition, recommended reading and award-winning book lists are available in NoveList. It also has extra content like reviews (both professional and reader reviews), book discussion guides, curriculum guides, and other book-oriented articles.

NoveList will become your one-stop shop for all of your reading needs and wants!

Vote by mail–no questions asked!

~ megyves ~ Leave a comment

The 2020 Primary Election is just over a month away and you want to make sure your vote is counted! Did you know that you can now vote by mail in Pennsylvania? Due to recent voting reforms, registered voters can now apply to receive a  mail-in ballot without  providing  a  reason. Registered voters with a valid PA Driver’s License or PennDOT ID number can apply for their vote-by-mail ballot online. If you do not have one of these ID numbers, you can download a paper application from the same site and mail it to your County Board of Elections. Learn more about voting in PA in this handy online guide.

Library Update March 27

~ Jenna P ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to Stay Connected with Chescolibraries. The Libraries are closed until April 13. Please do not return library materials at this time. All due dates have been extended to April 15, and current overdue materials will not continue to accrue fines until we reopen. For help with your library account, please visit our Contact Us page. For help with OverDrive, please visit our OverDrive Help page.

Kids’ Update: Philly Zoo at 2

~ clancygirl1 ~ Leave a comment

​Get an insider’s look at the Philadelphia Zoo during their Philly Zoo at 2 Facebook Live series and virtually meet and interact with the amazing animals and dedicated staff every weekday at 2:00 p.m. Philly Zoo at 2. ​

Just like bear, we should be kind to the bees! Please, Please the Bees.

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.

Time to Start Your Own Vegetable Garden

~ Sara ~ Leave a comment

Having a vegetable garden supports a healthy and sustainable life style.  Now is the time to start one, but how?

First, let’s find your plant hardiness zone from USDA Hardiness Zone Finder.  It will help you to decide which plants should go into your garden.

Second, timing is everything.  This Garden Planting Calendar tells you when to start planting your desired vegetables.

Third, let’s get up and start your own vegetable garden!

Resources

From OverDrive:

Ultimate Garden Guide
143 Ideas for Containers, Beds & Borders
Southern Living by The Editors of Southern Living

The Rodale Book of Composting, Newly Revised and Updated
Simple Methods to Improve Your Soil, Recycle Waste, Grow Healthier Plants, and Create an Earth-Friendly Garden by Grace Gershuny and Deborah L. Martin

Ecological Gardening
Your Path to a Healthy Garden by Marjorie Harris

From Seed to Skillet
A Guide to Growing, Tending, Harvesting, and Cooking Up Fresh, Healthy by Jimmy Williams

Starting & Saving Seeds
Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for Your Garden by Julie Thompson-Adolf

There are also many resources from Fipster.  Search Home & Garden.

Other Resources:

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Food for Thought

Composting information from Chester County Soil Waste Authority 

National Agricultural Library

Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years. – Unknown
There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments. – Janet Kilburn Phillips
When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden. – Minnie Aumonier